Northern Vietnam Mountain Trails Adventure – 9 Days

GENERAL INFORMATION

Tour Route: Hanoi - Lao Cai - Sapa - Ha Giang - Cao Bang - Lang Son - Hanoi
Duration: 9 Days/ 8 Nights
Date: No fixed departure dates. You may go whenever you wish.
Start/ End: Hanoi/ Hanoi
Tour Customizable: Definitely! (Tell us your specific requirements in the inquiry form)
Accommodation: Listed below or equivalent

BRIEF ITINERARY

Day 1: Hanoi Arrival – Lunch/Dinner with Street Foods – Night Train to Lao Cai, Sapa
Day 2: Lao Cai – Sapa – Bac Ha Market – Open on Sunday only (B, L)
Day 3: Sapa – Sau Chua – Sa Seng – Hang Da – Hau Thao – Sapa (B, L)
Day 4: Sapa – Ha Giang – Quan Ba (B, L, D)
Day 5: Quan Ba – Yen Minh – Lung Cu – Dong Van (B, L, D)
Day 6: Dong Van – Meo Vac (B, L, D)
Day 7: Meo Vac – Cao Bang (B, L, D)
Day 8: Cao Bang – Ban Gioc Waterfall – Lang Son (B, L, D)
Day 9: Lang Son – City Tour – Hanoi (B, L)

FULL ITINERARY

Day 1: Hanoi Arrival – Lunch/Dinner with Street Foods – Night Train to Lao Cai, Sapa

On your arrival, our guide and car will wait for you in the arrival lobby before we transfer to the hotel for check-in. Dive straight into its vibrant culinary scene with a delectable lunch and dinner featuring street foods. Later, board the night train bound for Lao Cai, your gateway to the majestic landscapes of Sapa

Day 2: Lao Cai – Sapa – Bac Ha Market – Open on Sunday only (B, L)

Bac Ha market, located in the heart of Bac ha small town is the largest one in the area. Every Sunday, the different and colorful ethnic minority come all here to sell their homemade products or buy something for the 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. The highlights of this trip is to live yourself in Bac Ha colorful market that happens only on Sunday and also to take a wonderful boat trip upstream Chay River, to have some pleasant walks through Tay village.

You will be met by local guide and driver upon your arrival at Lao Cai station then transferred to a local restaurant for breakfast. Then start our drive to Bac Ha town. The road is relatively flat from Lao Cai to Bao Nhai bridge. After crossing the bridge, we begin our journey up to Bac Ha. Bac Ha market, located in the heart of Bac ha small town is the largest one in the area. Every Sunday, the different and colorful ethnic minority come all here to sell their homemade products or buy something for the 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. Your lunch will be provided in a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, we drive downhill towards Lao Cai for about half an hour. We stop on the way (before reaching Lao Cai) to take a short walk to Trung Do village inhabited by Tay people. Tay villages are always set up at the foot of a mountain or along a stream and are named after a mountain, a field, or a river. Each village contains about 15-20 households. A large village is divided into many small hamlets. The houses are built on stilts or level with the ground. Stop by a traditional Tay house for a cup of tea before taking a boat cruise upstream the Chay River. The scenery is very beautiful on both sides of the river. The boat trip will end at Bao Nhai bridge where your vehicle will be waiting for you for the journey back to Sapa.

Day 3: Sapa – Sau Chua – Sa Seng – Hang Da – Hau Thao – Sapa (B, L)

Met up at your hotel in Sapa by local guide and driver for a short road transfer along the national road 4D northeastwards to the trekking point. Trekking uphill on a large and rocky path for 2 hours along the narrow valley which runs between two high mountains passing two hamlets of the Black H’mong of Sa Pa Commune: Sau Chua and Sa Seng. The H’mong peoples here have just recently change their living way from sifting style into the sedentary one. So there are still a lot traces of the past time can be seen: rudimentary houses, stone wall around homes… Lunch break in the village.

After lunch, continue along the same trail gradually uphill the Den Thang Mountain for an hour to Hang Da Village of the H’mong which sits at 1,800m height and over looking down the Muong Hoa Valley. Paying visit to several local homes. Leaving Hang Da and enjoy easy walk on high elevation for half an hour which offers great view of Muong Hoa Valley until arriving to Thao Hong Den, another village of the Black H’mong. Paying visiting to several local homes. This portion of the trek offers chances for taking the best photos of landscapes. Getting downhill for another hour along a dirt track to Pho Village at the center of Hau Thao Commune. Picked up and transfer back to Sapa.

Approx: 1-hour driving/ 4-5 hours walking/ 1-hour lunch.

