Leave the neon glow of Hanoi behind and step into the true heartbeat of Northern Vietnam. This extraordinary cycling tour is a journey of contrasts, meticulously designed for travelers who crave authentic exploration. Over six spectacular days, you will pedal through the winding mountain twists of Ba Vi, coast past the idyllic White Thai stilt villages of Mai Chau, and navigate the quiet country lanes of Pu Luong and Cuc Phuong National Park. Your adventure culminates in Ninh Binh, where you will cycle beneath the towering limestone peaks of Tam Coc—rightly known as the “Halong Bay on Land.” Combining rewarding climbs, hidden backroads, peaceful river cruises, and rich heritage sites, this tour offers an unforgettable perspective of Vietnam from the best seat in the world: the saddle of your bicycle.
DAY 1: HANOI (D)
Upon arrival in Hanoi airport by, your guide will hold the welcome signboard meet you at the international arrival hall and transfer by private coach to our hotel in the center of Hanoi.
Day 2: Hanoi- Ba Vi- Da Bia- Ba Khan Village (Cycled 85-90 km) (L/D)
Leave the bustling streets of Hanoi behind after breakfast. A short, one-hour transfer takes us clear of city traffic to the base of the majestic Ba Vi Mountain. Here, we mount our bikes and begin an exhilarating ride along winding roads filled with scenic twists and bends. After 40km of mountain riding, we board a local ferry to cross the river for a well-deserved lunch. In the afternoon, the terrain eases as we pedal along flatter roads toward Da Bia. The day concludes with a spectacular, scenic boat cruise across the water to Ba Khan Village, where we will enjoy dinner and a peaceful overnight stay.
Biking distance: Approx 85-90km/ Difficulty: Moderate
Day 3: Ba Khan- Xa Linh Hang Kia – Buoc Village- Mai Chau (Cycled 80-85 km) (L/D)
Gear up for an exhilarating morning as we tackle a rewarding uphill climb. Your efforts are well rewarded with dramatic mountain views, rolling fields, and passing glimpses into remote ethnic settlements. After a scenic 40km ride, we pedal into Hang Kia, a traditional mountain village home to the H’mong people, where we pause for a hearty local lunch. The afternoon brings a welcome shift in pace; enjoy a smooth, coasting downhill ride past vivid green fields and traditional White Thai stilt-house villages. We wrap up our cycling day in the breath-taking bowl of the Mai Chau valley, followed by a cultural dinner and a peaceful overnight stay
Biking distance: Approx 85 km/ Difficulty: Moderate
Day 4: Mai Chau – Pu Luong (Cycled 75 km) (B,L,D)
Wake up to the gentle sounds of mountain life—the morning village bustle and distant roosters. After breakfast, enjoy a relatively easy ride across flat, beautiful countryside. The trail weaves past traditional Thai stilt-house villages, lush green orchards, and vibrant rice paddies. We pause for a refreshing lunch in a local village before continuing our cruise down quiet backcountry roads running alongside the scenic Ma River. Depending on your energy levels, you can choose to continue cycling along a quiet tarmac road or hop into our comfortable support van for a short, 18km transfer to the Pu Luong Nature Reserve gateway. From the gateway, we embark on a spectacular ride down a hard pack dirt trail right into Don Village, concluding our day at a lovely mountain retreat.
Biking distance: Approx 75 km/ Difficulty: Moderate
Day 5: Pu Luong – Cuc Phuong National Park (Cycled 95-100 km) (B,L,D)
Fuel up with a wholesome breakfast before picking up your bicycle for a beautiful ride toward Hang Tram. Today’s route treats you to gorgeous, rolling countryside scenery. The entire path is fully paved, featuring just a few gentle hills to keep things engaging. Upon reaching Hang Tram, we will conclude our cycling segment for the day. Hop onto our air-conditioned support vehicle to give your weary legs a well-deserved rest as we transfer deep into the lush canopy of Cuc Phuong National Park.
Biking distance: Approx 95-100 km/ Difficulty: Moderate
Day 6 : Cuc Phuong National Park – Tam Coc (Cycled 90-100 km) (B,L,D)
Following breakfast, a short transfer brings us to the Cuc Phuong National Park headquarters to collect our bikes. We kick off the day with an easy 55km ride through stunning rural countryside toward the wetlands of Van Long, where we pause for a delicious local lunch.In the afternoon, we pedal onward to Hoa Lu, Vietnam’s ancient 10th-century capital. Here, we explore the historic temples of the Dinh and Le Dynasties and climb a few hundred steps up the mountain for a breathtaking panoramic view over the region’s famous “Halong Bay on land.” Afterward, we follow peaceful country lanes that twist through dramatic limestone karst mountains toward Tam Coc, the beautiful Bich Dong Pagoda, and the Thung Nham Bird Sanctuary. We will board a traditional small sampan boat to glide through the sanctuary, observing over 4,000 birds from 40 different species returning to their nests—a spectacular photography opportunity. We conclude our ride at a beautiful resort near Mua Cave for a relaxing overnight stay.
Overnight in Tam Coc.
Biking distance: Approx 90-100 km/ Difficulty: Moderate
DAY 7: Departure (B)
Breakfast at the hotel before an early morning exploration of Mua Cave. We climb the 500 stone steps up the jagged ridge to reach the iconic dragon shrine at the mountain peak. Your reward is a spectacular, unobstructed view of the winding rivers, lush valleys, and dramatic countryside below. Afterward, return to the resort to freshen up and enjoy some free time at leisure. We check out at 12:00 PM, followed by a comfortable 2.5-hour transfer to the airport for your onward flight home.
GRADING DEFINITION
To give you an indication of the difficulty of our trips, we’ve graded our adventures into three categories: easy, moderate and challenging. We take many factors into consideration in this grading, including distances covered, terrain, altitude, weather conditions and vehicle support.
- Easy: Suitable for most people in good health. These trips generally include short days on good paths and at low altitudes.
- Moderate: A reasonable level of fitness is required, as these trips can require sustained endurance levels, hills, longer days and altitude. All of our moderate trips have a support vehicle following closely, so weary travelers can hitch a ride and take a rest for a while.
- Challenging: These trips are physically demanding and best suited to fit people with a high endurance level. Days can be long, often at altitude, in remote regions and sometimes without a support vehicle nearby. Travelers may be required to carry a backpack.
