North West Vietnam mountain biking: Cycle Sapa Than Thuoc Than Uyen Lao Cai (3 days)

The 3-day mountain bike tour is customized in Lao Cai, Lai Chau and Yen Bai provinces in the north western Vietnam. Begin the tour with a car transfer from Sapa town, driving uphill to the Tram Ton Heavan Gates where you start cycling downhill towards Tam Duong, Lai Chau provinces. Those love more challenging bike tours can start the adventure right from Sapa town. You mostly cycle on flat, paved roads that always go up and down. Stops are made en route for you to bike on single trails, dirt roads to visit ethnic villages. Meeting up with the Tay, the Dao and the Lu help to understand more the local life. The 3-day mountain biking tour is provided with English-speaking tour guide and support vehicle. Food and accommodation are simple and basic. The bicycle tour can be ideal for small group tours, individuals, holidays with kids.

 Itinerary:

Day 1: Cycle Sapa – Than Thuoc (L,D).

8:30: Drive uphill towards Tram Ton. It's a tough climb out of Sa Pa to Heaven's gate, so your support vehicle will transfer you out to a starting point at the 'Silver Waterfall'. Then it's a 3Km climb up the highest mountain pass in Indochina where you'll stop to marvel at the spectacular view of Hoang Lien mountains before free-wheeling  down 26km to Binh Lu Junction.

Heading off the main road, its 20kms of sometimes rocky road to Than Thuoc, a charming little tea town where you'll spend the night in a local guesthouse.

Day 2: Cycle Than Thuoc – Than Uyen (B,L,D).

After breakfast, your support vehicle will transfer you up a steep mountain pass to the starting point where you'll glide down 20kms to Than Uyen through valleys where the old growth forest, tea plantations and verdant rice paddies surround you during your ride.

After lunch in Than Uyen, you'll have a wonderful afternoon as you explore some single track trails to visit local minority villages, including the interesting Lu people with their distinctively black teeth.

Arrive back in Than Uyen for dinner and overnight in the local guesthouse.

Day 3: Cycle Than Uyen – Laocai. Overnight train back to Hanoi (B,L).

After breakfast, ride 40kms around the other side of the stunning Muong Kim valley with time for lots of stops to take pictures of the local hill tribe people and the stunning scenery there.

Arrive in Van Ban for a late lunch then hop on the minivan to drive back to Lao Cai.. Train Departure at  (to be advised). Trip ends.

Contact Lotussia Travel for more details