Exploring Northeast Vietnam by E-Bike
12 days / 11 nights | Hanoi and Vietnam’s far north | Guided e-bike tour
This is northern Vietnam at its most dramatic, and an e-bike makes it achievable. Ride out of Hanoi to Thac Ba Lake, then climb into the limestone peaks of Ha Giang and the UNESCO-listed Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark, over the famous Ma Pi Leng Pass and along the Chinese border through Cao Bang to the thundering Ban Gioc Waterfall. Along the way you stay in ecolodges, guesthouses and village homestays with Hmong, Dao, Tay and Nung families, before finishing with a boat trip on Ba Be Lake and a last ride back towards Hanoi.
This is an example itinerary. We can tailor the hotels, pace and inclusions to suit you.
From NZ$6,080 per person twin share, based on 2 travelling together in 2027.
Domestic flights are not included in the tour price. The tour starts and finishes at Hanoi’s Noi Bai airport, and we quote your international flights separately.
Highlights
- Ten days of guided e-biking through some of Vietnam’s most spectacular mountain scenery, with a support vehicle, mechanic and bike truck behind you
- The Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark, the Heaven Gate at Quan Ba and the Twin Hills, and the 800-metre-deep Nho Que River canyon from the Ma Pi Leng Pass
- Ethnic minority villages and colourful hill-tribe markets (timing permitting), with nights in local homestays
- Ban Gioc Waterfall on the China border, and Pac Bo, where Ho Chi Minh hid out while planning Vietnam’s independence
- Phja Thap’s handmade incense village, and a boat trip on Ba Be Lake, Vietnam’s largest natural lake
Day by Day
Welcome to Vietnam! You’re met at Noi Bai airport by your guide and transferred about 45 minutes to your hotel. The rest of the day is free, then this evening you gather for a welcome dinner at a Vietnamese restaurant in the city.
Meals: Dinner
After breakfast, drive about two hours out of the city, then saddle up and ride Route 313 to Ha Hoa Bridge and on along quiet sealed roads to Thac Ba Lake. Your destination is Vu Linh, a peaceful commune that’s home to the Dao people, with lovely views over the lake.
Cycling: about 80 km, medium | Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Follow a small road lined with palm trees and big mountains towards Hoang Su Phi, a district known for its terraced hillsides and colourful village rooftops. The road winds past deep pools and river crossings, and you transfer the last stretch.
Cycling: about 80 km, hard | Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Ride back to National Road 2 and on to Ha Giang, then tackle the climb up the spectacular Quan Ba Pass, stopping at Tay and Hmong villages along the way. From the top, known as Heaven Gate, the Tam Son valley opens out below you, with its rice fields, flower farms and the famous Twin Hills. After lunch in Tam Son, take an hour’s walk through Nam Dam, a traditional village of the Dao people.
Cycling: about 90 km, hard | Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
A big day in the heart of the UNESCO-listed Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark. Descend through Hmong villages and along the river, then climb and roll over to Yen Minh through some of the most beautiful terraced fields in Vietnam. If it’s a Sunday, you’ll visit the market first. In the afternoon, ride on to Dong Van, stopping at the old clay-walled town of Pho Bang, the Hmong village of Sung Muoi and the Vuong Palace, home of the family that once ruled the region and its opium trade.
Cycling: about 105 km, hard | Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Today’s ride takes you over the Ma Pi Leng Pass, one of Vietnam’s great views, with sheer limestone walls and the Nho Que River running through an 800-metre-deep canyon below. Descend to the Gam River and into Cao Bang province, passing bamboo forests and old stilt houses among the rice and corn fields. Depending on the day, there may be time for a local market in Meo Vac, Lung Phin, Niem Son or Bao Lac.
Cycling: about 95 km, hard | Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Follow the Gam River through quiet villages and orchards, then take on the Me Pja and Khau Coc Cha passes, two of the country’s most scenic climbs. Descend through the Xuan Truong valley and its rice terraces, then ride the Ta Nenh Pass past untouched villages before a downhill run into Ha Quang.
