Off-road Vietnam Enduro Tour in Northern provinces- 4 Days

It is exciting right from the beginning when we set out for the trip. From the meetup point, we snake through the busy and chaotic streets in bustling Hanoi, heading to the Road 32.  We then head to the first destination in our journey – Bac Yen district in the northern mountainous province of Son La.

Mountainous Bac Yen district offers some of the most pleasant off the beaten track journeys and light adventure trips in northwestern Vietnam.

With Hanoi – Bac Yen route, we will ride through zigzag roads with several sharp bends and slopes. As a driver, you will feel a bit scared but the landscape will make all your efforts worth it. Enjoying the panoramic view over the vast tea plantations and terraced rice fields here will be a rewarding experience for riders.

In the afternoon, the ride will be more relaxing with 40km off-road track through a Hmong ethnic village on the peak of the mountain with slippery slopes.

We head down to Bac Yen town to our homestay when the last bit of sun falls on the spectacular mountain ranges.

While you are in Son La, there’s one thing that you should definitely not miss – Ta Xua peak. Known as one of the ten tallest mountain peaks in Vietnam, Ta Xua is no longer a strange name among mountaineers and adventure fans. Trekking to the peak to enjoy the sea of clouds and the magnificence of this land will be once in a lifetime experience for any tourist. The best time to ‘hunt clouds’ in Ta Xua is said to be between October and April.

From Bac Yen, we continue our ride along the rocky slope with steep cliffs on one side and deep valley on the other one.

We make it to Tu Le, a commune in Van Chan district in northern mountainous Yen Bai province in the late afternoon. Tu Le is located between three mountain ranges – Khau Pha, Khau Than, and Khau Song and well known for the stunning beauty of rice terraced fields.

A 40km dirt road on the third day of the journey will be a good test of your limits. One of the highlights of the ride today is riding through the aromatic ancient cinnamon forest and through the villages which host endless dried cinnamon bark along the road. We continue our ride until we reach the edge of a big and peaceful hydropower lake named Thac Ba.

In the late afternoon when we make it to the homestay, you can join a cooking class with our very friendly host in a traditional stilt house near the lake or just relax on a boat around the lake.

We bid farewell to our hospitable and helpful host in the morning after having breakfast here. We first follow the National Highway 2 to the peaceful town of Phu Tho, then ride along the dike of the Red River to the place where the river meets the Black River.

Hanoi is not far from this point. By crossing the bridge on the Black River, you will pass Son Tay, then return to Hanoi on the highway.

Our four-day tour ends in Hanoi before the rush hour with lots of memorable experiences to treasure.