Khao Yai National Park Day Tour

Khao Yai National Park is the Thailand's most famous park. Rightly considered the best one in the Kingdom for wealth in flora and fauna, Khao Yai is regarded one of the best parks in the world. Situated mainly in Nakhon Ratchasima Province, best known as Khorat, the park also includes parts of Prachinburi, Saraburi and Nakhon Nayok provinces. Located approximately 200 Kilometres northeast of Bangkok, Khao Yai is just 3 hours drive from capital. Established in 1962 as Thailand's first national park, it is the third largest in the Kingdom. Khao Yai Park extends on the western part of the Sankamphaeng Mountain Range, at the south-western boundary of the Khorat Plateau, and covers an area of 2,168 square kilometres, including tropical seasonal forests and grasslands. Khao Yai's average altitude ranges from 400 to 1,000 m above sea level, with the highest area located in the north and west of the park. The highest peak within the park is Khao Rom which rises to 1351 meters. The park is part of Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai Forest Complex covering 5 protected areas from Khao Yai to the Cambodian border, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO on July 14, 2005. The park is home to 3,000 plant species, 320 species of birds as the Red Junglefowl and Coral-billed Ground Cuckoo, and 66 species of mammals, including Asian Black Bear, Indian Elephants, Gibbons, Indian Sambar, Pig-tailed Macaque, Indian Muntjac, wild Pigs and Deer. In the park there are several caves and waterfalls very popular among local, especially on weekends and public holidays for a picnic. The highest waterfall is Namtok Haew Narok, a water fall on three levels with the first fall high more than 60 meters for a total of 150 meters fall, the Namtok Heo Suwat, made famous from the film The Beach, and Namtok Sarika which is very popular among the Thais. The park is a very popular destination for both foreign and local tourists. Khao Yai receives over 10,000 visitors on an average week, and can be very busy on the week-ends and public holidays. In the park there are more than 50 kilometres of trails, mostly marked with numbers paint on the plants, and others not reported. Many of the trails start from areas near the Park Headquarters, where the Rangers are available for any information. The services available to tourists in the park are very good, with several options to stay. There are dormitories and houses for tourists in different areas of the park. There is a campsite at Pha Kluay Mai that can accommodate up to 1,000 visitors, with restaurant and tents for rent. There are other two camping areas at Kong Kaeo and Yaowachon, which can accommodate up to 250 tourists. Visitors can get permission to camping at the headquarters before 17:00. Khao Yai has a cooler temperature than the rest of Thailand almost all year round, with an annual average temperature of 23° C. The cooler months in absolute are December and January with average temperatures of 22° C during the day and 10° C at night. The best time to visit Khao Yai is during the cool season, from October to February. The rainy season runs from May to October, most days have high rates of precipitation, while the hot season runs from March to April, during which the humidity is higher but temperatures never exceed 30° C in the day and 17° C at night. Khao Yai National Park is open to visitor from 7.00 am to 5.00 pm everyday all year round. Admission fee is 400 baht for adults and 200 baht for children, the fee for access with a car is 50 Baht.
What to Expect - Despite the distance from Bangkok to Khao Yai National Park is the most favourite destination for lovers of trekking and wild watching from the capital for both tourists and locals. The park is ideal place to enjoy Hiking in the jungle, Wild and Bird Watching, Elephant Trekking or simply to enjoy a cool day in the park admiring fantastic scenery. Several specialized tour operators offer one-day packages all inclusive to visit Khao Yai from Bangkok. The cost of a One Day Tour to the Park ranges between 3,000 and 4,000 THB depending on the tour operator and the various options chosen. The day package includes the transfer round trip by air-conditioned coach or minivan from your Bangkok hotel, the park entrance fee, the Thai lunch, the tourist guide speaking English or Russian, and the tour insurance. The departure from Bangkok is early in the morning, normally between 6.15 and 6.30 am, and the return to your hotel is at 19.30 pm. During the day in the park are planned a traditional Ox Cart Ride in a local farm through the paddy fields, a 45-minute Elephant Trekking through the jungle in the park, a short hike to Haew Narok Waterfall for swim and relax, and also free time to enjoy the wild and bird watching. Most of the tours on route to Khao Yai provide a stop to a traditional Thai fresh market to pick up some local ingredients and fresh fruit for the Thai lunch, which you will cook later during a Thai Cooking Lesson.Read More