Itinerary:
Day 1: Hanoi - Mai Chau valley (L,D)
At 8:00am, you will be met up by Lotussia Travel guide, driver at your hotel in Hanoi (Prince Hotel, 8 To Tich).
Head west towards Hoa Binh province. Following lunch in a White Thai village in Mai Chau valley we spend the afternoon walking through the various ethnic minority villages in this area.
Homestay in a stilt-house in Mai Chau.
Day 2: Mai Chau - Son La (B,L,D)
After breakfast served by Thai people under their house-on-stilts, departing Mai Chau we make our way west to Son La.
Arriving in Son La late in the afternoon we check into our local guesthouse where we spend the night. Son La is located in a scenic valley, inhabited by Thai, Muong and H'mong minority people. This area is historically important for its involvement in the Vietnamese struggle for independence from France during the first half the 20th century.
Overnight in Sonla.
Day 3: Son La - Dien Bien Phu (B,L,D)
Following breakfast we will visit the remains of former French prison and enjoy a dip in the local hot- springs. We then board our vehicle for the drive to Dien Bien Phu around 170 km away. It is a 7-hour journey on rough roads, but it is worth while as the scenery is dramatic. We will encounter many ethnic minority people along the way. In the late afternoon we arrive in Dien Bien town and check into our guesthouse for the night.
Overnight in Dien Bien Phu.
Day 4: Dien Bien Phu - Lai Chau (B,L,D)
After breakfast this morning we will set out on our drive to Lai Chau, around 8 hours away. After breakfast this morning we will set out on our drive to Lai Chau. This is in quite a remote area and as a result some of the roads will be fairly rough and uneven. Yet this is to our advantage as there will be fewer tourists along the way to spoil our views of the beautiful and dramatic scenery which we will encounter along the way.
Overnight in Lai Chau.
Day 5: Lai Chau – Sapa (B,L,D)
From Lai Chau we drive east to Sapa, which is a five-hour drive. On the way, we will visit the local market – Tam Duong market, open only on Thursday & Sunday. This market is becoming popular with visitors that make the extra effort getting here, as it is one of the most colorful markets in Vietnam. As the roads become even rougher, the more deserted they get. But the rougher they get, the better the scenery becomes. The beautiful hill station of Sapa has the best-of-both worlds, breath-taking scenery and modern-day comforts. We then continue our drive to Sapa, arriving Sapa around lunchtime. After lunch we have a free afternoon to explore the town.
Overnight in Sapa.
Day 6: Sapa full day hiking (B,L,D)
Today we start our trek with a five to six hour trek to villages of Cat Cat, Ta Van and Cau May situated in idyllic valleys, which are covered with a patchwork of rice terraces.
Cat Cat is home to the H’mong people who originated from China, where they emigrated from about 300 years ago. The H’mong people are easily recognizable due to their dark clothing, usually blue or black. The dye is fashioned from the indigo or hemp plant that is native to the area. H’mong women wear long aprons with embroidered waistcoats and have their hair rolled up into a turban-like hat, whilst the men wear a black skullcap, long waistcoat and loose trousers.
As we walk to these villages nestled in the valleys below Sapa, we will meet some of the local minority people on their way to and from Sapa. These minority people, including the Red Zao, Hmong and Tay people, walk to Sapa to trade at the markets.
Tonight we spend a second night in our guesthouse in Sapa.
Day 7: Sapa – Hanoi (B,L)
We have an early breakfast this morning before bidding farewell to Sapa and its friendly people. Our destination for today is Hanoi. It is an 10-hour journey back to the nation's capital along some of Vietnam's most scenic roads. End tour.
Contact Lotussia Travel for more details.
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