Northern Thailand Getaway

It is the grand loop of the north: 12 days with 10 days of riding, about 1,056 miles from Chiang Mai. On top of the Golden Triangle, it adds Doi Inthanon, the Mae Hong Son loop and Pai to the west, then Phu Chi Fa, Nan and Lampang to the east. The Best of Northern Thailand keeps the heart of it in 7 days. Thailand & Laos: Along the Mekong crosses into Laos, on tougher roads.

The tour is rated Intermediate: you need to ride regularly and enjoy stringing curves together, as the Mae Hong Son road alone has more than 1,800 of them. We ride mostly on small mountain roads, and on the left, as everywhere in Thailand. Some stages are far from medical help and cell coverage is limited there: the support vehicle follows the group.

An average of 106 miles per riding day, from 37 to 162 miles. The longest stage links Chiang Kham and Nan, with an early start. The shortest one stays around Chiang Rai: the White Temple, the Blue Temple, hot springs, then a free late afternoon and dinner at the night market.

A Royal Enfield, at ease on the winding roads of the north; your travel advisor will tell you which model your departure uses. Our mechanic services it every day and travels with the spare parts. If your height gives you second thoughts, either way, ask your travel advisor before you book.

Yes, it was designed with couples in mind too: stages with no technical difficulty, comfortable hotels and plenty of temple visits. Your bags travel in the support vehicle, which keeps the motorcycle light. A passenger pays $3,290, the rider $3,890.

An English-speaking motorcycle tour leader rides up front. Behind, an experienced mechanic and the driver of the support vehicle carry the bags and the spare parts. The group is limited to 10 motorcycles, or 12 participants with passengers.

$3,890 per rider and $3,290 per passenger. The price covers the motorcycle, gas, the team, lodging, airport transfers and half board: breakfast and lunch on riding days, with water, tea and coffee. You pay for your flights, any visa, the International Driving Permit, which the State Department says is required to ride a motorcycle in Thailand, dinners, lunches on days 1 and 12, drinks, temple entrance fees, tips and a $708 deposit per motorcycle. The $41 registration fee applies to your first trip with us only.

In Chiang Mai, where the loop starts and ends. You book your own flights, usually with a connection in Bangkok. On day 1, we meet you at the airport and drive you to the hotel; the rest of the day is free to explore the old town and its temples. On day 12, your airport transfer is timed to your flight. To add nights before or after, talk to your travel advisor.

Departures run from October to February, in the dry season of the north, outside the monsoon. Days are mild and sunny in the mountains, but nights and mornings can be cold, especially in December and January, around Doi Inthanon or Phu Chi Fa: pack a warm layer for the first miles of the day.

In standard to comfort hotels, often in the middle of the mountains and sometimes with a pool; in Chiang Kham, with an offbeat host. Your bags travel in the support vehicle: a soft duffel bag loads more easily than a hard-shell suitcase. Pack modest clothes, with shoulders and knees covered, to enter the temples.