Northern Vietnam Bicycle Tour - 5 Days - Adventure Travel Agents Family Tours Operators Companies Vietnam

Scenic landscape on the cycling route at Hoa Lu, Ninh Binh, Vietnam

Visited places: Hanoi, Mai Chau, Ninh Binh, Cuc Phuong National Park, Pu Luong Nature Reserve
Tour Activity/Theme: Adventure, Bike, National Park, Ecotourism, Ethnic village, Sublime nature, Homestay, Bucolic countryside, Off the beaten track

Northern Vietnam Bicycle Tour is an off-the-beaten track adventure holiday in the North of Vietnam by bike for 5 days 4 nights.

Northern Vietnam Bicycle Tour Overview

The pace of travel is hard adventure which involves mountain biking, countryside road cycling. Highlights of the trip are challenging cycling, breathtaking natural landscape in the North-West of Vietnam and in the Red River Delta, authentic life of the local ethnic minorities on our travel route.

The trip can be done all year round, though the best time is from January through April when it is dry Pu Luong, Thah Hoa and pleasant in northern Vietnam. The roads we cycle on include paved roads, village dirt tracks, mountain trails,... We have a support vehicle which travels with us all along the way; if you do not feel well enough to cycle anytime, then there is a good alternative.

Day-to-day Itinerary

Day1 Hanoi – Mai Chau (150km, cycling 80km) (L/D)
Day2 Mai Chau – Pu Luong (60km, cycling 60km) (B/L/D)
Day3 Pu Luong – Cuc Phuong (110km, cycling 110km) (B/L/D)
Day4 Cuc Phuong – Tam Coc (60km, cycling 60km) (B/L/D)
Day5 Tam Coc Boat Trip/Tam Coc – Hanoi (110km, no cycling) (B/L)

Accommodations
Homestay at an ethnic family at Mai Chau and Pu Luong.
Guest houses with basic facilities at the other places.

{Inclusions
English-speaking guide;
Support vehicle throughout the trip;
Bike as indicated on the tour itinerary;
Accommodations in twin-shared rooms as indicated on the tour itinerary;
Meals as indicated as indicated on the tour itinerary: B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner;
All admission fees as indicated on the tour itinerary;
}
{Exclusions
Insurance of any type;
Drinks or personal expenses;
Others not specified in the inclusions;
}

Detailed itinerary

Day1 Hanoi – Mai Chau (150km, cycling 80km) (L/D)

Breakfast at the hotel.
Our vehicle transfers us to Hoa Binh Town where we start our cycling today. The road is hilly with some uphills, downhills and flat terrain. The road is in good conditions and the mountains, sugarcane plantations, paddy fields along the way are just breathtaking. Our destination is the valley of Mai Chau inhabited by White Thai communities.
Overnight at Mai Chau.

Thung Khe Pass in Mai Chau, Hoa Binh Province

Day2 Mai Chau – Pu Luong Nature Reserve (60km, cycling 60km) (B/L/D)

Cycling road in Pu Luong Nature Reserve

Breakfast at the hotel.
We cycle on even roads, dirt tracks to Pu Luong Nature Reserve. The distance is nothing, but the terrain is a real challenge for us. There are many White Thai villages along the way and we may like to stop every now and again. The rice terraces by the roadside are terrific for photography. We stop for lunch at Kho Muong Village, in the heart of Pu Luong. Then, we cycle further southward for the night.
Overnight at Pu Luong Nature Reserve.

Rice fields and mountains near Pho Doan, Pu Luong Nature Reserve

Breathtaking view of mountains at Pu Luong

Day3 Pu Luong – Cuc Phuong National Park (110km, cycling 110km) (B/L/D)

Breakfast at the hotel.
We bid farewell to our hosts and follow the scenic paved road towards Cam Thuy District where we turn into the first leg of the former legendary Ho Chi Minh Trail. The former trail is now a good road not too busy with traffic. We cycle for 30km on Ho Chi Minh Road then turn into a country road to Cuc Phuong National Park. The park is among the best preserved national parks in Vietnam and the most perse in ecosystem. As we get closer to the park, the road turns uphill and you can feel the change in scenery.

Scenic landscape at the Ma River at Canh Nang Township

Idyllic country landscape at Cam Thuy, Thanh Hoa Province

Taking photos of butterflies at Cuc Phuong National Park

At Cuc Phuong, we have time for stretching our legs and exploring the center of the park. The over 18km of from the gate to the center is always damps, mossy and slippery, be sure you cycle with good care!
Overnight at Cuc Phuong National Park.

A lovely forest trail at Cuc Phuong National Park

Day4 Cuc Phuong – Tam Coc (60km, cycling 60km) (B/L/D)

Breakfast at the hotel.
We got some time in the morning visiting the Primate Rescue Center and cycle along scenery country roads to the UNESCO World Heritage of Trang An. The paddy fields, the rivers and karts formations on the roadside are just stunning and we could cycle with ease.

Arriving at Tam Coc, we have good time left to cycle amid the heavenly landscape to visit the popular tourist attractions here. In mid June and early October, the rice fields in Tam Coc turn into golden color and those are the best moments for photography! At the end of the day, we turn in our bikes which are to be transferred back to Hanoi.
Overnight at Tam Coc.

Scenic landscape on our bike tour from Cuc Phuong National Park to Tam Coc

Idyllic rice fields at Tam Coc, Ninh Binh

Day5 Tam Coc Boat Trip/Tam Coc – Ninh Binh - Hanoi (110km, no cycling) (B/L)

Breakfast at the hotel.
We enjoy some relaxing moments taking a rowing boat trip on the Ngo Dong River amid towering karst mountains. Then have a walking tour in the paddy fields until lunch time. After lunch, our vehicle transfers us back to Hanoi where we conclude our great cycling holiday in northern Vietnam with AdventureGreen.