20 Days Vietnam 4WD Tour Ho Chi Minh To Hanoi

Tour Itinerary

Day 1 : Ho Chi Minh City to Mũi Né (220 km) ( B , L )

• Morning: 8:00 Am Depart Saigon early via the Cat Lai  by pass the main highway. Drive through the coastal rubber plantations of Bà Rịa and hit the unpaved coastal tracks running parallel to the beaches of La Gi.
• Afternoon: Engage 4WD to tackle the deep, shifting red sand tracks of the DT716 route near the White Sand Dunes.
• Night: Stay at a beachfront surf resort in Mũi Né.

Day 2: Mũi Né to Đà Lạt via Omega Pass (160 km) ( B ,L )

• Morning: Spend the early morning exploring the spectacular coastal sand dunes. Head inland on the DT728, transitioning from coastal scrubland to the base of the mountains.
• Afternoon: Climb the spectacular Omega Pass (Đèo Khánh Lê). Navigate through dense mountain fog, cascading roadside waterfalls, and steep, unsealed gravel switchbacks ascending to 1,500 meters.
• Night: Stay in a French colonial villa hotel in the pine forests of Đà Lạt.

Day 3 : Off-Road Exploration in Đà Lạt & Bidoup Nui Ba ( B , L )

• All Day: A dedicated 4x4 trail day. Permit required. Head deep into Bidoup Núi Ba National Park. Engage low-range 4WD to tackle muddy logging tracks, technical clay ruts, and shallow river crossings hidden deep under the pine canopy.
• Night: Second night in Đà Lạt.

Day 4: Đà Lạt to Buôn Ma Thuột via Lak Lake (210 km) ( B , L , D )

• Morning: Drive north along the rugged QL27. This road features broken asphalt, dirt bypasses, and steep gradients winding through remote rural villages.
• Afternoon: Arrive at Lak Lake. Swap your vehicle for a traditional dugout canoe to visit the lakeside M'Nông ethnic minority villages (M'Lieng village is highly accessible via dirt dikes).
• Night: Stay in a lakeside longhouse homestay or a luxury tented camp.

Day 5: Buôn Ma Thuột to Pleiku via Coffee Trail Tracks (180 km) ( B , L, D )

• Morning: Drive into the heart of Vietnam's coffee capital. Navigate a labyrinth of red basalt dirt tracks that slice directly through expansive coffee and rubber plantations.
• Afternoon: Stop to see the roaring Dray Nur and Dray Sap waterfalls, accessible via bumpy, unpaved basalt rock paths.
• Night: Stay in a hotel in Pleiku town center.

Day 6: Pleiku to Hội An via Violak Pass (290 km) ( B , L )

• Morning: Drive through Kon Tum to visit the unique 100-year-old Wooden Church. Turn onto the QL24 and prepare for the long, winding descent through the Violak Pass.
• Afternoon: The pass drops sharply toward the coast, offering dramatic views of terraced rice fields. Navigate tight hairpin turns, loose shale rockfalls, and slow-moving local agricultural trucks.
• Night: Stay in a boutique hotel near the lantern-lit streets of Hội An Ancient Town.

Day 7 : Hội An to Huế via the Hải Vân Pass (130 km) ( B , L )

• Morning: Enjoy a relaxed morning exploring the historic streets of Hội An. Drive north toward Da Nang and begin the iconic ascent over the Hải Vân Pass (Ocean Cloud Pass).
• Afternoon: Descend the pass to Lập An Lagoon for a fresh seafood lunch. Continue to Huế and spend the afternoon touring the vast grounds of the Imperial Citadel.
• Night: Stay in a historic riverside hotel along the Perfume River in Huế.

Day 8 : Huế to Khe Sanh via the DMZ Route (170 km) ( B , L , D )

• Morning: Drive north along QL1 before cutting west along Route 9 into the historic Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). Stop at the Hien Luong Bridge on the 17th Parallel.
• Afternoon: Drive into the rugged mountains bordering Laos. Explore the historic Khe Sanh Combat Base, navigating the abandoned airstrip surrounded by coffee-covered hills.
• Night: Stay in a simple mountain guesthouse in the remote town of Khe Sanh.

