Highlights:
- Enjoy the beautiful terraced fields and the unique of hill tribe in Mu Cang Chai.
- Admire cascading rice terraces that spill down the mountains like a patchwork quilt and discover the mysterious minority cultures in Sapa.
- Visit Bac Ha Market, one of the most interesting ethnic markets in Vietnam.
- Admire spectacular landscapes of limestone pinnacles and granite outcrops in Dong Van and Meo Vac when acrossing Ma Pi Leng Pass in Ha Giang.
- Take boat trip on Ba Ba Lake to visit Dau Dang Waterfall, Puong Cave.
ITINERARY:
DAY 1: HANOI ARRIVAL (MEAL: NO)
Arrival at Noi Bai Airport, Our driver will welcome you at airport terminal and transfer you to the hotel in the center. You will check in at the hotel and you will visit the center of the city by your own.
Overnight stay in Hanoi.
Please note that check in time at hotel is 14:00.
Inclusion: Airport pick up service, Accommodation
DAY 2: HANOI – DUONG LAM ANCIENT VILLAGE – NGHIA LO (BREAKFAST/LUNCH/DINNER) 150 KM
At 08:00 AM, Our tour guide and car will pick you up at hotel, depart for Nghia Lo – the second great valley of rice fields in the North of Vietnam.
On the way, stop to visit the Mia Pagoda, one of the oldest pagodas in Vietnam with over 250 statues and to visit Duong Lam ancient village, which is renowned for its ancient houses built with laterite blocks.
Continue to Nghia Lo through the Trung Ha Bridge. Stop along the way to discover the daily life of ethnic White Thai people. We will have lunch on the way.
Arrive at Nghia Lo at the end of the day. Dinner and overnight at hotel in Nghia Lo.
Inclusion: transportation, English speaking guide, meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner, all entrance fees and accommodation.
DAY 3: NGHIA LO – MU CANG CHAI – THAN UYEN – SAPA (BREAKFAST/LUNCH/-) 240 KM
Breakfast at hotel. At 07:30 Am, we depart for Tu Le (40 km). An easy hike to visit the village of Thai ethnic Tu Le. It is a quiet village with scenery and beautiful rice fields. Meet locals and visit a Thai family.
Continue to Mu Cang Chai (40 km) through the scenic landscape of terraced rice fields, especially between May and October (There are two beautiful seasons: the rice water and the harvest seasons). Stop to admire and photograph the beautiful and scenic rice terraces, especially on the neck of Khau Pha with a superb view over the valley and the most spectacular rice terraces in Vietnam which are in the villages Pan Tan and Che Cu Nha. Lunch on the way.
Continue to Sapa (160 km) through fields of beautiful tea. In Than Uyen the road climbs up to the highest pass in Vietnam (2047m). Stop quickly to enjoy the freshness and to see Mount Fanxipan. Arrive at Sapa late in the afternoon,there is some free time for your personal enjoyment and discovery. Located at 1,650 meters above sea level and enjoying a temperate climate, Sapa was an old resort created by the French in the region of Mount Fanxipan (3143m) which is considered as the roof of Indochina. Dinner on your own. Overnight at hotel at Sapa.
Inclusion: transportation, English speaking guide, meals: breakfast, lunch, all entrance fees and accommodation.
DAY 4 : SAPA TREKKING TOURS (BREAKFAST/LUNCH/-)
Breakfast at hotel. At 09:00 AM, You start the tour from Sapa. Take a short road transfer along the motor way southwards for 4 km with a stop along the way for stunning scenery of Fansipan mountain and Muong Hoa valley. Trekking uphill along a large and rocky path for 2 hours to Hang Da village of the Black H’mong which hides itself under lush trees on high elevation of the Den Thang Mountain. Explore the village, paying visiting to local families. Lunch break in the village.
After lunch, continue trekking along the same trail which goes on the high mountain side for about an hour which offers a great view of Muong Hoa valley until arriving at Thao Hong Den, another village of the Black H’mong to pay a visit to several local families. To continue, you will go downhill for another hour along a dirt track to Pho village at the center of Hau Thao commune. You will be picked up and transfer by road back to Sapa. Trip end at about 3.30PM to 4.00PM. Dinner on your own. Overnight at hotel in Sapa.
Remark: The program of trek can be adjusted depending on the weather conditions, your age and your health status:
- Option 1: Lao Chai / Ta Van (5 km, soft trek, very touristy)
- Option 2: Cat Cat / Y Linh Ho / Lao Chai / Tavan (14 km, medium trek)
- Option 3: Xau Chau / Xa Xeng / Hau Thao / Giang Ta Chai (14 km, medium trek, off the beaten tracky)
Inclusion: transportation, English speaking guide, meals: breakfast and lunch, all entrance fees and accommodation.
DAY 5: SAPA – BAC HA (BREAKFAST/LUNCH/DINNER) 100 KM
Breakfast at your hotel. At 08:30Am, Get on the road to Lao Cai (35 km). You will make a short stop to take a look at Cau Kieu – the frendship bridge that links Vietnam and China. Continue to Bac Ha (65 km), visit the old H’mong King house. Then check-in local H’mong home (1.5km from Bac Ha). Enjoy lunch and have some chatting time with friendly host members.
In the afternoon, walk to visit nearby Hmong minority villages, visit their houses, have a cup of tea and visit their green vegetable fields. Dinner and overnight in local home (basic condition, no private room, clean mattress, pillow & blacket are provided for guests).
