The mighty rivers and spectacular karst mountain ranges become the focus of the trip as we skirt the edges of the two watery snakes for a long time. Once you are done with the trip, you will miss them.
Hike into the clouds at this sleeping beauty in Northwest mountains. Discover some untreaded trails here.
Northern Vietnam and Laos are home to mountains covered with lush tropical forests. The rolling terrain combined with gradual long climbs from low-lying riverside valleys to highlands are just perfect – a cyclist’s delight. Here you get to ride along the beautiful rivers and through spectacular karst mountain ranges and hike the lush valleys. This is an excellent way to experience life in the highlands of Vietnam & Laos. The rivers are the lifelines here and you can soak up the beautiful vistas of this intriguing country, at a leisurely pace and meet its people too, on a hike and the slow boats.
Quick Facts
Duration
14 days / 13 nights
Start
Hanoi, Vietnam | 13:00hrs
Finish
Luang Prabang, Laos
Hotels
Casual Inns
Riding Style
Active Rider
Average Distance Cycled
60km or 36mi
Total Distance Cycled
~ 500km or 300mi
Bicycle
Included
Support Vehicle
Included
Group Size
Min 2, Max 12
ITINERARY
Brief Itinerary
* with shuttle
Day
Place
Hotel
Duration
~ Cycling Distance
1
Hanoi
Silk Path Boutique Hotel
1
2
Hanoi-Lao Cai
Sapaly Overnight Train
1
3
Sapa
Eden Boutique
1
20km / 12mi
4
Lai Chau
Muong Thanh
1
70km / 42mi
5
Sin Ho
Thanh Binh Hotel
1
60km / 36mi
6
Muong Lay
Lan Anh 1
1
60km / 36mi
7 – 8
Dien Bien Phu
Him Lam
2
70km / 42mi*
9
Muang Khua
New Chaleunsouk
1
65km / 39mi*
10
Oudomxay
Lao Charming Hotel
1
100km / 60mi
11
Pak Beng
Mekong Riverside Lodge
1
80km / 48mi*
12 – 13
Luang Prabang
HoungVilai Hotel
2
30km / 18mi
14
Departure
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Hanoi
Arrive in Hanoi and enjoy the day at leisure.
Day 2: Overnight train from Hanoi to Lao Cai
Our guide meets you at your hotel around 13:00hrs.
Today, walk the busy streets of Hanoi visiting some of the cultural and historical highlights of Hanoi. Visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, One Pillar Pagoda, which was constructed nearly a millennium ago, and is delicately elevated in a pond. Also visit the Temple of Literature, dating back close to a thousand years, is a wonderfully preserved piece of ancient Vietnamese architecture and stands to honor the scholarly achievements of the country’s academics and philosophers. Continue exploring the area around Hoan Kiem (Sword) Lake, old quarter including Ngoc Son Temple, which sits perched on a little island in the lake.
We break for a bike fit and later convene over dinner tonight.
Later take an overnight train from Hanoi to Lao Cai. The train journey is included in your tour price and the tickets will be emailed prior to your journey.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 3: Lao Cai to Sapa (1600m)
Meet your tour guide at Lao Cai railway station and get transferred to Sapa. This morning, take a short hike around and visit some of the ethnic villages. After lunch, we go for a short bike ride, giving a glimpse of spectacular karst scenery and what is to come in the next few days.
Sapa is a spectacular hill station and home to the region’s largest ethnic groups, Hmong and Dao people.
A classic ride today. Starting from your hotel at Sapa, we make a gradual climb up to Tram Ton Pass (2000m), Vietnam’s highest mountain pass on the northern side of Fansipan and 15km from Sapa. The climb is rewarded with enchanting views of terraced rice fields, tea plantations, and innumerable streams. Enjoy a sheer drop to 750m in about 25km to the Lai Chao side. We stop here for lunch at a roadside restaurant and continue cycling to Lai Chau. The scenery is spectacular throughout the day and gives an opportunity for plenty of landscape photos. The region is mainly inhabited by white Thai and White Hmong people.
Sin Ho is regarded as a sleeping beauty. You’ll be surprised that hardly anybody comes here and yet it boasts some of the best mountain scenery in this region. Another amazing day on a bike as we ride the old highway and reach Sin Ho. A tough day on a bike today, rewarded with amazing views all around.
Go for a hike in a nearby area and discover the local life at close quarters. In the late morning, get ready to bike towards Muong Lay. Another good day on the bike as we make way past amazing topography to Muong Lay. Mostly a downhill ride today.
