Old Monks Trail Through the Mountain

Today, I planned to hike up Doi Suthep mountain, following the old monks trail to two temples - the first one at about 40% of the route, and the second one at the end.

I started, of course, early in the morning to avoid the heat, so I took a taxi to a market around 7AM, from where I walked another 40 minutes to the start of the route at the foot of the mountain. Already around the market, there was a beautiful view of the mountain and its surroundings with lots of trees, and the weather was ideal - the sun had just risen, and it was fresh.

At the beginning of the route, there were only a few people, but as I climbed, groups of 2-3 people passed me every 5-6 minutes, presumably returning from the first temple. The dirt path was well-trodden, 1-1.5 meters wide, always accompanied by wild vegetation and trees on both sides, and in some parts, there were improvised steps in the form of uneven wooden stumps laid in the ground with alternating gaps between them. Along the way, I made a few small detours from the route because I heard the sound of water flowing and found a few small waterfalls and streams.

I would say the path was moderately difficult, with an average incline of 20-25 degrees, and it took me about 40 minutes to reach the first temple - with breaks for taking photos and enjoying nature.

I reached the entrance to the Wat Pha Lat temple area and first put on elephant pants over my shorts out of respect for this sacred place. The surroundings of the temple were a true oasis for all the senses - the sounds of nearby waterfalls, dense trees, bamboo and other greenery, statues and buildings half-covered in moss, the smell of fresh air, and above all, peace (even though there were surely 100 people here). I explored the surroundings, rested a bit in the shade, and continued on to the second temple.

I exited the temple area, and the path continued uphill through the forest, and after about 5 minutes, I reached a paved road that I had to cross to continue the route on the other side. Immediately upon resuming the climb, I noticed that it was much steeper - most of the path had an incline of 50 degrees (if not more)! Here, I lost my breath and a ton of sweat, and towards the end of the path (which took about 40 minutes), I took a few breaks, hanging onto a tree on the slope, just to catch my breath.

The hike came to an end, and I reached a busy paved road where red songthaews were constantly transporting passengers on the route _city center - Wat Phra That Doi Suthep (the second temple)_. Feeling like a wild man who had come to civilization, breathless and drenched in sweat, I climbed from the dirt path directly onto the paved road and headed towards the larger group of people also heading to the temple. Before the temple, there were vendors selling souvenirs, food, and drinks, and the entire area was surrounded by wilderness. To reach the temple, you have to climb 309 steps, and around the top, there is a viewpoint from where you can see the entire city of Chiang Mai. I explored the entire temple area, descended, bought a souvenir, and then returned to the city center using a songthaew.

I plan to do this hike again, probably towards the end of my stay in Chiang Mai because I really enjoyed the peace and nature!