Hiking in Northern Vietnam

Begin your adventure in Hanoi, a delicious first taste of Vietnamese culture. Whether you’re buying baguettes and inexpensive coffee from the grand doorways of a past era, drifting alongside Hoan Kiem Lake or roaming the animated streets, the capital will delight your senses. Around 6pm, say xin chào to your tour leader and fellow travellers, when we gather as a group for the first time to get to know each other and learn more about the adventures ahead. Your tour leader then ensures a big Vietnamese welcome by arranging dinner at a nearby restaurant. Want more time in Hanoi? Secure pre-tour hotel nights through your sales representative.

This morning we take a transfer (five to six hours) through scenic country and mountainous terrain towards Sapa, stopping at a restaurant en route for lunch. Upon arrival around 4.30pm, we stretch our legs with a short walk into Sapa town. It's possible to visit the bustling Sapa market, where local people buy and sell fresh produce, handicrafts and souvenirs - wander through the maze of stalls and stop to sample delicious street food.

Leave the town of Sapa this morning and transfer (one hour) to the start of today’s trek, Suoi Thau village. Our trail takes us through the most remote region in the Sapa district, mostly along dirt trails, providing us with a fascinating insight into an area rarely explored by tourists. It ends in Nam Cang, a village of around 1,500 people from the Red Dao and Black Hmong ethnic groups. This evening, we enjoy a special experience, sleeping in a homestay, a chance for us to dive deeper into the local customs and cultures, learning firsthand from the people who live here.

Waking in our homestay, we start our hike directly from Nam Cang after breakfast. Along the way, we visit a family of silversmiths to observe their craft and learn about the role silver jewellery plays in the spiritual life of the Dao people. Today’s hike finishes near Thanh Phu village, where we take a transfer (around one hour) back to our hotel. Today's hike can be modified as required, to match local conditions and individual abilities.

Bid farewell to Sapa this morning, as we transfer (3hr 30min) to the rural Bac Ha district in the Lao Cai Province. After lunch at a restaurant en route, we visit a family to learn about the local corn wine-making process and to sample their produce. We also visit another household, who specialise in making palm-leaf hats with the chance to make your own.

Today’s hike starts from the Na Hoi commune, near Bac Ha town centre. Along the way, we pass through Ban Pho village, where we can observe the daily life of the resident Black Hmong people. Our hike takes us to the Hoang Thu Pho viewpoint, where we can enjoy vistas over a valley of rice terraces. The terrain is a mix of dirt trails, a short stretch of tarmac and concrete village roads. The hike finishes back in Bac Ha, where we spend our second night.

After breakfast, we visit Lung Phin Market; here, Giay, Phu La and Mong Hoa ethnic groups meet and exchange goods, including the indispensable nua tubers – a specialty the local people used instead of meat in delicious, creative dishes. We then transfer (four hours) to Hoang Su Phi in the Ha Giang province. This mountainous region, which is largely untouched by tourism, sits near the Chinese border and is home to breathtaking terraced rice fields and untouched nature. Enjoy a short hike from Thong Nguyen commune this afternoon, walking uphill to Hoang Su Phi Bungalow, where we stay for the next two nights, enjoying stunning views over terraced rice fields. Before dinner, we witness a fire dancing ceremony, a custom of the Red Dao people, which demonstrates their strength and desire to conquer nature and master life.