Night 1: Hanoi - Lao Cai
08: 30pm our tour guide will pick you up at hotel lobby to escort you to the Hanoi railway station for night train to Sapa. The train conditions are very basic however we will travel in soft sleeper class which is compartment for 4 passengers. Stay overnight on the train.
Day 1: Sapa-Y Linh Ho-Lao Chai San-Lao Chai-Ta Van (15 km)(L/D)
Train arrives at Lao Cai Railway Station at 06: 00am, transferred to Sapa by van. Have your breakfast at restaurant in the town and have a walk to Sapa market to see the local people purchasing the product. At 10: 00am we leave the hotel and start trekking. Trekking down the valley to the Muong Hoa River and from here Black Hmong village Lao Chai San, Lao Chai can be seen. Black Hmong is one of the biggest minority groups in the Sapa area. They are proud of their culture and keep their traditions and way of living. They have their own language and wear traditional indigo blue clothing. After ward continue to Ta Van village (1.200 m)
to visit Zay people. Zay is a fairly small minority group of about 38.000 people who live mainly in the mountains in Northwest Vietnam. The development has meant that some of their old customs have been lost but many women still wear traditional shirts with a purple, blue or green color. The Zay houses are build of wood and bamboo with a clay floor. We stay overnight with a local family in Ta Van and have our dinner here.
Day 2: Ta Van-Giang Ta Chai- Seo Trung Ho (15 km)(B/L/D)
After breakfast at homestay prepared by your guide, we start our trip by following the river, crossing on rice terrace to Red Dzao village, the village of woman with colorful clothes and legend of life. After visit their house we keep going along the local trails to go to Seo Trung Ho of Red Zao Village to spend the second night.
Day 3: Seo Trung Ho - Nam Toong - Thanh Phu (20 km)(B/L/D)
We continue along small paths in the rice fields, cross the Muong Hoa River and arrive to the Tay village of Thanh Phu. Tay is the most populous of the hill tribes. Because of the development and adaptation to the Vietnamese society some of them have started wearing Vietnamese clothing. But most women still wear the traditional checkered headscarf. We stay overnight in a wooden Tay stilt house.
Day 4: Thanh Phu-Nam Sai-Nam Ken-Ban Ho (20 km)(B/L/D)
After breakfast hiking to Nam Sai Village to visit the Tay People, then trek up to the Red Dzao Village the village of Xa Pho tribe the smallest group in Sapa who have very little contact with modern Vietnam. Overnight in Ban Ho Village of Tay people. If we reach Ban Ho in the early afternoon you will have time to swim in a nearby river. In the evening we have dinner with the Tay family.
Day 5: Ta Van - Giang Ta Chai - Ban Ho (B/L/D)
After breakfast you trek up to Ban Den. From here you will be picked up and transferred back to Sapa. In the afternoon you will have time to experience the colourful Sapa market where women from different ethnic minority groups come into town to sell their products.
Option 1: Free at leisure for shopping or doing something you are interested in until time transfer back to Lao Cai railway station for night train back to Hanoi. Stay overnight on train
Day 6: Hanoi arrival
Train arrives Hanoi around 06: 00am, turn back to hotel on your own.
Option 2: Check into hotel for accommodation for this night at Sapa town.
Day 6: Sapa - Lao Cai Railway Station (B/L/D)
Free on your own to explore misty town, Sapa with friendly people and ethnic or stroll around the market for shopping until time transfer to Lao cai railway station for night train back to Hanoi. Stay overnight on train.
Day 7: Hanoi - Departure
Train arrives Hanoi around 06: 00am, turn back to hotel on your own. Tour finishes.