Day 9 : Khe Sanh to Phong Nha (Ho Chi Minh Trail West - 240 km) ( B , L , D )

• All Day: This is the most isolated, breathtaking, and technical driving section of the entire journey. This single-lane concrete and gravel shelf twists through Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park along the Laotian border. Expect steep 15% gradients, zero gas stations for a 200km stretch, and frequent rockfalls.
• Night: Stay at a rustic riverside hotel in Phong Nha.

Day 10: Rest & Expedition Day in Phong Nha Caves ( B , L , D )

• All Day: Give your vehicle a rest. Take a motorized riverboat to explore the massive chambers of Phong Nha Cave or trek into Paradise Cave (Động Thiên Đường) to see the world's longest dry cave passage.
• Night: Second night at your Phong Nha riverside lodge.

Day 11: Phong Nha to Tân Kỳ along the Historic Trail (270 km) ( B, L , D)

• Morning: Drive north along the Ho Chi Minh Highway (Eastern Branch). The road transitions into rolling green hills and pristine karst landscapes.
• Afternoon: Arrive in Tân Kỳ (Nghệ An province). Visit the "Milestone Zero," the official historic starting point where the Truong Son strategic supply trail began during the war.
• Night: Stay in a local hotel in Tân Kỳ.

Day 12 : Tân Kỳ to Mai Châu (230 km) ( B , L, D)

• Morning: Drive northwest along unpaved rural tracks crossing Thanh Hóa province, passing remote sugarcane fields and bamboo forests.
• Afternoon: Climb into Hòa Bình province via narrow, winding mountain tracks. Drop down into the breathtaking Mai Châu Valley, completely surrounded by towering emerald-green limestone cliffs.
• Night: Stay in a traditional wooden stilt house homestay run by the White Thai ethnic minority.

Day 13: Mai Châu to Bắc Yên via Tà Sùa Ridge (170 km) ( B , L , D )

• Morning Drive: Depart Mai Châu northwest toward Phù Yên. Bypass the main highways to climb the rugged mountain tracks winding alongside the Da River.
• Afternoon Terrain: Engage 4WD for the steep, grueling ascent up to Tà Sùa. Drive your vehicle along the narrow, unpaved ridge tracks known as the "Dinosaur Spine," where the dirt path drops off drastically into deep valleys on both sides.
• Cultural Experience: Meet the local Black Hmong people harvesting wild ancient Shan tea leaves along the high slopes.
• Night: Stay in a rustic mountain lodge or cloud-hunting bungalow in Tà Sùa / Bắc Yên.

Day 14 : Bắc Yên to Sơn La via Da River Crossing (150 km) ( B , L  , D)

• Morning Drive: Descend the slippery, unsealed clay tracks from Tà Sùa down to the banks of the Da River. Drive your 4x4 onto a rustic local vehicle ferry to cross the massive reservoir.
• Afternoon Terrain: Navigate the rugged, rocky backroads of the Mộc Châu plateau outskirts. The track features tight turns, steep limestone walls, and loose gravel paths slicing through vast plum and peach orchards.
• Cultural Experience: Stop at a traditional black Thai stilt house village to learn about their unique architectural methods.
• Night: Stay in  hotel in Sơn La city center.

 Day 15 : Sơn La to Điện Biên Phủ via Pha Đin Pass (160 km) ( B ,L ,D )

• Morning Drive: Conquer the historic Pha Đin Pass, historically used to transport artillery during the Indochina War. Take the old, unpaved pass bypass trail instead of the new smooth highway.
• Afternoon Terrain: Navigate narrow, single-lane mountain shelves with high rock-fall risks and sharp hairpin curves. Drop down into the sprawling, mountain-ringed Mường Thanh valley.
• Cultural Experience: Explore the Điện Biên Phủ Battlefield museum, General de Castries’ bunker, and Eliane Hill historical sites.
• Night: Stay in a hotel in Điện Biên Phủ city.

