Northern Vietnam Complete Discovery Trekking Tour

Name: Northern Vietnam Complete Discovery Trekking Tour
Brand: Tour
Rating: 5.0 (4 reviews)

Departure point: Hanoi

Destinations: Hanoi, Mai Chau, Moc Chau, Son La, Dien Bien, Lai Chau, Tam Duong, Sapa, Lao Cai, Bac Ha, Hoang Su Phi, Ha Giang, Dong Van, Meo Vac, Ha Giang, Ba Be Lake, Hanoi

Starts Hanoi

+ 13 Destinations Mai Chau, Moc Chau...

Ends Hanoi

Excellent 4 reviews

Trip overview

Traveling 17-day in northern mountainous area of Vietnam, you explore in depth the beautiful northern scenery and see many of hill tribe groups living in remote mountainous area of Sin Ho, Tam Duong and so on. This adventurous trip is specially designed for visitors who want to explore into the off beaten track areas northern and allows you having opportunity to see the most beautiful mountainous sights and colorful hill tribes in Vietnam. Leave the crowd streets of Hanoi behind to travel through bumpy but stunning mountain roads... You will immerse into amazing natural sceneries, breath fresh air, trek trails to the ethnic minority villages, stay with local people and learn from their cultural and traditions, you will experience interesting things of life. Enjoy your time of 17-day Northern Vietnam Complete Discovery Trekking Tour to have the most unforgettable moments in the mountainous area of Vietnam.

Tour highlights

+ Visit major attraction places in northern of Vietnam: Hanoi, Mai Chau, Son La, Dien Bien Phu, Lai Chau, Sapa, Ha Giang, Ba Be lake, etc.

+ Enjoy activities such as trekking trails, visit ethnic villages, enjoy spectacular nature sceneries.

Note: This is a sample of tour itinerary designed by Vietnam Best Holidays for your reference, it can be customized itinerary as per your requirement, and match your travel expectation such accommodation type, duration, sightseeing attractions so on. Kindly tell me your requirement, we will help you to make a tailor-made tour with much fun time & unforgettable holiday in Vietnam.

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Tour itinerary

Day 1: Arrive Hanoi (N/A)

Upon arrival at Noi Bai Airport in Hanoi, you will be warmly welcomed by driver (No Guide). Then transfer to hotel, check in & leisure (the room may not be available after 14:00 PM).

The rest time, you will be freely explore Hanoi by your ways.

Overnight in Hanoi

Meals: None

Included: No tour guide, private transfer

Day 2: Hanoi - Mai Chau Valley (B/L/D)

Have breakfast at hotel.

At around 08:00 am, Tour guide will pick you up at your hotel in Hanoi and drive to Mai Chau, an area of beautiful landscape and home to the Thai ethnic minority. After about 3,5 hours passing expansive rice paddies, scenic villages and spectacular limestone mountains as well as catching the daily activities of the locals along the way, it is time for you to catch the spectacular scenery of Mai Chau valley from the White Stone Pass. As winding the final downhill to Mau Chau Valley, you will find yourself really soaked into the bustling atmosphere of the Thai’s hamlets. We will then have lunch with local specialties at their house.

Continue this day trip by spending the whole afternoon strolling or cycling around one of their picturesque villages, taking photos of local naive children or talking to the villagers working on their terraced fields.

In the evening, we will enjoy a sumptuous dinner with the locals and don’t miss the chance to sample the local rice wine with a long bamboo straw.

Overnight in a traditional stilt-house of a local family.

Overnight in Mai Chau

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Included: Private tour guide, private transfer

Accommodation: Homestay/hotel

Day 3: Mai Chau - Moc Chau - Son La (B/L/D)

Upon leaving Mai Chau the roads begins to deteriorate; however many villages dot the hillsides and undulating terrain make for an interesting journey. Along the way stop in Xa Linh for a two hour trek past many timeless hill villages which are home of the Hmong hill tribe people. Travelling across the Moc Chau plateau we catch a glimpse of the many tea plantations and see the Black Thai hill tribe people. They belong to the same Thai ethnic group, but are different from the White Thai in Mai Chau by their tradition and habits.