Cycling: about 70 km, hard | Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Cycle through farming villages to Pac Bo, just 3 km from the China border, to see the cave where Ho Chi Minh lived and worked for four years while planning Vietnam’s independence. Continue past conical mountains, markets and forested hills to Trung Khanh, then cross the Quay Son River and follow the border through terraced fields to Ban Gioc.
Cycling: about 96 km, medium | Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Walk down early to Ban Gioc, one of Vietnam’s most impressive waterfalls, which it shares with China. After breakfast, ride the new frontier road past limestone ranges to Quang Uyen, visiting Tay and Nung villages along the way. In the afternoon, continue on country roads to Phja Thap, a village still making incense entirely by hand.
Cycling: about 58 km, medium | Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Start with a climb over the mountain behind the village for a view back over Phja Thap. Then ride quiet roads and the river valley towards Bac Kan, past limestone peaks and rice terraces, with a short transfer before rolling into Ba Be National Park. One of Vietnam’s oldest national parks, it surrounds the country’s largest natural freshwater lake and is home to Tay, Dao and Hmong communities.
Cycling: about 80 km, medium | Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Take a local boat out on the clear waters of Ba Be Lake, ringed by forested mountains. Then ride your final stage through tea plantations and villages towards Thai Nguyen. After lunch, the bikes go on the truck and you’re driven about 2.5 hours back to Hanoi.
Cycling: about 80 km, medium | Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
The morning is free until check-out at noon, then you’re transferred to the airport for your flight home.
Meals: Breakfast
Where You Stay
- Hanoi (2 nights): Luxe Paradise Hotel, 3-star, Deluxe room
- Vu Linh (1 night): La Vie Vu Linh Ecolodge, Upper Lake View room
- Hoang Su Phi (1 night): Hoang Su Phi Bungalow, Standard Bungalow
- Quan Ba (1 night): local homestay, shared dormitory-style
- Dong Van (1 night): Ville Du H’Mong, 2-star, Standard room
- Bao Lac (1 night): Duc Tai Guesthouse, 2-star, Standard room
- Ha Quang (1 night): Me Farmstay, Bungalow
- Ban Gioc (1 night): Lan Rung Homestay, private room
- Phja Thap (1 night): local homestay, shared dormitory-style
- Ba Be Lake (1 night): Ba Be Lakeside, 3-star, Lake View Bungalow
What’s Included
- 11 nights’ accommodation as listed, twin or double share where rooms are available
- Meals as listed: 11 breakfasts, 10 lunches and 11 dinners
- E-bike hire (Grant ATX E+ or similar) and a refillable bike bottle each
- English-speaking EXO Adventure-certified cycling guide, plus a mechanic on a motorbike
- Private air-conditioned support vehicle for transfers and back-up, and a truck to carry the bikes
- Plenty of drinking water, snacks and local fruit on cycling days
- Boat trip on Ba Be Lake and sightseeing entry fees as listed
- Airport transfers in Hanoi
Not included: domestic and international flights, visas, travel insurance, meals not listed, drinks other than water, energy drinks and bars, tips, and personal expenses.
Good to Know
- From NZ$6,080 per person twin share, based on 2 people travelling together in 2027. Prices change with travel dates, group size and exchange rates, so ask us for a current quote.
- Domestic flights are not included in the tour price. The tour starts and finishes at Hanoi’s Noi Bai airport, and we quote your international flights separately.
- Travelling solo? Ask us about the single supplement.
- This is a challenging ride: most days are 70 to 105 km over big mountain passes. The e-bikes do a lot of the work, but you should be a regular, confident cyclist.
- Accommodation in the far north is simple. Two nights are in village homestays on a shared, dormitory-style basis, which is all that’s available in those areas and part of the experience.
- Market visits depend on the day of the week and the lunar calendar, and your guide may change the route because of weather or road conditions.
- Travel over Christmas, New Year, Tết (Vietnamese Lunar New Year) and Vietnamese public holidays may attract surcharges and compulsory meals.
- The best times to ride are about March to May and September to November. Winter in the mountains can be cold and misty, and summer brings heavy rain.
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