Itinerary
Day 1: Hanoi –night train to Lao Cai
At 8h30 pm, we will pick you up at your hotel and transfer to Hanoi Railway Station for overnight train to Lao Cai.
Day 2: Lao Cai –Sapa (B)
Arrive in the early morning (around 6am), you will take a 45 –minute drive to Sapa. Check in hotel for your refreshment and breakfast. Rest of the day, you are free to explore the town. Accommodation at hotel in Sapa.
*early check –in is arranged today
Day 3: Sin Chai (H’mong) – Cat Cat – Y Linh Ho (B, L, D)
You will travel by car mostly downhill toward Sin Chai village of Black Hmong minority located right at the foot of Hoang Lien mountain range. Here you start heading up the mountain. Once on the top, you will trek on a small trail with spectacular view and then gradually descend to Cat Cat village, where you will enjoy simple lunch nearby a waterfall. In the after noon, you take a trail sneaking through mountain and enjoy spectacular scenery while walking along a narrow river. Eventually you will arrive in Y Linh Ho village of Black Hmong minority, taking a rest in a nice spot nearby the beautiful river before climbing toward a road, where the waiting vehicle will transfer you back to Sapa for overnight.
Approx: Grade 4 of 5/ 0,5 hour driving/ 4 hours walking/ 1 hour lunch
Day 4: Y Linh Ho - Lao Chai – Tavan (B,L,D)
Today’s trek will continue along Hoang Lien mountain range, which offers you many opportunities to enjoy view over huge rice paddy terraces in the largest valley of the area, Muong Hoa. After lunch at a nice spot, you descend into the bottom of the valley. You will pass through Lao Chai village of Black Hmong minority and then Tavan village of Giay minority by following a very popular trekking route. Tonight, you will stay in a traditional house of Giay minority. And you can take a walk to enjoy the valley view as well as swim in the river nearby.
Approx: Grade 2 of 5/ 4 hours walking/ 1 hour lunch
Day 5: Tavan - Seomity (B, L, D)
After breakfast, you start with mostly uphill trekking until lunchtime. Whenever you stop for a rest, you will witness beautiful valley view. Before noon, you stop again at a nice spot for lunch. The trek will be softer in the afternoon while the scenery becomes even more beautiful. You pass by Seomity village of Black Hmong minority before reaching a campsite located nearby a river outside the village. While porters put up tents and cook dinner, you can take a walk to stretch the legs.
Approx: Grade 3 of 5/ 4 hours walking/ 1 hour lunch
Day 6: Seomity – Den Thang - Ta Trung Ho (B, L, D)
The trek today takes you through beautiful rice paddies and over old suspension bridges. You will trek on small trail sneaking through rainforest. Approximately, you arrive in Den Thang village of Black Hmong by noon. Here you will have lunch either nearby a river or in a local school according to the weather. After lunch, the trek will becomes tough on tinny footpath going up and down, which requires a lot of concentration. The last destination of today is Ta Trung Ho village of Red Dao minority where you spend the night in a local house.
Approx: Grade 3 of 5/ 7 hours walking, 1 hour lunch
Day 7: Ta Trung Ho - Nam Toong – My Son – Thanh Phu (B, L, D)
You are now at the fringe of the rain forest by the Hoang Lien Son mountain range with Fansipan, the highest peak in Indochina with its 3,143m. You will start the trek today by ascending to Nam Toong village of Red Dao minority. Here your lunch will be prepared in a local school. After lunchtime, you descend to the valley where locates My Son village of Xa Pho minority, one of the smallest groups ethnic in Northern Vietnam. From there you take a short walk to Thanh Phu village of Tay minority. Here you spend the night in traditional house of the Tay. You can take a walk to explore local daily life while your dinner will be served with Vietnamese dishes.
Approx: Grade 3 of 5/ 6 hours walking/ 1 hour lunch
Day 8: Thanh Phu - Nam Cum – Sin Chai (B, L, D)
Today’s trek will be relatively short and soft. Once leaving Thanh Phu, you follow the trekking route built in the bottom of the valley, which offers the best view to the surrounding mountains. After lunchtime, you continue the walk toward Sin Chai village of Red Dao minority where you will experience the night stay in bamboo huts. You will be attracted by the wonderful hospitable atmosphere of the Red Dao.
Approx: Grade 2 of 5/ 4 hours walking/ 1 hour lunch
Day 9: Sin Chai - Nam Ket –Ben Den – Lao Cai (B, L)
After a good sleep in bamboo hut, you wake up for an early breakfast and repack your luggage for the long trek heading toward Lao Cai. Once you leave Sin Chai, the trip takes you into a fabulously mountainous area, the most remote part of Sapa. En route you meet children’ curious eyes as you are very first tourists passing by. Red Dao ethnic minority inhabits the entire area. You will enjoy the fresh of bamboo forest and jungle until you make a stop at Nam Ket for lunch. After lunch, your trek will be mostly downhill for approximately half an hour; then you will have a opportunity to enjoy one of the most beautiful view of days over a green valley lying along the Red River. Arriving in Ta Thang village of Tay minority, you will be transferred by car to Lao Cai for overnight train back to Hanoi.
Approx: Grade 3 of 5/ 7.5 hours walking/ 1 hour lunch.
Rates
All Travel Authentic tours are private and specially arranged for you. You will not join a group when you arrive at your destination.
As a guide, this tour costs from 612 USD per person.
This price is indicative (low-season) pricing only, and is the price per person, based on two people travelling together and sharing a twin/double room in standard hotel accommodation.
Prices include: all accommodations with daily breakfast, transfers and land tranportation in private air-con vehicle with driver, local & international flights in Indochina, professional English speaking guide, other meals as detailed in the tour itinerary, all entrance fees and boat fees.
Price does not include: visa fees, airport departure taxes where not included in air fares, tips and other personal expenses
Click here to Get a Quote!
The exact price of your holiday depends on the date of travel, number of travelers, your special needs and request. Our quotation will be sent to you by email and will include prices for standard accommodations, 3 stars boutique hotels and 4 stars deluxe hotels.
How to minimise the cost of your holiday
- Avoid travel at peak times, i.e. Christmas, New Year and lunar New Year.
- Take more friends with you! Larger parties lead to price reductions as many costs are shared;
- Avoid single supplements by making sure your group comprises an even number of travellers;
- Consider taking a more in-depth tour of one country rather than trying to visit too many countries in one trip. International flights between countries add cost. If you like one country, you can always go back to a neighbouring country next year!