HANOI

Check-in, dump the bags and head out to Hanoi’s Old Quarter for your first dose of sensory overload. Wander the alleyways, check out the serene Hoàn Kiếm Lake in the heart of the city, jump on a rickshaw, get some Phở and savour the taste of this ancient city. There’s nothing else on your plate this day apart from our evening meal which also serves as the briefing meeting and the official welcome to the tour.

HANOI - THAI NGUYEN 30km / 150m

The first full day of the tour sees us transfer to Thái Nguyên, a 70 minute drive, leaving at 3:30pm. In the morning, we will head out for a 30km spin around Hồ Tây Lake and out to the Red River. We will also visit a local bike shop which has excellent mechanics who can help with any issues with the bikes. Then we load the bikes onto the van and head north. This allows us to stay overnight in Thái Nguyên, ensuring an early start for Day 2.

THAI NGUYEN - LANG SON 165km / 2500m

This day’s ride is the perfect introduction to cycling up north of Hanoi, as we weave our way through a variety of landscapes, heading east to Lạng Sơn, near the Chinese border. First we pedal through the early morning bustle of Thái Nguyên but soon turn off the main road and into the verdant countryside and our first stretch of gravel. There’s a gentleness to the terrain here that beguiles, and the villages en route offer our first opportunity to glimpse Vietnamese rural life. A light lunch propels us to Lạng Sơn.

LANG SON - CAO BANG 164km / 2894m

This is a long day in the saddle but a rewarding one. As we leave Lạng Sơn with its shopping arcades and premium hotels and move deeper into the tranquil countryside, you feel the thread connecting you to modernity and its attendant stress becoming ever-thinner. The kilometres pass quickly as this remarkable landscape unfolds before your eyes, as we ride now closer to the karst hills we saw from afar on Day 2. Here, the rice fields stretch on for several kilometres, and we observe the rhythm of daily life going on as we pass by the farmers in the paddies. We finish in Cao Bằng, get cleaned up, then head out to eat and and chat about the day just gone and the day ahead.

CAO BANG - BAO LAC 93km /2090m

A shorter day, but again we climb. And what climbs they are. We cycle over two of the region's most renowned mountain passes: Ta Nenh and Khau Cốc Trà, defined by stunning views and thrilling descents. As we traverse these iconic passes, you’ll realise that Minh was right when he said that each day is more beautiful than the previous. The roads here settle upon the hillsides as if made of ribbon. This is a breathtaking ride in every sense, and the landscaspe will stretch the capacity of your senses. After reaching Bảo Lạc, we'll enjoy a hearty lunch and a filling evening meal.

BAO LAC - DONG VAN 95km - 2905m

The ride begins from our hotel in Bảo Lạc, leading you through some of the most awe-inspiring landscapes in northern Vietnam. This day will be again filled with challenging climbs, including the renowned Mã Pí Lèng Pass, known for its breathtaking views and steep inclines. Here you’ll see the views you’ve seen online, that are, thankfully, even better when seen first hand - and better than that, you’ll have earned the right to witnesses them after all that climbing. Free up space on your phone - you’ll be taking a ton of photos on this day! Đồng Văn, our destination, is a small town in the highlands that features a great pizza restaurant - after this ride, carb-loading for Day 6 is highly recommended.

DONG VAN - HA GIANG 135km / 3380m

The ride to Hà Giang is a special one. The landscape is very rugged, looking almost like a giant rock garden in places up on the karst plateau. The local houses too have a different look about them, and as we climb it is evident that living up here requires a certain fortitude. The descents steal the show in terms of the riding, with long smooth curves the allow us to flow through the corners. These descents and the amazing views make the climbs all the more worthwhile. Past the halfway point on this stage we begin the approach to Hà Giang, the sleepy hill town that is seeing an increase in tourism, but at slow pace. This is a big ride, but it’s truly a highlight, and tomorrow on Day 7 we will rest up before our final push on the Sapa.

HA GIANG 50km / 803m

An easy ride awaits those who want to get back on the bike, with the other option being not to ride and instead visit the local market and food stalls. In the afternoon we have a special activity planned - a BBQ at a local waterfall. Bring your swimsuits!

HA GIANG - SAPA 161km/ 2960m

Our final day of riding begins with a 1 hour drive from Hà Giang to Việt Quang, where we will get the bikes from van whilst you fortify yourselves with a coffee for the ride ahead. We aren’t a fan of transfers either, but the first 50km from Ha Giang is congested with large trucks, and it’s simply safer to start at Việt Quang. From there, we ride through sleepy valleys and alongside a long reservoir before turning right to head to Lào Cai. All that is left before us is the final climb to our final destination: Sapa. Famed for its iconic rice terraces, the mountaintop village is now a bustling little town, with an array of restaurants, bars and even discos on offer, serving as an ideal place to wind up our incredible adventure.

SAPA - HANOI / Transfer

We have a decent stretch of road to cover here, some 350km, which wil take roughly 4.5 to 5 hours. We will stop on the way to grab some refreshments, and thankfully our vans are very comfortable and allow for sleep. We’ll head to the same hotel that we began our trip at just over a week earlier in Hanoi, and then the next day is departure day.

HOTEL - AIRPORT

And it's bon voyage and hopefully we will meet again...