Day 1: Hanoi Arrival – Night train – Lao Cai ( D)
Greetings from Vietnam. When you arrive at Noi Bai International Airport, a driver and guide from Golden Trail Travel will meet you and take you to the hotel located in the center of Hanoi. Hanoi, the historic and vibrant capital of Vietnam, is home to some of Asia's most remarkable colonial buildings as well as a distinct old world charm. Following check-in, unwind on your own while working with our guide to review the plan for the next few days. Take a cyclo ride through the Old Quarter's busy streets to explore Hanoi's blend of modern and historical charm. You will be greeted with a special welcome meal at a traditional Vietnamese restaurant following the trip. Our shuttle van transports passengers to the train station after dinner so they can board the night train to Lao Cai. Spend the night in a shared four-cabin timber cabin with a comfy bed and air conditioning.
Summary: 
Activity: Picking up and transferring
Accommodation:On Night Train
Meals: / L/D
Transfer by Bus and Train

Day 2: Lao Cai – Xuan Giao – Muong Bo - Sin Chai A
At 5:30 a.m., the train arrives at the Lao Cai Train Station. You will be picked up by our support van and cycling guide, who will then take you to a nearby restaurant for breakfast.
We start our riding day on asphalt roads and concrete roads leading to the Xuan Giao area after a full breakfast.We leave the paved road and ride alongside a river and over a hill to reach the Thanh Phu sector. Additionally, we ride on a winding path that includes several bends and steep curves. But we shall be rewarded with breathtaking views and fantastic sightseeing surrounded by towering mountain ranges. When we go to the Cau Bo bridge, we have a picnic lunch.
After refueling, we mount our bikes and ride uphill to Nam Sai via the recently paved route that leads to Sin Chai A. Experience the final 20 kilometers of breathtaking travel to Sin Chai A Village, where we spend the night with the Red Dao Hill people. Join the family for dinner and spend the night.
Summary: 
Activity: Transferring and Warmly up cycling
Accommodation : Homestay
Meals: B/ l/D
Cycling distance: 76 Km

Day 3: Sin Chai A - Nam Cang – Thanh Kim – Ban Ho – Sapa
Get up early to engage in local activities or simply take a stroll through the town to take in the serene villages and unspoiled surroundings. Enjoy a classic pancake and banana cake for breakfast, and ask the host to try some herbal tea. Our bicycle journey begins at the homestay, traveling through villages, rice terraces, streams, and buffalo roads that lead to Nam Cang, Nam Sai, and Ban Ho. We enjoy lunch with a local family in Ban Ho. We ride uphill on potholed and off-road roads to reach Ban Den village, which is 7 km away, after lunch. When you reach Ban Den, pause to refuel and replenish your energy. We keep riding toward Sapa Town along an uneven route with a mountainous pass at the finish. The breathtaking scenery, the magnificent limestone mountain, and the tranquil hill tribe communities will captivate you. Eat dinner at a neighborhood eatery and spend the night in a motel
Summary: 
Activity: Cycling  from village to Hotel
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals: B/ l/D
Cycling distance: 54 Km

Day 4: Sa Pa – Ban Xeo – Lao Cai
hotel breakfast. We left the hotel and rode our bikes across the town to the National Highway No. 4D. A tarmac road cycling route leads to a silver waterfall. Turn off in this part, then pedal uphill to the top of the hill, down to the bridge, and take a left turn on a meandering road to Muong Hum for refreshments.
We refuel after refueling and then saddle up to tackle the picturesque route to Ban Khoang Village. From there, we descend to the Ban Xeo and Muong Hum portion. Should fortune favor us, we may encounter the weekend local market in Muong Hum. We keep cycling along this magnificent road, which leads to Ban Vuoc for lunch. pause en route to take pictures of the breathtaking landscape, the majestic mountain view, and the impressive rice terrace paddy fields.On the way, a picnic lunch and support vehicle will be prepared. following lunches. Pedaling hard, we head to Lao Cai City along the Red River.
Summary: 
Activity: Cycling  from village to Hotel
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals: B/ l/D
Cycling distance: 74 Km

