Cycling Vietnam to Laos - Hanoi to Luang Prabang

In the morning, we'll transfer to Duong Lam- an ancient village that was recognised as a national relic and had been preserved. This opportunity for you to capture plenty of photos during your visits to Duong Lam.

Then continue with the transfer to Deo Khe, check your bike, adjust the saddle and get ready a downhill. Ride rolling hills on a winding road, and view lush hillsides and mountains. Along the way down to Ba Khe village, you can see several picturesque; green tea farms along hillsides, thatch, wooden houses, tiny villages, corn farm, and rice paddy fields. Stop off at Ba Khe village, where we'll have lunch, and taste fresh tea.

In the afternoon, we undulate 25 km to Nghi Lo and speed up some gentle hills through lush tea plantations and rustic farms along the way to Nghia Lo.

Tu Le is famous for its' colourful tribal Hmong, splendid views of rice-terraced, hot springs, streams, and scenic villages. Most rice terraces are in the middle of its valleys. Hmong people farm a lot of sticky rice.

Today is not a big day; the distance is moderate, less than 50 km, but the scenery is spectacular. Enjoy beautiful landscapes, ride on winding roads, view the stunning limestone mountains, cross the hilly regions, and meet tribes, passing houses on stilts along the route. Take some time cycling along the river.

The morning ride gets a little rugged terrain. The road Mu Cang Chai is a big challenge with Khau Pha Pass, which offers specular scenery looking over the valley of the rice terraces. Then gradually, to the peak from Tu Le, view the harmonious landscape of Lim Mong Valley below. It's one of the four highest mountain passes and the most beautiful Pass in the north of Vietnam.

A 30km altitude of up to 1200m above sea level is a big climb; enjoy breathtaking scenery, mountain ridge, and colourful valleys, and will pass many hill tribe villages. After lunch, take a downhill ride to Mu Cang Chai, and enjoy the fabulous landscapes of highland scenery and terraced rice fields at the bottom of valleys.

The ride today is easy, and the distance is not very far, so late get up, have breakfast, a good time for coffee, and look over the valleys of terraced rice fields. The ride to Tha Uyen is lovely because the road is almost down on the gentle hills of Muong Kim, the dense vegetation, and past Black Mong and White Tay villages. Looking over green valleys and seeing the growth of forest, a great opportunity to experience tribes' life and admire the breathtaking mountains before turning right and continuing bicycling to Than Uyen. Enjoy peaceful valleys, stunning limestone karst mountains, countryside rice paddy fields, and fruit orchards along the way to Than Uyen.

Ready for the long day adventure with dividing into two stages. The morning ride is about 30km, and we start from Muong Kim, undulate on the minor road, through villages, lush farmlands and hillsides, and sometimes along the rivers. Then back to the main road to Ban Chat hydropower station, where we stop to admire the large hydropower plant and peaceful mountain surroundings of the Reservoir.

Afterwards, we climb up some small hills on winding roads and ride alongside the Ban Chat Reservoir and mountainous jungles. The road is tranquil, with many stilt houses along the water’s edge. Then we'll transfer to Huynh Nhai, crossing Da River on Pa Uon bridge, break for a big lunch at a local restaurant by Da River, and prepare for a 50km to Tuan Giao. The scenery and road are terrific. Ride through Huynh Nhai town, challenge some gentle hills, go through the forests, and enter the Dien Bien province; continue to ride down to Minh Thang, break for coffee, and see a local market. Then ride down to Tuan Giao, which Benefits fantastic mountain views, rice terraced, lush valleys, and pass by small villages on the way to Tuan Giao.

Today's big climb is Tang Quai Pass, at an elevation of 1700m, and the landscapes are stunning and incredible. The rests are gentle hills undulating along the rivers, passing tiny villages, wooden stilt houses, and small towns along, and the road is more down than up.

After leisurely breakfast, we commence the day's ride out of Tuan Giao, passing through a village of the ethnic White Thai tribe until reaching the Tang Quai Pass. The road is quiet and smooth through sleepy ethnic villages and sometimes along tranquil rivers to Dien Bien Phu. The historic battle where the Viet Minh defeated the French and forced the French to end it's war in Indochina.

Today we explore most highlights around Dien Bien Phu by van/bus. We explore the town and famous battle's location, the hill A1 and the bunkers-the French commander Colonel de Castries' Headquarters. Then visit the military museum, which tells the battle campaign. There are several other interesting monuments and memorials around the town for us to spend time understanding the war in Indochina. After lunch, return to the hotel, and spend the rest in the swimming pools.

After breakfast, check out, and keep your passport and related papers in your day bags. Have a transfer to the Tay Trang border, say goodbye to your Vietnamese team, cross the Vietnam border, and meet your Laos team to explore the mountainous country all the to Luang Prabang.

From the Laos border, we will enjoy a 30 km downhill cycle to Muang Mai town Mai where we’ll stop for lunch. The road enables you to ride rolling hills, mountains, tropical forests, and authentic riverbanks. In the afternoon, it’s another 40 km through ethnic Hmong villages, alongside the Nam Pak River River to Muang Khua township, where it is the first night in Laos.

We commence from the hotel, following the road along the banks of the Nam Pak River, a tributary of the Nam Ou, one of the most important rivers in Laos. The morning ride is moderate, an undulating road alongside the river, passing tribal villages, and tiny wooden stilt houses along the road, and through the lush forest. We'll pass small towns and tribal villages along the river banks. These are home to more than 12 different ethnic groups.

In the afternoon, we take a moderate climb to the mountain pass at an elevation of 750m through the tropical forest before descending to Udomxai town.

Today is a big challenge with a distance of more than 100km; climb some mountain passes—one of the highest passes with an altitude of 1200m.

In the morning, we ride out of the town, undulate some gentle hills and climb mountain passes through green forests and rubber and teak tree plantations. View the tiny wooden houses, thatch houses and small markets along the way. We pass the Hmong villages and experience the villagers along the road, through lush vegetation to Pak Mong- a small town and local market before we ride 30 km following the road by Nam Bak River, then to Nam Ou River. Stay a night in Nong Khiaw

Nong Khiaw is a little town located by the Nam Ou River, with peaceful karst mountains and lush jungles. The town itself and its surroundings are famous for its rustic villages alongside Nam Ou River banks, stunning mountains, beautiful caves, walking and cycling routes through the countryside and mountain-climbing opportunities.

Enjoy a half-day boat trip down the river and hike to villages. Admire the beautiful limestone mountain along the river, and experience the peaceful life of the tribes in the villages. Return to the town by boat. Free to explore the town in your way until dinner with the group.

We'll transfer an hour to Thongloum, we'll start the day'ride then. The moring's cycle follows the road, gentle hills and beautiful scenery of Nam Nga River, pedalling the road along Nam Nga River, then to the Nam Ou River, passing small towns, colourful temples and idyllic countryside, rice terraced, and fruit orchards. After the Nam Ou bridge, we turn left on the village road to the pier. Take a boat ride across the Mekong River to visit the Pak Uo Caves. After the boat trip, we hop on the support vehicle transfers to Luang Prabang. Tour End!