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Emotion of Vietnam Far North
Day 1: Sapa or Lao Cai – Trung Do – Hoang Su Phi ( –, L, – )
Departure at 07.30am from Sapa or early picked up at Lao Cai station for those who take the night train from Hanoi.
Take the road transfer for 70km through the lush lowland of Lao Cai via green tea plantation as well as a series of stunning valleys where the Tay and Zay ethnic peoples grow rice on large terraces. Then turn to road 279 for half an hour to Trung Do valley. Enjoy an hour walking through this valley for marvelous landscapes as well as to explore the interesting way of life of the Tay peoples. Lunch break in a local house on stilts.
Continue the road trip after lunch along the 279 road to make a cut through the prosperous lowland of Ha Giang province to Bac Quang town let. Enjoy another hour walk in My Bac commune for a discovery of the unique culture of the Pa Then ethnic whose population is only 5,500 living mainly in Ha Giang province whose culture is unique and interesting.
Follow national road 2 for 15km in mid afternoon from Bac Quang town let to Tan Quang and then turn to narrow mountain road for 32km to Thong Nguyen commune. This portion of the trip offers magnificent landscapes of the Hoang Su Phi mountain pass as well as breathtaking scenery of impressive terraced fields. Paying visiting to a hamlet of the Red Zao before arrival to the Panhou Ecolodge for staying overnight.
Day summary: Road transfer 219 km, aprox.5 hours/ Walk and sightseeing 4 hours/ Acc: Hotel room tonight in Hoang Su Phi
Day 2: Hoang Su Phi – Ha Giang – Quan Ba – Yen Minh ( -, L, – )
Breakfast and leave the Hotel at 08.00, driving the same way for 32km back to national road 2 and then heading for Ha Giang city. Take a coffee break while your tour guide gets local security permission for traveling along the bordering region.
Leaving Ha Giang and follow road 4C 46km uphill the spectacular Quan Ba mountain pass for about 3 hours including some stops along the way paying visiting to villages of the Tay and Hmong as well as taking photo of the stunning landscape. From the top of Quan Ba pass which is called Heaven Gate, the panorama of Tam Son valley opens wide below which is highlighted with green rice fields and colorful flower farms, especially the TWIN HILLS beautifully set amongst immense and walled-up lime stone mountain. Process gradually downhill shortly to Tam Son town let at noon for lunch break.
Afternoon trip begins with an hour walking to explore Nam Dam village of the Zao Ao Dai(Zao with long dress) who live their most traditional way in a beautiful village at the foot of Quan Ba mountain range. Then back to the road again for 42km road ride first downhill and then passing over Yen Minh pass. This portion of the road trip offers breathtaking scenery of the terraced fields, probably among the most beautiful ones in Vietnam.
Arrival at the Thao Nguyen Hotel in Yen Minh town let at about 4.30 to 5.00pm, check in hotel and spend the rest hours on your own to relax or explore this charming town let.
Day summary: Road transfer 165 km, approx.5 hours/ Walk and sightseeing 3 to 4 hours/ Acc: Thao Nguyen hotel – standard.
Day 3: Yen Minh – Pho Bang – Vuong Palace – Dong Van – Meo Vac ( B, L, – )
• If on Sunday: Spend about 1 hour early in the morning to visit the market where tribal peoples such as Hmong, Zao…in their colorful traditional costumes gather not only for shopping but also for socializing, a feature of social life in the mountainous region.
Leaving Yen Minh after breakfast for a road transfer uphill heading to Dong Van and then onto Meo Vac town let. The road of this part gets winds its way up and down steep mountains with many sharp bends but the scenery is amazingly beautiful.
Customers will enjoy many stops along the way for magnificent and beautiful landscapes as well as paying visit to some highlights of the region such as:
• The ancient town let of Pho Bang featured with clay walled, yin & yang roofed houses built centuries ago.
• The Sung Muoi village with typical & traditional way of life of the Hmong peoples
• The historical relics of the Vuong Palace to learn about the past when the Vuong family ruled over the region and control opium production and trading.