Day 4: Sapa – Ha Giang – Quan Ba (B, L, D)

Pick up at the hotel in Sapa in the morning. The drive takes at least 5 hours passing through the countryside, villages, and towns in far Northeast Vietnam. After lunch in a local restaurant, continue to Ha Giang. On arrival in the mid-afternoon, visit Tha Cultural Village which is 5 Km away from the town center. The village is home to Tay people and surrounded by rice terrace. Back to the town and check-in your hotel which overlooks the river.

Day 5:  Quan Ba – Yen Minh – Lung Cu – Dong Van (B, L, D)

After breakfast at the hotel, start our journey by passing through Quan Ba, this is considered one of the most stunning routes in Vietnam. Stop to visit some minority communities en-route and talk with the lovely local children. You can bring them some sweets, candy or snacks but not money. In this route, we spend time to pass by some highlight place as Bac Sum Slope – Quan Ba Heaven’s Gate; Quan Ba Twin Moutain Fairy (Nui doi Quan Ba). You will have some time to drink café in the middle of mountain and watch the amazing view of Ha Giang.

Then, on the way we transfer to Yen Minh, we will pass-by Lung Cu Flag Tower and take a view from here before start the journey to Yen Minh Town and spend the rest of day in here. This day will be end-up by having a dinner after a long day with some local alcohol (ruou ngo – one of the most significant drink in here) if you like.

Distance Ha Giang – Quan Ba: 60km – 2.5 hours
Distance Quan Ba – Yen Minh: 58km – 2.5 hours

Day 6: Dong Van – Meo Vac (B, L, D)

After a local breakfast, our car will move to Meo Vac after spend time to pass by Chin Khoanh Slope (Nine Turning Point Slope); Lung Cam Culture Village (With Film Studio ‘Story of Pao’), where live mainly Hmong people and some other ethnic minority groups such as Hoa and Lo Lo etc. For centuries it is there as a “peaceful oasis” inside the beautiful Sung La valley. Architecture of houses in the village, farming practices and customs of the people in Lung Cam village represent the traditional culture of Hmong people in the Dong Van UNESCO Global Geopark. Then, we visit Dinh Vua Meo (Vuong’s Palace) – the ancient villa of Vuong Chinh Duc. The only one recognized by the Ha Giang ethnic people as king of the Hmong People in the beginning of the 20th century, who controlled Quan Ba, Yen Minh, Meo Vac and Dong Van districts.

In the afternoon, we will visit Ma Pi Leng Mountain Pass, Hem Tu San (Tu San Canyon) – Above only, Vách đá thần (White/Magical Cliffs) – you can see it from the main road to Meo Vac. We will spend the rest of day in here.

Distance Yen Minh – Dong Van: 50km – 2 hours
Distance Dong Van – Meo Vac: 25km – 1 hours

*Optional adventure services in Nho Que River: Go down to Nho Que River by motorbike and have a journey with boat in Ty San Canyon before go-up and continue the journey. With this tour, you will experience the felling of adventure when go down from the top to bottom in around 25 minutes with motorbike

Day 7: Meo Vac – Cao Bang (B, L, D)

Today’s drive will be through three passes with the beautiful landscape of forest and mountains. Lunch in a local restaurant with specialty and arrive Cao Bang Town in the late afternoon with some stops en-route to visit the local villages. Dinner and overnight in Cao Bang.

Distance Meo Vac – Cao Bang: 200km – 6 hours

Day 8: Cao Bang – Ban Gioc Waterfall – Lang Son (B, L, D)

After breakfast, visit Ban Gioc Waterfall on the China-Vietnam border which is 85 KM from Cao Bang. Ban Gioc is one of the largest and the most impressive waterfalls in Vietnam, get your eyes amazed by the white water, picturesque blue sky, great limestone mountains, and stunning rice fields – a great chance ever for the photo shoot. After a picnic lunch, visit Nguom Ngao Cave, one of the largest in the area. It has many fascinating stalactites in different shapes. After that, we run to Lang Son for sleep

Day 9: Lang Son – City Tour – Hanoi (B, L)

After breakfast, we will start to discover Lang Son without experiencing famous shopping markets in Lang Son such as Ky Lua Night Market, Dong Kinh Market, Tan Thanh Market … it is a big shortcoming. After that, we spend time to investigate Tam Thanh Pagoda Cave, the most famous landmark of Lang Son. The cave has many natural stalactites with many unique shapes that attract the curiosity of visitors. Tam Thanh pagoda contains many cultural values ​​and in particular still retains many valuable artifacts. Such as the Amitabha Buddha image during Le – Mac dynasty.

Then, we go to Mac Dynasty Wall, is a military architectural monument reflecting the feudal period of Vietnam. With the road from the foot of the hill to the city gate with straight steps. Where you will admire the panoramic view of Lang Son city. Eating lunch in local restaurant here before driving back to Hanoi and end the tour at our hotel in the late afternoon. The Northeast Vietnam tour ends. See you again in the next Vietnam vacation!

Distance Cao Bang – Hanoi: 300km – 6.5 hours