The 11-day Vietnam mountain biking tour is customized for small group tours, adventure, intrepid travelers seeking an active, adventure cycling holidays to the northern Vietnam. The biking trip begins with an overnight train trip from Hanoi to Laocai where the cycling adventure begins as you cycle from Lao Cai to Bac Ha, then cycle to Sapa, Heaven Gate, Binh Lu, Tam Duong, Phong Tho, Lai Chau, Muong Lay, Dien Bien Phu, Tuan Giao, Son La, Mai Chau. Keep cyling around Mai Chau valley for one more day before you are picked up by your vehicle and transferred back to Hanoi.
The biking tour is provided with visits to ethnic villages, offering the opportunity to meet up with the Flower H’mong, the Giay and the Lu people. You sometimes bike on the back roads, single tracks and off-road biking trails. Option bike ride up to Sin Ho is also available. The mountain cycling tour can be arranged all year round. But the best time to travel this itinerary is April and October.
Itinerary:
Day 1: Overnight train to Lao Cai.
Overnight train to Lao Cai.
Day 2: Arrive Lao Cai. Travel to Bac Ha
Arrival in Lao Cai train station around 6 am, after breakfast in Lao Cai & short relax we have a jeep transfer to Bao Nhai to have biking ride 20 km up hill to Bac Ha , after lunch visiting the most colorful hill tribe market which is the most colorful market in North Vietnam. At the market, you have chance to enjoy BacHa people's simple but unique kinds of food with special wines made from rice, cassavas, corn and different sorts of fruits such as plumps, apples, peaches... Leave the market for the H'mong King's house (King Hoang A Tuong) built by the French colonists and the Chinese in 1920.Then short walking to another village (BanPho village).Overnight in Bac Ha.
Day 3: Bac Ha – Sapa
In the morning, transfer to Lao Cai , then chanllenge 35 km climb up to Sapa. Afternoon we start cycling in the surrounding area and visit a number of fairly traditional predominantly Tavan, a village of Giay minority. Overnight in Sapa.
Day 4: Sapa – Heaven gate – Lai Chau.
Say goodbye to Sapa, along the road to Lai Chau, we have best mountain view today, about 3 hours up hill, with a stop over Silver waterfalls for relax and take photos before we conquer the highest mountain pass Oquiho. From there you can see stunning views of the surrounding mountains and the lush forests belonging to Hoang Lien National Park. Continued by car or van uphill to Heaven's Gate, the highest stretch of road in Vietnam as well as the provincial border of Lao Cai and Lai Chau provinces. Here you will have a fantastic opportunity to view the magnificent scenery. Lunch en route. Stop en route to visit some nice villages of Hmong and “coins” Dao near BinhLu. Overnight in Lai Chau.
Day 5: Lai Chau – Paso – Muong Lay
We cycle down hill to Chan Nua then cycling to Lai Chau have a couple pretty big climbs and then follow the picturesque Nam Na river into Muang Say (aka "Old Lai Chau").
Some part of the road is bad, but we will have great view along Nam Na river. Scenic Da river from Hang Tom suspension bridge. Overnight in Muong Lay.
Day 6: Muong Lay – Dien Bien Phu
Following breakfast we will have a nice day with stop over the red H’mong village then climb up to Mathiho pass. In the late afternoon we arrive in Dien Bien town and check into our guesthouse for the night. Overnight in Dien Bien Phu.
Day 7: Dien Bien Phu – Tuan Giao
After breakfast we together ride back to the former French battlefield : A1 hill, De Castries bunker, Dien Bien museum, Muong Thanh airport…you will see some old US weapons here too. After lunch we ride have easy ride through many Thai villages to Tuan Giao . Overnight in Tuan Giao.
Day 8: Tuan Giao – Phadin pass – Son La
Leave Tuan Giao for Son La. Son La is located in a scenic valley, inhabited by Thai, Muong and H'mong minority people. This area is historically important for its involvement in the Vietnamese struggle for independence from France during the first half the 20th century. Challenge 20 km winding climb up hill and 15 km down hill. Nice landscape of green rice fields and karst valley. Light traffic, wandering water buffaloes, Thai and Hmong kids.Overnight in Son La.
Day 9: Son La – Moc Chau – Mai Chau
After breakfast, leaving Son La for Mai Chau. Along the road we can stop the trip in Moc Chau for taking photos and enjoy the fresh air. The road passes beneath spectacular karst cliffs with the valley floor visible far below. Arrive Mai Chau late afternoon. O/N on stilt house of Thai.
Day 10: Cycling Mai Chau
Breakfast at the Thai stilt house then we leave the village for a full day cycling and walking around. We will pass many different Thai hamlets, through rice fields, hill sides…Stop sometimes to visit local houses and talk with local people. And one of the highlights on this walk is to experience the everyday life and culture white Thai people and stay in their traditional house on stilts as honored guests. We will return to the village around late afternoon. Have a short break before enjoying the Thai traditional Music and Dance show which is performed by the village young girls and boys. Although they are not professional artistes, they will give you an unique experience of their culture life. Overnight in stilt house.
