Your Itinerary:
Day 1: Lao Cai – Sapa, trek to Ta Phin (4 hours). The Night Before: Transfer from your hotel to the Hanoi Train Station for boarding at 9:30 pm. You will be in shared AC soft sleeper cabins of 4 to travel North to Lao Cai town. Today’s Morning: The train arrives in Lao Cai at about 6:30 am where your Footprint guide will welcome you. Look for the "Footprint Travel" sign when you exit the train station. Then take a morning drive through the clouds by car/van to Sapa (about 1.5 hours). When you arrive in Sapa you will be taken to a local restaurant for a morning shower and breakfast. Then we will take short ride from Sapa to our trekking base where we start our trek through terraced rice fields and Hmong villages. Chances to meet and talk with locals working in the fields are plentiful. We will break for a picnic lunch en route then continue trekking to Ta Phin village of the Dao people (4 hours). Your Dao host family will warmly welcome you to their traditional home where we will share in an ethnic style dinner and stay the night.
Day 2: More trekking and back to Sapa. At the first of gleam of daylight, you will see and hear the sounds of morning village life. You can join them in some of their activities, like feeding the animals; cleaning the houses, gardening or preparing breakfast. After breakfast, we will complete our trek on a valley route to the main road (4 hours) linking Lao Cai and Sapa. Alternatively, for this long trek, you can choose take a short morning wander around the village for about 1 hour, resulting in more time spent with the host family and other villagers. For both options, you will be supported by our car/van back to Sapa (30 minutes). When we arrive back in Sapa we will check in to the hotel, shower, and break for lunch. At 2:30 pm we will visit the gardens of beautiful Ham Rong mountain and take part in a traditional ethnic music performance put on by the ethnic minority people. Then return at your own leisure with free time to discover the secrets of this colorful town. Overnight at the hotel in Sapa town.
Day 3: (Sunday) Sapa - Bac Ha market, night train to Hanoi. Get up early for breakfast, check out of the hotel, and then drive to Bac Ha market (106 km). Just before reaching the market we will see colorful activity. Beautiful Flower Hmong people carrying hand crafted products or pulling dogs or buffaloes, all on their way to the market. You are free to wonder around the market and become a part of the trading activities. Please be respectful to the locals as they are reluctant to have their photo taken without permission. You can have lunch at one of the market stalls inside the market for more of a traditional taste. In the afternoon we transfer to Lao Cai town. Dinner here on your own before boarding the train at 8:50 pm back to Hanoi. Arrive in Hanoi by 4:30 am. Please find your own way back to your hotel, a taxi normally costs you a set of 50,000 VND.
Notes:
- Hotel: First class is Sapa Bamboo or Royal View hotel, Superior is Chau Long hotel, Deluxe is Victoria hotel
- Car/Van Quality: Using new AC car or van depending on your group size
- What to Bring: Passport, change of clothes, sun-glasses and hat, towels, toiletries, sun-block, insect repellent, flashlight, proper footwear, sleeping bag, camera, raincoat or umbrella, cable locks for luggage, personal first aid kit and medicines, small VND notes for buying drinks.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Price Includes:
- Transfer(s)
- Train ticket
- Tour guide
- Breakfast
- Picnic lunch
- Entrance fee(s)
Price Excludes:
- Insurance
- Drinks
- Other personal expenses
- Tips are welcome!
Also see tour packages in:
Asia
Vietnam
Hiking & Trekking
Cultural Journey
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