Challenge yourself to cycle across the mountains of Laos and northern Vietnam, and be rewarded with an experience of a life time. Starting in Vientiane, cycle to Hanoi (20 days).
Slow travel by bicycle is the only way to truly discover this beautiful region of northern Laos. Starting in Vietniane and ending in Hanoi, via Luang Prabang and Sapa, this adventure will introduce you to the Plain of Jars, Kuang Si Waterfall, Xieng Khouang UXO-Survivors’ Information Centre and Buffalo Learning Centre.
Social Cycles will take you on a journey to interact and connect with local grassroot Non Government Organisations (NGOs) and the beneficiaries of a funded project of your choosing. Research what really happens on the ground and out in the villages with Social Cycles in a tour that carefully balances ethical research and local impact with cycling and site seeing.
The overall distance, should you cycle the whole way, is just over 770km over the 15 cycling days. In addition to that, there are a lot more hills than there is flat. More often than not, you’re either going to be climbing a mountain, or flying down! In total, it is a 16,243m ascent and descent over the trip. It can sound a little daunting, but with the aid of the support van, you can cycle as much or as little as you like. Should you choose, you can even just cycle the downhill!
E-Bikes are available on request (but are limited). There is an option to have an E-Bike in Vietnam only, and a regular bicycle in Laos. Just get in touch.
Arrival Day
There’s a feast of exciting activities to sink your teeth into. Spend your day exploring around the many markets, museums and temples. The day is yours to potter, caffeinate and watch the world go by. The group will meet up for dinner at 6pm at the hotel, where we’ll head over to the banks of the Mekong for a drink, followed by a Lao-style BBQ.
Inc. Meals: Dinner
Cycling: NA
Transit: Airport transfer
Hotel: Azalea Park View Hotel (or equivalent)
Start point
Wattay International Airport (VTE), Souphanouvong Rd., Sikhottabong, Vientiane, Laos
Buddha Park, COPE and Friends
After breakfast, we’ll get fitted for the bikes and start the day with a gentle 22km ride to Wat Xieng Khouane Luang, otherwise known as the Buddha Statue Park. The van will follow and take us back to town to visit COPE Visitors Centre, where we will get an introduction to the effect the Second Indo-china war had on locals and what COPE is doing to enhance mobility of land mine victims.
Mini Makphet restaurant is another local NGO by Friends International where we will have lunch and learn about the vocational training programs and the social work carried out by this amazing NGO.
After lunch, we’ll transit 80km out of Vientiane to spend the evening in Nam Pien Yorla Pa, part of the Phou Khao Khouay National Bio-Diversity Conservation Area.
Inc. Meals: Breakfast, lunch
Cycling: 22km
Transit: 80km
Hotel: Nam Pien Yorla Pa Resort
Lao Conservation Trust for Wildlife
Waking up surrounded by a tree top canopy, the Lao Conservation Trust for Wildlife is on our doorstop and our first stop after breakfast. LCTW works with authorities and individuals to rescue, rehabilitate and release as many animals as they can from the illegal wildlife trade.
Cycling on from LCTW, we’ll find a local restaurant for some sustenance, then tackle the remaining 28km to Nam Ngum Lake, where we will catch a private boat across the lake, making our way to Vang Vieng for the late afternoon.
Inc. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Cycling: 77 km +295 m / -237 m
Transit: 25km (45 min)
Hotel: Silver Naga Hotel (or equivalent)
NGO: Lao Conservation Trust for Wildlife
Blue Lagoons and Sunrise Balloons
Vang Vieng is famous for sunrise hot air balloons. We’re happy to connect you if that’s your thing (and weather permits). We’ve created a round cycling trip of 31km that takes us to Blue Lagoons 2 and 3, where we can have a dip in the open pools and grab some lunch from one of the food stands. We’ll also have the chance to explore Patong Cave Temple and a feast of surrounding attractions. The cycling is mostly on undulating dirt roads, with 286m of incline and decline. The evening is yours to relax and explore Vang Vieng.
Inc. Meals: Breakfast
Optional Extra: Hot air ballooning
Cycling: 31km +264m/-264m
Transit: None
Hotel: Silver Naga Hotel (or equivalent)
Sunrise trek
If you’re up for it, there’s the option to go on a sunrise trek to Pha Ngern Viewpoint for epic views across the surrounding mountains. It’s not without its challenges but well worth the reward. We’ll allow 4 hours for the return trip, starting at 5am. Or you can always sleep in.
There is every opportunity to ride from Vang Vieng to Kasi, where we’ll spend the evening. The total distance is 62km on a paved but patchy road, we’ll aim to ride to Kasi for the early afternoon.
