Green Discovery Laos
Green Discovery Laos
4.5
Cultural ToursSightseeing ToursNature & Wildlife ToursDay Trips
7:30 AM - 8:30 PM
Monday
7:30 AM - 8:30 PM
Tuesday
7:30 AM - 8:30 PM
Wednesday
7:30 AM - 8:30 PM
Thursday
7:30 AM - 8:30 PM
Friday
7:30 AM - 8:30 PM
Saturday
7:30 AM - 8:30 PM
Sunday
7:30 AM - 8:30 PM
About
Cruising around the unique 4,000 Islands, spotting rare Irrawaddy dolphins, watching birds in vast wetlands; highlands studded with coffee plantations, misty waterfalls, Mekong river home-stays, the ancient city and UNESCO World Heritage Site of Wat Phou, and jungle covered mountains of the Dong Hua Sao and Xe Pian National Protected Areas. These are only few of the outstanding highlights in this southernmost province. Green Discovery Laos is operating an office in Pakse, from where we are permanently developing new programs for both the adventurous and the mere curious.
Pakse, Laos

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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.


4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles201 reviews
Excellent
136
Very good
26
Average
10
Poor
15
Terrible
14

Thanaporn.lp
2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020 • Friends
This is an amazing place that I haven't seen before. There are a lot of activities like zibline with 550 metres.it is very excited for me. There also has a tree house where you can sleep and take a rest at night. I would recommend you guys to join all the activities with Green discovery advanture and Eco-tourism. I confirmed you guys will love it.
Written March 10, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Tatjana L
2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Couples
We just returned and it was absolutely amazing and worth every money spend. The guides were really cautious about making safety the highest priority.
Our guide Phone explained us a lot about the Lao culture and the forest.
The good was amazing, the tree houses absolutely doable. The stars at night were breathtaking.
Big recommendation from my side
Written January 3, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Tatjana, Thank you so much for your feedback! We are really happy that you enjoyed, and hope to see you again soon. Thanks again for choosing Green Discovery Laos. With our best regards, The Green Discovery Team
Written January 14, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Xhara71
Rochester, UK454 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2024 • Solo
Did the 1 day Bolevan plateau hike through this company. Overall communication before I arrived was excellent and on the day my hotel pick up arrived on time. Sinsai was i our guide and he was excellent too, happy to go at our pace, told us various things about where we were as we went along without going over the top. We left before 9 and were back at 5. You need to be reasonably fit as there are a few step climbs but the road isn't too far away and it can be cut short if you want for any reason. What I particularly liked was the varied landscape we hiked through, wide open spaces, coffee plantations, narrow paths through the forest etc
Overall an excellent day and I would definitely recommend green discovery.
Written January 24, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your kind review regarding the services provided by our team at Green Discovery Laos, Pakse - the shuttle, the guided hike through varied landscape, wide open spaces, narrow paths through the forest and the coffee plantation attraction. We will convey your personal appreciation to Sinsai, your guide, thank you. It's pleasing to know that as first timers to the south of Laos, your tour experience has been excellent, and perhaps you and your friends will return. Thank you for taking the time to submit your review
Written February 15, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Sofia L
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Friends
We are three girls who booked the 3 days/2 nights tree top explorer tour. We had an amazing experience in the magical rainforest in Paksong. The ziplining was incredible and we enjoyed it to the fullest. The staff was really sweet and helpful and we felt very safe the whole time. Our english speaking guide did a great job teaching us about the culture and nature of Laos. The food was delicious, local lao food made by the sweetest staff. We had a really good time and will recommend everyone to book this trip!
Written February 19, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

CaneloLeche
Australia275 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Couples
We did a private day tour from Pakse to 4000 islands as we were flying on from Pakse. Khamlai the guide was faultless and a real credit to this company. Tour itself covered everywhere we wanted to see in the area. It wasn’t the cheapest tour but the quality was reflected in the price!
Written January 27, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Laurentatts
2 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2013
My three friends and I decided to do the Green Discovery zip line tour out of Pakse in Laos along with a family of four. The first half of the day could have been one of the best activities during our six month trip, but this feeling quickly changed. Within seconds of us all arriving on the last platform, several bees started attacking us. I was the last one to arrive but I guess even before we had all arrived the guides had begun to signal to the group to be quiet. What happened was that in an attempt to belay himself down to safe ground, one of our guides had disturbed a massive bee hive. Even quicker though, had both guides zipped across the line back to the previous platform three hundred metres away.