Day 5: Lao  Cai – Muong Khuong – Bac Ha
After enjoying a filling breakfast at the hotel, we head early to the Muong Khuong Sunday Market. The bulk of the 14 distinct hill tribal peoples who call Muong Khuong, a frontier district of Lao Cai province, home are the Hmong. The region shares a border with Yunnan province. Exploring the pristine landscapes and long-standing culture of the Hmong people is made distinctive and spectacular by cycling and visiting the vibrant Sunday Muong khuong market. On the route to the market, you can also take pictures of colorful individuals and intriguing sceneries.
After touring the market, we start pedaling toward the towns in order to complete a strenuous ascent. We climb for 7 kilometers to reach the summit, then descend to the Chay River and face a 35 km battle to reach the summit. We all have a difficult and demanding day ahead of us today. We travel to Bac Ha town via the border route that separates China and Vietnam. Along the way, we take in the Chay River's stunning scenery and the rice terraces that line the hillsides.After lunch, have lunch on the way. Before making our way down to Bac Ha Town, we continue to tackle the final pass.
Summary: 
Activity:Transferring and Cycling tours
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals: B/ l/D
Cycling distance: 65 Km

Day 6: Bac Ha – Ta Van Chu 
Take an hour to stroll around the hamlet after breakfast to socialize with the residents and take in the stunning surroundings. Prepare to embark on a 2km local route that will lead you to the main road. From there, it's an 18km journey up to Bac Ha. Your backup vehicle will be there to aid you up the breathtaking mountain pass if you need it. A quick break for lunch at a neighborhood eatery in Bac Ha Town is followed by riding a village route through Ban Pho hamlet and on to Ta Van Chu village, where guests will stay with a Flower Hmong family—a typical hill tribe in Bac Ha and the surrounding area. This section will take you on a single track trail and dirt road that winds past local residences and village residents, as well as through rice fields and plum gardens. During this fantastic homestay, you'll get to enjoy supper, actual daily living, and the friendly hospitality of your Flower Hmong hosts.
Summary:
Activities: Cycling
Accommodations: homestay in Ta Van Chu
Meals: B/L/D
Cycling distance: 42 Km

Day 7: Quan Than San  -  Can Cau - – Lung Phinh – Ban Lien 
After breakfast and the customary service from your host, bid them farewell with a few photos before heading out. Pedaling 5 kilometers on a gravel and often filthy route through the jungle to Quan Than San hamlet. Prepare to ride 12 km from Simacai to the Can Cau market (only on Saturdays). Now is a fantastic time to explore the distinctive and original market in Vietnam's northwest and have lunch with some local specialties. Preserve your amazing journey by snapping lots of pictures that your friends and family will be shocked to see. We will cycle the 20 kilometers back to Bac Ha after seeing the Can Cau market.lunch in the village of Bac Ha.
We travel on to Ban Lien Village, where we spend the night, after eating lunch.
Summary:
Activities:Cycling and visiting
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals:B/L/D
Cycling distance: 41 Km

Day 8: Ban Lien – Nam Khanh – Tan Duong - Hanoi
Visit the largest, most vibrant, and most striking market in the hilly region of Vietnam after breakfast. Our support car returns you to your homestay for check-out after you spend two hours in the market. After preparing our bikes at the farm stay, we ride uphill through cornfields and into Nam Det village before turning onto a single track that leads to the Tan Duong Section of the asphalt road.In Tan Duong, we're having a picnic lunch. After lunch, we packed up our bikes and bags and took a four-hour trip back to Hanoi on the new highway.
Summary:
Activities: Cycling and Transferring by bus
Accommodations: By Yourself
Meals:B/L/D
Cycling distance: 45 Km

Tour included in:
Bicycling guide who speaks English (other languages by request).
The lodging is based on two or three people sharing.
Meals included in itineraries: 06 dinners, 05 lunches, and 06 breakfasts.
Transportation and A/C transfer.
Bus or van assistance is provided during cycling hours.
Truck supported for groups larger than six.
Train ticket round-trip from Hanoi to Lao Cai and Pho Lu to Hanoi.
Trek mountain bikes equipped with helmets and disc brakes.
excursions for sightseeing according to the itineraries.
Bike tour pump, tools, tubes, and extra bikes.
first aid package.
Box of cold water, little towel.
Snacks and fruit on bike days.
Drinkable mineral water.