Inc. Meals: Breakfast, lunch
Cycling: 62km +480 m / -303 m
Transit: Optional
Hotel: Kasi Guest House
Cycling mountains
We have approximately 160km to get to Phonsavan, so the first 110km will be covered in the van, which should take just over 3 hours. From the small village of Muang Souy, we’ll tackle the final 50km over some undulating paved roads. The road is a thoroughfare for transport around Laos and can be busy at times.
We’ll aim to arrive in the mid to late afternoon, giving us enough time to check in, shower and grab a massage before dinner.
Inc. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Cycling: 52.1 kilometers · +568 m / -574 m
Transit: 3 hrs, 110km
Hotel: Anoulack Khoun Lao
Plain of Jars UNESCO Heritage Site
In the morning, we’ll see the Plain of Jars UNESCO Heritage site, an archeological landscape consisting of thousands of stone jars scattered throughout the valley. If available, we’ll also meet a micro NGO, Lone Buffalo, that provides free English tuition, female empowerment programs and sports coaching. The rest of the afternoon is yours to rest, unwind and explore the town.
Inc. Meals: Breakfast
Cycling: None
Transit: Local only
Hotel: Anoulack Khoun Lao
NGO: Lone Buffalo
Cycling to the Strawberry Farm Campsite
The van will take us 90km West, allowing us to cycle the final 50km to Phou Khoun. The road is paved with the usual pot holes and is not foreign to some traffic. For something different, we’ll spend the night under the stars camping at Phou Khoun Strawberry Farm. Watch the sea of clouds floating over the mountains.
Inc. Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Cycling: 50km +1,416 m / -1,088 m
Transit: 2 hrs 90km
Hotel: Strawberry Farm Camping
Cycling into town
We’ll skip the first 53km of climbing by jumping in the van to the viewpoint. From here we’ll attempt to cycle all the way into Luang Prabang, with twice as much downhill as up in the remaining 76km. There’s no rush and a support van is with us the whole way. Once we get into Luang Prabang, we’ll meet again for dinner at the Friends International restaurant, KhaiPhaen. It’s a social enterprise-based restaurant that empowers disadvantaged youth with vocational training amongst other support.
Inc. Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Cycling: 76km +1283 m / -2382 m
Transit: 2 hrs 53km
Hotel: Sala Prabang Hotel (or equivalent)
Bears, buffalos and waterfalls
We ride to Kuang Si Falls, one of the most spectacular swimming holes on the continent. Along the way, we’ll visit the Lao Buffalo Dairy, whose initiative provides insight into the issues surrounding village farmers and water buffalo care. Before dipping in the beautiful Kuangsi Falls, we’ll visit Free the Bears. This sanctuary rescues and rehabilitates sun and moon bears from bile farms, working closely with Lao Conservation Trust for Wildlife.
It’s a ‘there and back’ ride, totalling 57km. If you’re keen to get back to town and make the most of Luang Prabang for the evening, you can jump in the van and halve the cycling for the day.
Inc. Meals: Breakfast
Cycling: 57km +694 m / -694 m
Transit: Optional
Hotel: Sala Prabang Hotel (or equivalent)
NGO: Lao Buffalo Dairy
Jungle Jars, family life and Homestay
Some 30km out of Luang Prabang is Nong Khuay Village. A very remote community, home to 80 families of both Hmong and Khummu origin. To get there, we will cycle 21km on a mostly dirt track, with pretty reasonable climbs. Be prepared to get your sweat on! Then the road finishes and we must trek through the mountains for almost 9km. The van will meet us in the village, so you can always hitch a ride if mountain trekking is not your thing. Fairtrek initiative is working extensively within the village to create new revenue streams to boost the village economy through tourism. This is where your Social Cycles bamboo water bottles are made. We will stay the night with the community and experience real village life, eating with our new host families. The experience is very real village life, so expect simple, basic and authentic.
Inc. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Cycling: 21km | +510m / -157m
Transit: None
Hotel: Nong Khuay Village Homestay (basic)
Cycling through remote villages
We cycle out of the village on dirt roads for 6km and tackle a pretty decent downhill, almost 15% at some parts. Then there’s a flat 7km of paved road before we jump in the van and head to Pak Mong (127km, 3 hrs). From here it is a further 29km through little villages nestled in between spectacular Karst peaks, on undulating paved roads.
The small town of Nong Khiaw is a favourite and the rustic charm of this quiet enclave is intoxicating.. relax along side the river in the shadow of elephant head mountain.
