Itinerary in brief
Day 1 Hanoi - Arrival
Day 2 Hanoi - City tour - TRAIN - Sapa
Day 3 Sapa - Y Linh Ho - Lao Chai - Ta Van - Trekking
Day 4 Ta Van - Giang Ta Chai - Ban Ho - Trekking
Day 5 Ban Ho - Xa Pho - Nam Toong - Nam Ken - Thanh Phu - Trekking
Day 6 Thanh Phu - Su Pan - Sapa - Trekking
Day 7 Sapa - Ta Phin - Cat Cat - Sin Chai - TRAIN - Hanoi
Day 8 Hanoi - Halong - CRUISE and NIGHT on board
Day 9 Halong - CRUISE - NinhBinh
Day 10 Ninh Binh - Mai Chau
Day 11 Mai Chau - Xa Linh - Hang Kia - Cun Pheo
Day 12 Cun Pheo - Van Mai - Hang Tribe village
Day 13 Trekking the hills of Pu Luong
Day 14 Pu Luong Market Trek
Day 15 Hin Village - Hanoi - Departure
Itinerary in details
DAY 1: HANOI - ARRIVAL
Met and welcome by the Hanoi Voyages Guide upon arrival at the airport.
Then transfer by private car to your hotel.
In the afternoon,
- We take a ride of exploration through the busy streets of the ‘Old Quarter’ (over 1000yrs old), by traditional cyclo, a tricycle ridden from the rear, giving an uninterrupted view of this historical district.
- Our day will finish with after a water-puppet show, a traditional and ancient art form, unique to Vietnam, where the puppets appear on water, manipulated from behind a screen.
Overnight in Hanoi
DAY 2: HANOI - CITY TOUR - TRAIN - SAPA
This city tour gives a glimpse and an introduction to the history and highlights of the nation’s capital.
In the morning,
- Visit to Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum to see the embalmed body of the nation’s hero, affectingly known by the people as ‘Uncle Ho’, and view his former residence, built on stilts and preserved just as Ho left it.
- Visit one pilar pagoda
- Visit the Temple of Literature, a fine example of traditional Vietnamese architecture founded in 1070 by Emporer Ly Thanh Tong, and dedicated to Confucius to honor literary scholars. Vietnam’s first university was also established here in 1076.
- Continuing on, we will move to West Lake district to we shall discover the Tran Quoc Pagoda, one of the oldest in Vietnam, and Quan Thanh Temple situated on the Truc Bach Lake shore, established by the Ly dynasty.
In the afternoon
- We begin with a visit to the Ethnology Museum
- Then enjoy some free time to stroll through Dong Xuan market
After dinner, you will transit to the Hanoi Railway Station for the train journey to Lao Cai, the closest railway station to Sapa.
Overnight on board
DAY 3: SAPA - Y LINH HO - LAO CHAI - TA VAN - TREKKING
After meeting your guide in Lao Cai, transferring to Sapa and breakfasting, you will begin to meet the ethnic minority people who live in the surrounds.
Our hike begins in the village of Y Linh Ho, situated in the Muong Hoa Valley, and entails a gentle 6 kms hike to Lao Chai village, populated by the Black H’Mong ethnic group. You will wander through landscapes of terraced rice fields and be awe struck by the beautiful scenery of waterfalls, productive fields of rice, corn, bananas and sculpted hillsides. Along the way you will see the water buffalo working the fields, and meet many locals dressed in their traditional clothing, with whom many interactions take place.
After a break for lunch, we will continue our journey, walking approximately 2 kms to the village of Ta Van, populated by the Giay ethnic people.
The women of the village weave their own fabrics for the clothes they wear, and many looms will be seen along the way.
The people of Ta Van also engage in sculpture of both stone and wood, many of a very intricate nature.
Overnight in Home stay
DAY 4: TA VAN - GIANG TA CHAI - BAN HO - TREKKING
Today we will hike for approximately 6 hours, mostly downhill.
An early morning hike through a bamboo forest brings us to the Red Dao village community of Giang Ta Chai. We will meet the villagers and visit their homes. After some relaxation time at the edge of a waterfall, we will take a short walk to the village of Ban Ho, also inhabited by the Red Dao, an unforgettable day in an unbelievable authentic mountain setting.
Overnight in home stay
DAY 5: BAN HO - XA PHO - NAM TOONG - NAM KEN - THANH PHU - TREKKING
We trek to the village of the Xa Pho tribe, the smallest ethnic group in Sapa who have very little contact with modern Vietnam and speak very little Vietnamese. We continue to trek up to Nam toong, to visit the Nam Ken Village of Red Dzao. We then trek to Thanh Phu.
Overnight in home stay
DAY 6: THANH PHU - SU PAN - SAPA - TREKKING
After breakfast you trek to the village of Su Pan. From here, we are collected by our vehicle and transferred back to Sapa. In the afternoon you will have time to experience the colourful Sapa.
Overnight in hotel
DAY 7: SAPA - TA PHIN - CAT CAT - SIN CHAI - TRAIN - HANOI
Trek around 2 hours to Ta Phin village where you can meet 2 ethnic groups, Black Hmong and Red Dao minorities, live their own way with no cultural mixture. Experience how different they are in many ways by visiting their house and interact with the locals.
In the afternoon, we trek on a mountain road lined with corn, banana and rice fields, on our way to Cat Cat and Sin Chai Villages, (both H’mong villages).
