This is a challenging trek that takes you to the remotest villages of Lao Cai and Lai Chau provinces in the far North of Vietnam. We begin with the colorful Tuesday Coc Ly market, and then trek to Tram Ton, the highest pass in Vietnam. This hilly mountain trek takes us through the jungles, mountains and to the untouched villages of the H’mong, Dzao and Thai people. During the trek we stay at their homes get an insight into their culture and traditions, which have remained unchanged for centuries. This is an incredible exploration of some of Vietnam’s remotest hill tribe areas ending in Sapa, a popular retreat in the North of Vietnam.

• Brief Itinerary

Day 01: Hanoi – Lai Cai (by rail)

Day 02: Lao Cai - Coc Ly - Lai Chau

Day 03: Lai Chau - Chan Nua - Ta Co Phin

Day 04: Ta Co Phin - Ta San – Nam Pe

Day 05: Nam Pe - Pa Ha

Day 06: Pa Ha- Pu Sam Cap

Day 07: Pu Sam Cap - Dong Pao

Day 08: Dong Pao- Ban Bo

Day 09: Ban Bo- Than Thuoc – Sa Pa

Day 10: Sa Pa – Hanoi (by rail)

Day 11: Hanoi Departure

• Trip Grade: Level of fitness is required.

• Weather:

Undoubtedly, weather is one of the determining factors for your traveling decisions. If you are heading to Vietnam, then, take it easy to make up your mind. Vietnam’s climate is not just steamy hot as what you are frequently exposed to on movies. All year round here, there is always a perfect place where it is pleasant to stay. Basically, the whole country falls into the tropic and subtropics but its stretching length and diverse topography allow it to span several different climate zones. The weather thus, tends to vary considerably from season to season and also from region to region.

Northern Part
The North of Vietnam is generally cooler than other South East Asian regions in the same longitude. It experiences two main distinct seasons. In winter months, the weather gets colder and colder fromNovember to March and considerably warmer in April (a leap into summer). This is also time to observe much cloud and frequent drizzle. The average winter temperature is 17.2°C (62.9°F). Particularly, the mountainous areas (Northwest) are often much colder, temperature may keep below 10°C (50°F) for long period. Ice and snow even cover Hoang Lien Son Mountains and nearby Sapa town for some times with the lowest record of -3°C (26.6°F) in Feb 2008.
In the summer (from May to October), the whole region is quite hot. Temperature may rise to 37°C (98.6 °F) in the peaks of June and July. Hanoi and coastal provinces around the Red River Delta generally enjoy equitable weather with high average humidity (80%) all year round though they may occasionally be subjected to typhoons and heavy rain in late summers (September to November). Vietnamese people even identify four seasons in the Northern provinces (from Hai Van Pass toward the north) with their distinct features: pleasant spring (typically March-April) and autumn (October-December), a chilly winter (December- February) and a hot summer (June – July).

Central Part
The Central Vietnam with two sub-regions, coastal lowlands and central highlands, can be seen as an in-between climatic area of the North and the South. The coastal strip is usually dry and hotter than the rest in the summer, as the Truong Son Mountains do not allow it to enjoy most rainfall of south-western monsoon (from April to October). Unprotected coasts in their turn, however, make it wet and colder than the rest in winter-monsoon season (from November to March). Also, storms and typhoons strike this area more frequently than the northern coasts in summer months (from July to November). The Central Highlands in particular enjoys nearly double the average rainfall of the country. Two biggest towns in this plateau, Dalat and Pleiku, are ideally cool throughout the year. Near-the-south coastal cities, Quy Nhon, Nha Trang and Phan Thiet, on the contrary, experiences steamy hot weather (21°C-32°C / 70°F-90°F) all year round.

Southern Part
The South of Vietnam, merely 8 degrees north of the Equator, is typical of humid tropical climate which is excellent for growing rice. The region’s temperatures experience little variations in a year (around 27-32°C/80-90°F). There are two main seasons: the rainy and the dry. During the rainy/monsoon season (from May to November), downpours are expected to happen nearly every afternoon, resulting in occasional street flooding in and around Saigon. In the dry season, it is hot from late February to April then slightly cooler when first downpours come. Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) enjoys rather equitable tropical climate with high humidity all year round. December to March is said to be the most pleasant time to hit this region’s center.

