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SOUTHERN LAOS
Southern Laos tour is a sojourn through the Southern Lowlands from Pakse to the former colonial outpost of Champasak, the serene beauty of Si Phan Don and the rich fertile lands of the coffee growing Bolevan Plateau.
From amazing waterfalls to the rare Irrawaddy dolphins; this tour explores the great natural attractions the remote Land of a Million Elephants has to offer. Cycling along quiet back roads and lush vegetation, you will feel the bracing serenity of this beautiful country.
Starting in Ubon Ratchatani, we cross the border at Chongmek and ride to the ancient site of pre-angkorian temples, Wat Phu, the 4000 Islands or Si Phan Don and then finally onto the Bolevan Plateau known worldwide for it's exquisite coffee.
Along the way the scenery is constantly changing: we go from arid scrub land to jungle and lush green valleys. The views at some of the places we stay are absolutely amazing and this combined with the changing scenery make this tour a feast for the eyes.
TRIP PROFILE
We cover nearly 500 kilometers in 7 cycling days and much of the terrain is quite flat except for the days up onto the plateau. The road surfaces are mixed: most days we ride on reasonably good quality asphalt roads, but there are enough rides on very badly broken or dirt tracks to mean you will need a mountain bike not a road bike and preferably one with front shocks.
There is nothing technical involved on this tour and anyone, assuming they are fit enough, will be able to join no matter how little cycling experience they have. The trip is fully supported by a six wheeled Chinese truck.
| ITINERARY (7 Days/6 nights starting and finishing in Ubon Ratchitani.) | |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Fly / Train to Ubon Ratchitani, transfer to border and ride to Champasak & Don Daeng. |
| Day 2 | Ride around Don Daeng and then to Wat Phou. After lunch in Champasak, cycle to elephants for a ride and transfer to Don Khong. |
| Day 3 | Early morning ride around Don Khong, ride to Khan Phapeng and ferry to Don Khone. Boat trip on Mekong to go dolphin spotting in late afternoon. |
| Day 4 | Transfer near Pakse and ride up to the Bolevan Plateau and overnight at the breathtaking Tad Fane waterfall. |
| Day 5 | Ride on the plateau through coffee plantations and then it's a great dirt track downhill to Tad Lo Resort. |
| Day 6 | Free day or optional hike/bike around and explore the area. |
| Day 7 | Ride back to Pake and cross border into Thailand. Transfer to Ubon Ratchitani for our flight back to Bangkok or transfer to Vientiane for Northern Laos tour. |
| FACTS & FIGURES | |
|---|---|
| Tour Cost | USD $975 Single supplement: USD $175 |
| Bike Rental | USD $125 |
| Total Distance | 480 Kilometres |
| Number of Days | 7 days / 6 nights |
| Number of cycling days | Five full days and two half-days. |
| Road Surface | This tour follows a mix of good asphalt roads and vehicle-width dirt trails, which may be smooth, gritty, stony, rocky, rutted, loose or hard-packed. |
| Support | Aircon vehicle with space for tired bikers, bikes and luggage. |
| Group Size | Minimum 2. Maximum 16 |
| Staff | SpiceRoads cycling leader (for groups of 10 or more), plus a local cycling guide, as well as drivers and assistants for all groups. Smaller groups will be led by our local guide and support team. |
| Accommodation | All nights at 3 star hotels or resort resorts. All hotels have en suite facilities with hot shower and a/c. Whenever possible we try to use hotels with charm and local character. |
| Food | All meals are included from Lunch on Day 1 to Dinner on Day 7. |
| Biking Grade |
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| Cultural Interest |
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The company was extremely professional. In the months I spent planning the trip, the office staff was very prompt, courteous and thorough in answering my questions. The guides were all wonderful. Whenever we had a request (fruit snacks, change in service on the part of one driver, etc.), it was instantly attended to.
I would highly recommend Spice Roads and I look forward to another trip with you!
~Jayne Bradbury
Southern Laos Tour, March 2009
Thanks to everyone at Spiceroads....fantastic!
~Jan Kingsbury
Southern Laos Tour, June 2008
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