Khao Yai was established in 1962 as Thailand 's first national park. Located in the Dongrak mountain range in North eastern Thailand , the park covers 2,168 sq.km and contains one of Thailand 's last remaining tracts of intact moist evergreen forest. The park is host to 2,000-2,500 plant species, at least 67 species of mammals and over 300 species of birds. In addition to providing a habitat for its wealth of animal life, the forest of Khao Yai also protects the head waters of major river systems which are of vital importance to regional agriculture and industry. It's diversity of flora and fauna, scenic attractions and easy access combine to make Khao Yai one of Southeast Asia 's most valuable parks.

        Khao Yai National Park is located on the western edge of the Panom Kongrak Mountain range, which forms the southwest rim of the Korat Plateau.Elevations in the park rage from 250 to 1351 meters above mean sea level. Four of the range's dominant peaks can be seen in the park: Khao [mountain] Laem, Khao Rom, Khao Khieo and Khao Sarm Yod. The road up the top of Khao Khieo offers a magnificent panorama of the parkland,and a short walk to a viewing area at the top of the mountain offers a clifftop vista of the Samopun Valley below Khao Khieo ridge.

        Khao Yai has a monsoon climate. The average annual rainfall at the park is 2,270 milimeters. The average annual temperature is 23 degree Celcius

        Cool Season [November-February]Clear suun days provide excellent weather for hiking and sight seeing. Nights are generally clear and cold, great for star gazing, but nightuime temperatures can drop into the low teens.

        Hot season [March-May] The high altitude and lush forest temper the heat at this time of the year. Waterfalls are often dry by April.

        Rainy Season{June-October] This is the wettest season of the year. Thunderstorms most often roll into the opark in the late afternoon, leaving the mornings clear and dry to enjoy a hike. The waterfalls are at their most spectacular and a multitude of butterfiles decorate the scene. However, the rains also brings out leeches which can be warded off with an application of insect repellant.

        Khao Yai National park is more than 85 percent forest. The dominant vegetation type is moist evergreen forest which cover 70 percent of the park Other forest type include dry evergreen, dry mixed deciduous forest and hill evergreen forest which occurs above 1,000m on Khao Khieo ridge. On the park's 40 kilometers of hiking trails you will see beautiful climbing vines, many types of orchids. Enormous fig trees, rattan palms and wild ginger. The forest contains over 95 species of trees.

        Khao Yai habors a rich and diverse fauna. The park is among the few remaining areas in Thailand that contain sizable populations of elephants, tigers, guars and other endangered Asian mammals.

        The park boasts such lovely and elusive bird species such as pittas, broadbills and hornbills. A list of the birds of Khao Yai is available at the Visitor Center .

        Hiking trails : There are 12 trails open to the public ranging in length from one and a half to eight kilometers. Do you can camping for overnight in the jungle by my tour service, so you can touch new experience in rain forest of south east-Asia.

        Khong Khaeo Nature Trail : Starts from behind the Visitor Center and is about one kilometer long. The trail is designed to introduce visitors to the moist evergreen forest.

        Wildlife Watching Towers : There are three wildlife towers located at Nong King, Mo sing To an Nong Pak Chi. From these towers visitors might see sambar and barking deers, hornbills flying above the forest, and black shouldered kites hovering over the grassland. The lucky visitor might even see an elephant ambling through the tall grass or wild dog kill deer on the banks of the lake.

        Night Safaris : Spotlighting for wildlife at night is a popular activity at the park. Sambar deer, barking deer. Siamese hare and civets are usually seen and there is always the possibility of encountering elephants.

        Waterfalls : Khao Yai's waterfalls are at their best during the rainy season. Hew Narok waterfall, locate about 20 km. From the park on the southern access road, is the park's tallest and most spectacular waterfall with a drop of 80 m. Scenic Haew Suwat can be reached by road or trail from the Park Headquarters. Khong Khaeo falls is on the Lam Takhong river just behind the headquarters.

        Khao Luk Chang Bat Cave : Located 6 km. from the park's north entrance. This cave is home to hunderds of thousands of bats which can be seen streaming out of the cave each evening at dusk.