Once a year, on the November full moon, the night sky over Chiang Mai fills with thousands of glowing lanterns rising together — the Lanna festival of Yi Peng. We build a private, unhurried journey around that single unforgettable evening, framed by ancient hilltop temples, a quiet lake cruise among giant rain trees, and the gentle rhythm of Thailand's old northern capital.
Yi Peng is northern Thailand's most beautiful festival, and for many travellers it is reason enough to come to Chiang Mai. Rooted in Lanna belief, the releasing of a khom loi — a paper sky lantern — is an act of letting go: of misfortune, of the past year's troubles, of anything you wish to leave behind. When thousands rise at once over the rice fields and temple spires, the effect is quietly overwhelming. We time this private itinerary precisely to the festival evening, so you are in the right place, unhurried, as the first lanterns lift into the dark.
Around that centrepiece we have shaped two relaxed days that show the softer side of the north. You will cruise a mountain reservoir past century-old giant rain trees, climb to gilded hilltop shrines that have watched over the valley for a thousand years, and end among the misty hills of neighbouring Lampang. With a private vehicle, a licensed English-speaking guide, and a small group of four to six, there is no rushing and no queueing — only time to take it all in at your own pace.
The itinerary
Arrival in Chiang Mai
1Welcome to the North
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On arrival
Welcome to the North
Your guide meets you in Chiang Mai and transfers you to begin the journey. Founded in 1296 as the capital of the Lanna kingdom, the city sits in a broad valley ringed by forested mountains, and its old walls and moat still trace the original square at its heart. We keep the first hours gentle so you arrive at the festival rested and ready.
Lake of Giant Rain Trees, a Thousand-Year Shrine & the Yi Peng Festival
1Mae Ngat Dam & the Giant Rain Trees2Lunch in the countryside3Wat Phra That Doi Saket4Yi Peng Lantern Festival
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Morning
Mae Ngat Dam & the Giant Rain Trees
We drive north to the Phrao district and board a small boat onto the still waters of the Mae Ngat Somboon Chon reservoir. Here, towering rain trees stand half-submerged in the lake, their broad canopies mirrored on the surface — a serene, little-visited corner of the north. The cruise is a gentle way to start the day, with views of the surrounding mountains and glimpses of local life along the shore.
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Midday
Lunch in the countryside
We pause for a relaxed local lunch before continuing toward the festival grounds.
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Afternoon
Wat Phra That Doi Saket
This hilltop temple enshrines a relic believed to be a hair of the Buddha, a sacred site more than a thousand years old. The present chedi, rebuilt in 1993, rises thirty metres and gleams gold above the valley, visible from far below. It is a fitting, contemplative stop before the celebrations begin — a moment of stillness in a high place looking out over the land.
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Evening
Yi Peng Lantern Festival
As dusk falls we settle in for the festival itself. The grounds come alive with Lanna music, traditional dance, and competitions for the most beautiful banana-leaf krathong, while food and craft stalls line the paths. Then comes the moment everyone waits for: thousands of sky lanterns released together, drifting upward in a slow river of light. It is a sight that happens only once a year — release your own lantern, make a wish, and let it rise. We have dinner among the festivities at your own pace before returning to your hotel.
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Hotel
Overnight: Overnight: Hug Nimman Chiang Mai or similar boutique hotel
Doi Suthep, Hilltop Shrines & the Road to Lampang
1Wat Phra That Doi Suthep2Wat Phra That Doi Kham3Lunch & Kad Thung Kwian Market4Wat Phra That Doi Phra Chan
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Morning
Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
Chiang Mai's most revered temple crowns a mountain west of the city, reached by a famous staircase flanked by seven-headed naga serpents. At the top, a golden Lanna-style chedi sheathed in gilded copper plates anchors a terrace with sweeping views over the valley below — on a clear morning, the whole city lies spread out at your feet.
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Late morning
Wat Phra That Doi Kham
One of the oldest temples in Chiang Mai, Doi Kham is home to the much-loved 'Luang Pho Tan Jai' Buddha, famous among Thais for granting wishes quickly. It is a warm, atmospheric place where you can watch local pilgrims at prayer and feel the living faith of the north.
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Midday
Lunch & Kad Thung Kwian Market
We cross into neighbouring Lampang province for lunch, then browse Kad Thung Kwian, a sprawling roadside market known for northern foods, herbs, and handicrafts — a good place to pick up a souvenir or two.
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Afternoon
Wat Phra That Doi Phra Chan
Our final stop sits on a quiet mountain in Lampang's Mae Tha district. Built in graceful Lanna style, the temple looks out over the hills, and in the cool and rainy seasons a sea of morning mist gathers below. Its newest landmark is a great green Daibutsu Buddha — a serene presence you would expect to find in Japan, here among the northern Thai hills. From here we begin the journey onward.
