Destinations · Laos
Why We Ride
Laos is the hilly one. The ride from Vientiane to Luang Prabang is about 400 km with 4,300 m of climbing, on paved roads with some dirt and potholes. There is always a support van, so you can sit out a climb when you want a rest.
Buddha Park, then a night in the rainforest on the edge of Phou Khao Khouay National Park. A swim at the blue lagoons outside Vang Vieng. The Plain of Jars, a UNESCO site where thousands of stone jars, thought to be up to 2,000 years old, lie across a valley. Two hard days through the mountains bring you into Luang Prabang, and the last ride is out to Kuang Si Falls.
In Vientiane you visit COPE, which supports mobility for landmine victims, and in Phonsavan the Quality of Life Association, which supports victims of unexploded ordnance.
From Luang Prabang you can keep going north: a village homestay, a day on the Nam Ou in a long boat, the border at Tay Trang, then the mountains to Sapa and the night train to Hanoi.
“This trip will enable you to experience the real Laos in the most spectacular part of the country. This is not just a cycling tour . . . you will enjoy the boat trips that include a fascinating night safari...”
Months with a departure on the calendar. 2026: November, December. 2027: January, February, June, August, October to December.
Difficulty 3 to 4 out of 5
Hilly. Paved roads with some dirt and potholes. About 4,300 m of climbing between Vientiane and Luang Prabang. Riding days of 21 to 73 km.
From Vientiane you visit COPE, the Lao Conservation Trust for Wildlife and the Quality of Life Association in Phonsavan. Every Laos ride stops at Free the Bears near Luang Prabang. At the end of the ride, you choose the organisation that impacted you the most, and we'll contribute 200 AUD on your behalf. How the Giving Works →
The ride leaves Vientiane via Buddha Park, also known as Wat Xieng Khouane Luang, and spends its first night out of the city in rainforest on the edge of Phou Khao Khouay National Park. A boat crosses Nam Ngum Lake on the way to Vang Vieng, where a 31 km loop takes in Blue Lagoons 2 and 3 and a cave temple. In Phonsavan you walk among the stone jars of the Plain of Jars, a UNESCO site. Luang Prabang sits where the Nam Khan river meets the Mekong, and the last ride goes out to Kuang Si Falls. The rides that continue north add the Pak Ou Caves, the karst peaks around Nong Khiaw and a day on the Nam Ou River in a long boat.
Luang Prabang → Vientiane to Luang Prabang → Northern Laos Routes →
On your first day in Vientiane you eat at Mini Makphet, a restaurant run by Friends International, and hear about its vocational training programmes. The day ends with a drink by the Mekong and a Lao-style barbecue. At the blue lagoons, lunch comes from local food stalls. On the ride to Kuang Si Falls you stop at the Lao Buffalo Dairy, and in Luang Prabang dinner is at Khaiphaen, another Friends International training restaurant. In the village of Nong Khuay you share meals with your hosts. Most breakfasts are included, with some lunches and some dinners. Each day of the itinerary shows which.
Laos mixes town hotels with simpler stops. You have a night at a rainforest resort on the edge of Phou Khao Khouay National Park, two nights each in Vang Vieng, Phonsavan and Luang Prabang, and guesthouses in the small towns of Kasi and Phonxai. The rides north of Luang Prabang add a basic village homestay at Nong Khuay, a resort in the riverside town of Nong Khiaw and a guesthouse in Muang Khua. Rooms are twin share, air-conditioned wherever possible. Hotels and restaurants are examples and may change.
Laos is the hilly one. Vientiane to Luang Prabang is about 400 km over eight riding days, with around 4,300 m of climbing, on paved roads with some dirt and potholes. Riding days run from 28 km to 70 km, and the two days into Luang Prabang are the hard ones. On the hills everyone rides at their own pace, and the group comes back together at set points. There is always a support van, and you can take it up any climb you would rather skip. Groups are never more than 10 riders, the bikes are 24-speed mountain bikes, and an e-bike is available on the Laos rides.
Rides in Laos
From Buddha Park to Luang Prabang on long, quiet mountain roads, stopping at the Lao Conservation Trust for Wildlife, the blue lagoons of Vang Vieng and the UNESCO-listed Plain of Jars.
A village homestay, a long-tail boat at Muang Khua and the border at Dien Bien Phu. Then the climb at Lai Châu, Sapa's mountains and the night train to Hanoi.
The whole crossing in one ride. Blue lagoons and the Plain of Jars in Laos, a village homestay and a long-tail boat in the north, then the mountains of Sapa and the night train to Hanoi.
Questions
You organise your own visa before the trip. Laos issues visas on arrival, and visa fees are not included in the ride price. Laos also runs an official eVisa site, laoevisa.gov.la, which lists the nationalities that can apply and the entry points where the eVisa is accepted, among them the airports at Vientiane and Luang Prabang. Rules differ by nationality, so check before you travel.
Laos is one of our more demanding rides. Vientiane to Luang Prabang is about 400 km with around 4,300 m of climbing, and two of the days are over 60 km. Everyone rides at their own pace on the hills, and we regroup at set points. The van is always there if you want a lift.
The two days into Luang Prabang. The first is 70 km on quiet roads through villages. It suits riders with very good fitness, and you may have to push the bike on some sections. The second is 60 km on mostly paved roads and takes four to five hours. The support van is there on both.
Yes. An e-bike is available on the Laos rides as an upgrade, and the price is listed under Bikes & E-Bikes on each ride's page. The standard bike is a 24-speed mountain bike with flat pedals and a unisex saddle. You are welcome to bring your own saddle or pedals.
Nong Khuay is a remote community of 80 Hmong and Khmu families, about 30 km from Luang Prabang, on the rides that continue to Vietnam. You reach it by a 21 km ride on dirt tracks and a 9 km trek through the mountains, or by van if trekking isn't for you. The stay is basic: you spend the night in the village and share meals with your hosts.
Yes. The 20-day ride runs from Vientiane all the way to Hanoi, and a 12-day ride starts in Luang Prabang for riders who want the northern half only. Both cross into Vietnam at the Tay Trang border, climb through the mountains to Sapa and finish with the overnight train to Hanoi.
Hotels in the larger towns, guesthouses in the small ones, and one night at a rainforest resort beside Phou Khao Khouay National Park. Rooms are twin share and air-conditioned wherever possible, and couples share a room. A single room can be arranged for a supplement, which is listed under Extras on the ride's page.
See a travel doctor, ideally at least six weeks before you travel. Some countries require specific vaccinations, and a professional can tell you what is right for you. We are happy to provide route maps for your doctor. A first aid kit travels with every ride, all our guides are trained in first aid, and every rider gives us travel insurance details before the start.
Fifteen minutes on the phone with Brett answers most questions about Laos.
