Great Nature and Great North Vietnam in 10 days, 9 nights

Welcome at Hanoi airport by your local guide who will be waiting for you in the exit hall with a sign with your name then transfer and installation at the hotel. (Rooms available from 2:00 pm)

OPTION : Early Check-In, according to availability

Hanoi is a real museum of colonial architecture on the banks of the Red River. Capital of unified Vietnam, Hanoi has retained the old-fashioned charm of the French colonial era. The modernization of the city undertaken by the French in 1882 was prolonged until 1955 and the face of Hanoi today has not changed much.

You will then leave for an orientation tour of the city, including the must-sees: Ba Dinh Square, the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (exterior), the Presidential Palace, the ambassadors' district, the Opera House, the Long Bien Bridge (formerly Paul Doumer Bridge), the Flag Tower and the remains of the old Citadel...

Typical lunch of Hanoi's specialties in a local restaurant while enjoying the tasty Cha Ca dish based on grilled fish served with fresh noodles, dill and herbs, symbol of the Vietnamese cuisine.

In the afternoon, visit the Temple of Literature dedicated to Confucius and the literati, which was the first university in Vietnam. Then, a pedicab ride through the lively alleys of the old guilds' district, around the Lake of the Restituted Sword and visit of the Ngoc Son pagoda.

At the end of your visits, enjoy free time for shopping at Dong Xuan market.

Dinner at leisure. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel

Drive to Ba Be in Bac Can province, a beautiful mountain road that winds through beautiful scenery and passes through many ethnic villages.

Ba Be means "lake of the three seas" which stretches over 9 km long and 100 to 1800 m wide, is located at 145m altitude. It is at the outlet of 3 valleys that meet in an arc. Ba Be is not only a site for the imaginative, but also for the nature lovers. Nearly forty species of mammals live there, as well as more than a hundred species of birds and many butterflies.

Lunch in a restaurant on the way.

Continuation by a mountain road to the village Pac Ngoi of the Tay ethnic group located not far from Ba Be lake on the side of hills.

The Tays who settled there live from fishing, rice and corn cultivation. Their houses on stilts, thatched roofs, nicely decorate the surrounding austere landscapes.

Check-in at the hotel. Free time for a walk in the village

Dinner and night at the inhabitant's house

Local breakfast at the inhabitant's house

Morning boat ride in the enchanting scenery of Ba Be Lake. Visit of the Dau Dang waterfalls OR the Puong Cave. (*)

Disembarkation then transfer by road to Na Phac village (60km, about 01h30 drive) for a lunch in a local restaurant.

Departure then towards the North-East to Ban Gioc village in the Sino confines (160km, about 04h00 of road) by the magnificent RN3 following the river and then winding from pass to pass through the superb mountains and valleys of the region.

Arrival at Ban Gioc in the late afternoon. Transfer to your host's house for the evening.

Dinner and night at your host's house (we are here in a "hostel" formula which means that several small groups can stay at the same time). The conditions are very basic and spartan (mattresses on the floor, toilet and shower in a shed outside the house.) but largely compensated by the kindness of your hosts and the beauty of the place

OPTION: Private room supplement at Saigon Ban Gioc Resort; subject to availability (double occupancy, dinner included)

Breakfast at the inhabitant's house

In the morning, excursion to Ban Gioc waterfalls  

Ban Gioc located in Cao Bang province 350 km from Hanoi, is one of the 4 biggest waterfalls on a border after Iguazu, Victoria and Niagara. The area is home to many communities such as the Nung Dzao and H'mong ethnic groups. The Ban Gioc waterfall is located on the Quay Son River and is 300 meters wide. It is at the base of the border between Vietnam and China.

Continuation of the visit of the Nguom Ngao caves

Lunch at a local's house

Afternoon drive to the southeast to Cao Bang city (80km, about 02h00 drive) with stops to enjoy the beautiful scenery around.  Arrival in the late afternoon. Check-in at the hotel.   

Dinner at a local restaurant or at the hotel. Night at the hotel
 

Breakfast at the hotel

Departure to Lang Son city (125km, about 03h00 drive) via Dong Khe passing by several traces of the Viet Minh theater and the battle in 1950. Visit Tam Thanh cave and Dong Dang local market; place of exchange of goods between Vietnamese and Chinese. 

Lunch in a local restaurant in Lang Son tasting the specialty of this region; its famous Peking duck. Return to Hanoi (155km, about 3 hours drive). Arrival in Hanoi at the end of the day. Check-in at the hotel.

Dinner at leisure. Night at the hotel

Early wake up, around 06h00, for an original discovery of the city life at dawn. Walking tour (about 02km) with your guide from your hotel to the Lake of the Restored Sword.

