All accommodation in comfortable hotels (twin share basis)
Full Bicycle hire
Local guides, support van driver and mechanic
Full support vehicle for the ride with water and fruit
Minimum two NGO presentations with local staff across Laos
Multiple field trips to villages and communities
Entry to Plain of Jars
Boat ride through Phou Khao Khouay National Park 
Most meals as per the daily itinerary
Airport transfers for arrival

International flights
US$150 donation to NGOs (optional)
Tips and Gratuities (from US$0 to US$100 pp)
Drinks with meals
Departure airport transfer (US$8-US$10)
Travel insurance
Visa’s (if required)
Other items of a personal nature

For every Social Cycles tour, all riders are requested to contribute a nominal sum for the purpose of a donation. Usually AU$200 per rider. During the course of the tour, you are given the chance to engage with, and learn from, local NGOs. We visit no less than two NGOs during the Laos tour and spend some time learning about their projects, strategies and challenges. At the end of the tour, the riders are then empowered with new found knowledge and have the opportunity to combine the allotted donation money and make an impact towards a project of their choosing. In addition to building a profile for our impact partners, Social Cycles also pays each NGO for their time and resources. We spend 1-2 hours with each NGO. You can read more here

The donation part is not mandatory, but it is an expectation. We want people to be open to the idea of supporting one or more of the NGOs we visit and learn about. If, after meeting some of the local teams and learning about their programs, the riders did not want to donate, then they are not required to.

We understand how important it is to take rest in a place that’s clean and comfortable – especially after a hard slog on the bikes. That’s why we always make an effort to get you settled in somewhere in town suited to that description. To make the most of Laos, we stay in a variety of different accommodation styles. In Luang Prabang, we stay in a beautiful French colonial style building in the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage City. Once we move away from the major towns and into the rural villages, we stay in clean & comfortable guest houses. All local guesthouse rooms have their own private bathroom with a western toilet. Just before we get to Vientiane, we stay at Long Ngum View resort, with a pool to relax view the mountains by.

To give you an idea, these are the types of hotels we choose to stay at when available: Vientiane- Khamvongsa,  Thalat- Long Ngum View Resort, Luang Prabang- Sunway Hotel

In 2020, the Cycle Laos adventure is hosted by local cycling legend and guru, Toh. With a smile that stretches from ear to ear and a ‘nothing is too much trouble’ attitude, we’re proud to have Toh donning the SC uniform! Toh is particularly passionate about highlighting the many features of Laos. He’ll grab the menu and order a feast, ensuring you get to try the best of Lao cuisine, make sure your bike is in top condition at all times and be there in the van ready to give you a lift when you need it most! Brett Seychell, Social Cycles founder, will try and make the adventure too.

Sticky rice, fresh vegetables, mountains of fresh herbs, fish and meat, fish sauce, chilli, spices, fruit and more sticky rice… one of the wonderful features of the Lao diet is the almost complete absence of processed foods. Ironically, it’s the poor economic status of this small, landlocked South-East Asian country that has kept its cuisine fresh, vibrant and healthy for hundreds of years. Lao’s culinary offering includes universal hits, like steamed fish in banana leaf and pork laap salad, alongside options for the adventurous eater, such as duck’s blood salad.
Most of the included dinners are at social enterprise based restaurants, supporting the local NGOs. But this is not the main reason we eat here, it’s because the food is delicious!
All meals are shared, ‘family style’, so you get an abundance of choice sitting in front of you at the table. A great chance to try a bit of everything! Dietaries are catered for as well, just let us know in advance.

In Laos, we have a great range of bikes that are designed to deal with the local environment perfectly. The bikes used are either Trek 3900 and/or Giant Rincon mountain bikes. All mountain bikes have a 24 speed gear set to help you get up and down those hills!

You’re welcome to bring your own saddle if you’re slightly nervous about getting a bit sore, or haven’t had the chance to get a lot of saddle time before the ride. Another good option is to bring along a gel seat (cushion).  The bikes are fitted with standard pedals. Again, you’re welcome to bring clip ins should you want them. All bikes are fitted with a water cage. 

The overall distance, should you cycle the whole way, is just over 330km over the 5 cycling days. The biggest riding day is about 80km, but most of it is quite flat. We allow plenty of time for riding. Our average moving pace is only about 15km (over the day), whilst the total time and pace is 10km per hour (think 80km from 8am and arriving about 4pm, after breaks and lunch). The cycling is about travel, not about racing. We don’t count kilometers or watch the speedo too much. We encourage you to stop and take photos, grab a coffee along the way when we want and take in as much of the local culture as you can.

You need to be healthy more than fit for this ride. The ride is open to beginners, although it won’t be without it’s challenges. There is a support van available at all times. Previous riders have been aged in their late 70’s and have completed the ride without any issues and a smile on their face. More details on the cycling (daily distances and elevations) can be found here.

We take a minimum of four riders and a maximum of 12. We strongly believe that when you travel with a group beyond 12, there is a risk that voices and opinions may be drowned out when we have the rare opportunities to visit NGOs and ask questions to local leaders.

Friends International are leading the charge in the ‘ChildSafe’ movement and the ‘Think Families, Not Orphanages’ campaign. Friends International have a restaurant in Luang Prabang, which makes for a great introduction to Laos. Their programs of ‘Saving Lives’ and ‘Building Futures’ have been used as templates all over the world. Lone Buffalo Foundation are committed to improving opportunities for young people through English study and football coaching. LBF aims to enhance the opportunities for careers in the business and tourism sectors for Phonsavan’s young people. Quality of Life Association provides support to UXO victims, people with disabilities and UXO affected communities in Xieng Khouang province, Lao PDR.