If this is only for learning purposes, you can try the follow configuration:
1. install a operating system on your laptop, for example: Windows 8.1;
2. install VMware Workstation on top of Windows 8.1;
3. create a VM on VMware Workstation and install ESXi;
4. install vSphere Client on top of Windows 8.1 and connect to ESXi to create and manage VMs on ESXi.