FAQ

Our company Tiger Trail Travel – established in 2000 – is registered with the Laos government, License Number #129 and #1917. MOTOALO is a trading name and operates under Tiger Trail Travel.

All Guides hold official Laos guide licenses, foreign staff are registered with Laos authorities and hold work permits. All documents are available for scrutiny at head office in Luang Prabang.

Our motorbikes comply with Lao law and bare white number plates which indicates there are hire vehicles. All are insured with 3^rd party insurance complying with Lao law (Laos-Viet insurance LVI). All documents are available for scrutiny at Head office. Personal travel and health insurance is not provided by MOTOLAO.

Being the original motorcycling tour operator in Luang Prabang we pride ourselves in hosting successful well organized motorcycle adventure tours in Laos. Therefore our main activity is Motorcycling adventure tours, more around Northern Laos, however we do also offer tours incorporating the rest of Laos should you so desire.

If you are really adventurous we can incorporate both motorcycle and other adventure tour packages to suit your needs.

We are not a motorcycle hire company or a motocross company. Therefore all our packages are guided tours with local guides who are more than willing and capable to show you their beautiful country.

We have a number of different packages ranging from 1 day to 12 days. The length depends on you.

We’re completely flexible, at least before you start riding.

We do believe that our arranged tours cater for most needs. If there is something specific that you want to incorporate in your tour, by all means speak to us and we will gladly try and accommodate your wishes.

Once the tour starts it will be very hard to change it mainly due to having to book accommodation in advance. If we cancel, we still have to pay…but should you decide you would like to change along the way this can be arranged at your expense.

Our goal is to make your time riding in Laos as epic as possible.

All of our tours cater for most levels of riding skills from the beginner to the more experienced rider. Therefore on a 3 day tour for example there will be a route for a beginner to intermediate rider which will cover a bit of dirt but mainly asphalt there is also another route that will cover more dirt and be a bit more demanding for a more experienced rider.

We do however recommend that you have ridden a motorcycle with gears before (not just a semi automatic or automatic moto.) and preferably also done a bit of dirt road or dirt track riding. However the speed of the tour will be as fast as the slowest rider.

We do recommend that when booking you take this into account as it can be very unpleasant if you do choose a harder ride and then discover it is too hard for you.

There is no age restriction to go on tour or no rider under the age of 13 unless they go as pillions. However the rider must be able to ride a Honda CRF250L and all riders under the age of 16/18 should be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

It varies, depending on road conditions and attractions along our route. Many days include fewer than 180 km’s of riding, and it’s unusual for any day to exceed 250 km’s. If so, it will only be because the nature of the area in which we’re travelling dictates a longer day in order to secure appropriate accommodation. All tours are intended to provide a good mix of sightseeing and riding.

Our tours are arranged on a “as need” basis. Therefore send us your dates and we will try our best to accommodate you even if it means joining an existing tour if you are up to meeting exciting like-minded people.

Riding a motorbike in Laos is special any time of the year. Just prepare yourself for the difference in temperature, road condition and weather.

We are often asked about the rainy season. If you don’t mind a bit of mud and getting a bit wet, this season, the green season in Laos, brings so much fun and adventure you would otherwise miss out on. The green season is not rainy every day and all day. The landscape has a completely different feel, colour, smell and if you get a bit too much along the way…the routes will be adjusted accordingly.

There will most likely be a lot of Lao food.

Lao food has a wide range of specialties that you should try, but if you are not an adventurous eater then it is better stick to noodle soups and crackers.

Places like Luang Prabang, Luang Namtha and Nong Khiaw, Vang Vieng all support a good range of western food, should you feel like it.

Some of our motor bike tours in northern Laos involve staying in remote villages with no restaurants at all. During these days we will arrange for a family to prepare a meal for us.

Sleep is always an important aspect especially after a tiring days riding.

Wherever possible we book comfortable en-suite hotels with air conditioning and hot water showers. Once we get into the more remote areas where hotels are unavailable we use clean, welcoming and friendly village home stays and guesthouses.

For some of the more adventurous riders out there we can even arrange a night out in the jungle either in a hammock or a tree tent.

Unless requested we do not provide a back up vehicle. All customers and guides carry their own kit for the duration of the tour. If, however, you feel you would like a back up vehicle one can be made available. There will be an extra charge for this.

The Tour Rates includes:

– Professional tour guide

– Motorbike: Honda CRF 250L or Honda XR250

– Gasoline

– Breakfast, water and soft drinks

– All entrance fees to sites that are visited

– All toll fees and ferry crossing fees etc.

– All police taxes and local permission fees.

– Accommodation in either a guesthouse or home stays whilst on tours longer than a day.

– Third person insurance such as waterfalls etc.

– All protective riding equipments helmet, mask, gloves, boots, jacket etc.

– If needed we can provide a Dry bag for your luggage. However a 30l or 40l day pack is sufficient for most of our tours.

 

Tour Rates Exclude:         

– All your personal expenses.

– All expenses coming to Laos and all accommodation etc. before and after the tour.

– Riding pants are excluded due to health reasons. We recommend you either bring your own riding pants or a pair of jeans for riding.

– Your persona/travel insurance!! All tours are undertaken at your own risk!! (Please ensure that your insurance covers motorcycle travel and evacuation)

– Any damages to motorcycle are not covered. These are for your costs. (Unfortunately there is no insurance here to cover this)

– All meals not mentioned in the tour itinerary and alcoholic drinks.

We ask you to pay the full amount of the tour before arrival unless agreed to otherwise. If arrangements are made, in some cases we can agree to make a deposit and then collect the remaining balance in cash on arrival day. Credit card payments do work once you are here, and cost an additional amount of 3 %. If payment is made via PayPal an extra 5% will be charged, as we cannot extract money easily here in Laos.

Yes, we do have secure storage space at our offices. If you arrange a one way tour, we can send luggage to your ending destination E.G. from Luang Prabang to Vientiane or any other location in Laos. The luggage transfers will however be for your cost.

This list is by no means complete but is intended just to be used as a guideline as to what to bring. 

 

GEAR

• Helmet
• Gloves
• Boots
• Long-sleeved Shirt
• Body Armour

CLOTHING

• Walking shoes
• T-Shirts / Long-sleeved Shirts
• Socks & Underwear
• Jeans / Pants
• Light Jacket / Sweater
• Rain Jacket
• Dry Bag
• Swimming Trunks
• Sunglasses

PERSONAL

• 30-40L Daypack
• Medication
• Basic toiletries
• Emergency cash
• Chargers

MISCELLANEOUS

• Small towel
• Waterproof cover
• Plastic bags
• Camelback Hydration Kit
• Journal / Notebook
• Camera
• Gifts for children

NOTE: You have to carry all items yourself, unless you book a support vehicle. We can provide riding gear for you if necessary. You will be able to use the laundry service if you stay more than one night.