Bolaven Plateau and the 4000 Islands, 7 days

Day 1

Arrive in Pakse, a river ride

Pick-up at Pakse airport or your hotel. Bikes are fitted in the afternoon, then a ride of about 15 km along the river at sunset, flat and slow.

Your guide uses this ride to check that everyone is comfortable with braking on loose gravel, which you will meet on the plateau side roads.

Day 2

Up to the plateau: coffee farms and Tad Fane

Tad Fane's twin falls dropping into the forest gorge

The van drives the long climb from the Mekong plain to the plateau, roughly 50 km gaining roughly 1,000 m. Riders who want a Grade 4 day can ride it instead, starting at 06:00; tell us before the trip so we can plan the lunch stop.

On the plateau we ride about 35 km of rolling roads between coffee farms, with a farm visit and walks to two waterfalls: Tad Fane, a 120 m twin fall seen from a viewpoint, and Tad Yuang, a twin fall of about 40 m.

Day 3

Across the plateau to Tad Lo

The hardest riding day at the base grade: about 50 km of rolling plateau roads, losing more height than we gain. Mornings can be cool from December to February, so bring a light layer for the first hour.

Tad Lo is a small village beside a series of falls. The afternoon is for a swim, if the water is calm enough, and an early night.

Day 4

Tad Lo falls on foot, then Vat Phou by bike

A morning walk of about 3 km to the falls upstream of the village, then a drive of about three hours, depending on the road, to Champasak on the west bank of the Mekong.

In the late afternoon we ride about 20 km out to Vat Phou and back. The ruins date from the 5th to the 15th century and climb the slope of Phou Kao by steep stone stairs; the effort is in the climb on foot, not on the bike.

Day 5

Down the river to the 4000 Islands

We ride about 45 km south on the quiet road along the Mekong, then the van takes us the rest of the way to the river landing for the boat to Don Det.

The afternoon is free on the island. Don Det and Don Khon are joined by an old bridge and are flat enough to explore on a borrowed bicycle.

Day 6

Kayak the channels and see Khone Phapheng (weather reserve)

Paddling a quiet side channel in the dry season, when sandbanks appear between the islands

A guided paddle of about three hours through the channels between the islands. The route depends on the water level, which changes a great deal between dry and wet seasons; in the high-water months of the wet season the channels can be unsafe, and the paddle is replaced by an island ride.

In the afternoon the van takes us to Khone Phapheng, where the Mekong falls over a series of rapids stretching 9.7 km, with the highest drops about 21 m and an average discharge close to 11,000 m³ a second. This day doubles as the trip's weather reserve.

Day 7

Back to Pakse

Boat to the mainland after breakfast and a drive of about 2.5 to 3 hours, depending on the road, back to Pakse for an afternoon flight.

If you are continuing into Cambodia instead, tell us when you enquire; that changes the last day and needs the border details checked for your dates.