LN
Lars N.Sweden · March 2026
★★★★★
“We asked for two nights with nothing planned. They understood immediately, which most agencies do not.”
Private tour
The Mae Hong Son Loop
600km of mountain road, 1,864 curves and the three quietest towns in the north.
The Mae Hong Son Loop is a 5-day private driving trip from Chiang Mai via Pai to Mae Hong Son and back, from $940 per person. It covers 250km of mountain road with a driver-guide, so you get the scenery without the 1,864 curves.
Duration5 days / 4 nights
From$940 pp
GroupPrivate · 2–4 travellers
StylePrivate tour
600km of mountain road, 1,864 curves and the three quietest towns in the north.
Best for: Travellers who want the north without a tour bus. The route runs Chiang Mai · Pai · Mae Hong Son. Everything below is a starting point: hotels can be upgraded or simplified, days can be added, and any element can be removed.
The loop is one of the best drives in Southeast Asia and one of the most fatiguing. Having a driver solves the second problem: you can look out of the window, stop at the viewpoints, and arrive in Mae Hong Son able to do something other than lie down.
The route runs Chiang Mai, Pai, Soppong, Mae Hong Son, Ban Rak Thai, and back down via Mae Sariang — five days with two nights in Mae Hong Son and one each in Pai and Mae Sariang. It includes Tham Lod cave at dusk, the morning mist at Ban Rak Thai, and the Shan temples in Mae Hong Son town.
Day by day
Day01
Chiang Mai to Pai
Route 1095, canyon at sunset, night in Pai.
Day02
Pai to Mae Hong Son
Hot springs, mountain road, evening at the lake temple.
Day03
Mae Hong Son
Ban Rak Thai tea village, Tham Lod cave at dusk.
Day04
To Mae Sariang
Quiet road south, Salawin river, village walk.
Day05
Back to Chiang Mai
Return via Doi Inthanon or the direct road.
How the days are paced
Five days, four hotels, and no driving day over four hours. Two early starts (6am) for the mist and the cave.
What changes the price
$940 per person is based on private · 2–4 travellers sharing a room for 5 days, with mid-range four-star hotels as standard. Nothing is added locally: the entrance fees, boats and guiding are already in the number.
Deposit is 20% to confirm, balance 30 days before arrival. Free changes up to 45 days out.
What’s included
Included
- 4 nights
- Private car and driver-guide
- Cave raft and park fees
- Breakfast daily
Not included
- International flights
- Meals not listed
- Travel insurance
Good to know
From $940 per person, based on private · 2–4 travellers, 5 days and 4 nights. The quote includes the hotels, guiding and transport listed under “What’s included”; international flights and travel insurance are not included.
Yes. Every itinerary on this site is a starting point. Days can be added or removed, hotels upgraded or simplified, and the route reordered around your dates — we re-cost it as many times as you need before you commit.
Not included: international flights, meals not listed. Everything else listed under “What’s included” is in the quote, and we do not add local payments on arrival.
Three to six months ahead for the best hotels, and by September for travel over Christmas and New Year. Green-season trips can usually be arranged with six weeks’ notice.
Many people do, and it is a genuine adventure. The risk is real though — the road has blind curves and the accident rate among riders is high.
One night, yes. It is a busy small town now, but the valley around it is beautiful and it breaks the drive.
What you will see
Nature
Pai Canyon & Sai Ngam Hot Springs
A narrow ridge of eroded clay with views over the Pai valley, and forest hot springs twenty minutes further nort…
Pai · Half dayTHB 200 (springs)
Village
Ban Rak Thai
A Yunnanese Chinese village on a reservoir near the Myanmar border, surrounded by tea terraces.…
Mae Hong Son · 2–3 hoursFree
Cave
Tham Lod Cave
A river cave with three chambers, bamboo rafts and swifts that stream out at dusk.…
Mae Hong Son · 1.5 hoursTHB 450 (raft + guide)
Experiences on this trip
What travellers say about trips like this
AP
Anna P.Netherlands · December 2025
★★★★★
“The elephant sanctuary they chose was small, quiet and clearly about the animals. That alone was worth booking direct.”
ST
Sarah & TomUnited Kingdom · February 2026
★★★★★
“We didn't want a tour. We wanted someone who knew the country to make the week work. That is exactly what we got.”
Reviews are from travellers on comparable itineraries, not this exact departure. All 2,400 are on the reviews page.
