Nam Wa River
Also known as: Wa River, Mae Nam Wa
Remote limestone gorges, virgin jungle, waterfalls, natural river beaches; two national parks
Is there water?
Whether there is a river here on your dates, and what kind of water it is.
Monsoon rain-fed; Aug typically off-peak; levels drop from Nov; check flow with operator before travel
Jul-Dec (Siam); section-dependent Jun-Feb
Jun-Oct high water (hardest III-V)
Warm tropical water; cool nights/air Nov-Jan (bring warm layers)
SW monsoon flash floods and rapid level rise; call operator for flow suitability
Grade & who can come
A river changes grade with its level. These grades describe a normal flow - in flood the same run is harder, and often a different run entirely. Check the gauge before you commit.
Thai/intl Level I-V; III-V Jun-Oct, III-IV Nov-Feb, II-III Mar-May
Whitewater rafting; whitewater kayaking
Split into Upper (35 km), Middle (85 km ~2 days), Lower (12 km ~3 hr Grade <3 family); operators run Upper+Main combos
Remote wilderness; Upper Wa risky for beginners in rains; Lower Wa suits all ages; min age 13 (Siam). Confirm.
The run
Kaeng Tum Hok (Level 5); dense Upper Wa rapid clusters 20-30 m apart (Kaeng Hua Meang, Kaeng Wang Ling, Kaeng Suea Ten I/II); Middle Wa waterfall-like drops that flip rafts
Whirlpools, large waves, waterfall-like ledges, surfacing rocks at low water, raft-flipping holes
Upper Wa (Sapan-Sop Mang ~35 km); Middle Wa (Sop Mang-Wang Lun ~85 km); Lower Wa (~12 km)
Very low; one of Thailand's least-visited regions; strong solitude
Access & shuttle
Mae Charim National Park fees apply; Siam 5-day ~18,500 THB pp (6 pax), 20,000 (4), 26,000 (2), 30% non-refundable deposit, runs on request. Confirm.
Permits and operators change - confirm before booking.
Nan to put-in Ban Sop Mang ~2 hr drive; take-out by adapted farm tractor; Mae Charim NP HQ N18 36.052 E100 58.73 (tel +66 5473 0040-1)
Operator private minibus Chiang Mai-Nan ~5 hr; road to put-in ~2 hr; take-out tractor to road then van to Nan; flights Bangkok/Chiang Mai to Nan
Riverside tent camps (2 nights on river: Nam Wa Camp 1 and Camp 2); Nan hotel/guesthouse pre/post; operator tents and meals
Operator provides rafts, PFDs, helmets, dry bags; remote, no phone reception in gorges; warm camp clothes Nov-Jan
Siam River Adventures (Chiang Mai); Mae Charim National Park; hubs Nan and Chiang Mai
Hazards & exits
Big-water Level 5 in high season; committing multiday with no easy exit; verify flow before travel
Very limited mid-river road access; self-reliant guided rescue; evacuation slow
Guided expedition required; skilled steersmen; Siam staff trained in wilderness medicine and swiftwater rescue (US standards)
This profile is desk research, compiled from public sources - not a first-hand river run report. Coordinates are approximate.