Detailed Itinerary:
Night 1 - Friday: Hanoi - Laocai
Vietnam SapaTrekking's taxi pick you up from your hotel and transfer to Hanoi train station to catch the overnight train soft sleeper with AC to Lao Cai.
Day 1 - Staturday: Sapa - Y Linh Ho - Lao Cai San - Lao Cai - Ta Van. (B, L, D)
At 10 am we leave the hotel and start trekking. The first part is on the road but we soon turn to the right and walk on a small path down the valley to the Muong Hoa River and from here to the Black H’mong village Lao Cai. Black H’mong is one of the biggest minority groups in the Sapa area. They are proud of their culture and keep their traditions and way of living. They have their own language and wear traditional indigio blue clothing. After this you continue to Ta Van village (1.200 m) to visit Zay people. Zay is a fairly small minority group of about 38.000 people who live mainly in the mountains in Northwest Vietnam. The development has meant that some of their old customs have been lost but many women still wear traditional shirts with a purple, blue or green colour. The Zay houses are build of wood and bamboo with a clay floor. We stay overnight with a local family in Ta Van and have our dinner here.
Trekking distance: 15 km.
Day 2 - Sunday: Ta Van - Giang Ta Cai - Ban Ho. (B, L, D)
After the breakfast we continue to visit Red Dao people at Giang Ta Chai where we also see a waterfall. The Red Dao women have very colourful red embroidery and coins on their clothing. On their head they wear a red scarf. Som
We continue along small paths in the rice fields, cross the Muong Hoa River and arrive to the Tay village Ban Ho (900 m). Tay is the most populous of the hill tribes. Because of the development and adaptation to the Vietnamese society some of them have started wearing Vietnamese clothing. But most women still wear the traditional checkered headscarf. We stay overnight in e of the women have shaved off their eyebrows because of a nice Red Zao legend. A wooden Tay stilt house. If we reach Ban Ho in the early afternoon you will have time to swim in a nearby river. In the evening we have dinner with the Tay family.
Trekking distance: 25 km
Day 3 - Monday: Ban Ho - Sapa (B, L, D)
After breakfast you trek up to Ban Den (3 km). From here you will be picked up and transferred back to Sapa. In the afternoon you will have time to experience the colourful Sapa market where women from different ethnic minority groups come into town to sell their products. O/N in Hotel.
Day 4 - Tuesday: Coc Ly Market (B/L)
In the early morning we have breakfast and go by car in two hours to Coc Ly Market. It is the colourful market in a mountainous area where the Flower H’mong mainly gathers to exchange their homemade products. After visiting the market we go on a boat on the Chay River with beautiful mountains on both sides. On the way we will have a short trek to Trung Do village (Tay) This is a unique opportunity for you to the see the traditional lifestyle of tribal minorities and their costumes and handicrafts.
The tour includes a boat ride and picnic lunch on the Chay River and a 2 hour trek through terraced rice fields. Then we go to Lao Cai railway station. The guide sees you off there and takes you on the train. End tour.
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