Note: In all, Vietnam climate is so diverse that there is almost no definition of an average temperature for the whole country. Thanks to these regional variations in weather, generally, you can drop in Vietnam at any time of year. Commonly, based on the duration of your stay, you should plan to catch the good weather and places by either dropping in Saigon in February or March then following the coast to north or hitting Hanoi in October-November then tracing southward.

Day 1:  Hanoi – Lao Cai (by rail)
Arrive at Noi Bai airport where you will meet your guide and driver and transfer to your hotel in Hanoi. Depending on your time of arrival, we can take you on an optional guided stroll through Hanoi’s Old Quarter. In the evening, we’ll enjoy traditional Vietnamese cuisine at one of Hanoi’s best restaurants before transferring to the Hanoi station for the overnight train to Lao Cai. Overnight sleeper train.

Overnight on train:Soft sleeper cabin train (Sapaly/Fansipan)
Meals: Dinner

Day 2: Lao Cai - Coc Ly - Lai Chau (recommend Tuesday for Coc Ly market)

Arrive in Lao Cai early morning, transfer to Lao Cai hotel for breakfast before driving to Coc Ly to visit the (Tuesday-only) market. You depart by boat for a cruise on the Chay River. Your boat will take us to Trung Do village, home to the Tay minority people. You will explore Trung Do on a short walking tour. Your cruise will end at Bao Nhai Bridge where you rejoin the support vehicle and head to the new Lai Chau town. Overnight at Muong Thanh Hotel.

Meals: Breakfast
Overnight: Lai Chau

Day 3: Lai Chau - Chan Nua - Ta Co Phin

After breakfast at the hotel, your bus will take us 79 km out of Lai Chau to Chan Nua. From here, your adventure begins. Your guide will brief you about the region and what to expect on the expedition before you start. Following the dirt track roads from Chan Nua Bridge and the stream, the trail ascends and descends through dramatic scenery of terraced rice paddies with stunning mountain backdrops. A picnic lunch is served in a local home before we continue our journey to Ta Co Phin Village, home to Flower H’mong people. High mountains surround this beautiful village and you will stay overnight in a local home. Dinner and over night in a local home.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight in home stay - Basic

Transfer: 79 km
Trekking 6 - 7 hours

Difficulty: Moderate/Challenging

Day 4: Ta Co Phin - Ta San – Nam Pe

Today you enjoy the tranquility of waking in the mountains and after breakfast our trek starts with a descent on the hilly path to a White H’mong village. You stop to interact with the hospitable locals and get an insight into their culture and daily lives. Leaving the village, you then continue on tiny trails through rice fields and forests. The trek becomes more strenuous as we get closer to Ta San Village where we stop for lunch and a short break. In the afternoon you have a further 3-hour trek through some of the most stunning scenery, as you pass through lush forest, banana plantations and bamboo forests. Tonight we stay in the local home of the Red Dzao people at Nam Pe Village.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight Nam Pe home stay - Basic

Trekking 6 - 7 hours
Difficulty: Moderate/Challenging

Day 5: Nam Pe - Pa Ha

Today you have a full day of trekking to the lowlands of Lai Chau Province. You will follow ancient trails only ever used by local hill tribes. After 2.5 hours trek, you arrive at Nam Trang village where you have lunch before continuing to Pa Ha. For this section you have two options; you can take the boat for 2 hours or hike alongside the river to Pa Ha Village. (NB the boat option is not available in dry season if water level is low). Whichever option you take, you will enjoy the dramatic scenery along the river. We arrive at Pa Ha village with time to explore. Dinner and overnight at home of Thai people

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight in home stay - Basic

 Trekking: 5.5 hours
Difficulty: Moderate/Challenging

Day 6: Pa Ha- Pu Sam Cap

Today the trek is demanding with steady uphill climbs, however you will be rewarded with spectacular views. You begin our climb to Pu Sam Cap Mountain. The 4-hour trek to the mountain peak is considerably steep but the stunning rugged Mountain scenery will thrill you once you reach the peak. A stop for lunch gives us a quick break before you continue to Pu Sam Cap village, which is home to White Thai and H’mong people. Overnight at local homes.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight in home stay - Basic