Overnight in Son La

Meal: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Included: Private tour guide, private transfer

Accommodation: Homestay/hotel

Day 4: Son La - Dien Bien Phu (B/L/D)

Have breakfast.

Starting our third-day tour with breakfast and a cup of local coffee, we then depart for Dien Bien at around 08:30 am.

The path from Son La to Dien Bien with typical stunning sceneries of Northwest Vietnam will surely leave you unforgettable experiences. On the way, you will pass the expansive terraced fields of corn, bean or banana along with colorful souvenir booths of the locals along the road sides. Continuing our way through the impressive Pha Din Pass at the height of 1,500m, admiring a fantastic panorama of the charming valley encompassed by the cloud all year round, and passing roads of colorful wild flowers, we finally reach Dien Bien - the land of rich history. Lunch is served en route to Dien Bien.

Upon arrival in Dien Bien, we will spend the rest of the day visiting the Muong Thanh paddy field, historic sites of De Catries bunker, A1 Hill, explosive holes, etc. to understand more about the magnanimous battle of the Vietnamese people.

Check-in accommodation and enjoy dinner with specialties of Dien Bien and then be free for relaxing and discovering the surroundings.

Overnight in Dien Bien Phu

Meal: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Included: Private tour guide, private transfer

Accommodation: Homestay/hotel

Day 5: Dien Bien Phu - Lai Chau (B/L/D)

Have breakfast.

The Northern Vietnam journey continues to Lai Chau Town, our base for exploring the surrounding areas, the real Vietnam. Mostly rural dwellers who are just as interested in finding out about our lives as we are of theirs and very few other traveler. After checking into hotel, embark on a boat for a two hour trip along the Da River, passing through the stunning mountain landscapes. The pace is very relaxed, a perfect way to observe the local lifestyle close up.

Overnight in Lai Chau

Meal: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Included: Private tour guide, private transfer

Accommodation: Homestay/hotel

Day 6: Lai Chau - Sin Ho - Tam Duong (B/L/D)

Have breakfast.

Today continue to the next stop being Sin Ho which is home land of the Red Hmong, Kho Mu, Mang and Dao ethnic minorities. They are settled there longtime ago and still retain their traditional culture and habits. The trip to Sin Ho is occasionally suspended due to the restriction of the local authority. Departing Sin Ho we make our way past the hilly region to Tam Duong. This timeless town is surrounded by stunning mountain backdrops and lush tea plantations.

Overnight in Tam Duong

Meal: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Included: Private tour guide, private transfer

Accommodation: Homestay

Day 7: Tam Duong - Sapa (B/L)

Have breakfast.

The scenery of the north is unequaled although the conditions are very simple. After breakfast we drive following the main artery of trade in northwestern region. This bumpy road links to many hill towns and villages. At an elevation of 1,500 meters, Sapa was founded in the early years of the last century as a hill resort for French administrators when the heat on the plain became unbearable. After checking into hotel we can soak up the fresh climate as much as we want by spending our time wandering around this charming town and some legacies of the French period.

Overnight in Sapa

Meal: Breakfast, lunch

Included: Private tour guide, private transfer

Accommodation: Hotel

Day 8: Sapa (B/L)

After breakfast, go trekking to Lao Chai, Ta Van and Giang Ta Chai villages of H’mong, Dzay, Red Dzao minorities. From here we have a magnificent view to the minority villages and terraced rice fields beneath us. Then get back to Sapa for overnight.

Overnight in Sapa

Meal: Breakfast, lunch

Included: Private tour guide, private transfer

Accommodation: Hotel

Day 9: Sapa - Bat Xat - Lao Cai (B/L/D)

Have breakfast.

