With a few spare days and a long weekend, we planned a last minute camping trip. This time we were heading to the Northwest of Thailand to a province called Tak and a mountain ridge named Doi Soi-Malai. A famous grassy ridge popular with campers who prefer to get off the beaten track and cow herders because of the abundance of grass!
Source: Google Maps
After a long drive we neared the national park but made one last stop before climbing the final mountain road. A stop a the River Ping to wash off and have a quick swim was welcomed in the midday sun.
The water was shallow enough to walk and wade through from one side to the other. It was clear, slow moving and warm, the complete opposite to some of the mountainous rivers we had seen in the north.
We dried off and completed the last 35km of road before turning off onto the dirt track. We had visited once before about 5 years ago during the rainy season. Back then there were lots of bog holes, mud and mini landslides but this was the dry season and we were expecting something totally different.
Driving offroad is generally a lot easier and simpler when the ground is dry but when it's too dry, the soil can turn dusty and fail to give any kind of grip. This is only a problem on steeper slopes where traction is important and speed minimal.
At least today, the soil was soft yet somewhat dry, left good tyre tracks and offered lots of traction.
The first part of the 11km dirt track was through the forest. Tall trees and dense undergrowth were full of life and the sounds of wildlife were endless. We stopped multiples times to enjoy the surroundings and look around - especially up in the trees in hope of spotting monkeys but there were none!
As we climbed higher we started to the leave the forest and came out into grassy hillsides. The views were amazing but it got very hot all of a sudden without any kind of shade.
The track became a little more adventurous and quite rocky at times. We weren't worried about the ground clearance of the truck but were aware that the shocks were taking a pounding from all the rocks. We crawled along for much of it to ensure we gently rolled over the bumps.
A few corners looked a little rough and saw us stop for a short walk ahead and plan a line. It is always more reassuring to know what to expect and not get caught out on a blind bend with a huge rut halfway up a steep slope.
The track finally levelled out and we started to meet many of the cows that roamed free along the top ridge.
Once you arrive at the top, there is really nothing stopping you from driving anywhere. There are several tracks to follow but the short grass allows you to set up camp anywhere.
Since it was getting late and we still wanted to enjoy the late afternoon sun setting up our tent, preparing food and collecting firewood, so we decided to save the main ridge for the following day and head up to the southern peak which was only 2 minutes away!
The southern peak is usually ignored by most and isn't usually camped at. We thought it was the best bet as in the other direction behind us along the main ridge we could see other 4x4 trucks setting up in the distance.
The last 100m brought us up to the camp spot and had the most amazing views. We could even see the River Ping we had swam at earlier in the day.
The views from the tent couldn't have been better and sitting in there just chilling out was very relaxing. Wer had a valley view in front and a small rockery type garden area behind.
Once again it was pretty hard to find wood for the campfire because other campers had already found it. We needed to walk a little further to find sticks and old logs but knew we would regret not having a fire if we didn't bother because of the cold evening winds.
As the sun went down we sat close to the fire. We had already eaten our main course but continued to grill what was left over on the open flames. Sweet potatoes and gyoza did just fine.
Off in the distance we could see the lights of villages and towns below. Most of what we could see or what was around us was in total darkness and was land reserved for the National Park. It was hard to hear any sound from the forests below with the whistling wind but I am sure it was as noisy as what it was in the day.
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