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Adventurous Northwest Cycling
Hanoi - Mai Chau - Son La - Dien Bien - Sapa - Hanoi
13 Days  - 12 Nights

Day 1: On arrival in Hanoi
You will be met and transferred to hotel in the old quarter. Take time for relax. You can spend the rest of the day to discover the ordinary lifestyle of Vietnamese people here. You will spend 2 days here before the hard work begins. Overnight in hotel in Hanoi.

Day 2: Hanoi - Mai Chau
We transfer Southwest to Hoa Binh Province and then we cycling to Mai Chau, home of the White Thai. We have a homestay in traditional style buildings. However, they all have western style bathrooms/hot showers, so it doesn't really qualify as roughing it. You will get a taste of village life if not the experience of bathing in cold water. Overnight in homestay in MaiChau . (+-60km)

Day 3: Mai Chau - Yen Chau
We head North to Yen Chau and pass many minority villages as we generally ascend. The ride today, starts relatively flat, but we climb up and over into a valley with some great views. A good way to start the tour. Overnight in hotel in YenChau . (+- 100km )

Day 4: Yen Chau- Son La
Virtually every town we go through has an active market. Everything is brought in fresh daily. The larger markets serve as distribution points for smaller markets and, if you are there early enough, you will see things being scootered off to other market. Son La has a history. The French built a prison in Son La, it was partially destroyed during the Vietnam War but there is now a museum and what remains is interesting. Dissident Vietnamese were often transferred between french built Hoa Loa prison in Hanoi (aka "TheHanoi Hilton") and Son La Prison. Overnight in hotel in Son La. (+-67km )

Day 5: Son La -Tuan Giao
The ride begins with a 5km climb into the beautiful surrounding countryside. We pass through a patchwork of rice fields and plum orchards. After the 50km mark we have a 12km, 900m lung busting ascent. The scenery makes up for the hard work as the rolling land erupts into stunning karsts rock outcrops bristling with trees. The land is home to the Black Thai who originated in Southern China. The women can be glimpsed working the fields in brightly colored dresses and hats, the children riding water buffalo and the men speeding along on noisy motor cycles. We finish the day with a thrilling 11km decent before we reach the town of Tuan Giao. Overnight in hotel in Tuan Giao. (+-90km)

Day 6: Tuan Giao- Lai Chau
Once out of Tuan Giao the road deteriorates as we take a spectacular back road to Lai Chau. This road isn’t well traveled; you first notice this by the increased curiosity and smiling faces and of the people, making this a day not to be forgotten. We cycle past rice fields and bananas plantations as we pass through small minority villages of Red Hmong and Kho Mu. There are two hard climbs today the first starts after 50km with a 5km ascent but the second, and most challenging comes at the end of this stunning day, with an 8km strength-sapping climb. All this hard work is easily forgotten as we finish the day with a stunning descend of 18km on a winding road into this lush valley of Lai Chau. Overnight in hotel in Lai Chau. (+-98km)

Day 7: Lai Chau- Tam Duong
After leaving Lai Chau, we cross the Hang Tom suspension bridge and follow the Na River passing through spectacular gorges and Black Dao villages. The Dao worship spirits and ritually sacrifice pigs and chickens. The women clothes are covered with intricate weaving and silver colored beads and coins. It is said the wealthy woman can be judged by the weight of the coins she carries. We finish this long day with a 15km ascent followed by a gentle 10km ride down to Tam Duong. Overnight in hotel in Tam Duong. (+-106km)

Day 8: Tam Duong- Sapa
Today is the highlight for many; as we cycle up to the Tram Ton Pass (1,900 m; 6,230 ft) the highest mountain pass in Vietnam, on our way to Sa Pa. We start with a relatively easy 7km ride before we hit the first of two major climbs. An 8km tough ride sets us up for the 26-monster climb later in the day. As we start the second climb, we slowly start to witness the beauty of Mt. Fan Si Pan, South East Asia’s highest peak. Often hidden with a veil of moving mist and fog, we will hopefully get a glimpse of its lofty peaks. Sa Pa is an old French hill station perched in the Hoang Lien Son Mountains near the Chinese border. Its position gives it some of the best vantage points to savour the surrounding mountain peaks Overnight in hotel in Sapa. (+-72km)

Day 9: Sapa- Than Uyen
From Sapa we start the day’s ride with a 15kms climb to the top of the Tram Ton Pass, stopping on route to visit the “silver waterfall”. Then it’s a 26kms plunge down to Binh Lu junction. From here, we continue along the Hoang Lien Son mountain range, there are a number of hard climbs but the magnificent landscape makes the hardship all worthwhile. We finish with a 20kms descent to Than Uyen. Overnight in hotel in Than Uyen.(+-95km)

Day 10: Than Uyen- Tu Le
We follow the valley out of Than Uyen until the road begins to wind up into the hills. This rugged terrain of dense vegetation brings us into contact with the Black Hmong and the mysterious White Tay people who are famed for their folk music, poems and songs. We end the day at Tu Le. Overnight in hotel in Tu Le.(+-88km)

Day 11: Tu Le - Nghia Lo
Today we pass large white limestone mountains as we explore the “real Vietnam”. We will cycle through undulating road before we finally end the day in Nghia Lo. It sits on a mountain ridge overlooking the Red and Black River and is home to the Thai, Nung, H’mong, La Ha and Ma peoples. Overnight in hotel in Nghia Lo. (+-65km)

Day 12: Nghia Lo- Yen Bai
We cycling  to Yen Bai, a spectacular road through undulating terrain of tea plantations, lush forests, rice fields and gum trees. Overnight in Yen Bai. (+-74km)

Day 13:Yen Bai- Hanoi
Our last day relax in the morning , and take Minibus back to Hanoi by paved roads through the undulating terrains of tea plantations lush forests, rice fields and gum trees used for paper production. 
Overnight in hotel in Hanoi by your self.

Best time to go: From October to May yearly

Total Distance: 900 km

Number of cycling days: 11 full days

Average Daily Distance: 70km/day

Notices:
- This tour follows a mix of asphalt roads,  so some off-road riding skills are an advantage. You should be confident of your physical condition and bike handling skills.
Support
- One or two 16-seat air-conditioned transit vans converted to take bikes and bikers.

Group Size: Minimum 4. Maximum 12.

Staff:  Groups of 6 or more a  Vietnamese cycling guide and drivers and assistants. Groups of 4-5, an experienced English speaking Vietnamese cycling leader plus guide and support team.
 
Accommodation: Nights in comfortable tourist class hotels. All accommodation has a/c or fan, hot water and private facilities.

Meals: Meals are included as 14 breakfast, 2 lunch, 1 dinner. Break every 15- 20 km ( 10 miles)  for tea break with water, coffee ,tea, juice, bread, tuna ,banana, apple... including

Note:
This itinerary allows for 15 field days on the cycling section. You will be able to decide for yourself at any time during each of these days how far you want to cycle. Average daily cycling distances are approximately 60 -100 km. These distances may vary according to weather, road conditions and group fitness and preferences. This is a sightseeing cycle tour, not a marathon or time trial.

What to bring:
1. Bike Helmet
2. Small backpack
3. Shoes and shorts for cycling
4. Sunglasses
5. Gloves
6. Professional Pedal
7. Sun block
8. Camera + Film
9. Insect repellent
10. Original Passport
11. Wide brim hat
12. Bike water bottle.

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