Laos is a country full of surprises with beautiful scenery, friendly people and a fascinating culture. What better way to experience this diverse land than by bicycle? Our adventure takes us from the northern highlands and the vibrant ethic minorities, down mountain passes to beautiful rivers and lush green flatlands. The entire trip is punctuated by friendly locals, breathtaking scenery, and real ‘off-the-beaten track’ experiences. What are you waiting for? Jump on your bike and join us!

Luang Prabang by Bicycle.  Early this morning there is the option to get up early to witness the Alm giving to the monks on the street. The Buddhist monks carry their alm bowls for the collection of food. We return to hotel for breakfast.

After breakfast, a warm up ride follows. We will visit to famous temple Wat Xing Thong. In the courtyard of Wat Visun stands the Watermelon Stupa shaped like the fruit it takes its name from. We also visit Wat Aham, where the altar of the 2 genius of Luang Prabang can be found, and then discover Wat That, where the ashes of King Sisavang Vong are sheltered inside the large central stupa.

At the end of afternoon, we visit Wat Mai, a temple renowned for its golden bas-reliefs, before climbing the 328 steps to the top of Mount Phousi to enjoy a panoramic view of the city and the surrounding countryside. We stop at the evening hill tribe market, before returning to the hotel to relax before dinner and a Baci ceremony.

The purpose of the Baci, mixing Animism and Buddhism beliefs, is to call back escaped spirits to the body - something that is very important before major events such as weddings, births, travel or welcoming friends. We stay overnight in Luang Prabang.  (B,L) 

Note: Cycling distance - Approx 25km

Difficulty: Easy

Luang Prabang - Ban Longlanh - Kuang Si Fall - Luang Prabang.   Following a hearty breakfast, we embark upon the next leg our journey: a scenic biking trip into the surrounding hills so that we can visit Ban Longlanh, home to H’mong and Khmu ethnic minorities. The tribes are best known for their bright and extravagant clothes – and if shopping is your thing, you’ll have an excellent opportunity to buy some stunning souvenirs.

Our afternoon ride takes us to the Kuang Si waterfalls - 35km from Luang Prabang. This ride is a bit more challenging as the ascents and descents are quite steep. Eventually we enter a National Park where we hike to the waterfall and, if you wish, go swimming in the cool turquoise and transparent waters.

On the way back to town, we stop to see the natural dyes, weaving techniques and symbolism in Lao textiles at a weaving centre. Many visitors to Laos are astonished by the beauty and quality of the textiles and a seminar will be held to answer any of your questions. The night is again spent in Luang Prabang.  (B,L) 

Note: Cycling distance - Approx 60km

Difficulty: Moderate

Kiew Ka Cham - Kasi.   Leaving Kiew Ka Cham, we head for Kasi and get to observe some of the most stunning scenery we’ve seen yet. The morning is a little challenging as we follow the ridgeline up and down with mountain peaks surrounding us. A picnic lunch is presented en route and it is a proverbial ‘breath of fresh air’ to take in the nearby scenery. Our evening is spent in a simple hotel in Kasi.  (B,L)

Note: Cycling distance - Approx 75-80km

Difficulty: Moderate

Vang Vieng - Nam Ngum.  We exit the foothills and enter the flat lands while riding towards Nam Ngum Dam. Along the way, there is of course, the picturesque Laos countryside full of friendly locals. Later in the day we leave Route 13, the road we have been on since Luang Prabang, to an even quieter road that leads us to our guesthouse. Our accommodation commands a stunning view of Nam Ngum Lake. (B,L,D)

Note: Cycling distance - Approx 80-90km

Difficulty: Moderate

Vientiane. The tour ends after breakfast.  (B)

Please note - you may wish to book additional nights accommodation in Vientiane, to give you the chance to see the city.

To give you an indication of the difficulty of this trip, we have graded the cycle days into categories - easy, moderate and challenging. We take many factors into consideration in the grading, including distances covered, terrain, altitude, weather conditions and vehicle support.

Easy: Suitable for most people in good health. These trips generally include short days on good paths and at low altitudes.

Moderate: A reasonable level of fitness is required, as these trips can require sustained endurance levels, hills, longer days and altitude. All of our moderate trips have a support vehicle following closely, so weary travellers can hitch a ride and take a rest for a while.

Challenging: These trips are physically demanding and best suited for strong people with a high endurance level. Days can be long, often at altitude, in remote regions and sometimes without a support vehicle nearby. Travellers may be required to carry a backpack.

Travel insurance is compulsory for all tours. All clients MUST be insured to cover personal accident, medical expenses, cancellation, curtailment, repatriation, etc. Also, be aware that many activities such as trekking, bungy jumping or white water rafting may not be covered on your insurance policy. If you plan on doing any of these activities please purchase additional insurance. We recommend that you have a photocopy of this document, which you keep separate from the original. If you have not already arranged your own travel insurance then Kumuka can do this for you. Please visit http://www.kumuka.com/Travel-Insurance.aspx  for more details or contact your nearest Kumuka office.

