Day 1: Hanoi – Lao Cai

You will take an overnight express train (soft sleeper berth) from Hanoi to Lao Cai province (370km).

Day 2: Lao Cai - Bac Ha (Sunday market) (B/L/D)

On arrival in Lao Cai, you will be picked up and transferred by private car to Bac Ha market (70km). Bac Ha is the largest and most colorful market in the area. Every Sunday morning, many different ethnic groups such as Flower H'mong, Phu La, Black Dao, Tay and Nung minorities gather to buy and sell local products that cannot be found elsewhere. In the afternoon, we walk to Ban Pho village, 5km from Bac Ha and home of Flower H’Mong hill tribe group.
Overnight in hotel in Bac Ha     

Day 3: Bac Ha – Nam Mon (B/L/D)

Take an amazing trek (12km) to Nam Mon village. Discover the unspoilt beauty of the Bac Ha Plateau with scenic terraced fields, majestic limestone peaks and smiling faces of Flower H’mong and Tay people. Tonight we stay with a Tay family and have dinner with them. This is a great opportunity to get deeper insight into their daily life.
Home stay in Nam Mon

Day 4: Nam Mon – Coc Ly (Tuesday Market) - Sapa (B/L)

This morning we leave Nam Mon for a short walk to Trung Do village, inhabited by Tay minority group. Then continue walking to the Chay River for a boat ride a long the river to Coc Ly market.  Coc Ly is a very small market which takes place every Tuesday. You can meet several ethnic minorities from surrounding villages such as Flower H'mong, Black Dao, Phu La, Nung and Tay. After visiting the market, we travel by car to Sapa (80km). Spend the rest time of day to visit local market in town.
Trekking distance: 3km
Overnight in hotel in Sapa

Day 5: Sapa – Y linh ho – Lao Chai – Ta Van (B/L/D)

Take a two-hour trek to Y Linh Ho village of Black H'mong minority, where we can take a rest in a nice spot near the beautiful river for lunch.
In the after noon, we continue walking for one hour to Lao Chai village, also home to Black H’mong. Another one hour trek will take us to Ta Van village, inhabited by Dzay minority. Tonight we will have dinner and overnight in Dzay's hut.
Trekking distance: 15 km
Home stay in Ta Van

Day 6: Ta Van - Giang Ta Chai – Ban Ho (B/L/D)

After breakfast, we head up to Giang Ta Chai village of the Red Dzao tribe where you will see the amazing scenery and beautiful waterfall. Have a picnic lunch in a Red Dzao family. In the afternoon, we continue trekking to visit Tay hill tribe at Ban Ho village. Spend time for swimming in the river near the village if you wish. Have dinner and overnight in a Tay’s local house.
Trekking distance: 20 km
Home stay in Ban Ho

Day 7: Ban Ho – Nam Tong – Nam Ken – My Son – Thanh Phu (B/L/D)

Start our day with a one hour trek to Nam Tong village, inhabited by Red Dzao minority. We also visit Red Dzao group at Nam Ken village, one hour trek from Nam Tong village. Have a picnic lunch near a stream.

Afternoon we continue trekking to My Son village, home to Xa Pho minority. Our last stop today is Thanh Phu village of Tay minority group. Have dinner and overnight in a local house.
Trekking distance: 25km
Home stay in Thanh Phu

Day 8: Thanh Phu – Sapa – Lao Cai – Hanoi (B/L/D)

Morning we leave Thanh Phu village to Ban Ho, where we spend time relaxing on the bank of the local river. Continue trekking up to Ban Den village. A picnic lunch is served there before we transfer back to Sapa by car. Arrive in Sapa at 3.00pm and have a short break before transfer to Lao Cai Railway Station. You will have dinner at Lao Cai then take overnight train to Hanoi.  
Trekking distance: 10km
Overnight on train

Day 9: Arrive Hanoi

The train will arrive in Hanoi in early morning. The trip concludes.

(B): Breakfast
(L): Lunch
(D): Dinner

Hotels to be used:

Deluxe: Victoria Sapa Hotel
Superior: Chau Long Hotel (New wings)
Standard: Bamboo Hotel/Gold Sea Hotel or similar
Economy: Auberger Dang Trung Hotel or similar.
In Bac Ha: Sao Mai Hotel or similar.

* All hotels are subject to availability