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Remote on the road Route: Hanoi - Sapa - Villages - Sapa - Homestay - Mai Chau - Hanoi |
| Duration |
6 days / 5 nights Departs daily from Hanoi |
Accommodation |
Comfortable hotel in Sapa (comfort level 3) and simple accommodation in the villages along the way (comfort level 2). See accommodation for comfort levels. |
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Price |
£468 per person - based on 2 people sharing |
Included |
Rental of Toyota Land Cruiser, fuel, English-speaking driver, minibus from Hanoi - Sapa, tour accommodation, most meals |
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Transport |
Air-conditioned minibus and Toyota Land Cruiser |
Excluded |
Breakfast and lunch on Day One. |
Day 1: Hanoi to SapaToday, your Vietnam trip begins with a journey from Hanoi to the mountain village of Sapa by air-conditioned minibus OR Land Cruiser (depending on the weather). You'll begin travelling from Hanoi to Sapa early in the morning which will take roughly 10 hours. This Vietnam tour provides a fantastic opportunity to see daily Vietnamese life as you pass through towns and villages. You'll stop for breakfast and lunch en route, eating tasty local dishes in typical Vietnamese restaurants.At the end of the afternoon, you'll arrive in Sapa, where you'll have some free time to settle in and freshen up before you can really begin this Vietnam tour. Your guide will recommend some restaurants for a meal and you can spend the evening exploring the fascinating mountain town. You'll stay overnight in a simple, charming hotel in central Sapa. |
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Day 2: Short mountain hike and hill tribe visitAfter travelling yesterday from Hanoi to Sapa, today you'll have a hearty breakfast, followed by a short mountain hike from Sapa. Hiking equipment is not required during this part of your Vietnam trip, as you'll stay on hard and well-worn paths for the duration of the trek. However, it can get a bit slippery if it rains, so make sure you're wearing sturdy shoes with good treads.You'll walk with your guide to Cat Cat Village, home to the Black H’mong hill tribe. They are recognised for their black clothes, which they make and dye themselves. Each household even has its own barrel of home-made paint. You'll pass a sparkling waterfall, and at the top of the hill there's a fantastic view of the entire area, with rice paddies stretching as far as the eye can see - this is sure to be a real highlight of your journey from Hanoi to Sapa. After your hike, you'll spend another night in the hotel in Sapa. |
Day 3: Sapa - Lai ChauToday, your driver will take your trusty Landcruiser over a high mountain pass towards Lai Chau, a traditional village nestled deep in a green valley. Along the way, you'll pass people from various hill tribes on the rugged mountain paths. By the end of the 170km drive you'll probably be able to recognise the subtle differences between the Meo, the Muong, the Karen, and the White Tai peoples. Road conditions will limit the speed of journey, allowing you to enjoy at the vast scenery around you. If you wish to stop anywhere, just ask your English-speaking driver to pull over, that's what road trips are all about. You'll spend the third night of your tour from Hanoi to Sapa in simple accommodation in the village of Lai Chau. |
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Day 4: Lai Chau to Dien Bien PhuToday your Hanoi to Sapa tour will take you a further 160km over another breath-taking mountain pass. On the way, you'll come across a small war museum that was formerly the headquarters of Colonel Christian de Cateries. You're more than welcome to take a look inside and see the archaic French weaponry. After this, you'll pass through many villages and people in traditional hill tribe costumes. At the end of today's road trip you'll spend the night in simple accommodation in the rustic village of Dien Bien Phu. |
Day 5: Dien Bien Phu to Son LaIt's day five of your Vietnam trip from Hanoi to Sapa and today you'll cover approximately 150km, stopping along the way to visit the hill tribes of the Black Tai, White Tai, Meo and the Muong. Your final destination for the day will be Son La, renowned in French colonial times for its infamous prison, where opponents and revolutionaries were held captive in horrific conditions. Today you can visit the haunting but fascinating prison and its museum, sure to send shivers down your spine. You'll sleep overnight in a hotel in Son La before continuing this Vietnam tour tomorrow. |
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Day 6: Son La - HanoiThe last stage of your epic journey from Hanoi to Sapa is a whopping 320km journey through all kinds of wonderful terrain. You'll stop to visit native Muong hill tribes and pass through the towns of Moc Chau, Hoa Binh, and Mai Chau. The village of Mai Chau is home to the White Tai people, who live in traditional houses that they build on stilts. They are famous for their embroidered clothing, their dancing, traditional songs and especially their Can wine - made of leaves and drunk through a bamboo straw.If you'd like to get to know the White Tai people better you can spend a night in one of their stilt houses as part of our traditional Vietnam trip. After your fantastic Hanoi to Sapa tour, you'll arrive back in to Hanoi in the late afternoon and say goodbye to your friendly driver. |
Hanoi to Sapa - Accommodation (click to enlarge)
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