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Arrival at the airport, welcome and transfer to your hotel. Dinner at a local restaurant and overnight.
Departure for the local market of Ngoc Ha followed by a fresh fruit juice around Lake B52. Explanation on this place steeped in history due to the carcass of the American fighter plane emerging from the water. Passing through small alleys teeming with life, we reach the Mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh, a sacred place in Vietnam. After a local lunch in the Old Quarter, depart by bike to visit Banana Island, which begins under Long Bien Bridge. We go from the urban frenzy to the countryside, a mixture that perfectly describes Hanoi. The walk runs along the Red River to reach the Tay Ho district in the north of the city to then go to the Tran Quoc pagoda, the oldest in the capital. Slowly return to the Old Quarter to taste the egg coffee, a Hanoian specialty. For dinner, enjoy a delicious local specialty, Cha Ca, fried fish accompanied by Bun and aromatic herbs before heading to the station to board the sleeper train.
Early breakfast and departure for a 4-day trek to Hoang Su Phi, Ha Giang. Lunch en route. Arrival in Tan Xa Phin in the early afternoon, short break then 2-hour hike through the small village of the Dao ethnic group with long tunics and descent into the valley where the Tay ethnic groups live. Dinner and night at the inhabitant of the Tay ethnic group.
You will walk to Nam Son and experience small town life in northern Vietnam. Then, you leave the city by a suspension bridge and go up the mountainside to a small village of the Hmong ethnic group. You will have time to admire the breathtaking view of the rice terraces . You will also discover the daily life of the inhabitants throughout this trek and you will meet in particular the Dao with the Long Tunics, the Flowered H’mong and the Nung. You will have lunch with a H’Mong family . The night will be spent with another ethnic group (Nung or Man Ta Pan) so that you can compare the lifestyles, homes and foods of each.
You will walk (5 to 6 hours) until you reach Suoi Thau, a village inhabited by the Dao with long tunics . This village is located between the largest rice terraces of Hoang Su Phi . Following the route, you will cross streams, waterfalls, bamboo forests, pass the “ Ban Luoc Heaven Gate ” and beautiful rice terraces. On the winding paths, you will also witness the daily work of the local people, especially the group of s Man Ta Pan and the Dao. In Suoi Thau, you will see an old tea tree (more than 100 years old) with buds that have white hairs, this is called S han tea – a famous tea in Vietnam that you will have the chance to taste. Visit an ancient temple of the long-robed Dao people, where you can learn about their way of praying for a prosperous and healthy future. Lunch with a family of the Man Ta Pan ethnic group. Dinner and night at homestay with a Dao family
After breakfast, you will walk 2 hours to leave the rice terraces of Ban Luoc. You can have tea with a local family and rest until lunch there. Then you will take the direction of Ha Giang and more precisely at P’apiu Resort . After this trek of several days, you can regain your strength in this elegant hotel perched at the top of the mountain. Arrived at the end of the afternoon, you will have free time to enjoy the hotel and the room. Dinner on site. For the more adventurous, you can spend a night under the stars within the hotel grounds.
After breakfast, you will leave for the Karst Plateau Geopark of Đồng Văn. After crossing the Bac Sum Pass, a small path will take you to Tùng Vài. If this day is a Friday, you will have the opportunity to visit the weekly ethnic market. Otherwise, you will take time to visit the Tùng Vài valley where the Bố Y and Tày ethnic groups live by growing vegetables. You will then visit a Bố Y family, one of the 16 ethnic groups with very few people in the community of 54 ethnic groups in Vietnam. You will have lunch with the family.
In the afternoon, you will continue the small path to the village of Nậm Đăm where you will spend the night. This village consists of traditional mud houses of the Dzao Áo Dài who still maintain their traditional culture and lifestyle by doing solidarity tourism.
The day will be entirely devoted to hiking and meeting minorities. Through breathtaking landscapes, you will immerse yourself in local life and learn about the daily life of locals. Lunch and dinner will be shared with the locals where you can share and learn about their history and way of life. Night in a traditional homestay
You will continue the exploration of the geological park, the first park in Vietnam classified by UNESCO, in the direction of Meo Vac passing by the pass of Ma Pi Leng . Contemplating the different views will leave you speechless at so much beauty. You will enjoy a relaxing boat ride on the Nho Que River which meanders through the high mountains. The evening and the night will be with the locals to continue to exchange and learn about the habits and customs of local minorities.
It will be time to head to another sublime province, Cao bang. You will arrive at Bao Lac commune for lunch. Lost in the mountains, the afternoon will be devoted to meeting local minorities such as the Lolo or the San Chi. You will discover their way of life, their traditions and learn their use of the different plants offered by Mother Nature. Dinner and quiet night in a traditional homestay
Depart in the morning for the charming n Trung Khanh district . Arrived on site, you can relax before lunch. In the afternoon, visit the village and the rocky houses. Take time to share a tea with the locals to learn about their customs The evening is devoted to relaxation where you will dine with the hosts.
After breakfast, head head to the impressive Ban Gioc waterfalls , the largest in the country. After strolling in front of this magnificent spectacle offered by the waterfalls, you will visit the cave of Nguom Ngao , underground route amid limestone formations and sculptures. Take a walk to Phat Tich pagoda to have an overview of the Ban Gioc complex.Then return to the guest house for a peaceful end of the day.
The road resumes in the direction of Bac Son, known for its valleys surrounded by kartsic peaks . On the way, you will take the time to visit a village of the Nung minority, known and recognized for their know-how in sewing and cutlery. Visit a traditional house and workshops, you will have tea and lunch with a family. You will then take the road back to Bac Son for dinner and overnight in a Tay village
After breakfast, transfer to Huu Lung Valley 2 hours away. Arrived mid-morning, a relaxing bike ride will take you to discover the surrounding villages until lunch which will be taken with a local family. Back at the guest house, the afternoon will be devoted to climbing (all levels). Another way to discover the valley by gaining height. (Possibility to continue the bike ride for a more in-depth exploration of the places for those who do not wish to climb). End of the day free until dinner. Quiet night.
After breakfast, a short walk will be offered to enjoy the last moments in the countryside of North Vietnam. You will then be transferred back to Hanoi to Song Cafe for a local lunch with the Song Voyages team. Possibility to take a shower on site before the transfer to the airport.
