Itinerary
Day 1: Hanoi - Sapa
Day 2: Sapa trekking
Day 3: Bac Ha - Hoang Su Phi - Ha Giang
Day 4: Ha Giang - Sa Phin - Dong Van
Day 5: Dong Van - Meo Vac - Bao Lac - Nguyen Binh - Ba Be Lake
Day 6: Ba Be Lake
Day 7: Ba Be - Hanoi
Day 1: Hanoi – Sapa (L, D)
We will pick you up at your hotel in Hanoi around 7am and start the drive to Sapa, which takes roughly 10 hours. Along the way we’ll stop for a few visits to ethnic minority villages, as well as a few tops for photos and lunch.
You’ll arrive in Sapa in the late afternoon, at which point we’ll take you to your hotel for check-in. The rest of the day is yours to explore Sapa Town, with dinner and an overnight stay in a hotel.
Highlights and activities: Hanoi, Lao Cai
Accommodation: The View Hotel
Meals: Lunch, dinner
Day 2: Sapa Trekking (B, L, D)
After breakfast there will be time to explore the daily market before setting out on a 3-4 hour trek along small trails and through the small, charming villages of Lao Chai and Ta Van. You will meet many locals from the H’mong and Dzay tribes en-route, and we’ll take a break for a picnic lunch in Ta Van Village.
Once we’re done trekking we return to our hotel in Sapa.
Highlights and activities: Sapa a 10 -12 km trek
Accommodation: The View Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 3: Sapa – Lao Cai – Bac Ha (B, L, D)
After breakfast at the hotel we will drive you to Bac Ha via Lao Cai. On arrival there will be two options for this day’s activities depending on whether this day is a Sunday or not.
If it’s a Sunday, we’ll spend the morning and afternoon visiting the Bac Ha Market, where you can see people from many different ethnicities trading and socializing.
If it’s not a Sunday, then we will make a visit to the H’mong Palace to learn more about the turbulent history of the region.
Either way, we will then have dinner and stay overnight in a hotel in Bac Ha.
Highlights and activities: Bac Ha a 5 -7 km trek
Accommodation: Lap Xuan's Homestay
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 4: Bac Ha – Hoang Su Phi – Ha Giang (B, L, D)
After breakfast you will leave Bac Ha on the road through Sin Man and Hoang Su Phi, heading for Ha Giang. Along the way you’ll have plenty of time to admire the scenery as well as observe the local people doing their daily tasks. We will make plenty of stops for pictures and lunch before arriving in Ha Giang in the late afternoon for check-in at the hotel. You then have the rest of the day free to explore the border town before dinner and an overnight stay at the hotel.
Highlights and activities: Hagiang, Hoang Su Phi a 5 -7 km trek
Accommodation: Mr Doan's Homestay
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 5: Ha Giang – Sa Phin – Dong Van (B, L, D)
Dong Van is famous for its rich ion of rugged mountain scenery and charming minority villages. We start discovering these by visiting the ancient royal H’mong house in Sa Phin followed by a drive back to Ha Giang that will allow you plenty of opportunities to appreciate the colourful costumes of the local people and of course the ever present amazing landscape. We return to our hotel in Ha Giang for dinner and an overnight stay.
Highlights and activities: Hagiang, Dong Van, Lung Cu a 5 -7 km trek
Accommodation: Hoa Cuong's Hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 6: Dong Van – Meo Vac – Quan Ba (B, L, D)
After breakfast we might get a chance to visit the Dong Van market, if we’re here on the right day. The day of the market changes every week, moving 1 day back for each week that passes.
We then make the climb up to Pu Lo Fortress situated on a mountain behind the town, and then travel along Ma Pi Leng Pass, considered by many to be the best scenery in all of Vietnam. We then descend into Meo Vac Valley and stop in Meo Vac Town for lunch, followed by a drive to Tam Son and then Quan Ba, arriving in the late afternoon. Here you will have dinner and spend the night in a Dzao homestay.
Highlights and activities: Pu Lo fortress, Ma Pi Leng, a a 8 - 10 km trek
Accommodation: Mr Dat Homestay
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 7: Meo Vac – Quan Ba – Hanoi (B, L)
After breakfast in the hotel, we take you back to Hanoi through spectacular scenery, stopping for lunch in Tuyen Quang and arriving in Hanoi in the late afternoon/early evening.
Highlights and activities: Through Tuyen Quang, Hanoi
Accommodation: Not included
Meals: Breakfast, lunch