A FIVE-DAY JOURNEY ACROSS HA GIANG AND CAO BANG
Experience the best of northern Vietnam on this 5-day, 4-night Ha Giang – Cao Bang Loop Tour. From the breathtaking mountain roads of Ha Giang to the magnificent Ban Gioc Waterfall, every day brings new adventures, spectacular landscapes and authentic cultural experiences.
Ride through iconic destinations including Lung Pu Waterfall, Tham Ma Pass, Dong Van, Ma Pi Leng Pass, Nho Que River, the 14-level Me Pia Pass, Pac Bo Historical Site, Ban Gioc Waterfall, Nguom Ngao Cave and God’s Eye Mountain. Along the way, meet local ethnic communities, stay in welcoming homestays and enjoy traditional Vietnamese meals.
Travel with an experienced local guide and Easy Rider, with the main accommodation, daily meals, motorbike, fuel, protective equipment, entrance tickets and required border-area permit arranged for the journey. New to the region? Read our Ha Giang Loop Guide for practical advice on weather, packing, safety and transport.
Duration: 5 days, 4 nights
Travel style: Local guide and Easy Rider
Route: Ha Giang City to Cao Bang City
Accommodation: Four homestay nights
Meals: 5 breakfasts, 5 lunches and 4 dinners
Price: From 7,950,000 VND/person
Permit: Included
BOOK NOW ASK ON WHATSAPPAn extended journey through northern Vietnam.
Enjoy the route with an experienced local driver.
Local overnight accommodation along the route.
Two mountain provinces in one adventure.
Mountain passes, borderland villages, waterfalls and memorable moments with the SkyPath team.
DAY-BY-DAY ROUTE
The itinerary may be adjusted slightly for weather, road conditions and guest safety. Your local guide will keep the main highlights while choosing the safest and most enjoyable route each day.
Your journey begins with a transfer to Ha Giang City before the tour starts the following morning. The drive from Hanoi takes approximately 6 hours.
3:00 PM or 8:00 PM – Pick-up
Pick-up is available from hotels in the Hanoi Old Quarter. Transfers can also be arranged from Noi Bai Airport, Sapa, Cat Ba, or Ninh Binh, depending on your travel plans.
Arrival in Ha Giang
Guests taking the afternoon transfer will arrive at SkyPath Hostel in Ha Giang City at around 9:00–9:15 PM. If you take the evening transfer, you’ll arrive later during the night or early the following morning.
A dorm bed is included before the tour begins. A private room can also be arranged for an additional charge.
Get some rest and prepare for the first day of your Ha Giang – Cao Bang journey.
The first day takes you from Ha Giang City into the northern highlands, passing mountain roads, a waterfall, and rural landscapes before reaching Dong Van.
7:30–8:15 AM – Breakfast
Start the morning with breakfast at SkyPath Hostel and get ready for your first day on the road.
8:30 AM – Tour Briefing & Thuan Hoa
Meet your Easy Rider and receive a short introduction to the route and safety guidelines. A helmet, knee pads, and elbow pads will be provided before setting off.
Leave Ha Giang City and ride toward Thuan Hoa, enjoying the mountain and valley scenery along the way.
Continue to Lung Pu Waterfall, a quiet natural stop where you can take a break and, when conditions are suitable, enjoy a swim.
12:00 PM – Lunch in Trang Kim
Stop in Trang Kim for lunch and take some time to rest before continuing the afternoon ride.
1:30 PM – Chin Khoanh Pass, Tham Ma Pass & Lao Xa Village
Continue through the mountain landscapes of Chin Khoanh Pass and Tham Ma Pass on the way toward Dong Van.
Visit Lao Xa Village, a small highland community surrounded by the distinctive rocky scenery of northern Ha Giang.
5:30 PM – Dong Van
Arrive in Dong Van Town in the late afternoon and check in at your hotel.
After dinner, relax with the group and enjoy the evening. There may be karaoke and a chance to try some local “Happy Water”, a traditional corn-based spirit often shared during meals and gatherings in Ha Giang.
Day 2 explores some of the most memorable landscapes of the Dong Van Karst Plateau, from the far north near the Vietnam–China border to Ma Pi Leng Pass and the Nho Que River.