Tour excluded in:
International airfare
Travel insurance
Items of personal nature
Alcoholic beverages and soft drinks in meals
Mineral water beyond that supplied
Optional excursions
Additional transport required due to any emergency situation
Personal expenses such as telephone, laundry bills.
Visa fee
Departure  tax
Tip for team and guide

Availability
Tours and services may not be available on public holidays, or may be available at an additional surcharge.

Pick-up location
Most of our trips begin from our bike garage (both private and group tours), so transportation from your hotel to our bike shop (or v.v) is not included in the quote. We can arrange the service (with extra charge), and reservation needs to be made in advance.

Itinerary
Occasionally our tour itineraries are updated during the year to incorporate improvements stemming from past travelers’ comments and our own research. The information given in this itinerary may be slightly different to that in the service proposal. It’s very important that you print and review a final copy of your itinerary prior to travel. If you have any queries, please contact us.

Please note that while we operate successful cycling holidays in Vietnam throughout the year, some changes may occur in our itineraries due to inclement weather and common seasonal changes to timetables and transport routes. This can happen with little notice so please be prepared for modifications to the route. The order and timing of included activities in each location may also vary from time to time.

Price
Negotiating prices is a common practice in Vietnam, particularly in open-air markets, street shops, and rural areas. However, we are not good at bargaining and do not prefer this practice. Instead, we focus our time and efforts on tour arrangements, and our prices are fixed.

Safety
Wearing a helmet is compulsory on all our biking adventures. Our tour guide often carry first aid kit while riding. Please follow your guide while biking, and much attention is required while you cross streets.

Difficulty levels
To assist you visualize how our bike trip is difficult, we have graded our Vietnam cycling tours into three categories, easy, moderate, and challenging. We group many factors into consideration into this grading, including distant covered, terrain, altitude, and vehicle support.

Easy
Involves cycling for up to two to three hours a day at easy pace and usually, less than 3 days in duration. The cycling distances is around 15 – 30 km per day. There are likely to be no steep and sustained descents as well as demand for technical riding. We will normally ride on flat roads. Suitable for bikers who enjoy occasional weekend riding on trails at home. Push bikes are sometimes used for these itineraries.

Moderate
Involves biking for up to six hours a day at a steady pace and are usually between three to five days in duration. The cycling distance is about 35 – 55 km per day. Sometimes it can be long flat rides or medium ride with few up and downhill climbs. The support vehicle will not always be available. We will need a good level of fitness. We use either mountain bikes or road bikes for these itineraries.

Challenging
Involves biking in mountainous areas with big climbs for up to seven or eight hours a day and usually more than a week in duration. Cycling distance is about 60 – 80 km per day. There will be steep and sustained ascents and descents. The support vehicle will not always be available. These trips will provide a real sustained workout even for fit and experienced mountain bikers.

Accommodation
When cycling we mostly stay in small hotel, guesthouse or homestay. Some are more basic than others! Bear in mind that some of the places we overnight in are not on the standard tourist trail. In larger cities and towns, our hotels are generally more western style and are three or four star hotels (price option).

Camping is not available on cycling tours in Vietnam unless it is required and this should be booked months in advance. Camping is only available in a limited number of places such as Cat Ba island beach, Cuc Phuong national park…Please see the details on the quote.

Tour guide
Most of our tour guides speak English. Some other speak French. Few speak other language such as German, Russian, Spanish. All our guides have great knowledge of history, local culture, and religions of the area where you are cycling. Our guides have been trained in this field and is fully licensed in tour guiding.

Bike mechanic
We arrange a bike mechanic only for large groups or when it is required (with surcharge). When there is no mechanic, our guide will take care of problem which may occur during the bike ride.

