FAR NORTH VIETNAM TOUR

* BRIEF ITINERARY:
Day 1: Ha noi – Tuyen Quang – Viet Quang (-; L; D)
Day 2 : Viet Quang – Vi Xuyen – Vang Luong – Cao Banh (B; L; D)
Day 3 : Cao Banh – Dan Khao – Hop Nhat Village (B; L; D)
Day 4 : Hop Nhat – Tung San – Hoang Su Phi – Xin Man – Bac Ha (B; L; D)
Day 5 :  Bac Ha – Sapa – Ta Van – Giang Ta Chai – Su Pan – Topas-ecolodge (B; L; -)
Day 6:  Topas Ecolodge – Sapa – Binh Lu – Lai Chau (B; L; D)
Day 7 :  Lai Chau – Sin Ho – Muong Lay – Dien Bien Phu (B; L; -)
Day 8 :  Dien Bien Phu – Tay Trang (B/-/-)

Day 1 – Vietnam Tour to Tuyen Quang, Ha Giang, Lai Chau, Sapa : Ha noi – Tuyen Quang – Viet Quang (-; L; D)

Full day transfer from Hanoi to Viet Quang town let, Ha Giang Province along national road 2 via Phuc Yen, Viet Tri, Tuyen Quang with several breaks along the way for resting and sightseeing. Lunch at a popular restaurant in Tuyen Quang and arrive in Viet Quang in mid afternoon. The rest hours is set free to relax and have preparation for 3 days trekking afterwards.

Day summary: Transfer 313 km, approx. 6 hours // Local guest house.

Day 2 – Vietnam Tour to Tuyen Quang, Ha Giang, Lai Chau, Sapa: Viet Quang – Vi Xuyen – Vang Luong – Cao Bang (B; L; D)

Leave Viet Quang at 08.00 for a road ride for 1,5 hour along national road 2 to Vi Xuyen Town Let (35 km) and then turn left to a narrow paved road 15 km and arrive at Vang Luong Village (Thuong Son Commune) at 09.30. This 15 km portion of the road trip offers stunning landscapes.

– The trek begins from here (1,110ft) for about 6 hours along a tream which running between 2 high mountain ranges, through Thuong Son Commune, passing small villages of the Tay peopoles scaterring on the low land of the narrow valley and Zao peoples on the higher hilly land gradually uphill to Cao Banh Village of the Zao ao dai (Zao with long dress) ethnic peoples. Settle down at a local homes, freshen up and relax

Day summary: Transfer 60 km, approx. 1,5 hour // Trekking: 5 hours, grade 3 of 5 // Home stay.

Day 3 – Vietnam Tour to Tuyen Quang, Ha Giang, Lai Chau, Sapa : Cao Bang – Dan Khao – Hop Nhat Village (B; L; D)

Breakfast and leave Cao Banh Village at 08.30. The trail winds its way uphill for about 4 hours via several small villages of the Zao peoples to the top of the pass (Heaven Gate) at the hight of 3975ft. As the trails gets higher, the stunning view of the region opens wider and the population gets thinner. The clients will enjoy magnificent landscapes of the terraced fields below the trails and thick forest covering the higher land and mountains.

– Long lunch break at the Heaven Gate and from here great view of the two side of the Tay Con Linh opens as wide as one’s sight.
– The way down is about 6 km and little bit steep and narrow for the first 2 km and then getting easier as the trails comes down to the lowerland, passing a small hamlet of the Co Lao ethnic peoples before arriving to Hop Nhat Village of Tung San Commune.
– Walking around this village of the Zao peoples which sits on a earthen hill and over looking down a stunning valley.

Day summary: Transfer: 0 // Trekking: 6 hours, grade 3 of 5 // Home stay.

Day 4 – Vietnam Tour to Tuyen Quang, Ha Giang, Lai Chau, Sapa : Hop Nhat – Tung San – Hoang Su Phi – Xin Man – Bac Ha (B; L; D)

Leaving Hop Nhat Village at 08.30 and follow a narrow trails (image) downhill for about 4 hours through Hop Nhat village to the center of Tung San Commune and then continue to Thanh Giay Village, home to the Nung, Tay, Han and Hoa ethnic peoples. Walking around the village and paying visiting to local homes before picked up at Tan Tien junction and transfer to Hoang Su Phi Town Let for Lunch.

– Transfer by road 78 km to Bac Ha via Xin Man Town Let. Clients will enjoy many photo stops and paying quick visit to some small hamlets of the Flower H’mong along the way and arrive in Bac Ha at about 17.00.
– Check in Sao Mai hotel and relax

Day summary: Transfer: 78 // Trekking: 4 hours, grade 3 of 5 // Hotel in Bac Ha – Sao Mai

Day 5 – Vietnam Tour to Tuyen Quang, Ha Giang, Lai Chau, Sapa : Bac Ha – Sapa – Ta Van – Giang Ta Chai – Su Pan – Topas-ecolodge (B; L; -)

Breakfast and leaving Bac Ha along road 155 downhill to Lao Cai (72 km) with stops along the way to visit a small hamlet of the Phu La ethnic peoples(13km from Bac Ha), taking a short walk uphill to see tea plantation near Phong Hai (39 km before Lao Cai). Enjoy a coffee break at Lao Cai City before drving uphill for an hour to Sapa (38 km).

