Crossing borders tour: Vietnam - China - Laos
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Tour Duration: 21 - 25 day(s)
Group Size: 10 - 20 people
Specialty Categories: Motorcycle Tours Ecotourism
Season: December
Airfare Included: No
Tour Itinerary:
Day 1:Hanoi – Mai Chau, 170km; B, L, D
Transfer out of the City by car, we choose the longer road to Mai Chau but with more beautiful scenery and less traffic. Enjoy traditional dancing in local Thai ethnic family. Overnight with family
Day 2:Mai Chau – Phu Yen, 130km; B, L, D
Begin the rocky riding for an hour to the region of H’Mong hill-tribe, Explore the Moc Chau highlands with green tea fields then crossing Black River by ferry to Phu Yen.
Day 3:Phu Yen – Mu Cang Chai, 160km; B, L, D
Ride along 2kms of dirt road through the mountain passes of Lung Lo through forest, begin to follow Hoang Lien Son mountain ranges heading up North through high mountain passes.
Day 4: Mu Cang Chai – Sapa, 170km; B, L, D
Explore the most beautiful landscape in the Northwest of Vietnam, Tram Ton passes, walking around Sapa. Hoang Long Hotel
Day 5: Sapa – Lao Cai – Hakou – Kaiyuan, 240km; B, L, D
Checking the border into China. Heading up stream on the Red River bank, visit the old French town Mengzi and the old colonial train station near the Lake Nanhu. Diannan hotel 3*
Day 6:Kaiyuan – Stone Forest – Kunming, 210km; B, L, D
Beautiful scenery - paddy fields with crops. On the way, stop at Shilin to visit the Stone Forest (110 km). Stone forest is the number one natural wonder in China, 270 million years ago it was underwater but shifts in the earth's crust caused the sea to recede making a new tableland, while its limestone bed rose up, to create the stone pillars.
Day 7: Kunming City tour; B 1896 m,
The capital of Yunnan Province, the gate of China to South East Asia, the trade to Burma, Thailand and Vietnam is very flourishing. As its climate is good all year round, Kunming is also famous for its wide variety of flowers. City tour: visit the Bamboo Buddhist Temple (18 km) with 500 Arhat statues which were built in the Qing Dynasty (280 years ago). Camellia hotel 2*
Day 8:Kunming – Yuanmou, 207km; B, L, D
Upon arrival, visit the Earth Mound Forest, a mysterious and magnificent wonderland. Visitors wandering around the earth mounds are just like people touring in a wonderland. The main spectacles include views of castles of ancient Greece; cathedrals of ancient Rome and temples of ancient China. Yuanmou hotel 2*
Day 9: Yuanmou – Huaping, 214km; B, L, D
Today the ride to Huaping is along a paved road, via Yongren, Renhe (Sichuan province, 123 km), Pangzhihua (Sichuan), then to Huaping (Yunnan). Ride along the Yangtze River valley about 30 km, through natural forest. Local hotel 2*
Day 10: Huanping – Lijiang, 203km; B, L
Lijiang is located at an altitude of almost 8,000ft and is a UN World Heritage Site. The old part of the town has wonderful old cobbled streets, meandering streams and views that will take your breath away. The ancient town of Lijiang is a lovely Chinese traditional town. Naxi classical concert in the evening. Sanhe Guest Inn3* in the old town of Lijiang
Day 11: Lijang City tour; B
Visit a traditional Naxi Village Baisha, where life has gone relatively unchanged for hundreds of years. Black Dragon Pool, where the snow-capped mountains seem to shimmer as they are reflected in the waters of the lake. A visit to a Tibetan lamasery Yufeng is also an option. Sanhe Guest Inn3*
Day 12: Lijiang - Tiger Leaping Gorge, 106+23km; B, L, D
Enjoy riding along the Yangtze River to Qiaotou. Tiger Leaping Gorge is in the countryside north of Lijiang and the scenery is stunning. The Yangtze River, still in its infancy here, passes through the Gorge with cliffs of almost 4,000m on either side. Woody House (there are only 6 rooms with the bathroom for 12 people; the others have to go the public for the shower)
Day 13: Tiger Leaping Gorge – Dali, 223km; B, L
