I raised my eyebrows after seeing the Baci Ceremony included on my itinerary at first, but I trusted our local office in Laos that it was included for good reason, and boy was I glad it was! The Baci Ceremony is part of everyday life in Laos. The ceremonies are held for both momentous occasions - a new baby or marriage - and the more mundane ones as well - buying a new house, departing for a long journey, and welcoming guests in your home. To experience a Baci Ceremony is to catch a glimpse into one of the most ubiquitous traditions in their culture. I sat on the floor with the elders of the community, surrounding a central shrine decorated in flowers and food offerings.
The elders sang traditional songs and presented the food to me as a way of welcoming me to their home and blessing my travels. There were also some shots of local liquor involved, which of course I couldn't turn away! I joined in on the clapping during their songs, and the hospitality was palpable, despite not being able to understand each other. If your goal in traveling to Laos is to really immerse yourself in the local culture, then including this experience is for you.
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
1 day ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.