Inc. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Cycling: 13km | +130m /-677m & 29km | +364m / -402m
Transit: 3 hours
Hotel: Mandala Ou Resort (or equivalent)
River cruising in a long tail boat
Today we transfer to the river to board a traditional long boat for the cruise up the Nam Ou River to the entrance to the Phongsaly district. We call in at the sleepy town of Muang Ngoi on the way to stretch our legs, along with some other riverside villages.
We’ll enjoy a pre-packed picnic lunch along the way, arriving at Muang Khua around 5 pm
Inc. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Cycling: None
Transit: All day boat
Hotel: New Chaleunsouk Guesthouse
Crossing into Vietnam
We start the day getting to the Tay Trang border crossing, into Vietnam. The 66km drive will take just under 2 hrs, but we’ll get to the border nice and early, and then it’s time to say goodbye to the Laos team! The Social Cycles Vietnam team will be waiting on the other side with a new set of bikes for you to take on the ride down to Dien Bien Phu. The ride is mostly paved and just 41km away with a nice drop in elevation.
Once in Dien Bien Phu, the evening is yours to explore. Be led by the guide and feast on local, authentic Vietnamese cuisine!
Inc. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Cycling: 35km | +458m / -1,121m
Transit: 1 hr 45
Hotel: Muang Thanh Hotel
Cycling rivers and valleys
Today we cycle along windy valleys on a paved road that snakes through the beautiful countryside. We are surrounded by rice fields and villages. We climb to an elevation of over 1000m and are rewarded once again with stunning views before descending (20km) to Muong Lay town.
Lunch will be simple and authentic, at one of the villages along the way. Once into town, the evening is yours to explore.
Inc. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Cycling: Up to 95km | hard | +1997 m / -2258 m
Transit: None
Hotel: Thanh Binh Hotel (or equivalent)
The mountain challenge
Get up early to capture pristine nature and picturesque scenery over the Black River. After breakfast at the hotel, we will cycle the first 25km on a tarmac road to Chan Nura. A vast landscape opens up beneath you: endless mountains stretching into the distance and craterous valleys dotted with stilt-home villages clustered around clear streams. Today is a hard day’s cycling, but definitely worth it. The reward at the end of it is some of the best views in the whole region.
Inc. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Cycling: 70km | hard | +1,718m / -2,387m
Transit: None
Hotel: Muong Thanh Lai Chau Hotel (or equivalent)
Epic mountains, incredible valleys
Today is another great day as we conquer the O Quy Ho Pass. These 38km make for the longest pass of Northwest Vietnam. It is located in the system of four mountain passes in the North West. This climb takes you to an elevation of over 2000m, with the lowest point of the day at 700m. The views and stunning scenery will provide lifelong memories and will forever be ingrained as some of the most majestic and spectacular natural imagery on the planet. This is the hardest riding day of the tour. The total distance from the hotel to the hotel is 76km with an overall climb of 2291m and a descent of 1700m. The road is mostly paved and the van is always close by and will be available should you want to take a break or even leap frog the group.
Inc. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Cycling: 75km | hard | +2291m / -1700m
Transit: None
Hotel: Sapa Centre Hotel (or equivalent)
Overnight train to Hanoi
A morning meander through the local market will highlight the melting pot of ethnic tribes and goods for sale.
You can choose to spend the afternoon cycling a gentle 25km downhill into the Sapa Valley and experience the fantastic scenery of mountains, rice paddy fields and Hmong villages along the way. Alternatively, you can rest and relax in the town of Sapa.
The riders will be transferred back to Sapa and then to Lao Cai railway station for your overnight train to Hanoi.
Inc. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Cycling: 25km | easy | +164m / -1267m
Transit: None
Hotel: Sapalay overnight train (4 berth cabin)
The Great Donation Debate
Step out of the station and into the throngs of the city, the aromas of famous Hanoi street food await for breakfast. After checking into the hotel, we’ll spend the morning learning from our NGO partner, HopeBox. This micro NGO has created an incredible, social enterprise-based system supporting victims of gender-based violence in Vietnam.
The afternoon is yours to explore the Old Quarter, the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum complex or just find one of Hanoi’s endless funky cafes to sit back, relax and enjoy a egg coffee. In the evening, we’ll enjoy our last supper together as we discuss the NGOs we learned about and where the donation money could and should go.
Inc. Meals: Dinner
Cycling: None
Transit: Train Station to Hotel
Hotel: Phoenix Hotel (or equivalent)
Departure Day
Say goodbye to your newfound friends and riding buddies after breakfast as you get set to continue your onward journey.