– Arriving in Sapa at noon, lunch break in a restaurant and then spend half an hour walking around this charming town. Leaving Sapa town at 13.30 and drive southwards for 12 km to Ta Van Vilage. Start trekking from Ta Van to Giang Ta Chai Village of the Red Zao (1,5 hours) through terraced rice paddies and bamboo forest. After visiting local homes at Giang Ta Chai, the group will cross Muong Hoa River and then trekking uphill to Su Pan village of the H’mong and down to the motor way.
– Pick up and transfer for half an hour to Topas ecolodge, check in and relax.

Day summary: Transfer: 130 km // Trekking: 2,5 hours, grade 2 of 5 // Topas ecolodge.

Day 6 – Vietnam Tour to Tuyen Quang, Ha Giang, Lai Chau, Sapa: Topas Ecolodge – Sapa – Binh Lu – Lai Chau (B; L; D)

Breakfast and check out Topas Ecolodge at 08.00. Picked up and transfer 32 km via to Sapa and Tram Ton Pass. Enjoy a short break at the Silver Waterfall for a miring this nature wonder and then 20 minutes at Tram Ton Pass (Heaven Gate) for stunning scenery of Fasipan Mount and Sapa Valley as well as great view of the west side of Hoang Lien range.
– Continue driving 27 km downhill to Chu Va village of the Red H’mong. Walk for an hour to visit this village which beautifully sits near the food of the pass by the side of a river before continue 8 km to Binh Lu Town let, lunch break here.
– After lunch, take a short drive 2 km through the lush Binh Lu Valley to Pa Pe village of the Lu ethnic peoples who where beautiful traditional costumes and still dye their teeth black. Walk for half an hour to visit this village before continue the road trip to Lai Chau Town (Old Tam Duong). Arriving in Tam Duong at about 16.00, check in hotel. The rest of the afternoon is for exploring villages of the tribal peoples in the country side including the Black Zao and Zao Tien (Zao with coins) and enjoy a peaceful walk to see tea farm in the suburb of Lai Chau.

Day summary: Transfer: 105 km // Trekking: 2 hours, grade 1 of 5 // Hotel Muong Thanh

Day 7 – Vietnam Tour to Tuyen Quang, Ha Giang, Lai Chau, Sapa: Lai Chau – Sin Ho – Muong Lay – Dien Bien Phu (B; L; -)

Leaving Lai Chau at 08.00 for a drive through the beautiful region along the back road for nearly 3 hours to Muong Lay (Old Lai Chau Town) via Sin Ho district. The road trip offers stunning landscapes of large valley, fabulous forest and the group will take some short stops along the way to pay visit to villages of the Red H’mong and Thai peoples before arriving to Muong Lay town let. Spend half an hour walking around Muong Lay valley before having lunch.

– Arriving in Dien Bien Phu at about 15.00 and spend the rest hours in the afternoon for historical sightseeing around Dien Bien Phu former battle fields famous for the last campaign of the Viet Minh (Vietnamese communist forces) against the French colonial army. The sights for visiting include the A1 hill, Dien Bien Phu Museum, the head quarter of the French army and the beautiful Muong Thanh valley.
– Check in hotel and at 17.30 and free to explore Dien Bien Phu city in the evening.

Day summary: Transfer: 190 km // Walk: 2 hours, grade 1 of 5 // Hotel Him Lan or Asia.

Day 8 – Vietnam Tour to Tuyen Quang, Ha Giang, Lai Chau, Sapa: Dien Bien Phu – Tay Trang (B/-/-)

Breakfast, check out hotel and transfer 42 km to Tay Trang border gate for the next portion of the trip for Laos.

Include :

• English or French speaking guide
• Black Hmong porters (to carry food and luggage)
• Cook (from group sizes of 6 pax)
• All needed transport
• All indicated meals, plus snacks (B as breakfast; L as lunch; D as dinner)
• Water on the whole trip
• Sleeping bag and mattresses
• Waterproof bluebag for luggage
• Tents if needed
• Mosquito net
• All entrance fees and permit
• Overnight in local house or tent 

Exclude :

• Personal Pocket Money
• Soft drink (beer, coca cola…)
• Insurance
• All other services not indicated above

=> Please take a note that we are now in a process of updating the cost for this tour & this work will be completed soon after a time. If you need further details on our updated quotes, kindly email us at sales@vietlongtravel.com or vietlongtravel@gmail.com directly