Please Note: You will not be permitted to join a Kumuka Tour without travel insurance.

It is important that you obtain the appropriate visas before you embark on your Asia trip. Country entry regulations change daily, www.kumuka.com provides visa information. Please consult your Travel Agent or relevant embassy for all details such as opening hours or costs. Certain visas cannot be obtained once you have started your tour, and during the peak summer months it can take longer than normal to get visas, please allow extra time to do this.

EACH CLIENT IS SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR OBTAINING ALL NECESSARY VISAS BEFORE JOINING A TOUR.

Laos: Approval is required for visas to Laos and this should be applied for at least 5 working days prior to departure. It is now also possible to collect visas on arrival at Vientiane International Airport, Luang Prabang International Airport and the Friendship Bridge between Laos and Thailand without prior authorization.

Please note that regulations and costs change frequently so it is advisable to check the current rules.  It is your responsibility to ensure that you are in possession of the correct visas for your holiday and onward travel.  Kumuka cannot accept responsibility for anyone who is refused entry to a country because they lack the correct documentation.

Vaccinations:

No vaccinations are compulsory in Asia, but we do recommend you are covered for *diphtheria & TB, hepatitis A, *hepatitis B, *malaria, typhoid, polio and tetanus.

NB* A Yellow fever certificate is required if arriving from infected areas. Vaccination requirements are subject to change and should be confirmed before departure.

You may need additional inoculations so please contact your G.P or a travel medical centre for further information. Please consult your doctor for up-to-date information and prescriptions for vaccinations, anti-malarial requirements and any reasonably foreseeable illnesses whilst travelling in Asia.

We also recommend:

- A dental check-up prior to travelling.
- That you know your blood group in case of emergency.
- That if you have any pre-existing medical conditions which might affect you on tour, you make these known to your tour leader and your agent/Kumuka at the time of your booking.

You can also visit www.kumuka.com for further details.

Medical Supplies:

We advise that all passengers bring along their own personal first aid kit. Below is a list of some recommended items:

Band Aids/Bandages, Laxatives, Upset stomach remedy, Anti-diarrhoea remedy, Panadol/Aspirin, Rehydration remedy, Antiseptic cream/powder, Sterile dressing, Any relevant course of medication such as contraceptive pills.

A complete Travellers Medical Pack can be purchased for approximately US$25 at most Vaccination Centres, Chemists and outdoor travel shops.

We suggest passengers budget for between US$15-30 per day for personal expenses, souvenirs, evening out, alcoholic drinks etc. Be aware that some countries are more expensive than others and that if you are travelling through several your expenses will vary enormously. Similarly there will be some days when you spend nothing at all and others when you exceed your budget.

US dollars cash is more widely accepted than pounds sterling.

US dollars cash are needed to pay for visas on borders.

It is often a good idea to have a small amount of the currency of the country you are visiting prior to arrival. This will cover you for any initial expenses at or from the airport.

Banks are open Monday to Friday and some are open on Saturday morning.  In the main cities travellers’ cheques can be exchanged at banks and some exchange bureaux, but this can be very difficult in small towns

Some Hotels will also change money.

There are no automated teller machines (ATMs) in Laos.

How much should I take?

- Please bring lightweight walking shoes or sandals, and a day sac. Pack essentially for hot conditions: days are hot and humid. Lightweight rain gear is essential at all times. Because of limited luggage space on transport, we must limit each passenger to ONE main bag or frameless backpack and one day bag. Your main bag must not weigh more than 20 kg’s.

- A frameless or internally framed backpack is the best way to carry your belongings since it is easy to lift on and off vehicles.

- A small daypack is practical for keeping general items (e.g. camera, books, wallets etc.) at hand when your main pack is out of reach. It is also handy for day trips and excursions. We also recommend that you keep your passport, credit cards travellers checks etc. on you at all times, preferably in a money belt worn under your clothes.

- We suggest a medium sized backpack that can be kept in the support vehicle. We also suggest a small daypack for when you are cycling. This should be large enough to contain an adequate supply of water and a personal first aid kit. Suitcases are not suitable for this trip. We also recommend good comfortable walking or running shoes, sandals and a pair of loose fitting comfortable long pants for the evenings.

- Please note that although bicycle helmets are provided, you may prefer to bring your own for added comfort.

TRAVEL TIP: You might be tempted to buy a few souvenirs here and there, so leave a little room for those extra purchases!!