Heading out of town, make our way through the breathtaking mountain landscape to Bat Xat. The weather in this region is cool due to the high altitude. Embark on a short walk, passing through several villages which is populated by the Phu La, Dao and Giay ethnic minorities. They are very poor, but have an interesting local culture and a colorful history. A part of the pleasure of travelling in this region is the simple joy of seeing hill tribe people. Continue our trip to Lao Cai border town, our final destination.

Overnight in Lao Cai

Meal: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Included: Private tour guide, private transfer

Accommodation: Hotel

Day 10: Lao Cai - Muong Khuong - Bac Ha (B/L/D)

Have breakfast.

Bac Ha, the weekend market of Muong Khuong also attracts a wide variety of ethnic minority groups such as Hmong, Dao, Thu Lao, Pa Di, Tu Di and Phu La.

After breakfast, embark on a two hour drive delivering to Muong Khuong Town. There is a wonderful experience to wander around this colorful congregation. In the early afternoon, travel by roads to Bac Ha. This is basically an overnight stop to break our long journey. Enjoy walk to visit the Hmong King’s former residence and Ban Pho where villagers make the potent local maize alcohol.

Overnight in Bac Ha

Meal: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Included: Private tour guide, private transfer

Accommodation: Homestay

Day 11: Bac Ha - Hoang Su Phi - Ha Giang (B/L/D)

Have breakfast.

Upon leaving Bac Ha, set off on a full day journey through Sin Man and Hoang Su Phi to Ha Giang Town. The rough but scenic route traverse a dense jungle before crossing over a pass and dropping down to Sin Man. This day is a real challenge for our driver as we travel by winding roads with many uphill and down hill drives. Along the way we may encounter the Nung Ing, Tay, Red Dao, Dao Ao Dai, La Chi and Co Lao, just some of the many hill tribe groups who have settled there.

Overnight in Ha Giang

Meal: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Included: Private tour guide, private transfer

Accommodation: Homestay

Day 12: Ha Giang - Sa Phin - Dong Van (B/L/D)

Have breakfast.

Today we head north west out of Ha Giang Town towards this northernmost tip of Vietnam. The former H’mong royal house at Sa Phin (in Dong Van) is a primary attraction of the region but the blend of hill tribe people’s colorful costumes and the majestic mountainous scenery make this long and bumpy trip an unforgettable experience.

Overnight in Dong Van

Meal: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Included: Private tour guide, private transfer

Accommodation: Homestay

Day 13: Dong Van - Meo Vac - Ha Giang (B/L/D)

Have breakfast.

The remote region of Dong Van and Meo Vac is a land of rugged mountains and beautiful hill villages which are unchanged for centuries. Here are the ethnic minority people are frequently seen in this hill town and small vendors along the street sell local textiles and handicraft. Visit Dong Van Town before continuing to Meo Vac which is conquered by the Lo Lo and Pu Peo ethnic minority people. They still retain their age old cultural traditions and are recognizably distinct from each other by their dress. The remoteness and the simple lifestyle of local people are a highlight of Meo Vac although conditions are very basic. We return to Ha Giang via Yen Minh, using a shortcut way.

Overnight in Ha Giang

Meal: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Included: Private tour guide, private transfer

Accommodation: Homestay

Day 14: Ha Giang - Ba Be (B/L)

Have breakfast.

An early morning start to drive through the rolling hills and the picturesque scenery to Ba Be National Park. The roads are very bumpy and zigzagging however we will have a chance to meet the Hmong, Dao, Tay and Nung ethnic minorities who make for the main population of this region. We are sure to attract their attention as this part of the country receive very few visitors. Depending on road and traffic conditions we arrive in Ba Be by late afternoon or early evening, but it is till an interesting day.

Overnight in Ba Be

Meal: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Included: Private tour guide, private transfer

Accommodation: Homestay

Day 15: Ba Be Lake (B/L/D)

Have breakfast.

