Laos cycling holiday
| country: | Laos |
| location: | Golden Triangle |
| trip type: | Adventurous cycling holidays |
| departures: | 2010: 6 Jun, 17 Oct, 12 Dec |
| price: | From US $1550 (11 days) excluding flights. Single supplement US $275, bike hire US $135 |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
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introduction to Laos cycling holiday
This tour is a journey that joins two magical cities of SE Asia, Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang.
We travel along near empty roads through magnificent mountain scenery in a part of Asia where time seems to stand still.
Starting in the bustling and energetic Chiang Mai, we head north to Chiang Rai and the Golden Triangle before heading into Laos and heading down the mighty Mekong.
The combination of rugged mountain scenery and the rich, varied cultures still hardly tainted by tourism make this tour a very special experience. Traveling by boat as well as bicycle, we pass through limestone canyons and jungle covered valleys, home to many ethnic tribes. This tour gives you the chance to meet the local people of Thailand and Laos and give you a great experience of this varied and fascination part of the world.
Our final destination is the old royal capital of Luang Prabang. Nestled among mountains at the confluence of the Mekong and Khan Rivers, this delightful town has a unique and special charm. We spend the last days of the tour cycling amongst the temples and discovering the French colonial splendour that drove UNESCO to make Luang Prabang a world heritage site.
We ride around 650 km mostly on fairly good asphalt. There is just enough broken road or unpaved dirt roads to make a mountain bike with front suspension necessary. The route is point-to-point and fully supported: an air-con minibus and luggage truck that rigged to take bikes shadows us along the way.
Northern Thailand and Laos is very mountainous and although there are no excessively long climbs there are very few flat sections except on day 9 where we have a long day with many climbs.
Traffic is very light and on many days we will see hardly any traffic especially in Laos. Most riding days we will be finished by mid-afternoon which will allow you to explore your surroundings further or experience muscle relaxing massages or just relax. We spend one and half days traveling by riverboat and there is time at the end of the trip to discover the wonderful Luang Prabang. Accommodation is varied and includes comfortable and charming hotels and guesthouses.
We travel along near empty roads through magnificent mountain scenery in a part of Asia where time seems to stand still.
Starting in the bustling and energetic Chiang Mai, we head north to Chiang Rai and the Golden Triangle before heading into Laos and heading down the mighty Mekong.
The combination of rugged mountain scenery and the rich, varied cultures still hardly tainted by tourism make this tour a very special experience. Traveling by boat as well as bicycle, we pass through limestone canyons and jungle covered valleys, home to many ethnic tribes. This tour gives you the chance to meet the local people of Thailand and Laos and give you a great experience of this varied and fascination part of the world.
Our final destination is the old royal capital of Luang Prabang. Nestled among mountains at the confluence of the Mekong and Khan Rivers, this delightful town has a unique and special charm. We spend the last days of the tour cycling amongst the temples and discovering the French colonial splendour that drove UNESCO to make Luang Prabang a world heritage site.
trip profile
We ride around 650 km mostly on fairly good asphalt. There is just enough broken road or unpaved dirt roads to make a mountain bike with front suspension necessary. The route is point-to-point and fully supported: an air-con minibus and luggage truck that rigged to take bikes shadows us along the way. Northern Thailand and Laos is very mountainous and although there are no excessively long climbs there are very few flat sections except on day 9 where we have a long day with many climbs.
Traffic is very light and on many days we will see hardly any traffic especially in Laos. Most riding days we will be finished by mid-afternoon which will allow you to explore your surroundings further or experience muscle relaxing massages or just relax. We spend one and half days traveling by riverboat and there is time at the end of the trip to discover the wonderful Luang Prabang. Accommodation is varied and includes comfortable and charming hotels and guesthouses.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Meet in Chiang Mai - afternoon ride to Ban Tawai. |
| Day 2: | Transfer out of Chiang Mai and ride tribal trails to Chiang Dao. |
| Day 3: | Ride Quiet back roads to Mae Salak. |
| Day 4: | Off road ride and boats along the Mae Kok river and then transfer or ride to Chiang Rai. |
| Day 5: | Transfer out of Chiang Rai and then ride along the Mekong to Chiang Khong. |
| Day 6: | Cross border and slow boat to Pakbeng. |
| Day 7: | Ride through mountain and jungle scenery to Muang Beng. |
| Day 8: | Ride through rural Laos to Udom Xai. |
| Day 9: | Cross the Central highlands to Nong Kiau. |
| Day 10: | Boat to Pak Ou caves and Ride to Luang Prabang. |
| Day 11: | Optional morning ride to Krungsri Falls - transfer to airport or stay and enjoy Luang Prabang. |
how this holiday makes a difference
We passionately believe that Responsible Tourism can be of immense help to local communities; providing income, positive cultural exchanges and an incentive to protect the natural environment. Recognising that there is always room for improvement, we continually strive to narrow the gap between principle and practice. Prior to our tours, we liaise with local community leaders to ensure we are welcome and in a manner that minimizes negative social and cultural impact. We visit local development and community projects specific to the region, encouraging our clients to donate and/or assist such projects in appropriate and sustainable manners. For our journey through Laos, we ask each participant for a cash donation, which is then converted into desperately needed school equipment such as books and pens. These basic necessities for a child’s education are distributed by riders to the various impoverished village schools we pass by on the trip. The reward is the smile on a child’s face. Through sensitive hands on experience, we encourage cross cultural interaction and education between clients and the local communities. This is achieved by limiting tour group sizes, which also minimises any social and environmental impact. We also assist in the development of local infrastructure such as rural pathways. We make sure that where and whenever possible our tours positively benefit the local community. We stay at locally owned accommodation and visit cottage industries for local handicraft souvenirs, generating income for local businesses. We employ and train local guides, drivers and assistants on all trips to ensure that the local community benefits not only short term but with increased employment opportunities for the future. Adopting a “carry in – carry out” policy, we actively engage in environmentally responsible practices to minimise tourist impact upon the local habitat. From biodegradable soaps to re-usable water containers, we provide clients with the best information and means to help them identify and implement effective ways to positively protect local nature and communities. It is a vital ethos that can be passed on and abided by all, long after the trip has ended. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |
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We passionately believe that Responsible Tourism can be of immense help to local communities; providing income, positive cultural exchanges and an incentive to protect the natural environment. Recognising that there is always room for improvement, we continually strive to narrow the gap between principle and practice.