Please use your discretion and be sensitive to cultural differences in the countries that you visit, in particular visits to religious buildings and when taking photographs. Your Tour Leader will advise you of any specific customs to observe. Dress discretely, especially if you are visiting religious sites. For women this means skirts or long pants with T-shirt. For men, this means long shorts or trousers with a T-shirt. Always take your shoes off when entering temples or any religious site.

Care should be taken to respect the conventions of Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus and other religious and ethnic groups, particularly in respect of clothing and footwear.

You might like to read up on the destinations that you are about to visit as these cities all have interesting sites and histories. We recommend a variety of guidebooks such as Lonely Planet, The Rough Guide and Insight Guides. All these publications have good general information as well as more specific country information that will help orientate you in the countries you visit.

Lao food is traditionally eaten with sticky rice, with the fingers.  In the countryside, people will all eat family style, sitting on the floor, sharing a few dishes. Traditional Lao food is dry, spicy and very delicious. The food eaten in Laos is influenced by its neighbours and the colonial French. 

Laap, a traditional  Lao food is made from chopped meat, chicken or duck. The finely chopped meat, spices and broth are mixed with uncooked rice grains that have been dry fried, and crushed. Laap is eaten with a plate of raw vegetables and sticky rice.

Tam Mak Houng is a spicey salad made from sliced raw papaya, garlic, chile, peanuts, sugar, fermented fish sauce and lime juice.

Som moo is fermented pork sausage, found in many forms.  The sausage is made from raw pork - sometimes lean, sometimes pork skin.   Som moo may be eaten raw or cooked. A mixture of som moo, tam mak koung and laap make a popular Lao lunchtime meal.

Barbequed som moo, served Vietnamese style is popular in Laos.  Known as Naem Nuang, it is served with transparent rice paper, thin noodles and lots of herbs, vegetables, lettuce and a sauce.  You take all the ingredients, and prepare your own spring roll.

Foe (pronounced 'fur')  is the name for noodle soup, which can be found everywhere in Laos. It is similar in style to the Chinese noodle soup found all over Asia.

In Luang Prabang, they make a delicious salad made from watercress.

We have put a lot of thought and effort into locating the most appropriate type of accommodation for each tour. In cities it will always be clean, comfortable and of a very high standard. Generally accommodation is in comfortable tourist class accommodation. Please note that on cycling and trekking tours we often stay in the more remote areas in simple guest houses where facilities will be more basic.

If you wish to spend a few additional days in your start city before the departure of your tour, then we can arrange accommodation for you. On the last day of the tour the tour generally ends after breakfast. If you would like to book additional nights, we will be more than happy to arrange this for you as well. All our accommodation is carefully chosen, conveniently located, clean and comfortable.

In most of the hotels in Asia you may be required to deposit your passport at Reception. This is a perfectly normal practice and nothing to be concerned about. Just make sure that you retrieve it when you check out of the hotel.

Kumuka endeavors to advertise a compliment of optional activities available locally during tours with selected ground handlers to make your tour more enjoyable. These ground handlers and activity partners are selected for their standards in quality, professional ability and reputation. Whereas, Kumuka has developed a travel insurance policy to cover all activities offered during your journey, Kumuka can not be held responsible for injuries or claims arising from adventurous activities by third party.

Your tour leader will be able to organise any optional excursions on your behalf.  All activities are undertaken at passenger’s own risk.

Whilst on tour you will probably want to stay in touch with family and friends. There are several ways of doing this:

Mobile Phone – Before departing your home country check with your phone supplier to see if it compatible with the mobile phone networks in the countries that you are traveling to, and how much will it cost to use abroad.

Email – Internet Cafes are very cheap and popular, and you are sure to come across several during your tour. If you haven’t done so already, set up a free Google Mail, Hotmail, or Yahoo email account which you can then access from any computer. Internet Cafes will charge a nominal fee for using their computers. Within Europe some hotels charge a wifi connection fee and we cannot guarantee a wifi connection at all hotels we use.

Twitter – A method of communication that is rapidly gaining in popularity on the Internet especially amongst travelers. Twitter allows you to send short messages and update your friends and family with where you are on tour and what you are doing. Create your free account at http://twitter.com. Visit Kumuka’s page on Twitter at http://twitter.com/kumuka

Facebook – Very popular website that allows you to upload stories, get in touch with fellow travellers before and after your Kumuka tour, upload photos and videos to share with other travellers, your family and friends. To create a free account, go to www.facebook.com and then become a fan of Kumuka’s Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/pages/Kumuka-Worldwide/26617121087?ref=ts

Postcards – The good ol’ fashioned postcard. But you will probably get home before the postcard does!

KUMUKA WORLDWIDE

UK OFFICE

Hillswood Business Park
3000 Hillswood Drive Chertsey KT16 0RS
Tel: 020 7937 8855 Fax: 020 7937 6664
Email: sales@kumuka.com
www.kumuka.com

AUSTRALIAN OFFICE