Laos → Vietnam · 20 days

Your first hours in Vientiane are free. Wander the markets, visit a museum or a temple, have a coffee, and enjoy the lively atmosphere of Laos.

At noon we meet at the hotel, fit your bike and ride at an easy pace to Mini Makphet Restaurant, run by Friends International. Over lunch you'll hear about their vocational training programs. Next we visit the COPE Visitors Centre, which covers the Indo-China War's legacy and COPE's work supporting mobility for landmine victims.

As the sun sets we gather by the Mekong River for a drink, and dinner is a Lao-style BBQ.

Hotel: Urbanite Hotel (or equivalent) · Meals: D

NGO: Friends International, COPE

Buddha Statue Park, also known as Wat Xieng Khouane Luang, is a short transfer after breakfast. Spend some time among the sculptures.

The ride to Nam Pien Yorla Pa is 55 km, to the edge of Phou Khao Khouay National Park. We spend the night there in the rainforest. There's a canopy walk with a bird's-eye view of the forest, plus trails and waterfalls to explore.

Cycling: 55 km · Hotel: Nam Pien Yorla Pa Resort · Meals: B, L

The Lao Conservation Trust for Wildlife is right on our doorstep, and we visit it first. LCTW works with the authorities to rescue animals caught in the illegal wildlife trade, rehabilitate them and release them.

After that the ride to Nam Ngum Lake covers 80 km in total, with up to 50 km of it on the bike. We stop for a local lunch on the way, and the van stays with us if you need a break. At the lake we swap wheels for water and cross the reservoir by boat, arriving in Vang Vieng by late afternoon with time to unwind.

Cycling: 40 to 50 km · Hotel: Silver Naga Hotel (or equivalent) · Meals: B, L

NGO: Lao Conservation Trust for Wildlife

The 31 km ride around Vang Vieng stops at Blue Lagoons 2 and 3 for lunch from local food stalls. We also visit the historic Patong Cave Temple. The trail is mostly dirt road and manageable, with 286 m of climbing and descent.

Back in town the evening is yours to relax or explore. You can add a hot air balloon ride at sunrise or sunset, weather permitting.

Cycling: 31 km · Hotel: Silver Naga Hotel (or equivalent) · Meals: B

A sunrise hike to Pha Ngern Viewpoint is optional. It gives views over the surrounding mountains, but it is a challenge: the path can be steep and slippery, and it is not for novice hikers. We allow four hours for the return trip, starting at 5 am. You can sleep in instead.

You can ride from Vang Vieng to Kasi, where we spend the evening: 62 km on a paved but patchy road.

Cycling: 62 km · 844 m climb · Hotel: Kasi Guest House · Meals: B, L

The first 110 km of the 160 km to Phonsavan is by van, a drive of just over three hours. From the small village of Muang Souy the last 50 km is on the bikes, over gently undulating paved roads. This is a key transport route, so it can be busy at times.

We aim to arrive by mid-afternoon, leaving time to check in, freshen up and visit the Quality of Life Association, which supports victims of unexploded ordnance (UXO) in the surrounding region.

Cycling: 52.1 km · 568 m climb · Hotel: Anoulack Khen Lao · Meals: B, L

NGO: Quality of Life Association

In the morning we go to the Plain of Jars, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Laos. The valley is scattered with thousands of stone jars, believed to be up to 2,000 years old. One theory is that they were ancient burial pits.

If available, we also visit Lone Buffalo, a micro NGO that runs free English classes, female empowerment programs, entrepreneurial training and sports coaching.

Hotel: Anoulack Khen Lao · Meals: B

NGO: Lone Buffalo

Today is an expert-level ride, suited to riders with very good fitness. From the hotel the route heads directly north on quiet roads through villages, with 770 m of climbing and 1,350 m of descent.

You may need to push your bike in places, and the support van is with us the whole way for a break whenever you want one. Lunch is at the 70 km mark, followed by an uphill transfer over a mountain range. Then we descend into the town of Phonxai, where you can relax.

Cycling: 70 km · Hotel: Local Guesthouse · Meals: B, D

An early breakfast starts a challenging 60 km ride into Luang Prabang, mostly on paved roads, taking around 4 to 5 hours through villages and green country. With steady effort we arrive just in time for lunch.

Cycling: 60 km · Hotel: Sala Prabang Hotel (or equivalent) · Meals: B

From Luang Prabang we ride to Kuang Si Falls, where there is swimming. On the way we stop at the Lao Buffalo Dairy, to hear about its initiatives supporting village farmers, and at Free the Bears, a sanctuary that rescues and rehabilitates bears from bile farms.

To celebrate reaching Luang Prabang, we dine at Khaiphaen, a restaurant by Friends International that supports disadvantaged youth through vocational training.

Cycling: 28 km · 384 m climb · Hotel: Sala Prabang Hotel (or equivalent) · Meals: B

NGO: Lao Buffalo Dairy, Free the Bears

Nong Khuay, 30 km from Luang Prabang, is a remote community of 80 Hmong and Khmu families. Getting there takes some effort. First there is a 21 km ride along dirt tracks with some solid climbs, then the road ends and we trek 9 km through the mountains. If trekking isn't for you, a van waits in the village.