Today is a long riding day. We cross few not-so-high passes along the way before arriving at Dien Bien Phu. The river plays a big part in today’s cycling journey as we ride largely along the Nam Na river flanked by bananas and bamboo plantations, and past lush paddy fields.
Visit some classic highlights of Dien Bien Phu such as A1 Hill and Dien Bien Phu Museum.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 9: Muang Khua
We take a transfer to Tay Trang, the border town between Vietnam and Laos. Meet our Lao guide and continue riding to Muang Khua. This is one of the most unvisited parts of Laos and the experience is truly unique.
To get to the Oudomxay, we ride along the Nam Pak River. Along the way, notice how the homes are made of wood and bamboo. An undulating ride dotted with forests and river streams.
Today it’s a long full day cycling to Pak Beng. This is one of the most spectacular stretches of long mountain road. The road is dotted with small villages and this is a great way to get acquainted with local rural life. The dramatic limestone and green rolling hills formations make for great photographic opportunities. There will be plenty of opportunities to stop and admire the wonderful scenery. The journey passes through beautiful mountain ranges and Hmong hill tribe villages.
We transfer to the pier and board a huge traditional Mekong riverboat for the upstream cruise to Luang Prabang, departure at 08.00 hrs. This portion of the Mekong is very remote, which sometimes allows glimpses of wildlife in the extensive forests. There are occasional stops at local hill tribe villages to meet people and observe life on the riverside. Lunch will be served on the boat. Enjoy the lovely scenery along both sides of the Mekong cruising to today’s destination.
Arrive at Luang Prabang and enjoy a feel of an open-air museum. After rest and a short orientation, we leave to see the UNESCO world heritage city from the seat of a bicycle. This is a good way to warm up for riding on these roads and also see the most famous sights of Luang Prabang. The city has traces of French architecture as an erstwhile colony but is largely dotted with golden roofed wats (temples) amidst the raw topography of rugged mountains and lush environs. The combination is stunning!
Our guide meets you at your hotel at about 13:00hrs. Begin the afternoon tour by cycling around the old quarter of Luang Prabang, starting at Heuan Chan Heritage House and after to Luang Prabang’s National Museum, formerly the Royal Palace. Displayed within is a collection of personal artifacts of the former Laotian Royal Family. Visit nearby Wat Mai – the five-tiered roof epitomizes the graceful Luang Prabang architectural style. Continue cycling along the Mekong River and stop at the hillside temple of Wat That Luang. Take a short walk and visit the ancient stupa called That Dam (the Black Stupa) before biking to Wat Visoun, the oldest living temple in Luang Prabang. Wat Visoun dates back to 1513 and contains a collection of antique wooden Buddha images. Continue along the Nam Khan River to Wat Xieng Thong – often considered to be Luang Prabang’s most elegant. The temple is characterized by tiered roofs sweeping low to the ground and the impressive “tree of life” mosaic. Before sunset, cycle back to your hotel on the town’s main street, stopping at Wat Sop and Wat Sen along the way.
Today’s dinner is on your own. We suggest eating dinner at a street stall so you can dig into the local delicacies. street stall so you can dig into the local delicacies. Lao food can be very meat-oriented. Chopped meat, chicken, or duck are common, but there are plenty of options for vegetarians as well. Our personal recommendation is the light and tasty Tam Mak Houng or papaya salad, which is made from sliced raw papaya, garlic, chilly, peanuts, sugar, fermented fish sauce, and lime juice.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch Boat: 6 hrs
Distance cycled: ~ 12km / 7mi
Day 13: Luang Prabang
Our main destination for the day is the hidden waterfall, Kung Si. Tucked away between thick foliage, the famous waterfall feels like a secret. The aquamarine waters are tempting, so do carry your swimwear along.
On our way to the waterfalls, we make a stop at the Great Project (called the Laos Buffalo Dairy), a project designed to educate the Rural communities in Animal Husbandry and basic animal health care. They rent the Cattle from the villagers to enable a secure income for the community and use the milk to create Cheese and Spectacular Ice Cream. Lunch is served Picnic style here and there is also an opportunity to get an unforgettable ‘Buffalo Selfie’.
We also hike to the top of the falls. We spend until afternoon here and return to the town by a long-tail boat skirting the spectacular Mekong river. In the evening, we recommend visiting the famous night handicraft market. Shopping for local delights can be great fun, so enjoy your shopping time for the day.
Dinner is at a Local NGO who train marginalized youth for careers in the Hospitality industry. It is also one of the most exciting menus in town, a great balance between traditional and modern flavors.
Get up before sunrise today, and walk up to Mount Phousi for a beautiful tinge of orange in the sky and seeing the city bathe in the warm glow of the rising sun.
Please make arrangements as per your onward journey.
