A journey through the wild: Nam Tha -Lung Cung Village – Tu Le

Văn Bàn – Nam Tha – Lung Cung Village – Tu Le

Some motorcycle journeys are measured in kilometres.

Others are measured in exhaustion, broken machines, muddy trails, and the unforgettable moments you share with the people riding beside you.

Our journey from Văn Bàn – Nậm Tha – Phình Ngài – Nậm Có – Tú Lệ is one of those journeys.

The section from Nậm Tha Hydropower Plant to Phình Ngài is only around 30 kilometres.

But in 2016, those 30 kilometres took us an entire day.

We entered the forest at around 8:00 in the morning. By 8:00 in the evening, we were still deep in the mountains.

For most of the day, riding was hardly an option. We pushed the bikes. We pulled them. We lifted them over obstacles. We struggled through steep, narrow and slippery sections where there was barely enough room for a motorcycle to pass. By late evening, our arms and legs were completely exhausted. There was no way we could continue. We had to spend the night in the forest.

A simple meal of fried frogs, a small forest shelter, and sleeping deep in the mountains became an experience that none of us could have imagined before setting out that morning.

Today, this route has become a familiar off-road adventure among many riders.

But back in 2016, things were very different.

As far as we knew, our group was probably among the first motorcycle riders to travel through this route, apart from the local people who lived in these remote mountain communities.

And that is what makes this journey so special to us.

HOW TO RIDE THIS ROUTE

First, you need the right motorcycle.

Not necessarily the biggest or most powerful machine, but something strong, light and agile enough to manoeuvre through narrow forest trails, steep climbs and slippery rocky sections.

From Văn Bàn Town, ask for the road toward Nậm Tha Hydropower Plant and follow the route on your map.

As you approach the hydropower plant, you will eventually come across a small wooden bridge crossing a drainage channel. A narrow trail begins climbing into the mountains from here.

From this point, there is essentially only one way forward.

Keep climbing.

Then descend.

Then climb again.

The trail winds continuously through the forest toward Lùng Cúng.

There are steep slopes to overcome, and fallen branches and trees often block the trail. These are not obstacles you can simply ride around.

You have to find a way through.

Back in 2016, one of the motorcycles in our group suffered a mechanical problem.

Repairing the bike took a considerable amount of time, and we quickly fell behind schedule. There was no longer any chance of reaching Lùng Cúng that day.

Fortunately, we came across several forest rangers who were working in the area.

They allowed us to stay overnight at their small forest camp.

That night became one of the most memorable moments of the entire journey.

Far from towns, hotels and mobile civilisation, we shared a simple meal, rested beside the forest rangers and spent the night surrounded by nothing but mountains and forest.

The following morning, the trail toward Lùng Cúng became somewhat easier.

We could finally ride through the narrow, winding paths beneath the forest canopy, following trails carved into the high mountain slopes.

The landscape was spectacular.

Wild.

Remote.

Untouched.

For a while, the beauty around us made us forget how tired we were.

But the adventure was not over yet.

On the way out, we encountered a crystal-clear mountain stream that we had to cross. The water was not particularly deep. The real problem was the rocks beneath it. They were incredibly slippery. One wrong move and you could find yourself taking an unexpected bath in the cold mountain water — while your motorcycle could end up in an even worse situation.

After overcoming all those difficult sections, we finally reached Lùng Cúng. From there, the route toward Tú Lệ became much easier.

The hardest part was behind us. But the memories of those 30 kilometres through the forest would stay with us for a very long time.

A ROAD WORTH RIDING

Today, riders come to this region not only for the challenge of the trails, but also for the extraordinary beauty of the Northwest mountains. If you visit around late March, you may also witness one of the most beautiful seasons of the year — when the mountain apple trees are in full bloom, covering the valleys around Lùng Cúng and Phình Ngài in white.

For us, however, this is more than just an off-road route. It is a road with a story. A road we once entered in 2016 with little idea of what was waiting beyond the forest. A road of broken machines, exhausted riders, forest shelters, simple meals, slippery rocks and endless climbs. And ultimately, a road that taught us why some of the best motorcycle adventures are not about how quickly you reach the destination. They are about what you have to overcome to get there.

Văn Bàn – Nậm Tha – Phình Ngài – Nậm Có – Tú Lệ – 30 kilometres. One unforgettable day. One story that still lives in the mountains.