CHALLENGING SHORT NORTHWEST 5 DAYS BIKING
5 days, 5 nights – Challenging Short Northwest 5 Days Biking
Challenging Short Northwest 5 Days Biking booking code: NW501
Day 1: Hanoi – Mai Chau. ~160 km, ~6 h.
Today is the first day of this challenging short Northwest 5 days biking. Before starting to ride, we will have a short briefing to let you know about the rules. In addition, the guide will show you how to understand him by his body language. We start around 9.30am after the rush hour.
Once out of the Red River Delta, which brims with traditional farming activity, we pass through limestone monoliths and into foothills populated by Muong people. We head straight at the main range before breaching a high and beautiful forested pass, which descends into the hidden valley of Mai Chau where we spend the night with friends in a traditional Thai stilt house in Pom Coong village.
Day 2: Mai Chau – Son La. ~200 km, ~8 h.
On good road looking high over distant mountains, we head up into a forested region populated by H’mong people before descending into a mountainous tea-growing region. Soon after we follow a long valley floor covered in a sea of rice surrounded by Black Thai villages all the way to Son La with its bargain-filled market. Sleep in a hotel.
Day 3: Son La – Muong Lay. ~200 km, ~8 h.
There are 15 passes in total. In general, you ride on very nice roads with a stunning landscape. Probably the most beautiful journey of the whole trip even the road is in poor condition. Sleep in Lan Anh Hotel.
Day 4: Muong Lay – Lai Chau. ~150 km, ~7 h.
The most demanding and remote section of the drive takes us upstream along the left side of a Black River tributary through the forest on a bumpy dirt road past isolated pockets of Tay, Thai, H’mong and Man peoples before breaching a pass to enter the Tam Duong plain, which is covered in shark’s teeth-like limestone karst. We would visit a Mang village near Sin Ho, the guide will buy some food to give to the head of the village, and he later distributes our donations to the villagers. We stay O/N at Phuong Thanh Hotel.
Day 5: Lai Chau – Sapa – Lao Cai – Hanoi. ~100 km, ~5 h. End Challenging Short Northwest 5 Days Biking by train.
Tam Duong market in the morning. There are colourful Montagnard groups living in Tam Duong: Black H’mong and Dzao. ~10am: beautiful drive at a low pace on the bumpy road to Sapa. We will have a big breakfast because there is nothing to eat on the way, just ourselves with the wildness.
Finally, we ride down to Lao Cai early afternoon and be at the station around 5pm for the train to Hanoi at 8 pm.
Contact us now to book this tour or to know about different itineraries and options of this challenging short Northwest 5 days biking.
The video below has some portions of this challenging short Northwest 5 days biking. In case you want to watch more videos of our Vietnam motorbike tours please check our YouTube channel.
Related Links
– photo gallery
– customer comments
– reference
– late availability
– planning your trip
For more motorbike tours itineraries in Vietnam, please follow this link.
Thnx Anh Wu
Can we start a new trip – code NW501 – starting on Wednesday 10th January 2018 for two riders?
Yes, I will reply to your email with further information soon.
Hi Anh Wu. I was looking for a private tour for 3 pax from 17th January 2018. Are you able to accommodate our request?
Dear Jim. Please check your email for a detailed reply from us. Let us know your thoughts please.
Hi
Is the NW501 tour available in mid January?
Dear Jim. Most of our tours are private and only some are open to more riders. Updates are posted at this link. Unfortunately, there is no tour you could join for your dates but it’s possible to start a new trip and we advertise to get more riders if possible. For the prices, please have a look at this page, now you start with a group of one. Let us know if you require further details.