9 Days Northern Trail-Mu Cang Chai-Sapa-Dong Van-Ha Giang

Today your adventure begins when you depart your hotel for the 193 km drive to Nghia Lo with lunch en route. Placed in an expansive valley, Nghia Lo is a beautiful village that reflects the calmed lifestyle of the ethnic minority groups living in the area. Before arriving at your hotel we will visit Suoi Giang. Situated more than 915 meters above the sea level, this enclave is the home of picturesque tea trees aged more than 100 years old.

Overnight in Nghia Lo.

In the second day you will enjoy photogenic sceneries as you drive from Nghia Lo to Sapa. At midday, you will stop in Mu Cang Chai. The town located at the foot of the Hoang Lien Mountain range, where you will find some of the most beautiful rice field terraces in Vietnam. Continue to Sapa and arrive there in the afternoon. Sapa is nestled in a spectacular valley, surrounded by wonderful and ever-changing views. Began as a hill station by the French in 1922, the town is mostly inhabited by the Hmong and Dao people, known for their welcoming culture and distinctive colorful clothing.

Overnight in Sapa.

Today enjoy a full day of sightseeing through villages of the more than 30 ethnic groups living around Sapa. Start with a light trekking (1.6 km) towards the bottom of the Muong Hoa Valley and the stunning Cat Cat village. Admire the lush scenery as you stroll down seeing green rice terraces and the colorful H’Muong houses. Cat Cat is an old village and home to the Black H’Mong ethnic group. The village seems almost frozen in time, with the H’Mong’s unique customs and costumes still evident and alive today. The village is full of young women weaving colorful brocades adorned with patterns of local birds and flowers. This morning you will take a jeep excursion to the Ta Van village, home of the Giay people, an ethnic group closer to the Red Delta area ethnic minorities. After a break for lunch, climb up to the Ham Rong Mountain for a panorama view of this town. Visit the orchid gardens filled with delicate and colorful flowers.

Overnight in Sapa.

This morning we will take a scenic drive through the countryside to Bac Ha. Next step we will take a tour of the house of King Hoang A Tuong, a tribal mandarin who ruled this area like a petty king when Vietnam was under the French colonial rule. This royal house-palace was built in the 1920’s by the French colonists, helped by Chinese laborers. After that, we will have a short walk to the Montagnard village of Ban Pho, home to the Flower H’mong. Learn about their history, culture, and customs of these exotic people. Enjoy a taste of their special wine made from corn.

Overnight in Bac Ha.

This morning, visit the popular Sunday market in Bac Ha. Explore this vast public market filled with locals from various hill tribes. The Bac Ha market is the most colorful in all north Vietnam. Sample the unique and without pretense tribe foods, along with special wines made from rice, cassavas, corn plumps, apples, peaches and other fruits. Next, ride through the remote countryside to Xin Man, a peaceful ethnic village near the Chinese border.

In the afternoon you will see more incredible scenery en route of mountains, highlands, stoned deserts and limestone hills. In the late afternoon, we will arrive at the Pan Hou Village base camp, your accommodations in Thong Nguyen village. The village is a wide valley populated by Tay people, one of the most popular ethnic groups in Vietnam. The Pan Hou Village is an eco-friendly tourism hotel with traditional-style rooms that is set on stilted houses, surrounded by a glorious and diverse landscape.

Overnight in Thong Nguyen.

This morning, depart into the ‘Roof of Vietnam’ to Quan Ba (Tam Son). At 1500 meters above sea level, this beautiful and peaceful town offers a romantic view of the Double Mountain.

Overnight in Quan Ba.

Today, we head towards Dong Van with some stops en route to explore the small communities and scenery along the way. The road will run through pine forests, and we will reach the Heaven’s Gate Pass, located above a deep valley dotted with fields and rock formations. Visit villages of Sung La, called as the oasis by the local people, and also Pho Cao. Continue to Na Khe – Sa Phin to visit the palace of Vuong Chi Sinh, considered as the King of the Dong Van highland areas & H’Mong ethnic people in the 1940s. The architecture imitates the old Chinese architecture style. Built in the middle of a rocky highland, this palace was also a protective fort. Arrive in Dong Van, and check in at your local guesthouse accommodations.

Overnight in Dong Van.

This day we will visit the Dong Van ancient town with its beautiful and preserved houses, built around 1810-1820. Take a walking tour through the Dong Van Old Streets, including the lively local markets. After lunch, we will travel to Meo Vac, a 56 km road, probably the most beautiful road in Vietnam, winding along the magnificent Nho Que River and through the breathtaking Ma Pi Leng Pass. There are many wonderful photo stops to take as you travel through this vast black limestone mountain range and perpendicular rock walls. This is part of the Dong Van Stone Plateau, the first officially recognized Geopark in Vietnam, and the second in Southeast Asia. You will also pass through villages of local ethnic minority groups. Travel south from Meo Vac to Lung Phin – once again enjoying the amazing scenery as you drive through this imposing rocky mountain landscape. Continue back through Yen Minh to Ha Giang town. Spend your time in the small villages and communities en route, which will give you a deeper understanding of the true history and culture of the variety of people living in northern Vietnam.

Overnight in Ha Giang.