Typical breakfast in a street restaurant for a tasting of the famous Pho, rice vermicelli soup with beef or chicken broth, then end your walk with another tasting, Cafe Trung (hot coffee mixed with egg)

Transfer to Long Bien district, located on the other side of the Red River. You will leave for a unique meeting with Mr. PHAN Thanh Liem, craftsman and manufacturer of lacquered puppets used for the famous water puppet shows.

You will then be invited to attend a private show of about 30 minutes performed by Mr Liem and his team. Followed by an initiation course in puppet manipulation and the making of your own puppet.

Typical lunch of Hanoi specialties at the application restaurant of our partner NGO KOTO. 

In the afternoon, return to your hotel for a well-deserved rest after an early morning wake-up.

Dinner in a local restaurant

Transfer to Hanoi train station to take your night train to LAO CAI (train SP3 at 10:00 pm or equivalent). Night on board the train. Shared air-conditioned cabin with 4 berths (mattresses). There is no shower on board.

Arrival at Lao Cai around 06:05 am. Local breakfast in a restaurant near the station.

You may have the chance to witness the funny opening of the Chinese border in music! Everyone rushes across the bridge to sell or buy their goods. At this point, it is the Red River that separates Lao Cai from Heho, the Chinese city located on the other bank.

Departure for the discovery of a typical weekly market of the region (Monday: Binh Lu market / Tuesday: Coc Ly market / Wednesday: Cao Son or Sin Cheng market / Thursday: Lung Khau Nhin market / Friday: none in the region / Saturday: Can Cau market / Sunday: Bac Ha market OR Muong Khuong market)

Free time to discover the villagers selling their cattle: buffaloes, pigs, horses, and where the Dzao, Giai, Han, Xa Fang, Lachi, Nung, Yao mountain people cross paths in a mixture of colors and languages.

Lunch is served at a villager's family during your walk in the ethnic villages.

Hiking program option for days when there is no weekly market: Start of a beautiful hike with your guide through the mountains (about 10km with 03hs-04hs walking). Lunch is served at the host family's house during the hike in the H'mong village of Pec Bung then continue the hike up the hill to Ban Pho village and follow the direction to Na Kheo Nung village and then down the valley to Na Tha village of the Tays before returning to Bac Ha. Drive to Sapa.

Sapa is located at an altitude of 1500m and is a climatic resort founded entirely by the French in 1922. Some colonial villas still testify of this time. Numerous ethnic groups are present such as the Hmong or the Daos. You will discover beautiful landscapes dotted with rice terraces.

Dinner in a local restaurant. Night at the hotel

Breakfast at the hotel

Departure for Mu Cang Chai (140km about 3h30 drive) through a mountainous region inhabited by different ethnic minority groups of Blue H'mong, Thai, Zao, Lu...  Located at the foot of the Hoang Lien Son mountains in Yen Bai province, about 280 km from Hanoi, Mu Cang Chai district is known for its spectacular scenery with the most winding passes on one side and the most beautiful rice terraces in Vietnam on the other. Ideal for hikers and photography enthusiasts.

(The most beautiful season to admire the golden rice terraces are the months of September and October)

Arrival in Mu Chang Chai. Transfer to the hotel and lunch on site

Afternoon hike of about 7km on the dikes of the rice terraces visiting the H'mong villages Cau Ba Nha and La Pan Tan. You will be delighted by the discovery of the magnificent rice terraces and by the colors of the traditional costumes of the local inhabitants.  

Dinner at a local restaurant or at the hotel. Night at the hotel

Breakfast at the hotel

Transfer to Tu Le village (50km, about 01h30 drive) known for the beauty of its terraced fields and its famous sticky rice. The day is dedicated to hiking (about 4km) down from Khau Pha pass to Lim Mong village of Thai ethnicity to admire beautiful landscapes and meet ethnic minorities of the region.

Lunch at a local's house in Tu Le.

Continuation to Nghia Lo (50km, about 1h30 drive). Arrival at the end of the day. Transfer to the hotel. Rest and free time.

Option: a farewell gift will be given to you; coaster set or similar +05USD/pers

Dinner at a local restaurant. Night at the hotel

Breakfast at the hotel

You will drive to Hanoi (200km, about 4 hours drive) through the small valley surrounded by green mountains and dotted with lakes, rice fields, rivers and ethnic minority houses on stilts. As you approach, you will stop to visit the thousand-year-old Duong Lam village. Famous for its authenticity to Vietnamese culture and located on the banks of the Red River, it is also the birthplace of the two kings Phung Hung (7th century) and Ngo Quyen (9th century).

Take the time to walk around and meet the local people. Maybe by chance, you will come across ladies with "black teeth".

Lunch at a local restaurant in the village. Continuation to Hanoi airport to take your return flight (flight and schedule to be indicated). Arrival and assistance with formalities.

Options for an evening flight if the timing allows it:

- Day-use room in a local hotel until 6:00 pm, (double occupancy) depending on availability

- 01h30 of relaxation and massage in a spa center in the city

- Farewell dinner of local specialties in a local restaurant