The legendary lake of Ba Be is just one continuous water body although the name means” three lakes”. Today embark on a boat cruising down the Nang River which is the main water source of the lake. This exciting river trip will give us a taste of the tranquil countryside and an enjoyable exploration of the Ba Be National Park. We traverse en route the Poong Grotto before stopping at some nearby hill tribe villages and getting off the beaten track to the scenic Dau Dang Waterfalls.

Overnight in Ba Be

Meal: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Included: Private tour guide, private transfer

Accommodation: Homestay

Day 16: Ba Be - Hanoi (B/L)

Have breakfast.

After breakfast, set off the day to get back Hanoi. Enjoy sightseeing on the route and arrive Hanoi around afternoon. Free at your leisure in the rest of the day.

Overnight in Hanoi

Meal: Breakfast, lunch

Included: Private tour guide, private transfer

Accommodation: Hotel

Day 17: Hanoi - Departure (B)

After breakfast at hotel, free leisure until driver (No Guide) pick up you and transfer to the airport for your departure flight.

Say goodbye Vietnam.

Thank you for traveling with us.

Meals: Breakfast

Included: No tour guide, private transfer

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Trip Inclusion

+ Accommodation on a twin/double/tripe-share basic with daily breakfast

+ Meals as mentioned in the itinerary (B= Breakfast, L= Lunch, D = Dinner)

+ Private door to door transport with air-conditioned

+ English Speaking Tour guide

+ All entrance and sightseeing fees

+ Mineral water daily 2 bottle 500ml/per day tour

+ All taxes & services charge

Trip Exclusions

+ International Air Fare in & out Vietnam

+ Beverages and other meals do not indicate in the program

+ Additional sightseeing or extra usage of vehicle

+ Visa fees to Vietnam

- Approval letter for visa on arrival (depend on each nationality)

- Visa stamping fee at airport: 25 USD/Person

+ Early check-in and late check-out at all hotels

+ Travel insurance (you must buy it from your country)

+ Personal expenses (laundry, telephone, shopping...)

+ Tipping to tour guide & driver together

- Group with 1-2 Persons: 5 USD/person/day

- Group with 3-5 Persons: 4 USD/person/day

- Group with 6 Persons up: 3 USD/person/day

+ Surcharge for peak season & compulsory dinner on X’mas and New Year’s, Lunar New Year

+ Single room supplement

+ Any additional expenses caused by reasons beyond our control such as natural calamities (typhoon, floods), flight delays, rescheduling or cancellations, any accidents, medical evacuations, riots, strikes etc.

Price

Net price per person in USD

Options	Net price per person in USD according to number of persons
Options	2-3 persons	4-5 persons	6-7 persons	8-9 persons	Single Room Surcharge
*Standard (3)**	2053	1512	1311	1226	300
*Superior (4)**	2217	1676	1475	1390	418
*Deluxe (5)**	2421	1880	1679	1594	570

Accommodations

Recommendation Hotels / Cruises

The hotels / cruises are listed below based on our suggestions & experiences for the best value on this tour. However, Vietnam Best Holidays offers many other options of hotels or based on your choices, with different “star ratings”, allowing you to customize the vacation to meet your expectation and budget. Please tell us for your questions and requests.

(+) Standard (3*)

Location	Accommodation	Room Type
Hanoi	La Dolce Vita 3* http://ladolcevita-hotel.com/	Superior
Mai Chau	Mai Chau Sunset Boutique Hotel 3* http://maichausunset.com	Deluxe Mountain view
Son La	Windsor Hotel 3* http://windsorhotelsonla.com/	Standard
Dien Bien Phu	*Him Lam Resort 3+** www.himlamresort.vn	Superior
Lai Chau	Muong Thanh Lai Chau Hotel 3* http://www.laichau.muongthanh.com	Deluxe
Tam Duong	Homestay
Sapa	Sunny Mountain Hotel 3* www.sunnymountainhotel.com	Deluxe
Lao Cai	*Sapaly Hotel 3+** www.sapalyhotel.com	Superior
Ha Giang	Ha Giang Resort 3* http://hagiangresort.com/	Superior Garden view
Dong Van	Hoa Cuong Hotel 3* http://www.kshoacuong.vn/	Superior
Ba Be Lake	Saigon Ba Be Resort 4* http://saigonbaberesort.com/	Superior

