Highlights:
On this trip you have an opportunity to explore one of the most beautiful parts in Sapa area, which is under protection of Hoang Lien National Park. The night you spend in campsite nearby a river will be memorial moments along the trek. You will also be able to meet several different minorities, which cannot be found in other areas of Sapa, such as Giay in Muong Hoa valley, Tay and Xa Pho in Ban Ho valley. Both valleys are beautiful with mountainous surrounding and rice paddy terraces.
Itinerary:
Day 1: Sapa – Tram Ton – Cat Cat
Met up at your hotel in Sapa by local guide and driver then transfer to the Silver Waterfall where you will be able to take a short walk to the waterfall. You will then drive further to Heaven Gate, the highest peak of roads in Vietnam. From there you can see Fansipan, the highest peak of Indochina mountains as well as enjoy stunning views.
We start descending nearby the waterfall. The trail takes you all the way through bamboo forest and before you arrive in Sin Chai village of Black H’Mong minority. Here you stop for lunch.
After lunch, we head toward Cat Cat village of Black H’mong, passing through rice terraces and indigo field, where you could see how local women weave hemp and dye fabric of indigo. According to weather, you will spend the night either in local house or tents
Approx: 40 minutes driving/ 6 hours walking/ 1-hour lunch
Day 2: Cat Cat - Y Linh Ho – Tavan
After having breakfast, you trek on a dirt trail through rice paddy terraces. You also will enjoy spectacular scenery while walking along a narrow river. You eventually arrive in Y Linh Ho village of Black Hmong minority, where you can take a rest while you are served lunch nearby the river.
After lunch, you head Muong Hoa valley. You will pass through Lao Chai village of Black Hmong minority and then Tavan village of Giay minority by following a very popular trekking route. You will spend the night in local house of Giay minority. You will be able to take a walk to enjoy the valley view as well as swim in the river nearby.
Approx: 5 hours walking/ 1-hour lunch.
Day 3: Tavan - Seomity
After having breakfast, you start today’s trek, which is mostly uphill until lunchtime. Whenever you stop for a rest, you will be able to enjoy valley view. Before noon, you stop again at a nice spot for lunch.
The trek will be softer in the afternoon. But the scenery becomes even more beautiful. You pass by Seomity village of Black Hmong minority before you arrive in a campsite, which locates nearby a river outside the village. While porters put up tents and cook dinner, you can take a walk to stretch the legs.
Approx: 4 hours walking/ 1 hour lunch
Day 4: Seomity – Den Thang - Ta Trung Ho
The trek today takes you through beautiful rice paddies and over old suspension bridges. You will trek on small trail sneaking through rainforest. You arrive in Den Thang village of Black Hmong by noon. Here you stop for lunch either nearby a river or in a local school according to the weather.
After lunch, the trek will becomes tough on tinny footpath going up and down, which requires a lot of concentration. You will reach to Ta Trung Ho village of Red Dao minority where you spend the night in local house. Both the valley and the village have just received foreign visitors. The night will be even more interesting when you are in the wonderful hospitable atmosphere of the Red Dao.
Approx: 6 hours walking, 1-hour lunch
Day 5: Ta Trung Ho - Nam Toong – My Son – Muong Bo
You are now at the fringe of the rain forest by the Hoang Lien Son mountain range. Fansipan, the highest peak in Indochina with its 3143 m, is located in this mountain range. You will start the trek today by ascending to Nam Toong village of Red Dao minority. Here your lunch will be prepared in a local school.
After lunchtime, you descend to the valley where locates My Son village of Xa Pho minority, one of the smallest groups ethnic in Northern Vietnam. From there you take a short walk to Muong Bo village of Tay minority. Here you spend the night in traditional house of the Tay. You can take a walk to explore local daily life while your dinner will be served with Vietnamese dishes.
Approx: 7 hours walking/ 1-hour lunch
Day 6: Muong Bo - Nam Cum – Sin Chai
Today’s trek will be relatively short and soft. Once leaving Muong Bo, you follow the trekking route built in the bottom of the valley, which offers the best view to the surrounding mountains. You stop at a nice spot for lunch.
After lunchtime, you continue the walk toward Sin Chai village of Red Dao minority where the night will be spent in a local house in the village.
Approx: 3 hours walking/ 1-hour lunch
Day 7: Sin Chai – Nam Nhiu – Nam Than – Nam Sai
Breakfast and leave Sin Chai B at about 08.00 am. Today’s adventure will take us through a number of small ethnic minority villages (including Red Dao, Tay, Xafo and Black H’mong). This portion of the trek offers stunning view of Nam Sai and Nam Cang Valleys as well as chances to understand life of tribal peoples in remote land. We will see people from the local communities carrying out their daily activities as it is in the northern highlands. Our trek will take us to our home stay for tonight in the Tay village - Nam Sai. Check in home-stay, having a short rest and enjoy an easy walk to explore this charming and quiet village.
Approx: 5 hours walking/ 1-hour lunch
Day 8: Nam Sai – Nam Sang – Thanh Phu bridge – Sapa
Following breakfast we will leave Nam Sai behind us and start to ascend to Nam Sang village of the Xa Pho people through Nam Sai valley. Paying visiting to local homes here for interesting discovery of the unique way of living. The Xa Pho is a sub group of the Phu La ethnic whose population is just about 4,000 in Vietnam and still live a primary way. Then following the trails sneaking through mountains heading to Thanh Phu. Once you get to Thanh Phu bridge, you start your journey back to Sapa by car.