Laos Canoeing & Kayaking
From £1516 per person*
Hanoi to Luang Prabang by Mountain Bike
Overview | Mai Chau Route | Sa Pa Route
This exceptional adventure will take you through the dramatic, tribal, mountainous area of Northern Vietnam to the north and west of Hanoi before descending to the ancient Royal city and World Heritage site of Luang Prabang, located on the mighty Mekong River.
We have 2 alternative routes. One starts in the charming Hill Station town of Sa Pa, the main market town for a kaleidoscopic array of tribal minorities, just south of the China border, and crosses into Laos at Dien Bien Phu, scene of the last great battle between the French colonial rulers and the Viet Minh freedom fighters in 1954 which finally saw the end to colonial rule in French Indochina.
The other heads west out of Hanoi through the towering karst limestone valleys of Mai Chau, crossing into Laos at Vieng Xai. Here you will get the chance to visit the extraordinary labyrinth of caves that housed a secret city during the troubled years following the American-Vietnam War, home to the Pathet Lao government in waiting. This route also includes a day kayaking down the Nam Ou River that flows into the Mekong near to Luang Prabang.
The Hanoi to Luang Prabang rides are not for the feint of heart - we will be navigating small dirt roads and climbing never ending hills - but the views will always be breathtaking and there will be numerous encounters with fascinating and hospitable tribal people.
Support vehicles will be accompanying the cyclists to carry luggage, refreshments, spares and fatigued riders!
Notes
This cycle ride can be incorporated into a Symbiosis tailor made holiday to Laos and/or Vietnam that can be adapted and tailored to meet your dates, preferences and passions. Please contact one of our bespoke holiday planners to create the ideal itinerary for you.
Mai Chau Route
Day 1 | Hanoi
The group will be arriving throughout the day. Our hotel is set just a short distance from the vibrant old quarter in Hanoi, so a good starting point to stretch the flight weary legs. In the evening we will meet up for a group briefing on the adventure ahead and our first meal together. (D)
Day 2 | Hanoi | 25km
After a morning walk to see the buzz of activity taking place around the city, we drive to the far side of the Red River to take a ride through the countryside. We ride along the dykes that partly formed the defense strategy of Hanoi, but also protects from flooding. Most of the families in this area have lived in the same houses for generations. We enjoy a tradional lunch and then drive back to the city where we spend one more night. (BL)
Day 3 | Mai Chau | 40km
This morning we make an early start by car and head into the hills west of Hanoi. We pass through Hoa Binh and onto Mai Chau. Mai Chau is set in a picturesque valley with towering hills around it. Here, only 145meters above sea level live the ethnic tribe of the White Tai. We take an afternoon ride of the valley and will see rice cultivation in action as well as hand made bricks being fired in cottage kilns and farmers hard at work tending to their crops and livestock. We finish the ride at the Mai Chau Lodge where we enjoy a comfortable bed to prepare us for the challenging ride tomorrow.(BL)
Day 4 | Moc Chau | 95km
We start out on the bike today and start to climb our way out of the valley. We are on a well made road today and we pass through some industrious small towns as we enter the more remote regions of the north-west. We have a couple of nice descents as we near our destination for the afternoon, Moc Chau, a small town of little repute and a perfect place to enjoy some local interaction and real Vietnamese food.(BLD)
Day 5 | Sam Neua, Laos | 70km
After a hearty local breakfast we hit the road in the direction of Laos. We arrive at the border in the late morning and after clearing immigration we meet our Lao support crew who will have a picnic lunch waiting for us. In the afternoon, we push on for a few more hours before boarding our comfortable support vehicle and driving into the next town, Sam Neua. Lao is a small country with small towns and a small population. The persistent din of Vietnam will have faded by now and you will be left with only the roosters to wake you the next morning. (BLD)
Day 6 | Vieng Thong | Vieng Xai Caves
Today we drive to the Vieng Xai Caves. These huge caves were home to around twenty thousand Pathet Lao communist fighters during the secret war of Laos. This war, termed secret because the US was not supposed to be engaged in combat in neutral Laos, was all part of the larger geo-political events and changes of the sixties and seventies. While the communist forces were being bombarded from the air by the CIA funded Hmong Army, they used these caves as a refuge, complete with hospital, school and underground villages. In the afternoon, we will drive onto our next stop Vieng Thong. (BLD)
Day 7 | Nong Khiaw | 90km
Today, after a short drive, we have a challenging ride ahead of us as we ascend and descend numerous times. The scenery of limestone karsts and forests, punctuated by small rivers and villages will be the reward for meeting this challenge. We arrive into the lovely Nong Khiaw in the late afternoon and can relax in a riverside guesthouse with a stunning view and a cool drink. (BLD)
Day 8 | Nong Khiaw | Rest day or trek Muang Ngoi
Today is a day off the bikes. For those who would like to relax with a book by the river, the day is yours to do so. If you crave more action, then you can board a boat and travel up-stream to Muang Ngoi, a small village accessible only by river. Here you can trek into the forest and pass through some of the most remote villages you can imagine. Mentioned by many as the highlight of their travels in Northern Laos, this is an activity that comes highly recommended.
