Day 1 (16th Jan, 2009): Hanoi - Vu Linh, ~165 Km.
To get out of the crazy traffic of Hanoi we ride along the Red River bank and then continue by following the Chay river with beautiful scenery of rice, maize fields, daily lives of local people when passing villages.
Great for riding in the dirt road.
Arrive in to Thac Ba Lake, take a small boat for visiting the lake and swimming during the sunset.
- B,L,D + Boat trip
- Overnight in Dao family
Day 2 (17th Jan, 2009): Vu Linh - Luc Yen, 70 km.
In the morning instead of rolling the bike, we experience of paddling small single boat by our feet with local people to discover the area of local Dao, Cao Lan minority people live and partake in the daily life of the locals.
After lunch, to aid our digestion, we ride along Thac Ba Lake side up North-West direction to Luc Yen, the limestone mountain and the where people mine red rock in Vietnam.
Arrive in a village of Red Dao ethnic located on the top hill by the late afternoon for a walk and overnight with our friend’s family there.
- B,L,D
- Overnight in Tay family
Day 3 (18th Jan, 2009): Luc Yen – Ba Be, 170 km.
Ride in the magic land with limestone karts, rice paddies surrounding Villages. Cross Lo River to ride to the National protected area – Na Hang – from here it is windy mountain tracks and rocky, bumpy, through natural forest landing in to Ba Be National Park and lake. Arrive in Ba Be Lake; we will take a boat trip for one and half hour cruise.
There we will stay with a family of Tay ethnic family, locates on beautiful view of rock mountain and rice fields surrounding the biggest Natural Lake of Vietnam.
- B,L,D + Entrance fee + Boat trip
- Overnight in Tay family
Day 4 (19th Jan, 2009): Ba Be – Quang Uyen, 180 km.
Time to prepare for the quite difficult riding ahead, steep mountains and passes. To reach Cao Bang, we avoid National Highway No 3 but take the Colie Pass road, through dense old-growth forest. The road is rough but the scenery is unbelievably beautiful and magnificent. After lunch at Nguyen Binh town, we continue our journey for about one and a half hours to visit Cao Bang Township. The national vestiges are some of this hill town’s major sights. We have a chance to visit these before we head out in the direction of Ma Phuc Pass to enter an area of innumerable vast steep limestone karsts and visit the North and North East’s district that is home to Nung and Tay ethnic people.
- B,L,D
- Overnight in Nung family
Day 5 (20th Jan, 2009): Quang Uyen – Ban Gioc – Quang Uyen, 100km.
Today we will take the opportunity to explore the spectacular scenery and wonderful world of local ethnic minority people. Along the way, we will visit Ban Gioc waterfalls, one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Vietnam, which form a natural border between Vietnam and China. The echo of the falls can be heard kilometers away. In rainy season, the waterfall makes the scenery even more magnificent. While here, we will take a bamboo raft trip and have a picnic lunch. We also have a chance to visit China on the other riverbank. Before the sun sets, we ride back to Quang Uyen and visit Phja Chang village, settled by Nung An ethnic people 300 years ago. This village is famous for the traditional handicraft, such as basketware, weaving and so on. We will have dinner with our friends in the village.
Alternatively, in the afternoon we will return to Quang Uyen town to visit some villages of Tay and Nung An people where they make incense and local rough paper from mulberry trees to burn when praying to their ancestors.
- B,L,D
- Nung An family
Day 6 (21st Jan, 2009): Quang Uyen – Bac Son, 130 km.
The most impressive landscape of Cao Bang is the riding from Quang Uyen to Dong Khe. The scenery of the road is unequalled with the steep limestone mountain and green rows of sugar-cane fields. After seeing this scenic site, we continue our journey following the historical National Highway No 4 with the famous battles, such as Dong Khe, That Khe, Coc Xa or Lung Phay Pass…We stop for lunch in That Khe.
After lunch, we continue riding on small dirt road and windy, very good fun.
- B,L,D
- People Community Guesthouse
Day 7 (22nd Jan, 2009): Bac Son – Hanoi, 170 km.
Riding in small countryside road, limestone karts, bamboo, rice fields visiting villages of Tay and Nung people.
Then we will visit some war relics at the centre of Lang Son town or International Friendship border gate to buy a variety of Chinese goods. The return trip begins on National Highway No 1 with a possible visit to Chi Lang vestige surrounded by steep mountains.
- B,L
Include:
- Accommodation in hotel and Guesthouse, home stay in village;
- All meals from the arrival until departure;
- Entrance fees;
- Land transportation;
Not included:
- Tipping or gratuities to guides and drivers;
- Mandatory international travel insurance;
- Excursions other than those specified in trips;
- Extra cost if itinerary is delayed or changed due to unexpected reasons beyond control.
Contact us now to book this tour or to know about different itineraries.