Pre-tour Day: Overnight train from Hanoi to Lao Cai
Take an overnight train from Hanoi to Lao Cai. Sapaly Express SP3 is good to take. You can also see more options at https://www.baolau.com/ and book directly online or we can also help you here.
Day 1: 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 next few days.
Sapa is a spectacular hill station and home to region’s largest ethnic groups, H’mong and Dao people.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Distance cycled: ~ 30km / 18mi
Shuttle: 1.5hrs
Day 2: Lai Chau (700m)
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 roadside restaurant and continue cycling to Lai Chau. Scenery is spectacular throughout the day and gives opportunity for plenty of landscape photos. The region is mainly inhabited by white Thai and White H’mong people.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Distance cycled: ~ 70km / 42mi
Day 3: Sin Ho (1600m)
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.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Distance cycled: ~ 60km / 36mi
Day 4: Sin Ho District
Today you can plan your own day. Hike into the clouds or take some rest at this sleeping beauty in Northwest mountains. Discover some untreaded trails here.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 5: Muong Lay
Go for another hike in 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 bike as we make way past amazing topography to Muong Lay. Mostly a downhill ride today.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Distance cycled: ~ 60km / 36mi
Day 6: Dien Bien Phu
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 of today’s cycling journey as we ride largely along Nam Na river flanked by bananas and bamboo plantations, and past lush paddy fields.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Distance cycled: ~ 70km / 42mi*
Day 7: Son La
We take a good 2-2.5hrs transfer in the morning to Tuan Giao in preparation for riding towards Son La. Start the ride with a gradual climb and reach the peak (1,450m). From here it’s a sheer drop to about 600m. The last leg is undulating.
The region is dotted with fields of corn, rice and plum trees with occasional Karst mountains and picturesque gorges. The area is mainly inhabited by White H’mong and is one of the most unvisited parts of Vietnam.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Distance cycled: ~ 60km / 42mi
Day 8: Mai Chau
It’s a long day interspersed with transfers and rides. Cycle past spectacular mountain range with karst cliffs, terraced rice fields, and a typical agricultural landscape, ending at beautiful valleys of Mai Chau. The experience is truly unique as we get to experience good change in landscape.
Mai Chau is a collection of villages and offers a true rural cycling experience.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Distance cycled: ~ 80km / 50mi*
Day 9: Mai Chau
Today enjoy a thrilling loop around the gorgeous valley and experience Mai Chau village life at close quarters. It’s an off-beat trail and some sections are over gravel road. We pass by many bucolic villages where children come to greet us and through tumbling steams. The region is mainly inhabited by White Thai people.
Do enjoy the evening walking around the valley and admiring simple rural life amidst spectacular scenery.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Distance cycled: ~ 30km / 18mi*
Day 10: Departure to Hanoi
The initial stretch has a bit of climb and then it delves down to the foothills of mountains. The topography is adorned with timber and fern trees. We ride towards Hoa Binh and then take a shuttle transfer to Hanoi.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
