Mae Tho National Park, The heaven on earth that you can touch

Mae Tho National Park covers an area of 990 square kilometres in Amphoe Hot and Mae Chaem, Chiang Mai. Once this area teas reclaimed by local people, later it was rehabilitated by the Royal Forest Department. The National Park offers scenic view of various vegetation.

Geography
The features rugged mountain range and reaches 400-1,699 metres above sea level. The highest peak is “Doi Kio Rai Mong” with 1,699 metres high.

Flora and fauna

Mae Tho National Park Mixed deciduous forest and deciduous dipterocarp blankets the National Park with various plants such as Dipterocarpus alatus. Michelia floribunda. Bischofia javensis. Alstonia scholaris. Castanopsis cerebrina. GJuta usitata. Cajanus cajan. Aglaia edulis, Tectona grandis. Lagerstroemia tomentosa and Pinus kesiya.

It is home to wildlife such as Guar, Bear, Deer, Macaque, Elephant, Wild Boar, Langur, Palm Civet, Gibbon, Common Muntjak and Serow.

Attractions in Mae Tho National Park

Mae Tho View Point

Mae Tho View Point is in the area of the National Park. Looking down into the valley below, you will see the rice terraces of Karen hill tribe which looked like a river meander line. Especially, during the rainy season, the rice fields are green and moist. If the weather is clear, you can see the peak of Doi Inthanon. In the morning, fog is very thick and cool weather all year. 

Mae Aep Waterfall is located far from the National Park office for 9 kilometers. The distance to the walking trail is approximately is 1 kilometers, there’s a water fall where is width around 10-12 meters. This waterfall is beautiful ambience and nice to visit.

Mae Lit Waterfall

Mae Lit Waterfall offers spectacular scenery with 8-10 meters wide and 12-15 meters high. Walking about 500 meters from Baan Tung Luang village, there’s a waterfall, a width of 8-10 meters with a height of 12-15 meters where is very beautiful.

The Mae Ping Noi-Sop Mae Tum-Sop Huai Kong Pae

The Mae Ping Noi-Sop Mae Tum-Sop Huai Kong Pae offers scenic view of various vegetations and adventurous journey. Stop at Thum Luang Mae Tum Cave, inside the cave has a stalagmite, the shape looks like a pillar in the temple. Around the stone pillars, stalagmites look like a graven image that looks very strange but be beautiful. There are a lot of bats living in the cave. Then cruise along Mae Tum River to see the nature of mixed forest. Areas of the river resemble a cactus. In the river has small islets along the river to Sob Huay Mae Tum creek. This is the point where the Mae Tum river’s confluence with Mae Jam river. Then cruise along the Mae Jam river to explore the forest intact.

Rafting along the route of Ban Mae Khan-Sop Mae Turn-Sop Huai Kong Pae

It is best for white water rafting tour in Mae Jam River. From the rafting start point on the Mae Khan check, through Kang Sob Khan, Kang Kho Mar, Kang Tha Ruer, Kang Kod, Kaeng Luang, Kang Ob, Chiang Da beach, Wang Kwai Pueak and Sob Long village to visit the natural beauty of the cliffs and the forest of the both Mae Jam riverside. Continue rafting through Sob Mae Tum until the end of the rafting trip. A total distance is approximately 25 kilometers, will take approximately 11-12 hours. There’s a difficulty level 3-4. The suitable time to have a rafting trip is between October – March. Those interested can contact to rent a rubber raft from Mae Jam Forest Park, Ob Luang National Park and rafting in the private sector, but this has to require permission from the Mae Tho National Park.

Mae Tho Royal Project

Mae Tho Royal Project The area of Mae Tho village where has Karen and Hmong hill tribes live in. They grew opium farm and mobile plantation. They lacked of knowledge and attended the environment. They have to fight poverty for long time until Mae Tho Royal Project has established a policy encouraging farmers plan, to replace opium production and reducing pesticide use.

The agro tourism activity to visit encourage farmers product and see the life of the Hmong and Karen hill tribes.

Facilities

Mae Tho National Park Campsite : There’s not an accommodation service to tourists in the park yet. But tents are available to visitors because the establishment of new national parks. If you are interested in traveling to national parks, you must provide tents and food by themselves. And the details about the tents, you can contact with the park directly.

Toilet – Bath Room, There are a total of 2 places available;

1. 2 rooms at the campsite.

2. 6 toilet rooms and 4 bath rooms in the area where’s near the entrance of the staff’s accommodation.

Mae Tho National Park Map