Inclusion: transportation, English speaking guide, meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner, all entrance fees and accommodation.
DAY 6: BAC HA SUNDAY MORNING MARKET – HA GIANG (BREAKFAST/LUNCH/DINNER) 190 KM
Breakfast at the local home. At 08:00 Visit Bac Ha market, located in the heart of Bac Ha, a small town which is the largest one in the area. Every Sunday, the different and colorful ethnic minorities all come here to sell their homemade products or buy something for their family. They are Hmong, Phu La, Back Dzao, Tay or Nung minorities. Some of these ethnic minorities can’t be met in any other areas. Then we leave for Bac Ha to Ha Giang via Pho Rang for lunch. Then continue to Viet Quang town entrance plateau of Dong Van. Arrive in Ha Giang. Dinner and overnight at the inhabitant in the house on stilts.
Note: you can replace the market Bac Ha by Can Cau market which is open on Saturday morning
Inclusion: transportation, English speaking guide, meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner, all entrance fees and accommodation.
DAY 7: HA GIANG – QUAN BA – YEN MINH – DONG VAN (BREAKFAST/LUNCH/DINNER) 140 KM
Breakfast at the local home. 08 :00 Walk & enjoy the Phuong Thien nursery, infirmary and village. Then, depart for Dong Van (single stone tray Vietnam) via Quan Ba and Yen Minh. The remote region of Dong Van is a land of rugged mountains and beautiful hill tribe villages which have remained unchanged for centuries. Today we head northwest out of Ha Giang Town towards this northernmost tip of Vietnam. The former Hmong royal house at Sa Phin is a primary attraction of the region, but the blend of the hill tribe people’s colourful costumes and the majestic mountainous scenery make this long and sometimes bumpy trip an unforgettable experience. Lunch on the way. Dinner and overnight at hotel in Dong Van.
Inclusion: transportation, English speaking guide, meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner, all entrance fees and accommodation.
DAY 8: DONG VAN – LUNG CU – MEO VAC (BREAKFAST/LUNCH/DINNER) 80 KM
Breakfast at hotel. At 08:00 Am, Visit the market and the old district of Dong Van, then excursion to Lung Cu, the Chinese border. Back to Dong Van for lunch.
In the afternoon we depart for Meo Vac (30 km), in the heart of a mountainous region with a moderate climate, crossing the Mont Ma Phi Leng at over 2000 meters altitude. You can admire a beautiful view over the valley dotted with terraced fields of hemp, karst hills, houses on stilts, and the Hmong, Zao and Nho Que River. This romantic and quiet river takes its source in China to expand on the Vietnamese territory as a band of white silk. Arrive in Meo Vac. Check in the Auberge Meo Vac – a small inn which was the former home of a restored Hmong farmhouse in the Chung Pa A village. The mostpopulous minoritywas the Hmong. Walk through the village enviroment. Dinner and overnight in Meo Vac.
Inclusion: transportation, English speaking guide, meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner, all entrance fees and accommodation.
DAY 9: MEO VAC – BAO LAC (BREAKFAST/LUNCH/DINNER) 100 KM
After breakfast, at 08 :00 Depart to the Lung Phinh market (9 km from Meo Vac) that stands in the morning the days of the Tiger and Monkey according to the lunar calendar. It is the largest and most authentic Northeast Vietnam market. Here you will be impressed by this market that attracts all the minorities in the region as the Hmong, Dao, Cao Lan, Lo Lo, Tay minorities all come here … Back to Meo Vac for lunch. Then transfer to Bao Lac. End of the afternoon is free for your personal discovery and enjoyment of Bao Lac. Dinner and overnight at hotel in Bao Lac.
Note: This route could be changed depending on Lung Phinh market days
Inclusion: transportation, English speaking guide, meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner, all entrance fees and accommodation.
DAY 10: BAO LAC – BA BE (BREKFAST/LUNCH/DINNER) 150 KM
Breakfast at hotel. 08:00 Transfer to the village of Black Lolo via the road (10 km), and hiking (2 km) to visit Lolo village. Continue to Ba Be. Stopping along the way for lunch. Arrive in Ba Be in the early afternoon. Upon arrival in Ba Be,we will be visiting the Hua Ma cave.Check-in home of Tay ethnic minority in the Pac Ngoi village. Enjoy your free time to explore the village & and to capture picturesque views. Dinner and overnight at a traditional wooden house on stilts.
Inclusion: transportation, English speaking guide, meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner, all entrance fees and accommodation.
DAY 11: BA BE – HANOI (BREAKFAST/LUNCH/-) 250 KM
Breakfast at local home. 08:00 Boat trip on Ba Be lake on the way to Ba Be National Park, which is surrounded by rugged limestone mountains and is Viet Nam’s only natural mountain lake. This important eco-system is best known for over 330 species of butterflies they have there! Have breakfast with your Tay hosts. The lush forest clinging to the surrounding mountains is your backdrop as you explore the lake. Reach the end of the lake and continue the trip on Nang River until you we come across the Puong cave. Back to the homestay for lunch. Then, meet your driver for the trip back to Hanoi.
Arrive in Hanoi at about 19.00pm. Stay overnight in Hanoi.
Inclusion: transportation, English speaking guide, meals: breakfast, lunch, all entrance fees and accommodation.
DAY 12: HANOI DEPARTURE (BREAKFAST/-/-)
Our driver will pick you up at hotel, transfer to airport, fly home or next destination. Tour ends.
Inclusion: transportation, meal: breakfast
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