Overview
Located in Lao Cai province, Vietnam, Sapa is always attractive to visitors especially trekking via the natural landscapes, the unique terrain, and some green forests. It is also called an upland town. Because of its unique features, it is considered the best trekking spot in Vietnam for both natives and foreigners.
Notes:
Older people and kids should not attend the long trek (9 km)
You may stay overnight at a homestay for 1st night or do it on 2nd night. Our tour leader will inform you on the bus to Sapa.
Things to bring:
Warm clothes, scarf, hat, and cap because the weather in Sapa is pretty unpredictable. It is usually cold in September, October, November, December, January, February, and March
Due to the altitude of Sapa, it is sometimes foggy in December, January, February, and March.
Trekking shoes, sunglasses, sun cream, and insect repellent are also necessary. It would help if you took some Vietnam Dong cash with you because the banking system in Sapa sometimes doesn’t function well. US Dollar, Euro, and Australia Dollar are accepted in Sapa.
Homestay’s facilities are not as in a hotel in Sapa.
Itinerary
From 6.30 – 7.00, our extensive bus guide will pick you up at your hotel, departing for Sapa. The drive along the highway will offer you two comfort breaks, one at 9:30 and one at 11 am, in Lao Cai city before approaching Sapa.
13.00: We shall arrive at Sapa Town, where the colorful traditional costumes of H'Mong, Dzao, and Tay ethnic People are easily seen. You will then be invited to the welcome drink and itinerary briefing and enjoy lunch with local Vietnamese dishes.
After lunch, we shall start trekking from Sapa toward Muong Hoa valley where we can admire magnificent landscapes. Muong Hoa Valley is one of the most famous destinations for breathtaking scenery and is the most extensive farmland for rice growing in SaPa. It is about 14 kilometers far from town.
14.15: We shall take a short drive to Y Linh Ho, then trek through the rice terraces and along Muong Hoa Stream to the Black Hmong village of Lao Chai to see the spectacular landscape of Hoang Lien Son Mountain.
Y Linh Ho village is a small commune comprising a dozen small hamlets scattered on rugged mountain terrain with high and steep mountains. There are some hundred inhabitants from the Black Hmong only living in this commune. They built their rudimentary houses on their farmland and mainly cultivated corn and dry rice on the steep hillsides. The only way to get to the commune is on foot from the main road. This village is home to the Black H'Mong people, who wear dark black and navy clothing dyed with indigo (often seen on the hands of older H'Mong women). The trekking shall permit you to enjoy stunning views across the valley with mountains and rice terraces as far as the eye can see.
You approach Ta Van village in the late afternoon.
Ta Van Villages, about 8 km from Sapa town, where black Hmong and Giay people live, is also the beginning of the valley called Muong Hoa. From a high point of the main road, a great view of the whole village opens wide to offer marvelous panorama views, backed by high mountains and facing the river. Here you will enjoy the fresh air, see terrace fields and streams, and discover and visit some Black H' mong families. You will feel welcome at any house of the hospitable people there. You can interact with them, learn about their culture and customs…
The trekking distance is about 9 km, and it lasts 3.5 hours.
17.45: We check in at homestay; get to know the Giay people's family. Spend time enjoying the mountain life at Sunset. You may attend cooking local dishes with the family and enjoy dinner in peace.
When night falls, there is time to reflect on what you have seen that day and look forward to what the following day will bring. You will certainly be able to relax and enjoy a meal and a drink. You can join the local bar nearby with music and socialize with other tourists, then overnight at homestay. But if there is a place to have an early night in Vietnam, Sapa may be that place.
8.00: Breakfast prepared by the host family shall be served, and we start a new day with a more exciting trek.
8.45: Keep walking to the rice paddies, where you have an excellent photo session of the amazing surrounding landscapes; a trek through the bamboo forest; stop to have a panorama view of Giang Ta Chai village – home of the red Dzao People. Opposite Muong Hoa stream, Giang Ta Chai lay silently by a majestic waterfall hidden by old trees and bamboo groves. On the narrow path to Giang Ta Chai, visitors have to pass through the Muong Hoa stream which flows slowly yearly in the Hoang Lien forest. Like other beauty spots in Sapa, visitors will admire the gorgeous picture of mountains and terraced rice fields.
11.00: Trek through the Giang Ta Chai Bridge to the main road; our bus will pick you up to return to Sapa Town.
The trekking distance is about 4 km and lasts 2 hours.
12.00 – 14.00: Welcome drinks shall be served in the hotel, and lunch with delicious Vietnamese dishes and check-in procedures.
14.30: We shall take a short drive to the gate of Cat Cat village, the village of the Black H’Mong hill tribe. This is the most attractive tourist spot in Sapa all year round. The village has stunning and remarkable scenery at the Fansipan mountain base. It was first built to be a relaxation resort where all the majors and captains would come to stay for a holiday back in the 19th century when Vietnam still belonged to the French. Visiting Cat Cat village, you will have a chance to visit a big waterfall on the stream and the old Hydro Electric Power Station built by French people., stop for a photo with the bridge and waterfall; then, you will walk uphill for the bus to pick you up to get back to Sapa in the afternoon.
16.30: Come back to Sapa Town. Dinner is included.
You are free to explore the charm of Sapa by night: enjoy roasted corn and baked eggs beside a charcoal fire or go shopping. Especially on Saturday night, we highly recommend a stop at the Love Market, one of the unique cultures of ethnic minorities Hmong, Dzao in Lao Cai in particular, and North West of Vietnam in general. As you may know, the market is for trading, but no one buys or sells love at the Love Market. Ironically, lovers take advantage of the market to see each other. Therefore, Love Market is where people date and express their feelings and affection.
Overnight in Sapa.
From 7.30 – 11.30: Breakfast is served in the Hotel and is your free time.
12.30 – 13.30: Lunch is also served in the Hotel after the check-out.
14.45 – 15.00: Our guide shall gather all group members at the hotel reception to prepare for the Hanoi bus trip at 15.30.
21.15: The trip ends when we reach the Capital city center.
INCLUSIONS:
- Modern air – conditioning return bus with comfortable seats from Hanoi – Sapa.
- 2 bottles of water 2 ways/person on bus Ha Noi – Sapa – Ha Noi
- English speaking tour guide escorted Hanoi – Sapa – Hanoi, local guide in Sapa
- Meals as mentioned.
- All entrance tickets to indicated sites
- Homestay & Hotel accommodation.
EXCLUSIONS
- Beverages, travel insurance, VAT, personal expenses
- Others not clearly mentioned above
- Notes:
- Elder people, kids should not attend the long trek (9 km)
- You may stay overnight at a homestay for 1st night or you may do on 2nd night. Our tour leader will inform you on the bus to Sapa.
- Things to bring
- Warm clothes, scarf, hat, cap because the weather in Sapa is pretty unpredictable. It is normally cold in September, October, November, December, January, February and March
- Due to the altitude of Sapa, it is sometimes foggy in December, January, February, and March.
- Trekking shoes, sunglasses, sun cream, insect repellent are also necessary. You should take some Vietnam Dong cash with you because the banking system in Sapa sometimes doesn’t function well. US Dollar, Euro, Australia Dollar are accepted in Sapa.
- Homestay’s facilities are not as in a hotel in Sapa.
Child Policy:
Child under 11 years old: 75% of adults fare
Child under 04 years old: FOC (Children’s expenses on tour will pay by their parents)
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