16 days Best mountain bike tour Ha Noi Luang Prabang
16 days best mountain bike tour Hanoi – Luang Prabang
16 Day – Hanoi – Luang Prabang Mountain bikes tours offers the opportunity to experience two stunning countries; Vietnam and Laos. In both countries, communities who have had very little contact with the western world will give you a warm respectful welcome.
Our cycling tour starts in Hanoi, Vietnam’s beautiful capital. Vietnam has the richest and most complex ethnic make-up in the whole of South-East Asia. We set our way to North West Vietnam, cycling through breathtaking sceneryof Red River forward to untouched and remoted region of Mu Cang Chai – Than Uyen.. We mountain bike through villages of H’mong, Tay, Dao and Xa Pho minorities, whose markets and festivals add such colour and character to the cycle tour. Our bicycle holiday includes challenging cycling and a wonderful opportunity to experience the traditional and varied lifestyles in Vietnam and Laos.
We travel through a landscape of amazing karstic rock formations, cycling past stilted houses with thatched roofs and mountains nestled between limestone outcrops. We cross into North Eastern Laos at Tay Trang, the least populated area of the country, from here we will bicycle on through tranquil scenery meeting very few fellow cyclists. Laos is a mountainous land-locked country, of outstanding beauty, and is known for the warmth and friendliness of the Laotian people. Our Vietnam & Laos cycling holiday includes a visit to Luang Prabang, UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995. This ancient royal city, full of exquisite Buddhist Temples, where time seems to stand still, is a magical place to explore and relax.
Trip Detail:
DAY 1: HANOI ARRIVAL ( D)
Welcome to Vietnam. Arriving at Noi Bai International Airport, Indochina Explore Tours guide and driver will greet and pick you up to the hotel at the heart of Hanoi capital. Hanoi, the antique and dynamic city of Vietnam, reserves a unique old world charm and several of the most striking colonial architecture of Asia. After the checking-in,Take relax by your own and do briefing itinerary with our guide for coming days. enjoy a cyclo ride through the bustling streets in the Old Quarter to discover the ancient and modern beauty of Hanoi. After the tour, you will be warmly welcome with a special welcoming dinner in a typical Vietnamese food restaurant. Stay overnight in Hanoi :
DAY 2: HANOI – YEN BAI (B/L/D)
Having hearty breakfast in hotel, the shuttle bus take us out of busttling city along Red river to Song Thao
on the way , you are rewarded by breathking scenery, delightful sightseeing. Upon arriving cycling point, we have lunch in local restaurant. Following lunch, we commence to ride along Red river bank to Yen Bai. We also enjoy leisurely pace on gradual tarmac road, passing dozens of coin and rice paddy fields. Admire
peaceful villages as we cycle through villages and villages. Arriving in Yen Bai city late afternoon. Do check in and have dinner in hotel
DAY 3: YEN BAI – NGHIA LO ( B/L/D)
Start early from hotel, we ride on back road and cross the bridge again and turn off to route 37 in Nghia lo. gum tree, cinamon tree, green tea farm and rice terrace paddy are highlight in our cycling trip today. We cycle along the River bank gradually ascending in midway and down hill to Tran Phu for lunch. After lunch we continue to ride descending to Muong Lo rice terrace paddy. You will admire vast verdant rice and stunning sightseeing on the way. Arriving in Nghia Lo late afternoon. Do check in and enjoy cold beer for refreshment. Hanve dinner and stay overnight in Nghia lo Hotel.
DAY 4: NGHIA LO – TU LE.( B/L/D)
We spend morning to participate and explore colourful hilltribal market nearby your hotel.You have good a chance to explore and shop for local handicrafts.market is meeting point of ethnic minorities in the North Vietnam, visiting and taking pictures is great impressive experiences, then we start riding from hotel to Tu Le, today is leisure day with 45 km cycling on undulating road, through picturesque valley, fascinating rice paddies, stop for lunch en route before riding ascending 8 km to slope to take view magnificient Tu Le town and breathtaking scenery,
Rolling down to Town, take relax by swimming and bathing in hot spring stream water with local people. Have dinner and over night in guesthouse in Tu Le.
DAY 5: TU LE – MU CANG CHAI – THAN UYEN( B/L/D)
Today is fantastic day with all highlights in our trip, start cycling with incredible long climb pass (Khau Pa pass 25 km long), then through three villages with extraordinary stunning rice terraces which are listed as National Rice Terraces Heritages of Vietnam, and undulating road along river lead to Thanh Uyen.
