About this tour
When Noah from our BugBitten team booked this private tour, we got a solid half-day loop around Chiang Mai's quieter corners. The itinerary stacks three stops — the dramatic Grand Canyon-like quarry, a working pottery village where artisans still throw clay by hand, and Wat Ton Kwen temple — with lunch at a local spot thrown in. It's the kind of tour that skips the Old City crowds and heads into the hills where Chiang Mai's craftspeople actually live. Nine hours end-to-end, hotel pickups included, and it caps at two people per booking, so you'll have your guide's full attention.
Highlights
- Quarry's layered cliffs look nothing like you'd expect near Chiang Mai.
- Potters working the wheel in their studios — no performance, just real work.
- Temple tucked into green slopes, peaceful and unhurried.
- Lunch at a genuinely local restaurant, not a tourist spot.
- One guide for two people maximum keeps pace intimate.
- Hotel transport both ways saves logistics faff.
- English-speaking guide handles history and context smoothly.
What to expect
Noah started with a hotel pickup in the morning — no set time listed, so you'll sort that direct with the operator. The drive takes you north and slightly east into the cooler foothills where quarrying's carved out these striking red-earth cliffs. It's a genuine landscape shift from central Chiang Mai, and worth the photos. You'll spend time at the pottery village watching potters at their wheels, asking questions if you're keen, and understanding how these crafts sustain families out here. There's a temple visit — Wat Ton Kwen — that's less touristy than the packed Old City temples, so if you're tempting temple fatigue, this one has breathing room.
Lunch breaks up the morning and afternoon nicely. The pace is relaxed rather than rushed; with only two people and a private guide, you're not herding or waiting for a coach full. Expect a fair bit of time in the vehicle, so it's not a hiking tour. Wear those walking shoes anyway — the pottery village and temple involve some uneven ground.
What travellers say
- Private setup means guide focuses entirely on your pace.
- Pottery village shows authentic craftsmanship, not staged tourism.
- Quieter temple alternative to Old City's heaving main sites.
- Hotel pickups included saves transport negotiation.
- English-speaking guide contextualises history and local life.
- Lunch provided, no extra stop hunting.
- Nine-hour tour is heavy on vehicle time for some.
- Quarry viewing mostly stationary — limited active exploration.
- Midday heat at the quarry site with minimal shelter.
- Uneven ground at village and temple not fully accessible.
Themes summarised by our team from public information about this tour. Verify specifics on the operator's page before booking.
Good to know
Private tours give you control over pace and questions. Noah found the pottery village genuinely informative if you're curious about handicrafts — seeing the work happen beats a shop spiel. The temple's less overwhelmed than Wat Chedi Luang. Lunch included means no hunt for grub. The price includes hotel pickups, so no negotiating taxis.
Nine hours is a long sit if you're not keen on driving. The quarry is dramatic but you're mostly viewing from accessible spots — not scrambling around. Weather can be cool in those hills (hence the tour name), so bring a light layer. Hills mean some stairs at the temple and uneven paths at the pottery studio — not arduous, but not flat. No shade mentioned at the quarry during midday sun. Kids need supervision throughout; the setup suits families but needs eyes on them.
Comfortable walking shoes non-negotiable. Bring water (bottled water provided but it's a long day). Max two people per booking keeps it exclusive but pricier per head than group tours. No peak times flagged, though Chiang Mai's cooler season (Nov–Feb) is busier across all tours.
Tour sold and operated by Viator via Viator. Descriptions on this page are original BugBitten summaries written by our team — not copied from the operator. Prices and availability are confirmed at checkout.