Chiang Mai private driver
A car and a northern driver for the day, for the mountain roads that no taxi will take you on. Doi Suthep and back, Doi Inthanon in a long day, or the Mae Rim loop at your own pace.
The north is not a taxi town
In Bangkok a driver can always find another fare around the corner. In Chiang Mai the interesting places are outside the city, up roads that climb for an hour, and most taxis will simply refuse or quote a number that makes a private day look reasonable. Grab works inside the ring road and rarely beyond it.
Our drivers are northerners. That matters on the Doi Inthanon road, which has 1,300 metres of climb and a set of hairpins that are unpleasant in a tired sedan, and it matters for the small things — which temple car park is full by 09:00, where to stop for coffee on the Mae Rim loop, which route to Pai is less likely to make a child sick.
Typical days
Doi Suthep half day — temple, Bhubing Palace gardens, back by lunch. Five hours. Mae Rim loop — elephant sanctuary, orchid farm, a waterfall, eight hours. Doi Inthanon — a 12-hour day if you want the sunrise, 10 if you skip it. Chiang Rai — 13 hours, and better done as an overnight.
| Package | Vehicle | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Half day (5 hrs) | Sedan, 1–3 | $52 |
| Full day (8 hrs) | Sedan, 1–3 | $72 |
| Full day (8 hrs) | SUV / van | $92 |
| Doi Inthanon (12 hrs) | SUV | $135 |
| Chiang Rai (13 hrs) | SUV | $165 |
| Overtime | Any | $8 / hr |
If anyone in the group gets car sick, say so at booking and we bring a larger vehicle and plan the route with more stops. The Pai road is the worst offender; Doi Inthanon is manageable.
Driver, or guide?
In the north the line matters more than in Bangkok, because so much of the value is explanation — what the temple means, which hill tribe, why the road exists. A driver gets you there; a guide tells you what you are looking at. We can put both in the car: add $55–75 a day.
Entrance fees are not included in the day rate — Doi Inthanon has a ฿300 park fee for foreigners, Doi Suthep is free, Bhubing Palace is ฿50. We list them per route in the proposal so there is no surprise at the gate.
Can we do Doi Inthanon and Doi Suthep in one day?
Not comfortably. They are different mountains in different directions. Doi Suthep is a half day; Doi Inthanon is a full one, and the sunrise version starts at 04:30.
Is the drive to Pai safe?
It is a mountain road with 762 curves, and it is safe in daylight with a local driver. We do not run it at night and we do not recommend it for anyone prone to motion sickness.
Can the driver take us to Chiang Rai and wait?
Yes — 13 hours, quoted as a fixed day. Most people prefer to stay a night in Chiang Rai and continue from there, which is cheaper than paying for a driver to wait.
Do you provide child seats?
Yes, free with notice. For mountain days we recommend a van rather than a sedan with two children.
Tell us the mountain.
Doi Suthep, Doi Inthanon or the Mae Rim loop — we quote the day and the park fees together.