The Fairtrek initiative is strengthening the local economy through tourism. The village is where your Social Cycles bamboo water bottles are made. We spend time with local families, using our guide to get past the language barrier, and stay the night in a simple, welcoming homestay, sharing meals with our hosts.

Cycling: 21 km · 510 m climb · Hotel: Nong Khuay Village Homestay (basic) · Meals: B, L, D

We leave the village by van and start a 44 km ride on mostly paved roads, with short but sharp undulations. The Pak Ou Caves, filled with thousands of Buddha statues, are our lunch stop at the end of the ride.

From there we take the van to Pak Mong (127 km, about 3 hours). Time permitting, we then cycle another 29 km through small villages between towering karst peaks. This section is challenging, with steady climbs and sharp undulations, and views along the way.

Nong Khiaw, our destination, is a quiet riverside town. Unwind along the river and look up at Elephant Head Mountain, a striking natural landmark.

Cycling: 44 km and 29 km · Hotel: Mandala Ou Resort (or equivalent) · Meals: B, L

Today we travel by boat. A traditional long boat takes us up the Nam Ou River, towards the entrance of Phongsaly district.

Along the way we stop at the sleepy riverside town of Muang Ngoi, to stretch our legs, visit a local temple and see the historic cave complex, once used as shelter during the 2nd Indochina War. We also call in at rural communities along the riverbanks, to see daily life in this remote region. A picnic lunch is served, with views of the river.

Hotel: New Chaleunsouk Guesthouse · Meals: B, L

The Tay Trang border crossing into Vietnam is a 66 km drive, just under 2 hours. We get to the border nice and early. Then it's time to say goodbye to the Laos team.

On the other side the Social Cycles Vietnam team is waiting with a new set of bikes for the ride down to Dien Bien Phu: 34 km, mostly paved, with a nice drop in elevation. Once in Dien Bien Phu the evening is yours to explore, and the guide will lead you to local Vietnamese food.

Cycling: 34 km · 362 m climb · Hotel: Him Lam Resort · Meals: B, L

The ride winds through valleys on a paved road, past rice fields and villages that give glimpses of daily life in the countryside. The road climbs beyond 1,000 m in elevation, with views along the way. Then there is a 20 km descent into Muong Lay town, where the landscape opens up again.

Midway we stop for a simple village lunch of local food. Once we arrive in Muong Lay, the evening is yours to explore at your own pace. Wander the town and take in the riverside atmosphere.

Cycling: Up to 95 km · Hotel: Thanh Binh Hotel (or equivalent) · Meals: B, L

Get up early for the view over the Black River. After breakfast at the hotel we cycle the first 25 km on a tarmac road to Chan Nura, where a vast landscape opens up beneath you: endless mountains stretching into the distance and deep valleys dotted with stilt-home villages around clear streams.

It is a hard day's cycling, with good views at the end of it.

Cycling: 70 km · 1718 m climb · Hotel: Muong Thanh Lai Chau Hotel (or equivalent) · Meals: B, L

The O Quy Ho Pass is one of the most challenging days on the ride. At 38 km it is Northwest Vietnam's longest mountain pass, one of four major mountain routes in the region. The climb takes us beyond 2,000 m in elevation, from a low point of 700 m, with views of peaks and valleys along the way.

This is the toughest cycling day of the ride. The distance is 76 km from hotel to hotel, with 2,291 m of climbing and a 1,700 m descent. The road is mostly paved, and the support van is always nearby if you need a breather or want to leapfrog ahead.

Cycling: 75 km · 2291 m climb · Hotel: Sapa Centre Hotel (or equivalent) · Meals: B, L

A morning meander through the local market shows the mix of ethnic groups and the goods for sale.

In the afternoon you can cycle a gentle 25 km downhill into the Sapa valley, through mountain scenery, rice paddy fields and Hmong villages. Alternatively, you can rest in the town of Sapa. The riders are then transferred back to Sapa and on to Lao Cai railway station for the overnight train to Hanoi.

Cycling: 25 km · 164 m climb · Hotel: Sapalay overnight train (4 berth cabin) · Meals: B, L

Step out of the station and into the crowds of the city. The aromas of Hanoi's famous street food are waiting for breakfast. After checking in to the hotel we spend the morning with our NGO partner, Hope Box, a micro NGO that has built a social-enterprise system supporting women who have experienced gender-based violence in Vietnam.

The afternoon is yours to explore the Old Quarter or the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum complex, or to find one of Hanoi's many cafes and sit back with an egg coffee. In the evening we have our last dinner together and talk through the NGOs we learned about and where the donation money could and should go.

Hotel: Phoenix Hotel (or equivalent) · Meals: D

After breakfast you say goodbye to your newfound friends and riding buddies and continue on your onward journey.

Meals: B