This is an adventure trip up to KhauPha and TramTon, the most beautiful mountain passes in Vietnam. Rich and colorful culture of the Hmong people from MuCangChai to HaGiang limestone Karst mountain range. Best time to start from Hanoi is around 12 to 15. September every year.

Taking the long road through the north-west travelers enter a remote land of mountains and colorful tribes people whose songs of love ring out about the din of the weekend market. The northwest loop is a fantastic route for cyclist. Save your 12 days for over 800km cycling from NghiaLo to TuLe valley, from the stunning view of rice terraces MuCangChai to HaGiang limestone Karst: QuanBa, DongVan, Meo Vac, BaBe national park etc…. this is the best cycling route in Vietnam so far. A shorter trip would be one week from Hanoi to MuCangChai and on to DienBienPhu, then flight back to Hanoi or keep on cycling adventure to Laos via TayTrang border crossing.

Day by Day

1. Hanoi to NghiaLo.

2. NghiaLo to MuCangChai.

3. MuCangChai to ThanUyen.

4. ThanUyen to SaPa.

5. Sapa to HaGiang.

6. HaGiang to QuanBa.

7. QuanBa to YenMinh.

8. YenMinh to DongVan.

9. Dong Van to MeoVac.

10. MeoVac to BaoLac.

11. Bao Lac to BaBe national park.

12. BaBe to Hanoi.

Tour Description:

• Distance of biking: Around 800 Km. (full time van support)
• Difficulty: Moderate to challenge. Pls. contact us for all GPS Garmin details.
• Road condition: 90% paved road, 10% dirt road.
• Features: Remote area, boat & bike through National park, waterfalls, primitive tribe villages. Colorful Saturday, Sunday market.
• When to ride: September to Mid December, March to end of June.

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Hanoi – Nghia Lo (Lunch, dinner)

In the morning, we transfer 2hours to Thanh Son, then start cycling up the mountain to BaKhe, lunch break. Late afternoon we bike to Nghia Lo. Cycling distance ~ 70km. O/N Nghia Lo hotel

Day 2: Nghia Lo to Mu Cang Chai (Breakfast, lunch, dinner)

First easy stage in the morning, we ride up north, passing some villages on the road side.  TuLe valley has immense rice fields, nice place for lunch stop. In the afternoon we have a challenge climb up to KhauPha pass…, then down hill to a beautiful area of Mu Cang Chai rice terraces. Cycling distance ~ 98km. Overnight at SuoiMo hotel.

Day 3: Mu Cang Chai to Than Uyen  (Breakfast, lunch, dinner)

Morning walk around local market of the Hmong community. This is easy day with rolling up and down hill only 50km to ThanUyen. O/N in Hoang Quan guesthouse.

Day 4: Than Uyen to SaPa (Breakfast, lunch, dinner)

MuCangChai to HaGiang limestone Karst, we will conquer the highest mountain pass in Vietnam, so we will break the trip one night in Sapa, famous hill station back in the 1920 during French colonial time.
After breakfast, we have about 10km warm up ride along the valley, then we have rolling hills to TanUyen and BinhLu. Then the challenge start with TramTon pass, climb up 27km to the highest pass in Vietnam at level of 2,050m above the sea level. Then we have descending 15km to Sapa town. Cycling distance from 50 to 98km. O/N Sunny mountain hotel.

Day 5: SaPa to HaGiang. (Breakfast, lunch, dinner)

Nice mountain scenery with village of the Hmong and Dzao people. We have fun down hill 35km to LaoCai, then transfer to PhoRang for a small road. This is a nice military old road 279 to TanQuang, almost flat road with one hill. On arrival in BacQuang, our van will pick us up for transfer to HaGiang. Cycling distance ~ 60km. O/N Royal 2 hotel.

Day 6: HaGiang to QuanBa (Breakfast, lunch, dinner)

This is the challenge day climbing up to heaven gates of the Hmong people (elve. +1,100m). Beautiful view at summit of QuanBa heaven gate, and nice road along river Nhiem. Cycling distance ~ 48km.  O/N in QuanBa.

Garmin details of this tough day here: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/56979038

Day 7: QuanBa to YenMinh (Breakfast, lunch, dinner)

This is a difficult day again, but short climb up about 14km to summit +960m, enter the DongVan Karst plateau Geopark. Then going down hill to YenMinh. Cycling distance ~ 50km. O/N at YenMinh guesthouse.

Day 8: YenMinh to DongVan (Breakfast, lunch, dinner)

Nice day going through the mountain with a stop at Xaphin to visit House of Hmong’s King. Late pm we promenade around this small town. More info about DongVan plateau geopark, click here http://en.dongvangeopark.com/.
Cycling distance ~ 48km. O/N at HoaCuong DongVan hotel.

Day 9: Dong Van to MeoVac (Breakfast, lunch, dinner)

Beautiful view of Ma pi leng pass. This is an interesting site of Geopark with the NhoQue river deep down the hill. Also nice Hmong village on your way down to MeoVac town. Cycling distance ~ 25km.  O/N HoaCuong hotel.

Day 10: MeoVac to NiemSon and BaoLac (Breakfast, lunch, dinner)

There are also nice scenery of the Karst today. We have only short climb up outdside MeoVac, then we have long day down to Niem Son and on to BaoLac. Beautiful view of Gam river from Lybon bridge to BaoLac. Cycling distance ~ 75km.  O/N DucTai hotel.

Day 11: BaoLac to BaBe national park. (Breakfast, lunch, dinner)

There is a long day heading south to BaBe lake today. Our van will help transfer to mountain summit, then we start our ride on new paved road, some part on dirt road. In the afternoon we take two boat trips to BaBe national park. Cycling distance ~ 75km. O/N homestay at PacNgoi village guesthouse.

Day 12: BaBe to ThaiNguyen to Hanoi. (Breakfast, lunch, dinner)

We spend time for boat trip on BaBe lakes today. Relaxing morning boat to SongNang river, then a short hike to DauDang waterfalls. The we cruise back to the lake, possible to swim here. Then we head back to Pacngoi village. We check out and transfer to ChoRa for lunch break. In the afternoon we transfer to BacKan town and drive the rest of the way to Hanoi. Farewell dinner in Hanoi. O/N hotel in Hanoi.

Prices & Services

Tour price:

• 70.000.000 vnd /person ($US 2,940) (group of 2)
• 48.000.000 vnd /person ($US 2,000) (group of 4)
• 45.120.000 vnd/person ($US 1,880) (group of 6 person)
• Single Supplement :9.000.000 vnd ($US 375).

Services included:

• All entrance fees, travel permit in HaGiang.
• Accommodation: Standard hotel or best in town / twin share.
• Meals: Full board: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner with local Vietnamese food.
• Transportation: A/c bus or minivan support with cool drinking water.
• Hybrid bicycle or Mountain bike.
• Guide: Experienced cycling tour guide.

Not included:

Insurance, personal expenses.