For a minute, the eight of us huddled together not knowing what to do but in a panic followed the guides' example. Only advancing half way across the line we eventually all came to a stop. We were dangling a little under fifty metres from the ground along with the hundreds of bees that followed us.

To be honest, my memory of the next hour is a bit hazy. What I do remember is watching my friends faces get covered in bees and there stingers, thinking this could not be real and feeling completely and utterly terrified. Although each one of us have different experiences, I think overall the feeling of helplessness was shared amongst all eight of us. At the time I felt that this could not be real as the guides' ability to respond was unbelievable, it felt like they would leave us up there forever.

With my allergies to bees and two little kids of the ages of eight and nine, the turn out of that day could have been tragic. Even more, one of my friends had clipped in wrong so she was only metres away from the hive and insecurely attached to the zip line and was not acknowledged by the guides either. After thirty minutes, one of my friends and the little girl were helped down and finally, after waiting over an hour the rest of us were able to come down.

Two of my friends and I experienced anaphylactic reactions and shock for the next three hours. We were vomiting, hysterical, had difficulty breathing and were unable to stand without help. Despite Green Discovery's website stating that " [their] guides are internationally trained in first aid," there was no first aid box and looking back, there was no understanding what so ever in treating the basic signs of shock or anaphylaxis. We had brought a lot of antihistamines, which could have very well saved our lives.

After waiting hours in the jungle, a group of men from the nearby village came to our aid and carried us out. Completely exhausted, we had to walk up a mountain, mountain climb and be belayed over the course of our evacuation which took another three hours. Once we arrived in the village, nurses and doctors were waiting for us and as we slept on the floor of some families' shop, we were given an iv, injections and medication to help stop the poison from attacking our bodies. The following day we arrived at the international hospital in Pakse, where we spent another two nights, followed by another four nights in town resting.

After we were released from the hospital, my friend and the father of the other family, went to discuss our refund with the managers. As stated in the previous review, when inquiring about our refund, first, the managers stated this would not be possible and proceeded to show a breakdown of how much we costed them. Next, they agreed to refund us fifty percent. After much disagreement and phone calls to there "boss" in Thailand we received back our payment. Our hospital bills were also covered.

The purpose of this lengthy review is to both illustrate an understanding of how we felt during this horrific experience and also to ensure that this does not happen again by creating awareness. By no means is this a way to undermine Green Discovery as a whole, but rather show that during our particular experience there was no evacuation plan, no first aid training or resources and no rescue training on a zip line. We are aware that these circumstances are extremely unlucky but we feel that it could have been prevented if the platforms were securely checked before arriving. Furthermore, we picked this company as we felt confident in there overall message on there website boasting there "100% safety record," the activities they had to offer and that this is in fact a French owned company with appropriate safety standards. We can only hope that after this event has occurred the company will take these situations seriously by becoming more thorough in emergency procedures, provide the adequate training for their guides and actually perform the skills promised to their customers.
Written June 3, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

