Mountain Biking Vietnam's Tribal Trails

We invite you to discover the relatively unexplored northeast region of Vietnam, near the border with China where, until recently, you needed special permits to visit. Here you'll be riding through dramatic landscapes and the villages of colourful ethnic minorities still living as they have for hundreds of years. This journey starts in Hanoi and heads north by train to Lao Cai on the Chinese border. From there we head east into the province of Ha Giang and mountain bike on single track trails from village to village with 70 per cent of our riding on dirt trails. The limestone mountains provide a stunning backdrop.

Tour Cost	US$1975	Single Supplement	US$225
Bike Hire	US$150	Total Cycling Distance	305 kilometres
Tour Grade	out of 5	Number of Days	10 days / 9 nights
Number of Cycling Days	6 full days/1 half	Tour Meets	Hanoi
Tour Ends	Hanoi	Group Size	Minimum 2. Maximum 16.
Minimum age on scheduled departures	18 years old

Day 1

Meet in Hanoi the late afternoon for a trip briefing before an early dinner and then transfer to the train station to catch the train to Lao Cai.

Day 2

Our train arrives early morning in Lao Cai and after breakfast in a local restaurant we transfer by van to the Bac Ha regional market that attracts local ethnic peoples such as H'mong, Zao, Tay, and Phu La. After lunch we'll fit our bikes and have a warm up ride to the countryside on rolling terrain around the Ban Pho Valley.

Day 3

We bike directly from our hotel, following village paths which wind up and downhill through a series of valleys and villages of the Flower Hmong. After lunch with the Tay ethnic people we cycle on to Sin Man town and our hotel.

Day 4

We start biking along a single track trail which skirts around the Ta Cu Ty mountain range. The route is a combination of short loose rocky sections and hard packed dirt trails with some stream crossings. We also cross two suspension bridges today.

Day 5

The most challenging day of the whole trip with plenty of uphill and a mix to dirt roads and single track. The paths take us to a Red Zao village for lunch and after lunch we'll have panoramic views across the valley.

Day 6

Today's path is rocky and turns into a narrow single track as it takes us to Hop Nhat village. We top out at the pass at 1,472 m then ride along the Hoang Su Phi valley.

Day 7

We head back up into the hills around Pan Hou, cycling along village paths, winding our way up and around the mountains.

Day 8

A dirty and rocky trail will be the first thing we hit this morning as we again ride paths that lead from village to village through the untouched region to Quang Binh. After lunch we descend to the lowlands and home to the Tay ethnic people.

Day 9

An early wake up call for those interested in a visit to Luc Yen's local gem stone market. After breakfast we cycle on a undulating country road, passing dozens of stunning and lush valleys to Thac Ba lake.

Day 10

After a leisurely breakfast we transfer 3.5 hours back to Hanoi. Our trip ends in Hanoi and we can drop you at your hotel or the airport.

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