BIKING 7days/6nights HA NOI to SA PA to DIEN BIEN PHU
Highlight: Sa Pa District is located in Lao Cai Province, north-west Vietnam, and 350 km north-west of Hanoi, close to the border with China. The Hoang Lien Son range of mountains dominates the district, which is at the eastern extremity of the Himalayas. This range includes Vietnam's highest mountain, Fan Si Pan, at a height of 3142m above sea level. The town of Sa Pa lies at an altitude of about 1600 m. The climate is moderate and rainy in summer (May—August), and foggy and cold with occasional snowfalls in winter.
Sa Pa is a quiet mountain town and home to a great diversity of ethnic minority peoples. The total population of 36,000 consists mostly of minority groups. www.vietnambiketours.com Besides the Kinh (Viet) people (15%) there are mainly 5 ethnic groups in Sapa: Hmong 52%, Dao 25%, Tay 5%, Giay 2% and a small number of Xa Pho. Approximately 7,000 live in Sapa, the other 36,000 being scattered in small communes throughout the district.
Most of the ethnic minority people work their land on sloping terraces since the vast majority of the land is mountainous. Their staple foods are rice and corn. Rice, by its very nature of being a labour intensive crop, makes the daily fight for survival paramount. www.vietnambiketours.com The unique climate in Sapa has a major influence on the ethnic minorities who live in the area. With sub-tropical summers, temperate winters and 160 days of mist annually, the influence on agricultural yields and health related issues are significant.
The minority people can only yield one crop of rice annually, which leads to food shortfalls in many communes at specific times. This shortage of food contributes to malnutrition and other related health problems. The climatic conditions also contribute to many health issues including coughs, colds, and bronchial and respiratory problems that are commonplace throughout the community.
Brief Itinerary:
Day 1: Hanoi - Overnight Train to Lao Cai (D)
Your guide will meet you at the airport and escort you to Hanoi. Then, you’ll have some free time to explore the city on your own before meeting the rest of the group at the hotel for a trip briefing. In the evening, our van will drive you to the train station for an overnight train to Lao Cai.
Day 2: Sapa - Supan Valley 20km (B,L)
You’ll arrive in Lao Cai early in the morning and transfer to Sapa for breakfast. There, you’ll have some time for a short rest before a bike fitting and 20km cycle trip into the Sapa Valley. We’ll stay overnight in Sapa.
Day 3: Sapa - Ta Phin Loop 30km (B,L)
In the morning, we’ll cycle off road to the village of Ta Phin, where the ride will gradually become more challenging as you scale steep and forested hillsides. The scenery here is spectacular; farms and minority villages line the paths we’ll take. We’ll stay overnight in Sapa again.
Day 4: Sapa – Tam Duong (Phong Tho) – Pa So 80km (B,L)
On the fourth day, we’ll briefly cycle uphill as a warm-up to the Tram Ton Pass. Then, we’ll start a long descent to Binh Lu. Vietnam Bike Tours’ll ride off the beaten path and onto a jeep track (road combinations of hard-packed gravel and clay) to Tam Duong and Pa So. We’ll stay overnight in Pa So.
Day 5: Pa So – Sin Ho - Lai Chau (now Muong Lay) 45km (B,L)
On the fifth day of our tour, we’ll take a brutal, but rewarding, ride to Lai Chau and Sin Ho where the views are simply spectacular. We’ll settle down for the night Lai Chau.
Day 6: Lai Chau – Tuan Giao - Dien Bien Phu 90km (B,L)
This is the hardest, most challenging cycling day of this tour. You’ll ride to Tuan Giao and Dien Bien Phu on a rough tarmac terrain for 90km, but will be rewarded with stunningly beautiful scenery and untouched remote villages. We’ll stay overnight in Dien Bien Phu.
Day 7: Dien Bien Phu – Hanoi (B,L)
We’ll take a half-morning tour of the historical sites of Dien Bien Phu. In the late morning, we’ll have a flight to Hanoi and transfer into town to end the trip.
Inclusive of:
- Air-conditioned bus
- Support vehicle to carry gear, luggage, first aid
- English speaking tour guide
- Entrance fees
- Airport transfer in/out
- Flight from Dien Bien Phu to Hanoi
- Pick up & drop off at your hotel
- Meals as mentioned (B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner)
- All biking gear (bike, helmet, tool kit, water cage)
- Water, snacks, soft drinks, and fresh fruit on cycling days
- Accommodation
Exclusive of:
- Travel insurance
- Visa
- Personal expenses
Departure Dates: Daily
Group Size: Minimum of two and maximum of ten cycilists
Price: Rates vary. Please contact us to get the best possible price based upon your travel period and specific touring needs*
License