6 Day Northern Laos Loop

Starting and ending in Vientiane, we take a clockwise loop heading west to see some beautiful remote areas and swing up to the world Heritage City of Luang Prabang.  We ride south via Phonsavan and the Plain of Jars with a ride on a lesser used road cutting alongside the largest mountain in Laos.  We’ll ride mixed road conditions with some challenging off road runs combined with spectacular scenery paved roads.  A complete tour combining off the beaten track and the major sites of Laos!  The video icon to the right is a sampling of roads in Laos, have a look!

Brief Itinerary                   

Arrival Day

Day 1: Vientiane – Pak Lay

Day 2: Pak Lay – Xayaboury

Day 3: Xayaboury – Luang Prabang

Day 4: Luang Prabang – Phonsavan

Day 5: Phonsavan – Paksan

Day 6: Paksan – Vientiane

Departure Day

 

Day to Day Itinerary

Vientiane Arrival Day

Depending on your flight arrival, transfer to the hotel. In the evening, meet the guide and go over the upcoming trip.  We’ll talk about safety and the ride as well as set you up with additional gear for the following day

 

Accommodation: Lao Orchid Hotel

Meal plan: none

 

Day 1: Vientiane – Pak Lay 150 km unpaved, 70 km paved

Breakfast at the hotel and depart for Paklay. Slightly out of town, turn to dirt road running along the Mekong River. We’ll follow the river off and on stopping as you need to take photos. The road is under constant construction/upgrading and in various stages of repair. We arrive in Xayanamkhan and ride a beautiful stretch of paved road to the Mekong River crossing near Pak Lay.  We arrive in Pak Lay and check in, dinner follows.

 

Accommodation: Duang Chai Phet Guesthouse

Meal plan: B/L/D

Road Conditions: Dirt roads and paved

 

Day 2: Pak Lay – Xayaboury 250 km, mostly unpaved

We leave Pak Lay early after breakfast and take the road through the Nam Phoun Protected Area and stop at remote villages along the way.  The ride is beautiful and remote and again we have a picnic lunch along the way in an isolated location.  We’ll try to wait out some elephants along the way and see some wildlife out in the protected area.  Our arrival in Xayaboury is late afternoon and check in to the guesthouse and dinner.

 

Accommodation: Xayanam Hotel

Meal plan: B/L/D

Road Conditions: Dirt roads and paved

 

Day 3: Xayaboury – Luang Prabang

We depart and are headed to Hongsa for lunch and then over some excellent scenery on the way to Luang Prabang, arriving mid afternoon to allow you to have a wander around this World Heritage City.  Dinner tonight is on your own as Luang Prabang has many places to satisfy each taste. Please note that in rainy season, we will be going direct from Xayaboury to Luang Prabang instead of the Hongsa diversion.

 

Accommodation: Villa Phathana

Meal plan: B/L/D

Road Conditions: Dirt roads and paved

 

Day 4: Luang Prabang – Phonsavan 240 paved

Awaking early to silently see the monk’s morning offering procession, we witness a tradition that is a major draw for tourism in Luang Prabang.  Our participation is from slightly afar and discrete.  We return to the hotel for breakfast and are off early, headed south through the mountainous terrain.  We have lunch in Phou Khoum and then take a small excursion a bit further south to see some of the best road scenery.  We backtrack to Phou Khoum and turn east to arrive in Phonsavan for sunset at our hotel.

 

Accommodation: Xieng Khoung Hotel

Meal plan: B/L/D

Road Conditions: Dirt roads and paved

 

Day 5: Phonsavan – Paksan 230 km mostly dirt

This morning we ride to the Plain of Jars Site 1 for inspection of the jars, make some conclusions on the massive vessels and then are riding south.  We pass Muang Khoune and stop a former Lao military base used in the Indochina War.  We start to track on some remote roads with differing degrees of terrain riding.  About 60 km out of Paksan, we get onto some paved sections and ride into town and check into the hotel.

 

Accommodation: Paksan Hotel

Meal plan: B/L/D

Road Conditions: Dirt roads and paved

 

Day 6: Paksan – Vientiane 160 – 220 km paved and dirt

We have a short ride into Vientiane and depending on how you feel, we have several options to lenthen the trip. We ride mostly on paved road with several possible entry lines into Vientiane.  Upon arrival, relax at the hotel and maybe go for a massage!

 

Accommodation: Lao Orchid Hotel

Meal plan: B/L

Road Conditions: Dirt roads and paved

 

 

Departure Day Vientiane

Depending on your outbound flight, transfer to the airport.

 

Accommodation: none

Meal plan: B

 

Terms and Conditions

 

 

 

Ready to roll? Send us a Tour Request with the number of persons and your dates, we'll put together a quote for your tour and personalize it to your needs.  Some questions are answered on our FAQ page, have a look.

 

Inclusive:

• English speaking lead guide
• Protective gear as available at 50% discount from http://www.remoteasia.com/Rental_Gear.html
• Pre-trip briefing, pre-trip email packet
• Meal as indicated
• Airport transfers
• Motorbike + fuel + helmet + 3^rd party insurance for guest
• Motorbike + fuel + helmet + 3^rd party insurance for lead guide
• Tool kit
• Entry fees to sites and all ferry crossing charges
• Accommodation as indicated, twin share
• Permit  + Tax
• Drinking water and hydration solutions
• First aid kit (basic)
• Post ride GPS map of the tour
• Some tours include post ride video
• Activities as indicated

 

Exclusive:

• Flights
• Damage to the bikes
• Support vehicle
• Visa (visa on arrival is available at 30 - 45 USD, 1 photo is required)
• Travel insurance
• soft drink, alcohol and meals not indicated
• Activities as indicated
• Laundry and personal expenses