joannecharlie
London, UK82 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2013 • Family
My husband and I took our 2 children age 8 & 9 on the 3 day, 2 night treetop / zipline experience from Pakse. We were joined on the first day by 4 Canadian girls who were on the 2 day trip.
The trip started well and we all enjoyed the beautiful views and the experience of whizzing through the jungle.
Unfortunately, the fun came to an abrupt halt when we reached the final platform. We were all huddled together waiting for the guides to lower a rope, which we would then descend by, when one of the guides announced there was a bit of a problem, as there were some bees.
As we turned to look at the 2 guides, you could see 10-20 bees hovering around them. Rapidly the amount of bees increased and suddenly both guides started screaming, hooked themselves back onto the zip wire, and left us !
Then the bees started to attack us. We were approximately 20-30m above the ground with no way of getting down and no guides to tell us what to do.
After being stung several times and covered in bees, 2 of the Canadian girls remained on the platform and the rest of us connected back onto the zip wire and pushed off, following the guides example.
We then found ourselves all huddled together at the lowest point of the wire roughly halfway between the 2 platforms, very high above the ground and unable to go any further.
Hundreds of bees had followed us and continued to attack us while we called to the guides for help.
It was at least 30 minutes before we saw or heard a single guide, at which point they managed to get 2 of us down and the rest of us assumed we would be next. Instead we were left again without any contact from the guides for another 20 - 30 minutes.
Finally we all reached the safety of the restaurant where 3 of the Canadian girls started to react to the poison and repeatedly threw up for the next couple of hours.
At which point, we discovered their medical kit consisted of not much more than some paracetamol and some tiger balm, and not one of the guides had any medical training!
Once several men from the local village arrived, they and the guides were excellent. It took them approximately 4 hours of hiking and rock climbing through the jungle, (carrying 3 of the Canadian girls on their backs!) before we could get back to the nearest village, where several doctors were waiting.
The three girls were put on IV drips and the rest of us were given various pills and injections to help with the stings. As it was already midnight it was decided that we should wait until morning before attempting the very bumpy road back to the hospital approximately 2 hours away.
My family and I were treated in the hospital for half a day and were then able to go to a hotel. The 3 girls were kept in until the following evening.

We do not blame the company for the bees, and even if we did, we all signed a waiver before starting, stating they could not be held responsible for anything, including serious injury or death!
We did however feel they had a duty of care to look after us to the best of their ability and this they obviously did not do.
In hindsight, it was clear they had not done a comprehensive risk assessment and had not trained the guides in any emergency procedures. The guides explained that the delays in rescuing us were caused because they had to work out how to get us down, instead of knowing immediately what to do through regular training.
To add insult to injury, when we asked the branch manager for a refund, we were presented with spread sheets, showing what the trip had cost them and offered 50%.
We explained that we felt it was not unreasonable to expect a full refund and to receive some compensation for the trauma we had all gone through.
He called his boss, who refused to talk to us, but we were finally given a full refund.
The only extra thing they paid for was our hospital bill, which for my whole family came to approximately US$75, and I believe about US$150 for all the girls, as they had stayed overnight.
As they charge US$200 - US$250 per person for the trip, I don’t think this would have broken the bank.

We have written this to warn anyone thinking of doing one of these trips, that just because a company charge in US Dollars, it does not mean they adhered to western safety standards!

Below, is an extract from a review written on TripAdvisor February 9th 2013 about a previous Green Discovery tour. Sadly it shows that:-
1) I did not read this comment until after taking the trip!
2) Green Discovery either do not read, or choose to ignore any comments made about them. –
“There was no medical aid kit available at base camp (and the guides didn't carry any) - miles away from medical help (and separated from it by ziplines and a via ferrata!) The tour isn't kitted out for the possibility of any injury.”
Written May 30, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Maddijett
Kingscliff, Australia231 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2012 • Family
We decided on zip lining in southern Laos as opposed to the north after doing loads of research on safety and value for money as we are a family of four.
No regrets! What a fantastic experience! Not for the faint hearted!
I could go on forever about beautiful scenery, stunning waterfalls, tree huts, rats, wonderful people and more but figure if you read our blog, you'll get an better idea.
Some of the best 3 days and 2 nights of our month long journey, thank you Green Discovery!!
www.travellingwiththejoneses.com
Written June 17, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

livethedreamwithtori
British Columbia, Canada12 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2015 • Friends
We contemplated back and forth about Green Discovery's and The Gibbons Experience ziplining adventures, and we were happy we choose Green Discovery's! We did the 2 day, 1 night tour.

