Discover Laos

Explore rural Laos

Laos, known as the land of a million smiles, boasts stunning mountainous landscape and a laid back atmosphere, the result of a long isolation from its neighbours. Our route takes us through some spectacular scenery, from narrow roads shaded by jungle vines to shimmering rice paddies and mountains which are home to a mix of ethnic groups. Out of the saddle, we walk through villages and bamboo forest and visit Luang Prabang with striking colonial buildings, tree-lined avenues and colourful temples. We finish our trip in bustling Bangkok. The cycling is demanding at times, but our reward is to have roads almost to ourselves in South East Asia’s friendliest and least known country.

Sustainability and Impact

At Exodus, we thrive on travel, and we firmly believe our adventures should help destinations thrive too.

As a certified B Corp, we aim to take a ‘nature positive’ approach across our adventures, including carbon and waste reduction, animal welfare and support for rewilding and conservation. We also seek to contribute to local communities, providing economic opportunity and empowerment.

• Learn more about our Thriving Nature, Thriving People plan, including our commitment to rewilding 100 square metres for every Exodus traveller

• Read about the work of the Exodus Adventure Travels Foundation.

• Find out how you can travel more sustainably here.

Is this trip for you?

This trip is rated Activity Level 4 (Moderate/Challenging) and classified Road.

• 10 days cycling
• Average 35mi (57km) per day
• 90% vehicle support

Terrain and Route:

Surface almost all decent tarmac with the occasional unsurfaced section. Routes follow main roads, but Laos lacks the heavy traffic of other Asian countries. Laos is mountainous and there are some tough climbs and long downhills, but vehicle support is available 90% of the time. The heat can make the going tough. The majority of riding is away from traffic, but you should be comfortable riding in some traffic on the approaches to the main towns. To cover the distances involved, there is some driving on winding mountain roads.

Trip Profile

This trip ventures into remote areas of Laos where the accommodation and some restaurant options will be basic. In order to see places that are not frequently visited by tourists, this is one of the sacrifices that you must be prepared to make.

Transfers

There are some vehicle transfers but journey times are usually 1-3 hours maximum, these are outlined in the itinerary.

Following a review of all our trips we have categorised this trip as generally not suitable for persons of reduced mobility. However if you are a regular traveller on such trips, please contact customer services to discuss the trip and your personal condition.

Vaccinations and Health

Laos

There are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to consider vaccinations for hepatitis A, tetanus, typhoid, cholera, hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, rabies and tuberculosis. There is also a slight risk of malaria. Please confirm the best course of action on all the above with your doctor or travel clinic.

Additionally, dengue fever, a tropical viral disease spread by daytime biting mosquitoes, is a known risk in places visited. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available; therefore, we recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

Thailand

There are no required vaccinations. However, recommended vaccinations include tetanus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, rabies, tuberculosis and typhoid. You will also need a yellow fever vaccination certificate if you’re arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission or transiting for more than 12 hours through a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. Please confirm all the above with your doctor or travel clinic.

Dengue and zika, both viral diseases spread by mosquitoes, are a known risk in places visited. There are currently no vaccines or prophylaxes available, so take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

Visa

Laos

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally need a visa to enter Laos. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/asia/laos
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/laos
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/laos/entry-requirements
• USA: www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Laos.html

A visa can be obtained on arrival for most nationalities, though not all and not at all entry points. The cost depends on nationality and you will require at least one passport photo. When you enter Laos, make sure you get an entry stamp in your passport. Not having a legitimate entry stamp could lead to arrest or a large fine.

Thailand

Travellers from the UK, US and Canada normally do not need a visa to enter Thailand. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip.Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/asia/thailand
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/thailand
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/thailand/entry-requirements
• USA: www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Thailand.html

Food & Drink

All breakfasts and 1 dinner are included. 

The food on this trip is a real highlight. The national staple of Laos is sticky rice which is served with all meals and is often used as a scooping device to pick food up as meals are traditionally eaten with hands and not utensils. Typical dishes to accompany the rice are laap (or larb) which is a salad of any kind of minced meat; mok pa, which is fish steamed in a banana leaf; grilled chicken, pork or fish; and jaew, which are dips that might be made from roasted aubergine or tomatoes. Undertones of lemongrass, chilies and ginger are everywhere, imparting spicy and sour notes that bring heat and layers to dishes. Noodle dishes are common and the sweet offerings tend to focus around the abundance of fresh fruit available – be sure to seek out the mangosteen, the sweet segments are a local favourite and unlike any other fruit.

Western food is readily available almost everywhere. Vegetarians are well catered for but please inform us before departure of any special dietary requests. Please note that in SE Asia the availability of certain specialised products for restricted diets, e.g. gluten-free or dairy-free, is minimal or non-existent and we strongly recommend you bring these items from home. You may find it beneficial to bring some ‘cycling snacks’ with you from home; high energy snack bars are not readily available locally. For snacks and drinks during the rides, a kitty is normally arranged (see Extra Expenses in the trip notes) and these snacks tend to be a combination of nuts, fruit and biscuits.

In the more remote areas the food is likely to be basic and the breakfasts will be simple.

Weather

For most of the year in Laos the weather will be hot and humid throughout with temperatures during the day between about 28ºC and 34ºC. It is a little cooler at nights and can be cold from November to March in the mountains with temperatures occasionally dropping as low as 10ºC. 

The region is mostly dry between October to April and the rainy season is from approx. May to September when it tends to come in short heavy bursts with bright sunshine in between. In Thailand you should expect year round temperatures from 23-32ºC. The rainy season will normally run from May to October when you should expect short sharp showers.

Weather Charts