Day 11: Mai Chau – Hanoi
After breakfast. We have a cycling trip about 15km out of Mai Chau is up Thung Nhuoi pass, then we go 17km down to Man Duc and two more gentle hill to Doc Cun. (25km). We take a small route to Bai Chao onto Luong Son. Our bus pick up and come back to Hanoi. Trip ends.
Contact Lotussia Travel for more details
The biking tour is provided with visits to ethnic villages, offering the opportunity to meet up with the Flower H’mong, the Giay and the Lu people. You sometimes bike on the back roads, single tracks and off-road biking trails. Option bike ride up to Sin Ho is also available. The mountain cycling tour can be arranged all year round. But the best time to travel this itinerary is April and October.
Itinerary:
Day 1: Overnight train to Lao Cai.
Overnight train to Lao Cai.
Day 2: Arrive Lao Cai. Travel to Bac Ha
Arrival in Lao Cai train station around 6 am, after breakfast in Lao Cai & short relax we have a jeep transfer to Bao Nhai to have biking ride 20 km up hill to Bac Ha , after lunch visiting the most colorful hill tribe market which is the most colorful market in North Vietnam. At the market, you have chance to enjoy BacHa people's simple but unique kinds of food with special wines made from rice, cassavas, corn and different sorts of fruits such as plumps, apples, peaches... Leave the market for the H'mong King's house (King Hoang A Tuong) built by the French colonists and the Chinese in 1920.Then short walking to another village (BanPho village).Overnight in Bac Ha.
Day 3: Bac Ha – Sapa
In the morning, transfer to Lao Cai , then chanllenge 35 km climb up to Sapa. Afternoon we start cycling in the surrounding area and visit a number of fairly traditional predominantly Tavan, a village of Giay minority. Overnight in Sapa.
Day 4: Sapa – Heaven gate – Lai Chau.
Say goodbye to Sapa, along the road to Lai Chau, we have best mountain view today, about 3 hours up hill, with a stop over Silver waterfalls for relax and take photos before we conquer the highest mountain pass Oquiho. From there you can see stunning views of the surrounding mountains and the lush forests belonging to Hoang Lien National Park. Continued by car or van uphill to Heaven's Gate, the highest stretch of road in Vietnam as well as the provincial border of Lao Cai and Lai Chau provinces. Here you will have a fantastic opportunity to view the magnificent scenery. Lunch en route. Stop en route to visit some nice villages of Hmong and “coins” Dao near BinhLu. Overnight in Lai Chau.
Day 5: Lai Chau – Paso – Muong Lay
We cycle down hill to Chan Nua then cycling to Lai Chau have a couple pretty big climbs and then follow the picturesque Nam Na river into Muang Say (aka "Old Lai Chau").
Some part of the road is bad, but we will have great view along Nam Na river. Scenic Da river from Hang Tom suspension bridge. Overnight in Muong Lay.
Day 6: Muong Lay – Dien Bien Phu
Following breakfast we will have a nice day with stop over the red H’mong village then climb up to Mathiho pass. In the late afternoon we arrive in Dien Bien town and check into our guesthouse for the night. Overnight in Dien Bien Phu.
Day 7: Dien Bien Phu – Tuan Giao
After breakfast we together ride back to the former French battlefield : A1 hill, De Castries bunker, Dien Bien museum, Muong Thanh airport…you will see some old US weapons here too. After lunch we ride have easy ride through many Thai villages to Tuan Giao . Overnight in Tuan Giao.
Day 8: Tuan Giao – Phadin pass – Son La
Leave Tuan Giao for Son La. Son La is located in a scenic valley, inhabited by Thai, Muong and H'mong minority people. This area is historically important for its involvement in the Vietnamese struggle for independence from France during the first half the 20th century. Challenge 20 km winding climb up hill and 15 km down hill. Nice landscape of green rice fields and karst valley. Light traffic, wandering water buffaloes, Thai and Hmong kids.Overnight in Son La.
Day 9: Son La – Moc Chau – Mai Chau
After breakfast, leaving Son La for Mai Chau. Along the road we can stop the trip in Moc Chau for taking photos and enjoy the fresh air. The road passes beneath spectacular karst cliffs with the valley floor visible far below. Arrive Mai Chau late afternoon. O/N on stilt house of Thai.
Day 10: Cycling Mai Chau
Breakfast at the Thai stilt house then we leave the village for a full day cycling and walking around. We will pass many different Thai hamlets, through rice fields, hill sides…Stop sometimes to visit local houses and talk with local people. And one of the highlights on this walk is to experience the everyday life and culture white Thai people and stay in their traditional house on stilts as honored guests. We will return to the village around late afternoon. Have a short break before enjoying the Thai traditional Music and Dance show which is performed by the village young girls and boys. Although they are not professional artistes, they will give you an unique experience of their culture life. Overnight in stilt house.
Day 11: Mai Chau – Hanoi
After breakfast. We have a cycling trip about 15km out of Mai Chau is up Thung Nhuoi pass, then we go 17km down to Man Duc and two more gentle hill to Doc Cun. (25km). We take a small route to Bai Chao onto Luong Son. Our bus pick up and come back to Hanoi. Trip ends.
Contact Lotussia Travel for more details