Our initial decision was based around the reviews confirming their emphasis on safety and it could not have been more true! The guides were so awesome, and even though a couple of them couldn't speak english, were still very interactive and helpful throughout the tour!

We were a little concerned about the trekking based on previous reviews that it is EXTREMELY hard even for fit people. I think that I would like to clarify on this:

The first day of trekking through the jungle was very moderate hiking. I would like to emphasize "hiking" as it is not a casual stroll, and will exert a lot of energy especially wearing a backpack of your stuff for the night (so pack as light as you can)! Make sure that you have shoes that strap to your feet. You do not need hiking shoes - runners (trainers) were fine! I have a weak ankle, so I wore an ankle bandage for the extra support.

The morning of the second day of trekking is also easy/moderate to reach the last of the ziplining. You have a choice to leave your pack at the camp, as well, so it's easier not to have the extra weight. After lunch, you grab your pack and hike back to the village to leave. This trekking is the most intense of the tour as it is steep uphill hiking for about 2 hours (3 hours maximum). I was extremely out of breath (I am 30, fit, but do not practice regular cadio so this is to be expected), but you were free to stop and catch your breath as much as you needed to. If you had bad knees, this could have made things more difficult as it is very steep. It was challenging for sure, but a reasonably fit person can do it (some just may need to stop more than others).

I am from Canada, so I am used to hiking. I think it is just important to remember, that it much more difficult that walking through the woods. There will be steep inclines, declines, and obstacles such as branches, trees, and rocks to navigate around.

With that said, I am glad that we did the 2 day tour and not the 3 day tour. If you are concerned about the difficulty level, I would recommend the 2 over the 3 day for sure as it is exhausting. The 3 day would likely be for people that hike on a more regular basis and are looking for a challenge.

Now the ZIPLINES!! SO AWESOME! The scenery was incredible! They were staple and the break is easy to use. The guides are there to send you off and make sure you land safely on the other side. I strapped my GoPro to my wrist to video tape the adventure and I am so happy I did. If you have a camera - get a strap to secure around your wrist to record the adventure as well! (Some people used their phones, but I would be afraid to drop it).

The food and tree house accommodations were good but rustic. The mosquito nets had some holes in them - if you have tape bring it and you can patch them if you're concerned. I didn't have any tape and I was fine during the night. Bring a headlamp or flashlight, to navigate in the treehouse at night (ie. if you have to go to the bathroom) as it is very dark in the jungle with no lights to guide you. One reviewer referred to the water being turned off at night, but we did not have that issue. Also, some people said they were cold at night. I wore yoga pants and a sweater and I wasn't cold at all. Maybe just be sure to have a sweater.

Overall, it was an awesome experience. For the sunset, climb out to the rocks at the base of the waterfall and soak in the beauty of the scenery!! It is truly breath taking where the camp is located. Be ready for some adventure that is totally worth every moment of struggle!

Written March 9, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

fullcircle2018
Brisbane, Australia1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2018 • Solo
I did the 3-Day, 2 night tour. I went in September which is the end of the rainy season. In the mountains there are still intermittent showers and mists about and the falls are in full flight. It’s warm and steamy then, but not blazing hot. Be warned, it’s a TOUGH hike! I’m in my 60’s, but cycle about 120km per week and I used to work in tropical forestry. So, I was familiar and fit enough, but only just!

