This is the most exciting and spectacular adventure in Vietnam. The northwest is still very unspoiled and is a captivating blend of dramatic landscapes and colorful hill tribes. This adventure takes you through a stunning and isolated area, which has changed little over the centuries and is steeped in history. You will not only experience rural Vietnam behind the scenes but also meet and talk to numerous different ethnic minority groups who are very pleased to let you into their worlds...

Day 1:  Arrive Ha Noi
On arrival at Ha Noi Noi Bai Airport, you will be met and transferred to your hotel where we will have a welcome drink and tour briefing.
Accommodation: Overnight at hotel in Hanoi 

Day 2:  Ha Noi - Mai Chau (B)
Traveling to the province of Hoa Binh, we pass through a region of spectacular limestone mountains and tea plantations to arrive in Mai Chau. We spend the night in a village long house of the White Thai minority, experiencing their wonderful hospitality, traditional dancing and rice wine.
Accommodation: Overnight at stilt house in Mai Chau
 
Day 3:  Mai Chau - Son La (B)
The road to Son La is lined with fruit orchards, tea plantations, towering mountains and the traffic of Black Thai, Mea, Muong and White Thai hill tribe people heading to markets. We visit the Prison Museum, which remains as a poignant reminder of the inequities of the former French colonial rule.
Accommodation: Overnight at hotel in Son La 

Day 4:  Son La - Dien Bien Phu (B)
Impressive scenery, and hill tribe villages fill the journey to Dien Bien Phu, the last bastion of French power in Indochina. Monuments, museums and preserved bunkers tell the story of the final and victorious liberating battle of 1954.
Accommodation: Overnight at hotel in Dien Bien 

Day 5:  Dien Bien Phu – Lai Chau - Tam Duong (B)
Sometimes steep and often rugged, the road through the Lai Chau valley is both breathtaking and dramatic. Hugging rice terraced mountainsides and fording turbulent rivers, our travels today are visually spectacular.
Accommodation: Overnight at hotel in Tam Duong 

Day 6:  Tam Duong - Sapa (B)
As we traverse Tram Ton Pass, the highest mountain pass in Viet Nam, we are afforded magnificent views and experience a dramatic change of climate as we approach the old French Hill Station of Sa Pa. A busy market town for the regions minority groups, the town is encircled with towering peaks, often shrouded in cloud, and the air is cool and crisp.
Accommodation: Overnight at hotel in Sapa 

Day 7:  Sapa (B)
Trekking to the H'mong and Red Dao villages of Ta Phin hamlet, we are introduced to a different way of life as we enjoy the genuine hospitality of these hill tribe people. A truly satisfying day filled with insight and the unspoilt beauty of nature.
Accommodation: Overnight at hotel in Sapa 

Day 8:  Sa Pa - Bac Ha - Ha Noi (B)
Departing in the early morning, we drive to Bac Ha. Here, hill tribe people from far and wide make the weekly journey to trade goods at the busy Sunday market, their heavily embroidered clothing and distinctive headdress adding color and vibrancy. Leaving the activity behind, we descend the scenic mountain roads and return to Ha Noi.
Accommodation: Overnight at hotel in Hanoi 

Day 9:  Depart Ha Noi (B)
Free shopping before your transfer to Ha Noi Airport for your ongoing flight. 
 
WHAT TO BRING

• Good trekking booths
• Camera + rolls
• Rain coat
• Warm Clothes
• Sun Lotion
• Personal medicines
• Wide brim hat
• Insect Repellent
• Original Passport

Included: Tour guide, (Julie or Zace) 4 seater car, hotels/guesthouses/home stays,  permits, entrance’s fees, local dances and purified water. Standard is 2-3 stars hotel.

Excluded: Insurance, drinks and meals, other personal expenses.