8:00 AM – Lo Lo Chai Village
After breakfast, leave Dong Van and head toward Lo Lo Chai, a traditional village near Lung Cu in the far north of Ha Giang.
Explore the village and surrounding landscapes, with the mountainous Vietnam–China border area nearby.
If your visit falls on a Sunday, the morning may also offer an opportunity to experience the atmosphere of Dong Van Market.
Ma Pi Leng & White Cliff
Continue along the mountain roads toward the White Cliff area. A walk here offers a closer look at the dramatic limestone landscape for travelers comfortable with the trail.
The journey then continues to Ma Pi Leng Pass, one of the most famous mountain passes in northern Vietnam, with sweeping views across the surrounding peaks and deep valleys.
11:00 AM – Nho Que River & Tu San Canyon
Descend toward the Nho Que River and take a boat ride through the striking landscape beneath Ma Pi Leng.
The journey takes you through Tu San Canyon, where steep limestone cliffs rise on both sides of the river.
Lunch in Dong Van
Take a break for lunch in Dong Van Town before continuing the journey toward Meo Vac.
5:30 PM – Pa Vi Village, Meo Vac
Finish the day’s ride at Pa Vi Village near Meo Vac and settle into your homestay for the night.
7:30 PM – Dinner
Enjoy dinner at the homestay and relax after a full day exploring the northern mountains.
Today marks the transition from Ha Giang into Cao Bang, with a long scenic ride through remote mountain landscapes and one of the region’s most distinctive mountain passes.
8:00 AM – Depart Meo Vac for Me Pia Pass
After breakfast, leave Pa Vi Village and begin the journey toward Cao Bang.
Ride toward Me Pia Pass, known for its remarkable series of hairpin bends climbing the mountainside.
For a wider view of the winding road, you can walk approximately 1 km to a viewpoint overlooking the pass.
11:00 AM – Lunch in Bao Lac
Continue to Bao Lac and stop for lunch before beginning the afternoon journey.
Afternoon – Journey to Pac Bo
After lunch, continue through the mountain landscapes of Cao Bang toward the Pac Bo area.
Much of Day 3 is spent traveling between Ha Giang and Cao Bang, but the route itself offers changing views of mountains, valleys, villages, and remote countryside along the way.
5:30 PM – Overnight near Pac Bo
Arrive at your homestay near the Pac Bo historical site in the late afternoon.
Check in, have dinner, and rest before exploring Pac Bo the following morning.
Day 4 combines an important historical site with two of Cao Bang’s best-known natural attractions: Ban Gioc Waterfall and Nguom Ngao Cave.
8:00 AM – Pac Bo Historical Site
After breakfast, begin the morning at the Pac Bo historical site, an area surrounded by limestone mountains, forest, and clear streams.
Explore the site and learn about its importance in modern Vietnamese history before continuing toward Cao Bang.
Stop for lunch in Cao Bang before the journey continues.
11:00 AM – Ban Gioc Waterfall
Continue toward Ban Gioc Waterfall, located in the border region between Vietnam and China.
Spend time enjoying the waterfall and surrounding karst landscape, with several viewpoints around the area offering different perspectives of the falls.
2:00 PM – Nguom Ngao Cave
Visit Nguom Ngao Cave, located only a few kilometers from Ban Gioc Waterfall.
Walk through the cave to see its naturally formed stalactites, stalagmites, and limestone formations created over a long geological period.
5:30 PM – Overnight near Ban Gioc
Check in at a homestay near Ban Gioc Waterfall and relax after the day’s journey.
Depending on local conditions and timing, the evening may include a light walk around the Ban Gioc area before returning to the homestay for the night.
The final day takes you through another side of Cao Bang, combining a traditional craft village with one last natural landscape before returning to Hanoi.
8:00 AM – Phuc Sen Village
After breakfast, leave the Ban Gioc area and visit Phuc Sen Village, a Nung community known for its traditional blacksmithing.
Local families have maintained the craft of producing handmade knives and agricultural tools, offering a glimpse into a long-standing village tradition in Cao Bang.