Day 9 | Luang Prabang | Kayaking the Nam Ou
After so much excercise for the legs, today our upper bodies see some action, although, fairly gentle action. We kayak down along the Nam Ou River with its densely forested banks. Along the way children playing in the water will be surprised to see you and will yell out a warm Lao welcome. The river has some small rapids but anyone with basic skills in this area will be able to participate. We will come ashore late morning and find our lunch prepared before driving into Luang Prabang, world Heritage listed city, set on the banks of the Mekong River. This marks the end of our adventure. 
We will have a meal to celebrate the achievement of the ride. (BLD)
Day 10 | Finish
The tour concludes today. If you haven't had enough cycling, then join our Lao Lao tour and pedal your way to the Lao capital, Vientiane. (B)
Style: Fully supported cycling tour
Inclusions
- English speaking tour leader/Guide
- bike mechanic
- air-conditioned support vehicle
- accommodation on a twin/share basis
- most meals
- entrance fees
- kayaking
Bikes are not included. We would recommend that you bring your own for familiarity and comfort, but we also have good quality bikes for rent, if needed.
Group Size: Minimum 2, maximum 14.
Accommodation: 5 nights comfortable hotel, 4 nights guesthouse (all rooms have private bathroom).
Single Room Supplement
Single travellers do not have to pay any extra to join our trips - we will match you up with another same sex, single traveller. However, should you wish to choose to take a single room, we are happy to book rooms for you for an extra charge.
Single Supplement cost: USD340. We should point out that on rare occasions a single room may not be available, and in these instances you may need to share for a night or two - we will refund part of your single supplement in these cases.
Symbiosis can book any additional nights before or after the ride for you, plus any further activities for those lucky enough with time to spare!
* NOTE. Prices indicated on this website are shown as a guideline only and may be subject to currency fluctuations, banking fees and other changes outside our control. Pricing information is available in
other currencies.
Escalating the most spectacular mountain range in Southeast Asia — this bike journey from Hanoi to Luang Prabang presents stunning views and rare cultural encounters. Challenging inclines and scintillating descents make our trail, which winds through Sapa’s grooved hillsides, up Vietnam’s highest mountain pass and through enchanting tribe villages. Cycle into the picturesque Na 
River gorge, through the surrounding hills and valleys to Dien Bien Phu, the historic site of the Viet Minh’s decisive victory over the French. Bike into Laos to witness agrarian local life and untamed topography as we overnight at riverside guest houses. We’ll finish our bicycle trip in atmospheric Luang Prabang.
Day 1: Hanoi
Day 3: Sa Pa
Day 5: Lai Chau
Day 7: Dien Bien Phu
Day 8: Dien Bien Phu
A rest day to lean back and relax. We boat down the Nam Ou River enjoying serene life of the locals along the banks and stop over at a remote village hardly any tourists ever visit before reaching Muang Ngoy in the afternoon.
World Heritage city, where we freshen up and gather for our farewell dinner.