Riding on the old road to Dali, via Jianchuan (110 km). Dali, located beside the beautiful Erhai Lake, used to be the capital of Nanzhao and Dali kingdom, two strong and independent dynasties lasting from 725 till 1360 AD. We enjoy mountain passes, villages and forest. On the way, visit the one of oldest Bai village Zhouchen to see the traditional Bai method of tie-dying cloth. Landscape hotel 3* in Dali Old Town
Day 14: Dali City tour; B
Sightseeing in Dali: visit 3-pagodas, the symbol of Dali, etablished a thousand years ago in Nanzhao Kingdom. We visit Xizhou Bai village market and see the unique house of a Bai family. Cruise Erhai Lake and islands, at 250 sq kms, the second largest freshwater lake in Yunnan. Landscape hotel 3*
Day 15: Dali – Zhernyuan, 223km; B, L, D
Today we will drive along the Tea & Horse Road in the Wulian Mountain area. It was started in the Han dynasty (nearly 2 thousand years ago), flourished in the Tang Dynasty (a thousand years ago) and was completed after the Second World War when the highway was built. The road starts from Puer in Simao and ends in India via Tibet. People exchanged the tea from Yunnan with horses and herbs from Tibet. It can be compared with the Silk Road since it was the only road in South-west China. Zhenyuan hotel 2*
Day 16: Zhenyuan - Jinggu – Shuangjiang, 236km; B, L, D
Riding along a narrow mountain road to Shuangjiang (125 km), the district of the Lahu people (Kucong in Jinping), via Jinggu (121km). Cross the Mekong river at Dahai. Visit a village Jiefang. Roadside views: crops on the high mountains, especially at the bridge on the Mekong River, Lahu people. Shuangjiang hotel 2*
Day 17:Shuangjiang – Ximen, 154km; B, L, D
Rocky, bumpy and narrow road through spectacular scenery to Ximen. In the Wa area (154 km). Drive along a branch of the Mekong -Xiao Heijiang (Black river). Head towards the Burmese border at Yuesong Wa village (16 km from the old town) on an unpaved road to see the real life of the Wa people up near the Armed Police Frontier Station. Return to Ximen. Local guest house
Day 18:Ximen – Menghai, 235km; B, L, D
Continue on the narrow bumpy road to Lancang (110 km). Drive along the river Nanlanhe Road to Menghai (125 km). The town of Xishuangbanna bordering Burma and Laos is a sub-tropical area. The main people here are Dai, Hani, Bulang and Yao. It is rich in primitive forest and world-renowned as a rich kingdom of animals and plants. Visit the Dai Octagonal Pavilion, the symbol for Buddhism. Visit Aini village (the branch of Hani) to discover the marriage custom of testing for pregnancy before marriage! Menghai hotel 2*
Day 19: Menghai – Jinghong – Menglun, 127km; B, L, D
Continue riding along the Mekong River to Ganlanba (38 km) through the forest and Dai villages, enjoy paddy fields dotted with traditional Dai villages, and explore the simple life of these pristine and hospitable farmers. Visit Dai Custom Garden with Dai performances and water splashing. Transfer to Menglun Botanic garden (34 km.) to enjoy this garden full of tropical plants. Menglun hotel 2*
Day 20: Menglun – Boten – Udomxay, 200km; B, L, D
Ride along a quite busy road currently under construction to the border of Laos. Exit China and enter Laos at Boten. Take a winding mountain road, passing through ethnic villages. Udomxay Hotel 2*
Day 21: Udomxay – Luang Prabang, 180km; B, L, D
Easy riding along a good winding mountain road, visiting ethnic villages along the way. Visit Pak Ou cave situated on the banks of the Mekong River and containing thousands of Buddha images. Phu Sy Villa 3*
Notes:
Included:
- Permission to enter and exit China, Laos on motorcycle
- Transport your bike from Luang Prabang back to Hanoi
- 2 Group Leaders from Voyage Vietnam through the trip, 1 mechanic, 1 local guide through the ride in China, 1 support car followed the group in China
- All entrance fees during the tour
- All Accommodation; Hotel 2-3 star in China
- All food as mention in the program details
- Motorcycle and all gasoline needed
Not Included:
- Drinks and 8 meals as mention in the tour program
- Visa and taxes for enter and exit those countries
