Day 1: Hanoi – Lao Cai
Upon arrival in Hanoi, you have the day to spend at your leisure to soak up the capital’s vibrant sights and sounds ahead of our overnight train trip.
Hanoi’s streets are littered with food stalls serving fresh and flavoursome food to feast on and keep hunger at bay during our journey. In the evening, we drive to the train station to board the night train bound for the mountainous north-western province of Lao Cai.
Day 2: Lao Cai – Sapa – Lao Chai – Ta Van
The train arrives in Lao Cai early morning and we have breakfast before driving to Sapa. Here, we visit a bustling local market and take a quick tour of the town before enjoying lunch at a local restaurant.
We then continue on our drive to Muong Hoa Valley to start our trek. The valley is home to simply stunning scenery, with a rich patchwork of rice terraces trickling down the valley’s verdant slopes. As we walk through this breath-taking landscape, our guide will provide us with fascinating facts about rice production. Our hiking trail takes us from Lao Chai village, home to Black Hmong ethnic minorities, to Ta Van village, where the Giay minority live. This gives us the chance to learn more about the culture and traditions of these hill tribes.
Day 3: Sapa – Tam Duong – Lai Chau
After breakfast, we set off on a simply stunning drive to Tam Duong that takes us along the highest stretch of road in Vietnam, Heaven’s Gate and O Quy Ho Pass. We will stop along the way to take in our sublime surroundings of verdant valleys, farmland and patchworks of paddies sprawling below.
We then visit Ta Giang Phin, a small village that is nestled among enchanting landscapes in a tranquil valley. The village is home to the Hmong ethnic minorities who will greet us with a warm welcome and introduce us to their unique customs, traditions and way of life in this remote part of Vietnam. We then continue to Tam Duong and head up the mountain to visit the charming Dao village of Sin Thau Chai.
Day 4: Lai Chau – Paso – Muong Lay – Dien Bien Phu
We explore more of this vast region’s hidden valleys that are dotted with Lu and Nhang ethnic minorities. These hill tribes are famous for their embroidery skills, which can be seen in the colourful traditional clothing, rugs and other items that decorate their homes.
We then continue on our scenic drive to Dien Bien Phu, stopping at Pa So and Muong Lay. We arrive in the afternoon to visit a series of sites that played an integral role in the Battle of Dien Bien Phu.
Day 5: Dien Bien Phu – Son La – Moc Chau
After breakfast at the hotel, we explore Muong Phang valley. We enjoy lunch at a local restaurant and continue to Moc Chau Plateau, which is home to simply sublime views of tree-clad hills, lush valleys and emerald farmland that stretches to the horizon. We stop at one of the small White Thai ethnic minority villages that dot the landscape to meet our hosts for the night, a local family.
We check-in at our charming overnight accommodation – a traditional wooden house on stilts – and enjoy a tasty local dinner while learning about tribal life in this remote region.
Day 6: Moc Chau – Mai Chau
After breakfast, we leave Moc Chau and head to Mai Chau on a soft trek that takes us through rich countryside.
Our trail weaves through sprawling corn fields, emerald rice paddies, tea hills and orchards swelling with plums, peaches and other fruit. We will pass through the small hill tribe villages and hamlets that pepper the sweeping landscapes, meeting the indigenous Hmong and Thai ethnic minorities that call them home.
We enjoy a delicious local lunch, cooked up in the kitchen of a house in a village we pass through. We then return to our accommodation to check-out and continue to Mai Chau to check-in at an eco-lodge. The rest of the afternoon is at your leisure to explore the town before dinner at our overnight accommodation.
Day 7: Mai Chau – Hanoi
After breakfast, we bid a fond farewell to our hosts before exploring Mai Chau by bicycle, or foot along tracks that snake through rice fields and colourful patches of wild flowers, with a stunning mountainous backdrop. This scenic valley is home to a scattering of small communities inhabited by Thai and Muong ethnic minorities.
We spend some time exploring the quaint villages of Lac and Poom Coong, stopping to buy souvenirs from the many talented artisans who live there. We then hit the road and head to Hanoi (135 km, 3.5 hours), arriving in the afternoon and bringing to an end this intrepid exploration of Vietnam’s rugged north-western landscape.
