Laos 8-Day Tours and Trips

Visiting Laos was everything I had expected. Vivid nature, voluptuous landscapes and a vibrant, hardworking culture. The Highlights of Laos tour with Explore showcased each place perfectly with plenty of things to see and do plus plenty of free time to explore each place. I definitely recommend this tour & I look forward to travelling with Explore again.

I had one of the best times of my life! The activities we did were perfect and really well organised! Lenoy was absolutely brilliant - he was a friend to all of us and made us feel at home in Laos! He was always on hand for any questions and always up for fun! He made the group, especially myself being a young female solo traveller feel very safe and I cannot thank him enough!

Apologies for this belated review. The Laos trip was led by the attentive, convivial and competent Quang. It's great to have someone else keep an eye on everything! The three key destinations gave us a bird's eye view of this diverse country. The optional tours were a great idea as it left scope for personal needs and interests. I loved the walks via villages; was moved by the visit to the landmine agency; sparked by the differences in the locations e.g. Luang Prabang sunset and (not all) older tourist hospitality (visited Ikon Bar); the age-old caves and Buddhist temples.

I booked this trip last minute and wasn't disappointed. Highlights of Laos is an unhurried, relaxed trip. Pavements, like in Vietnam and Cambodia, are uneven and could be tricky for those unsteady on their feet; however, unlike those countries, the traffic is very light and easy to negotiate. Taxis to/ from airports are cheap. The Buddha park was great and COPE museum thought provoking. The rail journeys are smooth and comfortable with lots to look at. Limestone cliffs are dramatic and the hot air ballooning worth it. The walks and steps are relatively easy. Early March was hot. Take easy slip on/off shoes for the many varied and interesting temples along with shoulder coverings and below the knee shorts. Our guide, Quang, was lovely but what really made this trip for me was the fabulous bunch of fellow travellers.

The tour operator promised a ‘one of a lifetime experience’ and I received it! Laos was an eye opener with our guide, Lenoy, teaching us ancient and modern history of Laos along with current day traditions, morals/values and daily life of the locals. I bonded well with Lenoy and the entire group, making friends for life (we already have plans to visit each other!) and memories that I will never forget. I enjoyed every activity whether it be kayaking or strolling through a local night market and was always satisfied with my day. This made coming back to the accommodation and having a good nights sleep easy, despite some hotels being a little on the cheaper side. Overall, I had an incredible experience and would recommend the operator to anyone considering a tour group!

All round a good trip, a good introduction to a country I didn't know much about. Using the train to get to Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang is a smoother and faster way to get to places than going by road, but you are not allowed to take anything which could be considered as a weapon (as in hand luggage on a plane), even in your luggage - it will screened and items confiscated. Fortunately the guide was able to get things taken from group members taken to Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang by road. I would recommend this trip if you are interested in visiting south east Asia.