Visiting Free the Bears Laos

If you’re visiting Luang Prabang with kids, a trip to the Free the Bears Sanctuary is a top family-friendly experience!

The sanctuary, set inside a national park, lets you see rescued Asiatic black bears up close. It’s also a great way to teach your kids about conservation and ethical animal tourism.

| Visiting the Free the Bears Sanctuary in Laos with Kids

Why Visit Free the Bears with Kids?

Unlike many wildlife attractions you’ll encounter while travelling in Southeast Asia, Free the Bears exists purely for conservation. The sanctuary rescues Asiatic black bears from the illegal wildlife trade. Many were captured as cubs, exploited for bile farming, or kept as exotic pets.

Free the Bears was founded in 1995 by Aussie Mary Hutton, after she saw a TV show about bears suffering in bile farms. What began as a grassroots campaign in Perth grew into an international charity focused on rescuing and protecting bears across Asia.

Today, Free the Bears operates sanctuaries in Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam, providing lifelong care for hundreds of Asiatic black bears, sun bears, and other wildlife rescued from the illegal wildlife trade. Their work combines animal welfare, community education, and conservation to help ensure a safer future for these threatened species.

At the sanctuary, the bears can roam in natural forest enclosures, climb wooden structures, nap in hammocks, splash in pools, and forage for food.

For kids: It’s fun and interactive – they can spot the bears in different enclosures and watch them play (or snooze!).
For parents: It’s a great opportunity to model responsible travel choices and support ethical tourism, which can sometimes be hard to find in Asia.

Our three kids (aged from 7 to 13) were captivated. Not just from looking at the bears but asking questions and listening to how the animals were rescued. It sparked a lot of great chats about conservation and making good choices when travelling.

Practical Info for Visiting Free the Bears, Laos

If you’re looking to visit the sanctuary, here’s all the info you need to know to get there:

Location: Inside Kuang Si Falls park, around 45 minutes from Luang Prabang.
Entry Fee: Included in your Kuang Si Falls ticket, which is 60,000 LAK per person (about USD $2.50) which includes a ride on the electric shuttle to take you to the park entry. The cost includes entry to see the bears – but not a guided tour (which is extra – see below).
Opening Hours: 8:00 am – 5:30 pm (same as Kuang Si Falls).
Best Time to Visit: Arrive early (before 10 am) for cooler weather and fewer crowds – mid afternoon can be extremely hot.
Facilities: You’ll find toilets, shaded picnic areas and food stalls. But pack snacks for ease!
What to Bring: Plenty of water, hats, sunscreen, insect repellent, and swim gear if you plan to swim at Kuang Si Falls afterward.

Getting There

The sanctuary is inside the Kuang Si Falls park, about 29 km (45 minutes) from Luang Prabang. You can get there a few different ways depending on your budget and comfort requirements!

Tuk-tuk: This is probably the most popular choice (especially with backpackers). Expect to pay around 150,000–200,000 LAK return for a half-day trip. Make sure to agree on the price and pickup time before you leave. Be warned the road is VERY bumpy (although there are plans to upgrade the road during the dry season), so may not be the best option for younger kids.
Shared Minivan: A budget-friendly option, often arranged through guesthouses or travel agencies. Prices vary depending on the season and can be anywhere from 50,000–150,000 LAK per person.
Private Car/Driver: More comfortable if you’ve got younger kids or just want the flexibility of choosing when you leave and return. Can be expensive – up to 900,000 LAK return.
Motorbike Rental: For adventurous families with older kids, motorbike rental can be an option. It costs around 120,000–150,000 LAK per day. Keep in mind that the road is windy and not ideal with small children.

👉 Tip: If you want to swim at Kuang Si Falls, bring dry clothes and towels so your driver is okay with you hopping back in after.

How to Visit Free the Bears Sanctuary

There are a couple of different ways to visit the sanctuary:

1. Self-Guided Visit

Most families will experience the sanctuary while walking to Kuang Si Falls. As you walk into the park on your way to the falls the walkway leads you straight through the sanctuary, so you can spot bears and have a casual stroll! There are elevated walkways that take you past the enclosures, with clear signs explaining the bears’ stories and the conservation work being done. This option is relaxed, affordable (no additional costs!), flexible, and perfect if you’ve got younger kids.

2. Behind-the-Scenes Tour

If you want a deeper experience (and your kids are old enough to appreciate it), you can book a private tour directly with Free the Bears. These tours give you access to off-limits areas, time with keepers who explain the history of the sanctuary, how they rescue bears, why they’re being kept by people, and more context about the rehabilitation process. And the real highlight? Helping to feed the bears! While the bears are kept safe in another area you’ll be invited to grab a bucket of food and ‘hide’ the food – and then safely watch them find it. This was the absolute highlight for our kids!

👉 Tour booking info for Free the Bears – USD50 per person, takes approximately 2 hours

Why It’s Worth It

For us, visiting Free the Bears felt similar to our decision to support Elephant Nature Park in Thailand rather than elephant-riding camps. It’s an ethical way to experience wildlife in Laos and to educate kids about ethical tourism (and open their eyes to how animals are treated throughout different parts of the world).

If you choose to do the tour, the fee directly supports the bears’ care and future rescues. More importantly, your kids learn that travel can help to protect animals instead of harming them.

Family Travel Tips for Visiting Free the Bears

Make sure you check out Kuang Si Falls when you visit and depending on the time of year take your swimmers – it’s one of the most beautiful natural spots in Laos, but during the wet season swimming may not always be safe – especially with young kids.
Pack snacks/lunch or plan to eat at one of the many food stalls and cafes at the entry to the falls (where the electric shuttle drop you off).
Bring a change of clothes for kids if they want to swim.
If you’ve got toddlers, be aware that many of the paths to the waterfalls (not the main road which leads directly up to the top of the waterfall, but the trails at the base where you can visit the swimming holes) can be uneven, so a carrier is a better option than a stroller if you’re going to visit this part of the park.