Upon arrival in Hanoi, check into the hotel in the heart of the Old Quarter. After settling in, expert mechanics carry out a thorough bike fitting, making sure every bike is dialled in to each rider’s preferences and body dimensions. Once everyone is geared up and ready, we gather for a welcome dinner of traditional Northern Vietnamese cuisine, a chance to meet the group, get acquainted with the guides, and kick off the Ha Giang adventure properly.

Meals: Dinner
Accommodation: Le Jardin Hotel Haute Couture or similar

We’re picked up at 7:30 am for a 5-hour van transfer north, stopping en route for a local-style breakfast as the landscape starts to shift. After the transfer, a strong Vietnamese coffee and a quick change into cycling gear, and we’re off. The first 15 km (9.3 mi) are a gentle warm-up through rolling hills, with a lunch stop at a small local restaurant run by a young ethnic couple. Then the real climbing begins: a final 7 km (4.3 mi) push up to Hill Home in Hoang Su Phi, surrounded by spectacular terrace-covered hillsides.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Hill Home Hoang Su Phi or similar
Cycling: 22 km (13.7 mi)
Elevation: +800 m (+2,625 ft)

We leave Hoang Su Phi early for one of the most visually spectacular days on the loop. The ride opens on off-road dirt paths, descending 400 m (1,312 ft) through 8 km (5 mi) of hillside villages, with terraced mountainsides following the contours of the landscape on every side. Closer to Ha Giang, the route passes through the homeland of 15 distinct ethnic minority tribes, each with their own heritage and traditions. We close the day with a steep final climb rewarded by sweeping views over Ha Giang City, then check into a boutique hotel for the night.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Four Points Ha Giang by Sheraton or similar
Cycling: 60 km (37.3 mi)
Elevation: +1,500 m (+4,921 ft)

After a 25 km (15.5 mi) bus transfer along paved roads lined with terraced rice paddies, we saddle up and ride into the heart of Vietnam’s limestone mountain range. The terrain is relentless in the best possible way: steep climbs and fast descents through spectacular geological formations, misty terraces, and mountain minority communities where life moves at its own pace. The day’s centrepiece is Heaven’s Gate 1, a legendary mountain pass with sweeping views over the Tam Son valley and Twin Hills. We finish with a descent into the quiet town of Yen Minh.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Phuong Dong Hotel
Cycling: 60 km (37.3 mi)
Elevation: +1,500 m (+4,921 ft)

We start the morning with a short, leisurely ride to a nearby hill tribe market, a vivid snapshot of the Chinese-influenced culture of Vietnam’s far north, before the biggest climb of the trip. The Way of Happiness Road winds up across the Dong Van Karst Plateau, a UNESCO-recognised geopark of extraordinary limestone formations, with the Hmong King Palace and Lung Cu Flag Pole Tower waiting at the summit. Lung Cu marks Vietnam’s northernmost point. Then 15 km (9.3 mi) downhill to Dong Van ancient town, where the evening is free for our own exploration.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Dongvan Ville Du H’Mong Hotel or similar
Cycling: 60 km (37.3 mi)
Elevation: +1,700 m (+5,577 ft)

Today’s ride begins on the Sky Walk, a cyclist-friendly road alongside the magnificent Ma Pi Leng Pass that earns its name when the mist rolls in and the cliffs disappear into the clouds. We fly down a steep descent to the Nho Que River and board a boat for a cruise through one of Vietnam’s most dramatic canyon landscapes: walls of sheer rock rising 700 m (2,297 ft) from jade-green water on either side. After disembarking, the support van takes us back to the colourful village of Meo Vac for the night.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Auberge de Meo Vac
Cycling: 30 km (18.6 mi)
Elevation: +700 m (+2,297 ft)

The most demanding day of the loop, and one of its most rewarding. We set off from Meo Vac toward the Mau Due-Lung Ho summit, a climb that tests even experienced cyclists but delivers some of the most panoramic views in Vietnam. A well-earned picnic lunch waits at the top. Then comes the descent: one of the fastest and most exhilarating stretches on the entire route, dropping all the way down to the tranquil riverside village of Du Gia. Tonight we rest at a comfortable lodge right on the water.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Chien’s Lodge or similar
Cycling: 54 km (33.6 mi)
Elevation: +800 m (+2,625 ft)

We start the final morning at Du Gia’s local market, browsing traditional crafts and the colourful dress of the local hill tribe communities. Then we saddle up one last time: a 5 km (3.1 mi) climb through cliffs and caves gives way to a sweeping 20 km (12.4 mi) descent, followed by 10 km (6.2 mi) of flat riding into Ha Giang for a farewell lunch. After saying goodbye to the bikes, the support van transfers us back to Hanoi, arriving around 10 pm, with a dinner stop along the way.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Cycling: 38 km (23.6 mi)
Elevation: +800 m (+2,625 ft)