North Vietnam’s Ha Giang Cycling Tour

After you arrive at the hotel in Hanoi’s Old Quarter, you’ll be treated to a bike fitting where expert mechanics will make sure your mountain bike is perfectly suited to your preferences and body dimensions.

After all riders have arrived and received a fitting, you’ll kick off the tour with a welcome dinner of traditional Northern Vietnamese cuisine. The dinner will be a good chance for you to get to know both your fellow cyclists and your guides.

7:30 hotel pickup for a 5-hour van transfer to Viet Quang to the north. This long transfer will give you plenty of time to familiarize yourself with the landscape of the area or to get some more sleep. Along the way, you’ll stop for a local breakfast.

After arriving in Viet Quang, you will enjoy lunch at the house of a local family. This will be your first full immersion into rural Vietnamese cuisine, so don’t be afraid to try some unfamiliar foods!

After lunch, the Ha Giang Gauntlet truly begins. You’ll get on the bikes and begin the challenging ride to Hoang Su Phi, only 22km long but with an elevation gain of 800m.

Dinner and overnight at a local homestay in Hoang Su Phi.

You’ll set off from the mountain city of Hoang Su Phi bright and early to head towards the outskirts of Ha Giang. The ride is 8km long, but you’ll descend 400m of off-road dirt paths that actually lead through hillside villages. Watching the beautiful terraced mountainsides that follow the contours of the landscape is one of this adventure’s scenic highlights.

Near Ha Giang, you’ll explore the diverse cultural heritage of the 15 different ethnic tribes in the area You’ll have the opportunity to learn about the rich history and heritage of the tribes from the locals themselves.

Next, you’ll cycle up the steep final stretch to enjoy the view of Ha Giang city, a challenging but rewarding experience, before overnighting at a local hotel in Ha Giang.

You’ll wake to a 25 km bus transfer along the paved road through local terraced rice paddies. The morning scenery is breathtakingly beautiful, but the road is flat and relatively straight, and that kind of casual cycling is reserved for our not-so-super-advanced tours!

At the end of the bus ride, you’ll hop on your bike and cycle through Vietnam’s limestone mountain range, taking in the views of the incredible geological formations and the misty rice terraces in the area as you pump up steep climbs and fly down hills at high speeds. Emerging from the mountain range, the terrain will even out a bit as you pass through minority villages and mountain communities while immersing yourself in the local culture and interacting with the friendly people of the area.

The mountain road pass "Heaven’s Gate 1" will be a highlight of the day, with the famous vista of the Tam Son valley and the Twin Hills offering one of the most spectacular sites in Vietnam. The mix of challenging up and down terrain and relatively flat sections will test your cycling skills, but the scenic views and friendly encounters with local hill tribes will make it all worth it.

Finally, you’ll descend into Yen Minh while observing the traditional homes of the local communities and taking in the picturesque surroundings before an overnight at a homestay in this sleepy northern town.

In the morning, you’ll take a leisurely ride several km to visit the nearby hill tribe market. It’s a great way to immerse yourself in the local culture and get a glimpse of the vibrant lifestyle characteristic of the heavily Chinese-influenced far North of Vietnam. You may even come across some Northern Vietnamese antiquities to pick up as souvenirs!

Next, you’ll cycle up the "Way of Happiness Road” while viewing Dong Van’s Karst Plateau, truly one of the most beautiful natural landmarks in the world (take a look at the photos if you don’t believe us). At the road’s summit, riders will visit the Hmong King Palace (Vuong Chi Sinh Palace) and Lung Cu Flag Pole Tower.

Finally, you’ll cycle 15 km to Dong Van ancient town and check into a hotel there before enjoying some self-guided exploration of one of Vietnam’s most historically rich hidden gems.

You’ll set off from Dong Van through Sky Walk, a road that is cyclist-friendly but has been known to get so misty that you might feel like you’re walking on clouds, hence the name. The ride will also take you alongside the magnificent Ma Phi Leng Pass.

After the sky walk, riders will fly down a steep downhill stretch to the Nho Que River and embark on the Nho Que River cruise. The 700-meter-deep canyon walls are sure to take your breath away.

After disembarking, you’ll board a waiting support van in Nho Que and backtrack to the colorful village of Meo Vac, where you will stay overnight.

In the morning, you’ll set off on a ride from Meo Vac to the majestic Mau Due - Lung Ho summit, which will offer one of the most panoramic views in Vietnam. The ride is one of the most strenuous legs of this adventure, so be sure to stay hydrated. Reaching the summit is no easy task even for expert cyclists, but you’ll be rewarded at the top of the mountain with a hearty picnic lunch.

The descent down the mountain is one of the highest-velocity segments of any biking tour tour, and it ends with a plunge into the tranquil riverside village of Du Gia. Overnight at a comfortable river view hotel in town.

Start the day with a visit to the local market in Du Gia, where you can mingle with colorfully-clothed members of the different hill tribes and admire their traditional crafts.

From Du Gia, you’ll embark on one of the most ruggedly picturesque legs of this adventure: cycling uphill 5 km through remote mountainous areas surrounded by beautiful cliffs, caves, and other natural wonders. It’s the intense climax of the Ha Giang Gauntlet.

After the 5 km climb, you’ll begin a descent that lasts 20 km. It will be a glorious opportunity to rest your cycling muscles, which will probably be pretty spent by this point. You’ll then finish the cycling portion of the tour with 10 km of flat riding to the town of Ha Giang, where you’ll check into a hotel.

That afternoon, you’ll share a farewell lunch at the hotel. You’ll say goodbye to your fellow riders and your trusty bike unless you both plan to extend your stay in Ha Giang.