 Trekking: 6-7 Hours
Difficulty: Challenging

Day 7: Pu Sam Cap - Dong Pao

The day starts with a downhill trek with exceptional views of Mount Pu Sam Cap and scenes of the smiling and cheerful faces of local villagers as they work in their paddy fields or carry wood from the jungle. You will stop for lunch along the way. The trek concludes at Dong Pao village, where we spend the night.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight in home stay - Basic

Trekking: Approx. 5.5 hours
Difficulty: Moderate

Day 8: Dong Pao- Ban Bo

Today you follow a path through villages and forests spotting plenty of fauna and flora along the way. You arrive at Ban Bo village in the afternoon when you have free time to relax or explore before dinner. Overnight in home stay

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight in home stay - Basic

Trekking: Approx. 5.5 hours
Difficulty: Moderate

Day 9: Ban Bo- Than Thuoc - Sapa

Following breakfast, you trek 4 hours to Giang Cau village, take a stroll around the village and have a chance to interact with the locals. You will have lunch before our vehicle takes us to Sa Pa. The rest of the day is free for your leisure.

Overnight in Sa Pa
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Trekking: Approx. 5.5 hours
Difficulty: Moderate

Day 10: Sa Pa – Hanoi (by rail)

You have a free day in Sa Pa before your afternoon transfer to Lao Cai station for the overnight train to Hanoi. Overnight sleeping berth.

Meals: Breakfast.

Day 11: Arrive Hanoi. Departure

Arrive in Hanoi early morning, transfer to your hotel /airport for departure

This tour is private and can be tailor-made to suit your travel needs. As a result the price is quoted in US dollars and shown on a per-person basis. The 'Price From' quoted above is for parties of 2, 4 and 6 people and for accommodation in 3 star hotels. The final price will be privately quoted, based on the number in your party, your preferred time of travel, grade of hotel and any additional services requested. Please click on the BOOK NOW button and fill in the booking form, after which one of our travel consultants will customize the best value holiday for you.

REMARKS:
We are aware that a good tour must have good hotels. In Indochina particularly, hotel price makes up most of the cost of your Cambodia cycling, Vietnam cycling, Laos cycling, Myanmar cycling or Thailand cycling. All of our prices are calculated on a twin-shared basis. As a guide, Travel Loops defines hotel grades as follows:

>>Superior Level (3 star hotels in good locations): > 40 USD/room/night
>>Deluxe Level (4 star hotels): > 80 USD/room/night
>>Luxury Level (5 star hotels): > 180 USD/room/night

Price based on twin shared accommodation.
Tour price is indicative only, please enquire for a detailed quotation.
More people means more discount. Please enquire for more details

If, after reviewing the details of this tour, you would like to receive a "Special Offer" tour price, just click on the "INQUIRY" button below. If you wish to “Tailor Make" your trip, simply click on the "CUSTOMIZE TRIP" and enter your contact details.

COST INCLUDED:

• Experienced English speaking guide
• Private transportation by air-conditioned vehicle
• Accommodation in double/twin sharing rooms with daily breakfast
• Meals as mentioned in the itinerary
• Bottled drinking water for sightseeing
• All sightseeing entrance fee where required in the itinerary.

COST EXCLUDED:

• International/domestic airfares & tax
• Visa fees.
• Travel Insurance. (We highly recommend purchasing travel insurance from home)
• Personal expenditure (telephone, laundry, shopping and so on…)
• Tips for guide, driver, porters and project cost
• Beverage and alcoholic drinks
• Any other services not clearly mentioned on itinerary and trip inclusive portion.

The hotels listed below are just our suggestions offering the best value for this trip according to the hotel category chosen, but Travel Loops also offers more options to cater for different grades, personal taste, and budget. Please let us know if you have any specific choice of hotels, or personal preferences/requirements.

Note: Our choices for each level of accommodation have been highlighted in orange. As mentioned above our selection criteria are based on: prior client reviews, hotel management and staff training, facilities maintenance, location, business relationship and advantages given exclusively to our clients on price and service.