Start cycling from Hotel after light breakfast, we take warming up by ascending 25 km long Khau Pha – One of fifth longest and challenging pass in the North Vietnam, along the pass , we are rewarded by the outstanding features of the landscape, fresh air in the morning, we reach on summit, coffee,tea, snack are available for you before descending to Mu Cang Chai, Mu Cang Chai is a poor district of Yen Bai Province with 85% population, is H’Mong people who are the Host of National Rice Terrace Beauty. We stop for lunch in Mu Cang Chai Town, after lunch, we commence around the town, explore market, continue riding to Than Uyen, upon arrival in Than Uyen, Check in and relax for dinner time. Stay overnight in Phuong Nhung Hotel
DAY 6: THAN UYEN – VAN BAN – LAO CAI 135km(B/L/D)
After hearty breakfast in hotel, we commence to ride on tarmac road to Van Ban, passing Than Uyen Town and the turn off the Route 279 to conquere 9 km stiff pass, you are rewarded by pristine nature and outstanding jugged limestone mountains and magnificent Than Uyen scenery. Upon arriving in smmit, coffee, tea and soft drink, tropical fruits are available for you. We continue to ride gradually descending way, passing untouched regions and dozens of hill tribal villages. Have lunch enroute. Following lunch, we keep riding on undulating route to Gia Phu where we finish cycling day. The shuttle bus take us to hotel
DAY 7: LAO CAI – SAPA( B/L/D)
Today is tough day with almost ascending to Sapa Town but you are excited with extraordinary mountain view, breathtaking scenery. Breakfast in hotel, we kick off our pedal riding through city to route 4D to challenge one of incredible pass in the North Viet nam with 38 km long at 136 m to 1446 m elevation. You also enjoy fresh air and cold temperature as cycling gradually up hill.upon arriving inSapa town, we have lunch in grilled nature bar. After lunch meal, we are free to explore Sapa town or take bike to ride down Sapa Valley. You are impassioned with picturesque rice terrace and colourful hill tribal people. Meeting and chatting with friendly Hmong kid and old woman to learn about their daily life. The shuttle bus take us back to Sapa for relax. Have dinner and stay overnight in Sapa Mountain view hotel.
DAY 8: SAPA – LAI CHAU.(B/L/D)
Today is another great day for adventerous cyclist who want to conquere the elavation in the North Vietnam. This is one of fifth incredible stiff pass in our cycling trip with 1979 m compare sea level. You will test your fit, challlenge and will again. You will be rewarded by extraordinary scenery, magnificient rice terrace, meeting friendly hill tribes on the way.
Have breakfast in hotel, do check out and kick off your pedal to ascend out of Sapa town, you will ride on tarmac road lead to Silver water Fall . stop to take picture and have coffee break. We continue to conquere stiff pass to Tram Ton summit with elevation at 1979m. Upon arriving on top, we spend the time to enjoy spectacular Fanxipang mountain view – the roof of Indochina 3143m, stunning Hoang lien son national park. Wearing warm jacket to ride long long down hill to Tam Duong T junction where coffee, tea and cake is waiting for you.after making warm up and refeshment. We continue riding to Lai Chau, have lunch enroute. After lunch, we conquere long pass on summit to enjoy incredible mountain view before descending to Lai Chau city where we will stay over night
DAY 9: LAI CHAU – SIN HO – MUONG LAY ( B/L/D)
Start new amazing cycling day from Hotel to Phong Tho Town then turn off the single track path lead to Sin Ho. We make morning warm up by escending first long pass. On the way, you are rewarded by fresh nature, extraordinary Hoang Lien Son Mountain view . you will meet numerous hill tribal people such as Dao, Hmong, Kho Mu , Mang and San Diu ethnic minorities. Upon arriving in summit, coffee and tea, cake and soft drinks are available for you. We continue to ride down hill and up again to Sin Ho Township for lunch. After lunch, we keep riding escend 7 km long and then down hill to Chan Nua T junction. The rest of distance is transfered by bus to Muong Lay where we stay overnight.have dinner and stay in Lan Anh hotel
DAY 10: MUONG LAY – DIEN BIEN( B/L/D)
Start cycling from hotel on historical road lead to Dien Bien Phu . In November 1953, the French, weary of jungle warfare, occupied Dien Bien Phu, a small mountain outpost on the Vietnamese border near Laos. Although the Vietnamese rapidly cut off all roads to the fort, the French were confident that they could be supplied by air. The fort was also out in the open, and the French believed that their superior artillery would keep the position safe. In 1954, the Viet Minh army, under General Vo Nguyen Giap, moved against Dien Bien Phu and in March encircled it with 40,000 Communist troops and heavy artillery.
The first Viet Minh assault against the 13,000 entrenched French troops came on March 12, and despite massive air support, the French held only two square miles by late April. On May 7, after 57 days of siege, the French positions collapsed. Although the defeat brought an end to French colonial efforts in Indochina, the United States soon stepped up to fill the vacuum, increasing military aid to South Vietnam and sending the first U.S. military advisers to the country in 1959.nowdays, cycling on newly paved road . you have opportunity in exploring and admiring stunning scenic beauty, you will have mixed emotion and feeling about the great victory over Dien Bien Phu in 1954. Upon arriving in Hotel, you do check in and stay overnight in Himlam ecotourist.