Day 16 : Điện Biên Phủ to Lai Châu along the Nam Na River (180 km)( B , L, D )

• Morning Drive: Head north along the dramatic QL12 canyon route, running parallel to the Nam Na River and the Laotian border region.
• Afternoon Terrain: This segment features highly technical driving over active landslide zones, deep gravel beds, and muddy detours around major hydroelectric dam constructions. High ground clearance is essential.
• Cultural Experience: Pass through remote villages inhabited by the rare White H'mong and Mang ethnic minorities.
• Night: Stay in a comfortable mountain-view hotel in Lai Châu city.

Day 17 : Lai Châu to Sa Pa over the Mighty Ô Quy Hồ Pass (90 km)(B ,L, D)

• Morning Drive: Drive toward Tam Đường and detour onto the rocky dirt paths leading to the hidden Tiên Sơn limestone caves.
• Afternoon Terrain: Ascend the spectacular Ô Quy Hồ Pass, the longest and highest mountain pass in Vietnam (crossing over 2,000 meters above sea level). Navigate through heavy mountain mist, intense winds, and vertical cliff-face switchbacks.
• Cultural Experience: Walk through the iconic terraced rice fields of the Mường Hoa Valley upon arrival in Sa Pa.
• Night: Stay in hotel - overlooking the Hoang Lien Son mountain range.

Day 18: Sa Pa to Bắc Hà via the Terraced Valley Loops (120 km)( B, L, D)

• Morning Drive: Descend the steep mountain roads from Sa Pa down to Lào Cai city, driving briefly along the Nam Thi river border checkpoint facing China.
• Afternoon Terrain: Turn inland toward Bắc Hà, driving your 4x4 along unsealed, steep agricultural loops that cut directly through high-altitude terraced paddy fields and cinnamon forests.
• Cultural Experience: Visit the vibrant, multicolored Bắc Hà Ethnic Market (if arriving on Sunday) or explore the grand, eclectic architecture of the Hoang A Tuong Hmong King Palace.
• Night: Stay in a traditional homestay or boutique hotel in Bắc Hà.

Day 19: Bắc Hà to Thác Bà Lake via Chảy River Tracks (160 km)( B ,L , D )

• Morning Drive: Drive southeast away from the high peaks along the Chảy River basin. The terrain transitions into rolling green hills and dense pine plantations.
• Afternoon Terrain: Engage 4WD to handle the slick, rutted clay tracks winding through the hills surrounding Thác Bà Lake, one of Vietnam's largest artificial reservoirs.
• Cultural Experience: Explore the lake's unique ecosystem, featuring over 1,300 islet peaks, via a private motorized wooden boat.
• Night: Stay in a traditional stilt house homestay run by the Dao Quần Trắng (White-trousered Dao) ethnic minority in Vũ Linh village.

Day 20: Thác Bà Lake back to Hà Nội (160 km) ( B , L )

• Morning Drive: Navigate the final dirt dikes and rural tracks bordering Thác Bà Lake before heading south into Phú Thọ province.
• Afternoon Terrain: Avoid the chaotic CT05 expressway by driving along the winding dikes of the Red River Delta, passing through quiet rural farming communes.
• Drop-off: Navigate the high-density urban traffic of the capital to conclude your loop in Hanoi’s Old Quarter by late afternoon.

• (Say goodbye your team - Our car and driver 3 days back to Ho Chi Minh city ) .

Tour price : Contact us

Departure : based on your inquiry

Tour Inclusive :

– Accommodation based on twin sharing occupancy at hotel,guesthous 19 nights.

– Meals as indicated in program,B=Breakfast , L=Lunches ,D=Dinner,

– Professional English speaking guide ( Sit with clients car )

– Boat , Ferry trip mention in itinerary,

– 4wd pick up car

– Fuels for the car

–Water, snacks and fruits for riding day

– All entrance fees for sightseeing as indicated in the program,

– Service charges, rooms tax and handling fees,,,

Tour Exclusive :

– Travel assurance ,Visa stamping fee,

– Alcoholic beverages and soft drinks,

– Additional transport required due to any emergency situation,

– Tips for guides and drivers

– Personal expenses and other services which are not mentioned in the program.,

– Any fines for traffic violations and the costs involved in traffic accidents.

 – Accommodation in Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi

– Meals and drinks not mentioned in the program,

– Optional excursions

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