(+) Superior (4*)

Location	Accommodation	Room Type
Hanoi	MK Premier Boutique Hotel 4* http://mkpremier.vn/	Luxury
Mai Chau	Mai Chau Mountain View 4* http://maichauhideaway.com	Deluxe mountain View
Son La	Muong Thanh Luxury Son La 5* http://luxurysonla.muongthanh.com/	Deluxe
Dien Bien Phu	Muong Thanh Dien Bien 4* http://dienbienphu.muongthanh.com/	Deluxe
Lai Chau	Hoang Nham Luxury Hotel 5* http://www.hoangnhamhotel.vn	Deluxe
Tam Duong	Homestay
Sapa	Bamboo Sapa Hotel 4* http://www.bamboosapahotel.com.vn/	Superior window
Lao Cai	Lao Cai Royal Hotel 4* www.laocairoyalhotel.com.vn	Superior
Ha Giang	Phoenix hotel 4* www.phoenixhotelhagiang.com	Superior
Dong Van	Hoa Cuong Hotel 3* http://www.kshoacuong.vn/	Superior
Ba Be Lake	Saigon Ba Be Resort 4* http://saigonbaberesort.com/	Superior

(+) Deluxe (5*)

Location	Accommodation	Room Type
Hanoi	Melia Hanoi 5* https://www.melia.com/en/hotels/vietnam/hanoi/melia-hanoi/index.html	Deluxe
Mai Chau	Mai Chau Hideaway 4* http://maichauhideaway.com/	Deluxe
Son La	Muong Thanh Luxury Son La 5* http://luxurysonla.muongthanh.com/	Deluxe
Dien Bien Phu	Muong Thanh Dien Bien 4* http://dienbienphu.muongthanh.com/	Deluxe
Lai Chau	Hoang Nham Luxury Hotel 5* http://www.hoangnhamhotel.vn	Deluxe
Tam Duong	Homestay
Sapa	Silk Path Grand Resort & Spa 5* http://sapa.silkpathhotel.com/	Classic Room
Lao Cai	Lao Cai Royal Hotel 4* www.laocairoyalhotel.com.vn	Superior
Ha Giang	Phoenix hotel 4* www.phoenixhotelhagiang.com	Superior
Dong Van	Hoa Cuong Hotel 3* http://www.kshoacuong.vn/	Superior
Ba Be Lake	Saigon Ba Be Resort 4* http://saigonbaberesort.com/	Superior

Important notes:

Above hotels is suggested by Vietnam Best Holidays. Kindly feel free to tell us the hotels which you may prefer in each option or combine hotels options at your expectation (tour cost may be changed accordingly).

Kindly note that all of our tour program are privately designed. So that price includes the above-mentioned hotels, sightseeing places, activities, and transportation are by private car and English guide unless otherwise stated. Your tour guide will pick you up from lobby of your hotel in the morning. The guide will tell you exactly time to pick-up on a day before. If you prefer to start next day’s trip earlier or a little later, please tell your guide.

Children Policy

+ Children under 3 years of age at time of travel are free of charge. Limit 1 child per group.

+ Children from 4 to under 9 years of age at time of travel

- Use room with 2 adults (no occupancy of extra bed): Charged at 50% of the adult price.

- Use room with 2 adults (with extra bed): Charged at 75% of the adult price.

- Use room with 01 adult: Charged at 90% of the adult price.

+ Children from 10 years and over are charged adult price according to airlines and hotels.