DAY 11: DIEN BIEN – CROSS BORDER MUANG KHUA ( B/L/D)
We start early from hotel head to North West Tay Trang Border Gate, we will ride on tarmac road through city, Muong Thanh Rice paddy before escending 15 km long to Border. On the way, you look overview fomer Dien Bien Phu Battle field and have answer for question why French troop defeated.upon arriving in Tay Trang International Border, you will do check point, say good bye Vietnamese team and meet Laos team . do check in and get stamp for Visa in Laos Border. Fix your bike and cycling first down hill . enjoy picturesque nature. Stop for lunch en route. Following lunch time, we continue to ride up hill before rolling down to Nam O river. Cross river to Muang Khua where we stay first night in Laos
DAY 12: MUANG KHUA – UDOM XAI ( B/L/D)
Following hearty breakfast in hotel, we kick off our pedal head to east direction to Udom xai province. You enjoy fresh nature and purified atmosphere, dreamlike scenery. Meeting with friendly Kho Mu tribe and their families. We ride on undulated tarmac road lead to Udomxai, have picnic lunch enroute. After lunch, we continue to ride in Hotel.
DAY 13: UDOMXAI – PAK MONG(B/L/D)
Today is great and amazing day in our cycling trip in laos, we conquere some stiff passes on the Route 13 North. Start riding from Hotel, the road starts to wind upwards and we start the first of series escendings through high mountains, admire incredible scenic beauty on the way, explore Hmong hill tribal people who are known as originally live in high elevation in Northern Laos, informer times, they lived on growing opium. Upon arriving in summit, snack, tea, coffee and soft drinks are available for you. We continue riding and counting the second and the third passes. have picnic lunch on slope while taking overview marvelous nature beauty. After lunch meal, we check our pedal, brake for long long down hill. At the end of descend, we arrive our destination at Pak Mong, a village that marks the junction at where thr road turns towards Luang PraBang. Have dinner and stay overnight in Pak Mong
DAY 14: PAK MONG – LUANG PRA BANG(B/L/D)
Start early in the morning, we ride on the Route 13 North head to Luang Prabang. On the way we expose the hidden charm of landscapes and hill tribal people. Enjoy undulating tarmac road while cycling to Luang Prabang. The last 30 km to Luang Prabang, we turn off the single track and dirt road along Mekong river, pass through numerous hill tribal villages, stop over in Buddha cave. Keep riding to Luang Prabang city for staying overnight.
DAY 15: LUANG PRABANG PREE (B/l/D)
Today is free to explore te world heritage town on your own. We recommend to get up early to see morning arms giving, visit local market ( Phosi Market), the former royal temple of Vat Xiangthong, Visoun temple and former royal palace ( museum) and also exploration of the town, meeting with monks inside their temples to disscus the way of life. Share ideas questions about their impressions of your life, beliefs and culture
In the afternoon, visit weaving handicfafts papers villages and climb up Phousi Mount to see panoramic view of town and sunset.
DAY 16: LUANG PRABANG DEPARTURE ON WARDS
Have breakfast in hotel, at leisure until transfer to Airport for onwards flights.
Tour included in:
English speaking cycling guide ( other languages upon requests)
Accommodations are based on double/ twin occupancy
Meals details in itineraries ( 15 breakfast, 14 lunches, 15 dinners)
A/C transfer/ and transporttion
Van or bus supported during the cycling times.
Truck supported for the group size from 6 and above.
Trek mountain bikes – 4300 with dist brake and helmets
Sightseeing excursions as outlined itineraries
Bike tour pump, bike tools, spares tubes, spare bikes
First aid kit
Cold water box, small fresh towel.
Mineral water for drinking
Fruit and snack for cycling days
Tour excluded in:
International airfare
Travel insurance
Items of personal nature
Alcoholic beverages and soft drinks in meals
Mineral water beyond that supplied
Optional excursions
Additional transport required due to any emergency situation
Persional expenses such as telephone, laundry bills.
Visa fee
Departure tax
Tip for team and guide
Visa fee in Laos ( 35 USD per person upon arrival + 02 passport pictures
Note: Hotels are subject to change due to availability. In that case we will choose equivalent accommodation
Meals: if you have any specific food requirements ( vegetarian, vegan, food allergies) please inform us in advance so that we can provide notice to our restaurant, tour guide, our partners so that they can server you better. If you are a food lover, Indochina Explore Tours can be your culinary guide and provide you opportunity to savor tempting local food and world famous – dishes.
Post Discussion