Arriving in Dong Van in late noon, lunch break and customers may choose to enjoy an easy walk for two hours afterwards to explore the Quyet Tien valley and the ancient street of Dong Van town let.
Continue the road trip downhill 28km passing over the Ma Pi Leng pass which is famous for its magnificence and beauty, composed by walled-up mountains, deep valley and the 800m high canyon and the Nho Que River running in between.
Arriving in Meo Vac at about 5.00pm. Check in the Hoa Cuong hotel and relax.
Day summary: Road transfer 82km, approx.3 hours / Walk, sightseeing, village visiting 4 to 5 hours/ Acc: Hoa Cuong hotel.
Day 4: Meo Vac – Ly Bon – Bao Lac – Ba Be ( B, L, – )
Today the trip will processes from the high mountainous region of Meo Vac downhill to the Gam river massif, getting through Bao Lac district of Cao Bang and then onto Ba Be National Park.
The 55km road trip downhill from Meo Vac to Ly Bon which takes about 1.5 hour will be highlighted with several stops along the way to visit a hamlet of the Zao and a village of the Nung peoples near the center of Niem Son commune. Then driving for over 2 hours along road 34 before turning to road 212 to Cho Ra and Ba Be. The trip will be highlighted with short visiting to villages of the San Chay and Zao Tien(Zao with coins) along the way.
Arriving to the center of Ba Be National Park in the afternoon at about 06.00pm. Check in hotel, dinner and relax.
• If on Sunday: Spend an hour early in the morning joining the weekly market in Meo Vac town let before leaving.
• If on the date of the Tiger and Monkey: Early breakfast and then transfer 17km to Lung Phin to attend the famous weekly market where customers have chance to meet Hmong and Zao peoples from remotest villages who come and create festive atmosphere at the market place.
• If on 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 of the lunar months, spend an hour joining the tribal peoples at Niem Son Market(25km from Meo Vac) or even earlier for 2 hours driving to Bao Lac Market where the Black Lo Lo and San Chay peoples can be met.
Day summary: Road transfer 197km, approx.5 hours/ Walking and sightseeing 4 hours/ Acc: Ba Be Park hotel – Standard.
Day 5: Ba Be boat trip – Thai Nguyen – Hanoi ( B, L, – )
Breakfast, check out hotel at 08.00am, then take 30 minutes walk through the thick rain forest to the boat pier. Boarding a boat for 3 hours cruising on the clear water of Ba Be, the largest natural lake in the mountainous region of Indochina which is surrounded by high mountains covered by thick forest, getting through the stunning Puong Cave before the end of the boat trip. Meet the car and river again for a short transfer to Cho Ra to have lunch. Transfer 237km by road for the whole afternoon via Bac Can, Thai Nguyen to Hanoi.
Day summary: Road transfer 255km, approx.5 hours/ Boat trip 3 hours.
Important notes:
• This trip is ideal for combining to other trip to Sapa and being operated for the whole year around. From April to Sep, the sky is clear and scenery is very beautiful thanks to the green color of plantation, especially of the rice and corn on the fields. However it is hot and humid. October and November are the best months. It is often cold and foggy from January to late February.
• Local services such as hotels, restaurants…are basic because tourism in the region is not developed yet.
• Rain gear, warm clothes should be brought. Especially is very cold in January and February.
• Trip can be started from Bac Ha Town let for customers who wish to visit Can Cau or Bac Ha Market before.
• We may change tour plan when needed for the best satisfaction of customers depending on their likings as well as for the market days around the region.
• English speaking guide. (Surchage for French speaking guide $.10/day)
• Permission for traveling along the border and visiting fee.
• Road transfer by good vehicle and mountain experienced driver.
• Accommodation as stated in tour plan.
• Meals as stated in tour plan.
• Drinking water, fruit and snack for the whole trip.
Personal Pocket Money
• Soft drink (beer, coca cola…)
• Insurance
• All other services not indicated above
* Service train HANOI - LAO CAI 1 way, soft bed and 4-berth cabin, AC night train : 30 USD/pax
* Extra day of staying at Sapa Town: base on your demand.
TOUR PACKAGE
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Tel: 84.24 3715 3538 - 84.24 3715 3558
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