Transportation
Depending on the nature of the tour, our cycle journeys will be accompanied by an air-conditioned car/minibus cover the larger overland sections. We often use mini bus or bus for transfer and back up (guided tours).
1 – 2 travelers: we use minivan to support and carry bikes. Sometimes we use a car for passengers and a truck for transport of the bikes.
3 – 6 people: we use one minivan for passengers and one truck for the bikes.
7 – 12 people: we use one bus (coach) for passengers and one truck for the bikes.
We provide bike rental and truck for self-guided bike tours.

We sometimes use local push-bikes (single-speed bicycles) where possible or when it is required. In this case, our cars will be arranged as follows.
1 – 2 passengers (with a tour guide): 4 seat car.
3 – 6 passengers (with a tour guide): 15/16 seat minivan.
7 – 12 passengers (with a tour guide): 29 seat coach/bus.

Bikes repairs
Basic spares and tools kit are generally carried by our guide or bike mechanic or on the support vehicle, although we can not guarantee having spares for every conceivable problem.

Food and drinks
All the meals which, are mentioned in itinerary (B=Breakfast; L=Lunch; D=Dinner), are included in the tour price. Most of meals are Vietnamese local food. Vegetarians are certainly welcome and are always accommodated, please let us know of any dietary concerns at time of booking. Beverage and alcoholic drinks are not included at mealtime or in restaurants.

Snacks and water
When we transfer, ride by minibus (no cycling day), our bottled waters are always available for you in the car/van. When we have cycling days, we will offer cold water (summer) plus fresh tropical fruits, soft drinks are also available in the car/van. Please take a look at the “Inclusions” section on our our service proposal to see whether the service is included in the price. Please note drinks are not included at mealtime or in restaurant.

Packing
Comfortable lightweight clothing in natural fabrics such as cotton is most suitable for traveling in Vietnam. The dress code is fairly casual as in most parts of the tropics but it is advisable to cover arms and legs in the evenings against biting insects. A lightweight raincoat is a good idea in the rainy season. During the winter months warm clothing is needed for visiting the north of Vietnam. Visitors should not wear shorts, short skirts or other skimpy clothing when visiting religious buildings such as pagoda, temple and shoes should be removed before entering a private home.
What you take will naturally depend upon where you are traveling and the style of journey you are undertaking, and it can often be difficult to decide what to pack. Nevertheless, the following should act as a useful checklist of essential items worth thinking about taking.

Clothing
2 pairs of riding shorts
2 riding jerseys (quick-dry)
2 pairs of quick dry socks for cycling
Comfortable shoes for biking and walking
Riding gloves
2-3 t-shirts or casual shirts
Trousers or jeans
1-2 pairs of casual socks for non-cycling activities
3-5 sets of underwear (quick-dry)
Cool-weather jacket or rain jacket
Extra layers and gloves for cooler season or climate (thin, thermal, water-wicking)
Bathing suit
Sandals

Toiletries
Tooth brush and tooth paste
Razor
Hair brush
Shampoo
Deodorant
Hand sanitizer

Miscellaneous
Passport, wallet and ID
Health insurance card
Travel insurance card
Cash and/or credit cards
Camera (with spare battery)
Plastic bags (for dirty laundry, wet clothes)
Electronic chargers (for camera, e-reader, cell phone)
Adaptors or convertors

Tipping
Tipping for good services is always appreciated. It is customary, though not compulsory, to tip tour guides and drivers at the end of the tour. Hotels and station porters should also be tipped a small amount for.
We recommend about 4-6 USD/traveler/day for the tour guide, about 2-3 USD/traveler/day for the driver (or the mechanic). Of course you are free to tip more or less as you see fit, depending on your perception of service quality, the length and the difficulty of your trip.

Community
Prior to our tours, we contact and work with local community leaders to make sure we are welcome and in a manner that minimizes negative social and cultural impacts. We visit local development and community projects specific to the region, encouraging customers to donate and assist such a projects in appropriate and sustainable manner.
Where make sure that where and whenever possible our tours positively benefit the local community. We stayed at locally owned accommodation and visit cottage industries for local handicraft souvenir, generating income for local business. We often employ, hire support team such as local guide, motor-taxi drivers, cook assistants on all trips to ensure that the local community benefit not only short term but with increased employment opportunities for the future.

Need further information? Check our FAQ page here or contact us.