Arrive Hanoi, pick – up at the airport and transfer to the Station for your night train to Sapa.
Night in the train
Day 2 (Sunday): Minority market Bac Ha (Breakfast, Lunch)
06h00AM: Arrive Laocai Station, meet your guide there & After having breakfast at local restaurant, you will travel by car to Bac Ha, which is 70 km Northeast of Lao Cai. The ride is relatively flat from Lao Cai to Bao Nhai, where you will be taken through rural area. Bac Ha is the largest market in the area, situated inside the small town of Bac Ha. On every Sunday mornings, it is literally a riot of color as many different ethnic groups such as Flower Hmong, Phu La, Black Dao, Tay, Nung minorities... gather to buy and sell. After spending the whole morning exploring the market, your lunch will be served in a local restaurant.
After lunch, you drive downhill for about half an hour. You will then start a short walk to Trung Do village, which belongs to the Tay minority. Here you can visit a traditional Tay house, before getting on a boat. You will have a cruise upstream the Chay River to experience the picturesque scenes on the river banks. You will then cruise down stream to the Bao Nhai Bridge, where you get on the car for the journey back to Sapa. Overnight in Sapa.
Day 3: Sapa - Cat Cat - Y Linh Ho – Tavan, Homestay (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Breakfast at your hotel.
You first sneak through the market and leave the busy town behind. After a couple of minutes, you will follow a road going downhill to Cat Cat village. You will stop by a waterfall and a hydroelectric station for a while before you trek on a dirt trail through rice paddy terraces. You will also enjoy spectacular scenery while walking along a narrow river. You eventually arrive in Y Linh Ho village of Black Hmong minority, where you can take a rest while you are served lunch nearby the river.
After lunch, you head Muong Hoa valley. You will pass through Lao Chai village of Black Hmong minority and then Tavan village of Giay minority by following a very popular trekking route. You will spend the night in local house of Giay minority. You will be able to take a walk to enjoy the valley view as well as swim in the river nearby.
Day 4: Tavan - Giang Ta Chai - Su Pan (Breakfast, Lunch)
Once you get energy for your last day trek by having a delicious breakfast, you leave for Giang Ta Chai village of Red Dao minority. You will trek through bamboo forest, which belongs to Hoang Lien National Park. On the way you will pass by a waterfall where you will have time to take a rest and enjoy the surroundings. You will find a nice place to enjoy lunch.
After lunch, you continue toward Su Pan, a small village located by the road. Here you start your journey back to Sapa by car. Overnight at Sapa.
Day 5:Through small Hmong villages to Taphin (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Breakfast at the hotel.
The walk commence from Sapa on a trail running through the beautiful gardens and lush pine forests. You will then pass through the Black Hmong ethnic minority village of Matra, a very small village hiding way from the civilisation. The walk continue through rice paddy fields and spectacular scenery. During the day you will also be able to visit a local school. You will enjoy your lunch before arriving at the Taphin village. Here you can hear about the unmixed cultural life of Black Hmong and Red Dao minorities, 2 largest ethnic groups in the area. You can already recognise them by dressing while they are both very famous of handicraft. You will enjoy walking among local people. The trip also offers you the opportunity to visit the local houses as well as visit the local caves. Than Transfer to Laocai Station for your night train back to Hanoi. Dinner at local restaurant & Night in the train.
Day 6: Hanoi Depart
06h00AM: Arrive Hanoi, pick – up at Hanoi Station and Transfer to Noi Bai airport for your flight onward.