Inc. Meals: Breakfast
Cycling: None
Transit: Airport transfer arranged on request ($)
Hotel: Additional accommodation arranged on request ($)
End point
Hanoi, Vietnam
Payments & refunds
To confirm your place on one of our adventures, you will need to pay a A$100 deposit. The deposit is not refundable if you cancel. The full balance is due 60 days prior to departure for all tours. If you wish to cancel after you have paid the balance, you are eligible for a 50% refund if the cancellation period is between 60 and 31 days prior to departure. If you cancel with less than 30 days prior to departure, there is no refund available. But then, that is what travel insurance is for.
Needless to say, that if the tour is cancelled by Social Cycles, then we will provide a 100% refund. It has never happened, and I can’t see why it would, but if it did, we’d look after you. And we’d be very sorry.
Personal Responsibility
Due to the nature of the style and locations that Social Cycles operate in, Social Cycles Pty Ltd and their guides, leaders, and support staff do not accept responsibility for any loss, injury, illness, damage, accident, fatality, delay or inconvenience experienced from time of departure to time of return arising out of any such adventure trip organised by Social Cycles.
Some of the places we cycles can be dangerous. The roads are very busy and the road rules differ to Western based countries. You are responsible for yourself on the roads and expected to take the utmost care and attention when on the roads. There will be a support van on call at all times that you can ride in if you do not feel comfortable.
Promotional Material
Social Cycles Pty Ltd has the right to photograph and film all aspects of the tour in order to produce further promotional material. This material will be available to all participants after the tour free of charge. Images may be used on the website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and other social media channels owned by Social Cycles. Images may also be used by third parties in collaboration with Social Cycles for co-branded promotional purposes. If you do not want your image used in this way, please notify Social Cycles in writing prior to the departure of your trip.
Itinerary changes
Itinerary changes are going to happen. It’s just in the nature of adventure. Things happen that just cannot be controlled or accounted for, especially when you get off the beaten track as we do. However, we’ll do our best to give you as much notice as possible, upgrade you where we can or just give you an all round amazing time. We ask for your patience and understanding when we need to alter the cycling route due to weather or terrain changes, and some of which we won’t know until we get there. All changes will be made in your best interest, with health and safety taking priority.
Privacy Statement
You will be required to provide some of your personal information to Social Cycles in order to complete your booking. Please note that details such as your full name, date of birth and passport numbers will be provided to third party suppliers. This will only be done where required for legal reasons (eg. booking flight tickets, permits, hotel bookings in some countries, third party suppliers (private boat tours). Your email address will not be shared with anyone!
19 Nights Accommodation
To make the most of Laos & Vietnam, we stay in a variety of different accommodation styles. In Luang Prabang, we stay in a beautiful French colonial-style building in the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage City. Once we move away from the major towns and into the rural villages, we stay in clean & comfortable guest houses. All local guesthouse rooms have their own private bathroom with a western toilet. In the Lao village of Nong Khuay, we will spend the night with a local family in a traditional homestay. Where we can, we'll always choose to stay in a hotel with a pool.
The overall distance, should you cycle the whole way, is just over 770km over the 15 cycling days. In addition to that, there are a lot more hills than there are flats. More often than not, you’re either going to be climbing a mountain, or flying down! In total, it is a 16,243m ascent and descent over the trip. It can sound a little daunting, but with the aid of the support van, you can cycle as much or as little as you like. Should you choose, you can even just cycle downhill!
E-Bikes are available on request (but are limited). There is an option to have an E-Bike in Vietnam only, and a regular bicycle in Laos. Just get in touch.
An air-conditioned minivan is used in both Laos and Vietnam to transport the riders when the team is not cycling.
For this tour, you'll need to fly into Vientiane Laos and depart from Hanoi, Vietnam.
Sticky rice, fresh vegetables, mountains of fresh herbs, fish and meat, fish sauce, chilli, spices, fruit and more sticky rice… one of the wonderful features of the Lao diet is the almost complete absence of processed foods. Ironically, it’s the poor economic status of this small, landlocked South-East Asian country that has kept its cuisine fresh, vibrant and healthy for hundreds of years. Lao’s culinary offering includes universal hits, like steamed fish in banana leaf and pork laap salad, alongside options for the adventurous eater, such as duck’s blood salad.
In 2023, the Cycle Laos adventure is hosted by local cycling legend and guru, Phout. With a smile that stretches from ear to ear and a ‘nothing is too much trouble’ attitude, we’re proud to have Phout donning the SC uniform! Phout is particularly passionate about highlighting the many features of Laos. He’ll grab the menu and order a feast, ensuring you get to try the best of Lao cuisine, make sure your bike is in top condition at all times and be there in the van ready to give you a lift when you need it most! Brett Seychell, Social Cycles founder, will try and make the adventure too.
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