Transfer to railway station for the night train back Hanoi.
Overnight on board
DAY 8: HANOI - HALONG - CRUISE AND NIGHT ON BOARD
Transfer from your hotel to Halong Bay by private car with your tour guide.
Halong Bay, with its 1969 islands, is set in beautiful turquoise waters and was recognized for its natural beauty by UNESCO in 1994, and classified as a World Heritage Site.
Ha Long means “descending dragon” and according to legend, a dragon was lowered into the bay to harness the ocean currents. His violent tail movements disturbed and spread the mountain, and when he plunged into the sea the water level rose up, leaving only the highest peaks above the water.
Cruising in this spectacular seascape is mystical and magnificent!
Lunch in the elegant dining room or on the outside deck, a delicious seafood menu, of food prepared with skill and dedication, exquisitely decorated, and served excellently by qualified personnel.
Admire the beautiful landscape that will impress everywhere you look. These islands with their striking shapes, allow your imagination to take over and “see” many different images amongst their formations, whilst cruising water the color of jade, which is so enchanting it never tires.
Fall in love with the magic of this place... .. and you have the privilege of being on a junk which sails away from the “beaten tracks” of mass tourism. No noise, and your eyes will focus on the beauty of the site.
Deck chairs are available to admire the spectacle that unfolds before your eyes.
- Visit the mysterious cave Canh Thien.
Dinner is served outdoors, (weather permitting), or in the indoor dining room.
Tasty seafood, from an excellent menu, cooked to perfection and wonderfully decorated and served by qualified personnel.
Overnight on board
DAY 9: HALONG - CRUISE - NINH BINH
Under the morning sun, surrounded by enchanting and astonishing beauty, your breakfast will be served.
In row boat, you will journey through the heart of a fishing village, to discover the floating houses and the lifestyle of its population, who live constantly on the water.
You will meet the village chief who will help you imagine the daily lives of the inhabitants of Halong Bay. You will also visit a floating school.
- Lunch on board the junk will close this beautiful cruise.
The whole crew will greet you and thank you for your patronage.
By early afternoon you will return to the port.
After disembarking from the junk, our driver will welcome you back to dry land, and the journey to Ninh Binh.
Overnight in Ninh Binh
DAY 10: NINH BINH - MAI CHAU
Visit Hoa Lu the site of the country’s first capital (years 968-1009) whose ancient citadel covered almost 3 sq kms. Although now mostly destroyed, ruminants remain today. The temples of Dinh Tien Hoang (restored in the 17th century) and Le Dai Hanh remain and the stunning views and scenery are worth the stop.
We then head for Tam Coc town. Known as ‘Halong Bay in the rice fields, the views and photographic opportunities are endless and it is truly one of the more beautiful places in the entire country.
- We will have lunch in Tam Coc town
After eating we board small sampan and traverse the Ngo Dong River through the rice fields where huge rock formations rise from these greenfield. The sampans are manned by locals who, incredibly, row with their feet. During this leisure trip the boats enter three sacred caves, Tam Coc Caves, after which the town itself was named. The boat trip takes approximately 2hrs and is a very peaceful and scenic time.
Road trip to Mai Chau, through the beautiful Hoa Binh Province, then descending into the Valley of Mai Chau.
Overnight in home stay
DAY 11: MAI CHAU - XA LINH - HANG KIA - CUN PHEO
Road transfer to Xa Linh for a full days trekking along a mix of tracks, streambeds and steep jungle hillsides and reach a H’mong village to enjoy a late lunch.
The afternoon trek is mainly downhill, across small streams, over suspension bridges and tracks that meander through hamlets. Along the way the scenery is second to none and we finish the days trek at Cun Pheo village. (Today’s trek: 21kms, 9-10hrs).
Overnight in home stay
DAY 12: CUN PHEO - VAN MAI - HANG TRIBE VILLAGE
Vietnam’s incredible population diversity is on display for you today, when we trek through some of the many different tribal villages of the montagnard group of peoples.
After lunch we transfer to Sai Village, for a trek to Hang Village, along part of the famous Ho Chi Minh trail, Once used as a supply route during the Vietnam War, that has now become a perfect place for a peaceful and tranquil afternoon trek.
Overnight in home stay
DAY 13: TREKKING THE HILLS OF PHU LUONG
Today’s trek will be through the stunningly beautiful Pu Luong Valley with its steep ascents and relaxing downhill trails, until we reach the scenic village of Kho Muong, nestled between steep limestone outcrops and lush verdant hillsides. If you have enough energy left we will take a short walk to a nearby cave for some exploring.
Overnight in home stay
DAY 14: PHU LUONG MARKET - TREKING
This morning starts with a slightly challenging downhill trek to the only market in the Nature Reserve. The mountain people of the district converge here and bring their produce and goods to sell or exchange among themselves. After our visit here we continue walking to the Nua Village eco-lodge and its glorious surrounds.
Overnight in home stay
DAY 15: HIN VILLAGE - HANOI - DEPARTURE
Our last morning of your journey will take you from mountains and paddy fields into the Tom village where you will be met and begin the transfer back to Hanoi. Arriving late in the afternoon for some time to relax and freshen up, before a goodbye dinner at a restaurant serving delightful Vietnamese cuisine.
Transfer to the airport for your departure flight.
End of our services
