Day 1 : HANOI – HOA BINH – MAI CHAU

Departure from Hanoi and excursion to Mai Chau with a stop at Hoa Binh to visit a Muong village. Continuation toward Mai Chau valley, famous for the beauty of its environment, its rice terrace cultivation and the White Thai ethnic minority villages whose large stilt houses are gathered near the rice fields. You will take part in the daily life of the villagers.

Overnight in a stilt house in Mai Chau.

Day 2 : MAI CHAU – SON LA

Departure for Son La on a beautiful road crossing a luxuriant forest and vegetation. This beautiful valley is inhabited by the ethnic minorities Thai, Muong and H’Mong. Terrace cultivation and high plateaus are surrounded by mountains.

Visit of a tea plantation and a silk manufacture near Moc Chau.

Visit of the craft villages in Yenchau and meeting with the Thai Dam. Continuation toward Son La with the visit of a prison dating from the colonial period and mostly used in 1908 to imprison many Vietnamese who fought againt colonial rule. .

Overnight in Son La.

Day 3  : SON LA – DIEN BIEN PHU

Departure for Dien Bien Phu, across  the wonderful scenery of the  North West high plateaus bording China and Vietnam. This region hasn’t been touched by tourism yet and our passage is the subject of curiosity on the part of the locals….

Overnight in Dien Bien Phu.

Day 4 : DIEN BIEN PHU – LAI CHAU

Visit of historical sites in Dien Bien Phu : Dien Bien Phu  museum, Elianne hill (famous during the war) and De Castries’ headquarters. Departure for Lai Chau and Phong Tho. Stops on the way to meet the villagers of the Hmong, Muong ethnic minorities…

Night in Lai Chau.

Day 5 : LAI CHAU – TAM DUONG – BINH LU – SAPA

Continuation toward Sapa, via Tam Duong. Fascinating postcard landscape: chalky hills covered with greenery spring up from the clouds .Stops at the typical markets of the following ethnic minorities :  H’mong, Yao, Ha Nhi, U Nhi, Tuyen, Lu, Nhang, Pu La, in Tam Duong and Binh Lu .

Arrival at Sapa, at the bottom of the Fansipan summit (3.143 m).

Day 6 :  SAPA – LAO CHAI – TA VAN – SAPA

Departure with your guide on little paths climbing up the mountain sides and visit of two H’mong villages in Lao Chai. Continuation of the trekking through little villages up to a Giay ethnic village in Ta van, crossing terraced rice fields and streams.

Night in Sa Pa

Day 7 : SAPA – BAC HA

Departure for Bac Ha. Visit of Bac Ha market (It only takes place on Sunday mornings). Trekking around Bac Ha. Overnight at your hotel in Bac Ha.

Day 8 : BAC HA – LAO CAI – YEN BAI – HANOI

Return trip by bus to Hanoi via Lao Cai. 400 km drive with stops on the way to meet other ethnic minorities.

Lunch on the way. Settlement at your hotel. End of the trip