Tailoring your trip _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Any part of this itinerary can be altered to fit your need, e.g.accommodation, add/skip city, tour length...

Free tailor made

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5

Mrs. Monique Latulippe
5.0 - Excellent Written on Dec 06, 2018
John at Vietnam Best Holidays helped us plan a fantastic vacation to Vietnam over Christmas and New Years. He really helped us decide our destinations and made the main travel arrangements. He is awesome and very prompt. He always got back to me within a day and typically had several options for me to choose from. During the booking process he was systematic, professional, and extremely efficient. ..More
John at Vietnam Best Holidays helped us plan a fantastic vacation to Vietnam over Christmas and New Years. He really helped us decide our destinations and made the main travel arrangements. He is awesome and very prompt. He always got back to me within a day and typically had several options for me to choose from. During the booking process he was systematic, professional, and extremely efficient. I like John because he was easy to work with and got me where I want to go. The hotels he chose were great for our needs, and he had a lot of very good advice for traveling in the area, car rentals and what to expect over the holidays. We appreciated how responsive John was during the process and will welcome his help on future trips.Less
5

Mrs Johnston Helen Margaret
5.0 - Excellent Written on Feb 03, 2019
Maria at Vietnam Best Holidays Travel helped a group of 5 of us plan trip in Vietnam. She made our planning and preparations so easy and seamless. She helped with everything from excursion bookings, to arranging our rooms next to one another, our dinner times and paperwork processing. It was so nice to be able to just shoot over an email to her when we needed help. Everything in Vietnam was ..More
Maria at Vietnam Best Holidays Travel helped a group of 5 of us plan trip in Vietnam. She made our planning and preparations so easy and seamless. She helped with everything from excursion bookings, to arranging our rooms next to one another, our dinner times and paperwork processing. It was so nice to be able to just shoot over an email to her when we needed help. Everything in Vietnam was fantastic. Sightseeing here really hit us. We really enjoyed the tour organized by Vietnam Best Holidays Travel and I canâ€™t speak highly enough about Maria. She was amazing and weâ€™ll definitely be using her and Vietnam Best Holidays Travel again!Less
5

Mrs Nathalie Miravete
5.0 - Excellent Written on Mar 07, 2019
We booked services through John of Vietnam Best Holidays Travel and we were amazed at his knowledge, helpfulness and kindness. He made sure we had the best experience. He is a gem and we felt so fortunate to have him as our travel agent. Everything was great and your arrangements were perfect. Vietnam Best Holidays Travel arranged to fit a huge number of activities and locations into 17 days, and ..More
We booked services through John of Vietnam Best Holidays Travel and we were amazed at his knowledge, helpfulness and kindness. He made sure we had the best experience. He is a gem and we felt so fortunate to have him as our travel agent. Everything was great and your arrangements were perfect. Vietnam Best Holidays Travel arranged to fit a huge number of activities and locations into 17 days, and we never felt rushed. The guides were great and the food was wonderful, delicious.Thank you John for always being someone we can count on.I will be sure to recommend you to my friends and colleagues.Less
5

Mr. Pedro Vargas
5.0 - Excellent Written on Nov 08, 2019
John at Vietnam Best Holidays Travel was recommended to book our holiday to Vietnam by my friend had used his services for their family trip to Vietnam. He did not disappoint! He was extremely professional, knowledgeable, and had great suggestions for the experience we were looking for. I truly believe that because of his suggestions on where to stay and activities we should do our trip was ..More
John at Vietnam Best Holidays Travel was recommended to book our holiday to Vietnam by my friend had used his services for their family trip to Vietnam. He did not disappoint! He was extremely professional, knowledgeable, and had great suggestions for the experience we were looking for. I truly believe that because of his suggestions on where to stay and activities we should do our trip was much better than if I tried to do it myself. I would absolutely recommend Vietnam Best Holidays Travel to friends and would let them arrange my next trip in a heartbeat!Less