8:30 AM – God’s Eye Mountain
Continue toward God’s Eye Mountain, also known locally as Nui Thung, one of Cao Bang’s distinctive natural landmarks.
The mountain is recognizable by the large natural opening through its limestone formation. The surrounding area features open grassland, rocky peaks, and a broad valley landscape.
Take some time to explore the area and enjoy the scenery before beginning the journey toward Cao Bang City.
1:00 PM – Lunch in Cao Bang City
Return to Cao Bang City for lunch.
After lunch, prepare for your onward journey.
2:00 PM – Limousine to Hanoi
Board the afternoon limousine from Cao Bang to Hanoi, marking the end of your five-day journey through Ha Giang and Cao Bang.
Solo travelers receive a dorm or shared-room bed; a private room is available for an additional USD 10 per night, subject to availability.
Guests booking for two or more receive a complimentary private-room upgrade for the stay, subject to availability.
The route finishes in Cao Bang City. Guests returning to Hanoi can request an optional afternoon limousine, but the ticket is not included in the tour price.
ASK ABOUT TRANSPORTThis long-distance mountain journey is designed with an experienced Easy Rider and local guide. You can focus on the scenery, cultural stops and photography while your driver handles the steep and winding roads between Ha Giang and Cao Bang.
The route combines the Ha Giang Loop with Cao Bang’s borderland landscapes. Five days allow time for Ma Pi Leng, Nho Que River, Me Pia Pass, Pac Bo, Ban Gioc, Nguom Ngao Cave and God’s Eye Mountain in one continuous journey.
PRICE AND TRAVEL DOCUMENTS
The tour price is from 7,950,000 VND per person.
Included in the listed price: local guide and Easy Rider, motorbike, fuel, motorbike insurance, safety equipment, five breakfasts, five lunches, four dinners, four homestay nights, one complimentary pre-tour night, the required border-area permit, itinerary entrance tickets and the Nho Que River boat ride.
Bus or limousine tickets, travel insurance, unlisted drinks, private-room upgrades for solo travelers and personal expenses are not included.
Foreign visitors may need a border-area travel permit for designated areas along the route. SkyPath arranges the required permit before departure, and the listed fee of USD 10 / approximately 260,000 VND is included in the tour price.
FROM
per person
Easy Rider • Four homestay nights • Meals • Safety gear • Permit
Drivers familiar with northern Vietnam’s mountain roads.
Helmet, knee and elbow protection, plus rain gear.
Accommodation, meals and route arrangements are prepared.
Help with permits, transport questions and trip planning.
All tour prices below include the border-area travel permit and one complimentary pre-tour night at SkyPath Ha Giang.
Compare itineraries and availability on our Ha Giang Loop tours page.
This extended route continues beyond Ha Giang into Cao Bang. It combines Ma Pi Leng Pass and the Nho Que River with Me Pia Pass, Pac Bo, Ban Gioc Waterfall, Nguom Ngao Cave and God’s Eye Mountain.
No motorbike experience is required because the 5D4N journey is arranged with an experienced local Easy Rider. You ride as a passenger and can focus on the scenery and experiences.
The tour includes four nights in local homestays during the 5D4N journey and one complimentary night at SkyPath Hostel before departure. Private-room options depend on group size and availability.
Yes. The required border-area permit is included in the listed tour price, and SkyPath will arrange it before departure.
No. Transport tickets before and after the tour are not included, but you can request support arranging the journey to Ha Giang and the return from Cao Bang.
Bring comfortable layers, closed shoes, sunscreen, personal medication, a small day bag and waterproof protection for valuables. Conditions change across the mountains, so check our Ha Giang Loop travel guide before departure.
The Ha Giang – Cao Bang Loop Tour 5D4N is designed for travelers who want to continue beyond the classic Ha Giang Loop and experience two mountain provinces in one journey. Still comparing itineraries? View all Ha Giang Loop tours to choose the trip length that fits your schedule. When you are ready, use our Ha Giang Loop booking form to select your date, group size and pickup details.
Book the 5D4N journey with SkyPath and experience mountain passes, ethnic villages, Pac Bo, Ban Gioc and Cao Bang’s extraordinary landscapes.