Embark on an exhilarating four-day cycling adventure through Vietnam’s Central Highlands, traversing remote villages, dense forests, and breathtaking mountain passes while immersing yourself in the region’s rich cultural heritage.
Starting in Pleiku, the journey takes you through suburban villages, where you’ll engage with local farmers and elders before cycling on a mix of dirt, gravel, and paved paths to a hidden waterfall for a refreshing swim and late lunch. The following day, you’ll tackle steep climbs and rugged terrain towards Kon Tum, passing coffee plantations and rubber tree-lined roads. A visit to a Bahnar village offers insight into the ethnic minority’s traditions, instruments, and weaponry.
Day three presents the most challenging yet rewarding ride—a mountain-top single track, winding through scenic villages and bamboo-built communal houses of the Ede people. The day ends with a stunning 15km climb to Mang Den, where a celebratory BBQ awaits.
The final day sees a thrilling descent down the legendary Ho Chi Minh Trail, including a solitary 30km stretch aptly named “The Loneliest Route.” With picturesque landscapes, cultural encounters, and adrenaline-fueled trails, this expedition is an unforgettable adventure for experienced cyclists.
Itinerary
Cycling Distance: 60km
Elevation Gain: 500m
Meals Provided: Lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Hotel Hoang Anh Gia Lai - Pleiku
After a 7:00 breakfast and a bike fitting in Pleiku, we’ll pass through several suburban villages where we will have several opportunities to meet with local farmers and village elders for a meaningful and authentic cultural exchange. The cycle tracks on this segment of the journey are an equal mix of single track dirt, mud and gravel, with a handful of wider gravel and paved lanes.
We will conclude the day's cycling adventure at a hidden waterfall, where we have planned a hearty late lunch with adult beverages and a dip in the cool and clear waters.
Finally, we’ll take a 75-minute van transfer back to the center of Pleiku, where you’ll have the rest of the day free for exploration.
Cycling Distance: 60km
Elevation Gain: 1000m
Meals Provided: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Indochine Hotel Kon Tum
After breakfast, we’ll take a 1-hour van transfer outside Pleiku and begin an intense day of riding. The day will be full of steep ascents and rough terrain over gravel tracks and dual tracks. Although the adventure will be intense, though, it will also be filled with immersive experiences in the local culture – whizzing by row upon row of fresh coffee growing on the bush, cruising under the shade of rubber trees, and passing smiling locals.
Depending on the group's average pace, we will either have a picnic lunch or a stop for lunch at a local restaurant.
We will take a short transfer to our highlight destination, where you’ll meet the Bahnar Culture Keeper and village elder. He will take us on a guided tour of his residence and will show off several traditional instruments and pieces of weaponry of his people to those interested.
After this refreshing cultural experience, we will continue to Kon Tum, where we will have individual time to explore the city center and dinner with adult beverages to celebrate the day.
Cycling Distance: 60km
Elevation Gain: 1350m
Meals Provided: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Bach Duong Homestay - Homestay Mang Den
Those who choose to depart with our guide early in the morning will be treated to the most intense, but arguably the most spectacular, part of the excursion: a single-track ride along the top of a mountain range. Those who choose to can skip this section and meet the riders in a local village an hour after they depart. We’ll then head off together, weaving through local tarmac roads for the next hour.
After lunch, we’ll explore the communal houses of the Ede ethnic minority made of traditional bamboo construction that serve as a self-supporting mini village for those residing in the area.
As we trek across the villages of the local ethnic people toward our final daily destination of Mang Den, the route will become hillier. Secluded mountain passes will slowly make way to a majestic view of the majestic range we will climb to reach Mang Den.
On this final ascent of nearly 15km in distance, we will find challenging paths and switchbacks as we ascend from 600 meters of altitude to our adventure's highest point - 1200 meters of altitude.
We’ll wrap the day with a BBQ dinner on top of the mountain.
Cycling Distance: 80km
Elevation Gain: 600m
Meals Provided: Breakfast, lunch
Accommodation: Hotel Hoang Anh Gia Lai - Pleiku
Today, we cycle the Legendary Ho Chi Minh Trail System, which boasts smooth tarmac and steep descents from the summit at Mang Den. There will be ample opportunities for breathtaking photos to document our adventure together on the way down.
At the bottom of the mountain, we’ll ride along a stretch of trail known as "The Loneliest Route", a 30km section of the Ho Chi Minh Trail system where we will seldom encounter another human being. During this solitary part of our journey, we will break for a picnic lunch to admire the serenity of rural Vietnam.
Arriving at our destination about 15:00, we will embark on a transport back to Pleiku.