You will be picked up from your hotel and transported to the Green Discovery office in downtown Pakse where you’ll meet your guide and the other tour members (if it’s mixed). I was 1 in a group of 3. A bus takes you from Pakse along a road that soon becomes dirt with mud and pot-holes. After an hour or two you stop at a village to get your harness and helmet, and pick up the assistants. Be sure to try on your helmet before leaving as mine turned out to be child-size! Once suited up, you begin walking out of the village on a dirt road which peels off onto a track going gently down through forests and coffee plantations. After a short while, it becomes A LOT steeper. The rest of the path is long, steep, rocky and quite slimy with tree roots, bamboo tangles and other obstacles to clamber over. There are some short ladders in places. I wore hiking boots which were OK for the initial part, but quite dangerous in the steeper section. Hard knobbly soles do not suit slippery rocks. The guides and other hikers wore soft-soled sports shoes which were much better suited. After day one, I changed into Teva sandals which gripped better, but lacked topside protection. So, wear sports shoes. There are some leaches, but not heaps. I also recommend you bring gloves! These will help when grabbing onto rocks and branches and will help later when you do abseiling and the via Ferrata (cliff climb). You’ll need to bring a small pack with rain cover. I suggest you pack very light! I brought too much. It rains quite a lot up there except in the dry season (winter). But, if you wear a rain coat under your harness it can get hot and steamy and be hard to take off. If you wear it over the harness, you’ll need to keep the front open to hook up for ziplining, so the rain gets in. I ditched the rain coat and just wore quick-dry polyester active wear, and put up with getting wet. It worked fine. I brought several changes of clothes, but in retrospect, one or two would have been enough (easy to wash). So, bring minimum clothes, a good first aid kit (incl. bug spray and band aids), gloves, a flashlight, a roll of toilet paper, flip-flops for the evenings and zip-lock bags for your phone, wallet etc. (to keep dry). In winter (Dec/Jan) it can get down below 10C at night, so you may need long pants and a long shirt. I was fine without. The waterfalls nearby are pretty loud, so bring ear-plugs to help you sleep. For photography, the harness blocks access to your pants pockets, so bring a Go-Pro or other water-proof camera, mounted on your pack straps or in a shirt pocket for quick access. If planning to use a mobile, what’s going to happen if it slips from your fingers mid-zipline and plunges 100m into the jungle? So, bring a cover and wrist strap. I did, but had no shirt pocket for the phone – Damn! BTW, this is malaria country, so take meds for this (start before the trip). I also had booster shots for Typhoid and Hep A.

The guides and assistants were great and the ziplining is tremendous! Its edge-of-your-seat stuff, but really worth it. The views are spectacular! We did about 26 ziplines over 2 days, but it’s not all ziplining. There are several highwire walks, some abseiling and the cliff climb. The treehouse accommodation is pretty basic, but comfortable enough, including an on-board toilet. The food is very nice and there is plenty of it. There is always coffee on the fire.

The zipline cables themselves looked safe enough and the guides supervise you quite carefully. You are always hooked up with 2 safety lines. However, the platforms and walkways are made of local tropical wood which decays quite quickly in the wet climate. Workers are constantly upgrading the wood with new stuff, but one should take care to avoid any degraded parts.

The walk out on Day 3 is really hard going and this is where a light pack is a blessing, especially when you get to the cliff. By the end my legs were shot, but I didn’t regret a minute of it!

I think the tour is really quite cheap for what you get. I suggest preparing some goodbye tips for the guides and assistants. The cooks (girls) at the camp might appreciate some cash too. They don’t earn much for all they do. On the drive back into Pakse, you’ll pass a craft village selling a lot of woven bamboo gear, like Lao sticky rice pots etc. They are unique souvenirs and cost a fraction of similar items in tourist shops (I learned the hard way). Ask the driver to stop.

When back in Pakse, check out the huge golden Buddha and temples on the mountainside across the Mekong. I hiked across the bridge and up the steep steps the day before the tour. it’s a fantastic experience with amazing views. BTW, I stayed at the Le Jardin Hotel. It’s a bit out of the centre, but small, beautiful garden, affordable and the staff are very nice. A night eating market, money changer and modern shopping mall are at the end of the street (~400m).

Changing Kip outside of Laos can be near impossible. So, convert all you have to dollars, Baht, Yen or whatever BEFORE leaving.
Written October 3, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Green Discovery Laos - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)