This one day loop begins at our Ethos Spirit office in Sapa. After a quick briefing, we ride out of town and drop down into a forest road that winds through the foothills. The pace is unhurried; there’s no rush when the land around you is alive with stories.

As we reach the valley floor, the road leads us into the homelands of the Red Dao and Hmong communities. These are not tourist villages; they are working landscapes where people grow their own rice, forage for seasonal herbs, and live in deep rhythm with the forest. It’s a chance to see how food, land, and tradition come together in daily life.

From here, we climb back up the mountain. The route becomes a dirt track with steep sections and muddy corners, winding through wild, untouched hillsides. It’s a challenging ride, only suitable for those comfortable on manual bikes, but the reward is worth every bump. Along the way, we pass through a remote mountain village that feels tucked away from time. It’s a place where roofs are low, smiles are wide, and the mountains hold their own kind of silence.

We descend again into a hidden valley, where a Hmong family welcomes us for lunch. The food is simple and nourishing, often gathered or grown just outside the door. There’s always time for stories: travellers and hosts sharing what life looks like on different sides of the world. These moments don’t feel like tourism; they feel like connection.

In the afternoon, we ride along winding mountain roads where the landscape opens up into beautiful mountains. If the weather is kind, the views are extraordinary. Our final stop is a Red Dao village known for its deep knowledge of traditional medicine. Here, you’ll ease into a hot herbal bath prepared by the local women: fragrant with forest plants, soothing after a day on the road, and full of meaning passed down through generations.

As the sun begins to lower behind the peaks, we begin the ride back to Sapa. It’s been a full day of mud and mountain, story and silence, movement and stillness. This isn’t a journey about getting far. It’s about getting closer.