Lau Buffalo Dairy and Kuangsi, Luang Prabang, Laos - Travel Journal
Every time a customer books one of our vacations and opts in to our Trip for a Trip scheme, we organise a day trip for a disadvantaged young person somewhere around the world to see their local tourist sites, often for the first time.
Trip name: Students from the LEOT School have a day out in Luang Prabang
The trip was run in conjunction with Tiger Trail Travel, a local tour operator.
Since 2012, LEOT School has been providing free lessons to disadvantaged students aged 16 and over. It currently has over 300 students enrolled in daily classes, most studying English and computer skills. Many of the students on the day out wouldn’t have visited these local sites before.
Pupils first went to meet the buffalo at Laos Buffalo Dairy. This social enterprise project rents buffalo from local villages and milks them, making mozzarella, ricotta, ice cream, cheesecake and yoghurt to sell around the world. Whilst the region has farmed buffalo for a long time, they aren’t traditionally farmed for their milk here. The dairy employs 30 local people full time, provides income for farmers by renting their animals and aims to increase nutrition in the area with buffalo milk products. Pupils got to try their hand at milking buffalo, and meet the other farm animals.
From buffalo… to bears! Next, a visit to Tat Juangi Si Bear Rescue Centre, run by Free The Bears, where rescued Asiatic moon bears – many of them orphaned cubs – are cared for and kept safe from poachers. These bears are close to extinction… not that they knew it, snoozing away whilst students snapped photos.
Finally, a trip to nearby Kuang Si Waterfall to relax by the water. This beautiful waterfall is one of the most popular attractions in the area. Lunch – which came wrapped in a banana leaf – was provided for everyone, thanks to Tiger Trail Travel. Afterwards, students practised their English by writing up accounts of their day, and everything they’d learnt.
Date of day tour: 06 January, 2024
Who: Pupils aged 16 and up
Where: Luang Prabang, Laos
Comments from the children
"Everything there was very beautiful"
"I was very happy because I learned a lot of new things, I was very relaxed when I was at the bridge in front of the waterfall"
"There were many things I like on this trip. Feeding animals, taking photos with animals and I met new friends. Thank you very much for this trip."
"I got to know more friends, eat together, take pictures together and talk throughout the trip"
"Thank you very much for the opportunity. I hope to see you next time and travel together again."
Trip name: Students from the LEOT School have a day out in Luang Prabang
Trip summary:
On Saturday 6 January 2024, 25 students from the Lao Educational Opportunities Trust (LEOT) went on an educational day out in their neighbourhood visiting three nearby sites: the Lau Buffalo Dairy, the Kuangsi Bear Sanctuary and Kuangsi waterfall in Luang Prabang province, Laos.The trip was run in conjunction with Tiger Trail Travel, a local tour operator.
Since 2012, LEOT School has been providing free lessons to disadvantaged students aged 16 and over. It currently has over 300 students enrolled in daily classes, most studying English and computer skills. Many of the students on the day out wouldn’t have visited these local sites before.
Pupils first went to meet the buffalo at Laos Buffalo Dairy. This social enterprise project rents buffalo from local villages and milks them, making mozzarella, ricotta, ice cream, cheesecake and yoghurt to sell around the world. Whilst the region has farmed buffalo for a long time, they aren’t traditionally farmed for their milk here. The dairy employs 30 local people full time, provides income for farmers by renting their animals and aims to increase nutrition in the area with buffalo milk products. Pupils got to try their hand at milking buffalo, and meet the other farm animals.
From buffalo… to bears! Next, a visit to Tat Juangi Si Bear Rescue Centre, run by Free The Bears, where rescued Asiatic moon bears – many of them orphaned cubs – are cared for and kept safe from poachers. These bears are close to extinction… not that they knew it, snoozing away whilst students snapped photos.
Finally, a trip to nearby Kuang Si Waterfall to relax by the water. This beautiful waterfall is one of the most popular attractions in the area. Lunch – which came wrapped in a banana leaf – was provided for everyone, thanks to Tiger Trail Travel. Afterwards, students practised their English by writing up accounts of their day, and everything they’d learnt.
Date of day tour: 06 January, 2024
Who: Pupils aged 16 and up
Where: Luang Prabang, Laos
About our partner organisation:
This Trip for a Trip was organised in conjunction with Tiger Trail Travel, a Laos-based tour operator who have been running eco tourism trips in the country since 2000. The company aim to equip, empower and enrich the lives of the Laoian people with their quality tourism and development projects.“
"I was very happy because I learned a lot of new things, I was very relaxed when I was at the bridge in front of the waterfall"
"There were many things I like on this trip. Feeding animals, taking photos with animals and I met new friends. Thank you very much for this trip."
"I got to know more friends, eat together, take pictures together and talk throughout the trip"
"Thank you very much for the opportunity. I hope to see you next time and travel together again."
”
More about Trip for a Trip
With our Trip for a Trip scheme every customer who books with us can give an inspiring day trip to a child from a disadvantaged background. Since we started we’ve made a positive difference to over 5,000 children’s lives.- Read more about Trip for a Trip and other trips we've run.
- If you've booked a vacation via Responsible Travel, claim your booking gift to join our Trip for a Trip scheme.
