Day 1 Bangkok - Chiang Rai
Connect for the short flight to the northern city of Chiang Rai. From here it is about 2 hours drive to Chiang Khong, a small border town that sits along the banks of the Mekong River. Our rustic guesthouse has a great balcony that looks out over the Mekong and onto Laos. We will chat over dinner about the upcoming adventure.
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Day 2 Chiang Khong - Pak Beng
After crossing the border in the morning comes the non-cycling highlight of the trip as you spend the day cruising down the Mekong River on a converted cargo boat. The perfect introduction to Laos, you'll quickly get a feel for the slower pace of life here in Laos. We overnight in the small town of Pak Beng in a new tourist class hotel.
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Day 3 Pak Beng - Oudomsai (80 Km)
Our first day on the bikes is also one of the best, taking us away from the Mekong River through a rolling landscape of small minority villages that grow corn and rice. This road is very new and carries very little traffic so you can enjoy the scenery and the kids who love to stand by the roadside and yell out “Sabaii Dii!”. After approximately 80km we board the bus and drive to our accommodation. Udomxai is a medium sized trading town and our guesthouse here is simple but clean.
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Day 4 Oudomxai to Nong Khiaw (103km)
Today is a long ride with two mountain passes to climb. The landscape is mixed forest and slash and burn farming which is still practiced by the local H’Mong people who live in small villages which hug the mountain sides. Nong Khiaw is a beautiful little town sitting on the banks of the Nam Ou River, a major tributary of the Mekong. We stay overnight in a simple guesthouse looking out over the river.
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Day 5 Nong Khiaw to Luang Prabang (70km)
In the morning we board a small boat to cruise down the river for a couple of hours. Limestone cliffs compete with villages and farmland and makes for a relaxing river journey. Where the river and highway meet we get back on the bikes and ride to Luang Prabang. This is an undulating ride with the Nam Ou River as our companion for much of the way. In the afternoon we will ride into Luang Prabang, our home for 3 nights. It has been said that Luang Prabang is the most beautiful town in South East Asia, and we’d have to agree. With a combination of historic temples, French colonial architecture and its setting by the Mekong surrounded by mountains you won't want to leave.
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Day 6 Luang Prabang
Enjoy a free day in Luang Prabang to explore the temples, learn Lao cooking, shop, explore the surrounding handicraft, ride an elephant, relax in a café - there is so much to do!
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Day 7 Luang Prabang (Kuang Sii Waterfall) 62km
After a restful day we hit the bikes for a ride to the stunning Kuang Sii Waterfall. The ride is along a small road alongside the Mekong River passing through small villages, rice fields and forest. At the waterfall enjoy a swim, picnic lunch and a visit to the tiger and bear rescue centre before riding back to Luang Prabang.
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Day 8 Luang Prabang to Kiew Ka Cham (78 Km)
Cycling out of Luang Prabang we are faced with what is without doubt the most difficult day of cycling but also one of the most rewarding with two huge uphill climbs. We pass through lush forest and many small H'Mong villages that sit dwarfed by the amazing landscape of limestone mountains that surround them. We stay the night in Kiew Ka Cham, a small village on top on the mountains. Few people stop here overnight so the accommodation is very simple. It is a special experience to stay in such a place.
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Day 9 Kiew Ka Cham to Kasi (94km)
You will be high in the mountains for the first half of the day following a ridge line up and down with peaks all around. In the afternoon it is time to relax a bit as the road is largely downhill along a valley to our overnight stop of Kasi.
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Day 10 Kasi to Vang Vieng (57km)
The ride to Vang Vieng is a relatively easy day travelling through the lush green of rice fields. Vang Vieng is set in a prime location. Surrounded by limestone peaks, caves and rivers this town see its fair share of travellers but for good reason. We should arrive before lunch so the afternoon is free to go caving, tubing on the river or relaxing in one of the many restaurants.
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Day 11 Vang Vieng to Vientiane (80km)
Into the flatter land now we ride away from the mountains towards Vientiane, Lao’s quiet capital city, and the end of the ride. The roads will become busier as the day goes on but Vientiane is nothing like other capital cities of Asia. In the evening we will head out for a nice dinner and celebrate the last night of the tour.
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Day 12 Vientiane (Cope Centre)
Visit the Cope Centre a local non profit organisation that develops rehabilitation services across Laos. The Cope Centre provides rehabilitation to people with a range of physical disabilities, including polio sufferers, traffic accident victims and victims of un-exploded bombs
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Day 13 Vientiane - Bangkok - Depart
Transfer to the Airport for the flight to Bangkok and your connecting onward flight
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