Hanoi, Vietnam

Highlights
- 2 days / 3 nights led by an authentic ethnic minority guide
- Trek through the beautiful nature and rice terraces of Sa Pa
- Learn about the crafts of the local ethnic minority
- Stay at a homestay to really get to know how the locals live

Description
Trek through the beautiful nature and rice terraces of Sa Pa, learn about the crafts of the local ethnic minority and stay at a homestay to really get to know how the locals live. With the beautiful terrace view and the rich ethnic minority cultures, Sa Pa is well worth the challenging hike.

Who This Experience Is Good For
Anyone who loves exploring nature

Difficulty Level
Medium-Hard depending on fitness level. The trek will be 12-15km total and can last 5-6 hours.

Meet Our Local Host
Our local guides will be from the Sapa Sister organization and are experts in mountainous areas, speak English, and have long experience as guides. The Sapa Sister guides aim to empower the young Black H'Mong women and give them reasonable pay for their skilled services. Sapa Sister is an ethnic minority Hmong trekking group based in the beautiful northern mountainous highlands of Sapa, Vietnam. They are very proud to be one of the few Hmong businesses that exist in this region.

Itinerary

Day 0

8:45: The bus and driver will pick you up from the Hanoi tower and transfer to the Hanoi train station to take the night train and go to Lao Cai.
Overnight on the train.

Day 1

5:00: Arrived at Lao Cai, the transfer bus will pick you up to go to the meeting point in Sapa to take a rest and have breakfast.

Around 8:00, we will transfer you again to Homestay in Giang Ta Chai to keep the luggage then starting to the trek to the Bamboo forest. 

Let’s take the trail uphill and pass through picturesque terraced rice paddies before heading to a lush green bamboo forest and a stunning silver waterfall. It takes half an hour to hike to the delightful Giang Ta Chai. Giang Ta Chai is a Red Dao people’s village situated on the top of the hill that overlooks the peaceful Muong Hoa River.

13:00: Come back to the Homestay and have lunch.

Take a rest then we will have a batik workshop to learn how to make the traditional decorations of Black Hmong people.

The beautiful art of batik – using wax and dye to create patterns on cloth – has been around for centuries. More than 2,400 years ago, the Egyptians used a form of batik to wrap their mummies, and the practice soon spread to China, India, Japan and Indonesia. Batik is also practiced as far away as Africa, although various starches may be substituted for beeswax.

In Vietnam, the Hmong, one of the country’s 54 ethnic groups, practice this age-old art and we set out to the Muong Hoa Valley, just outside of Sapa, to learn from a batik master.

19:00: Dinner at the homestay.

Before going to sleep, we will provide you a herbal foot bath to relax.

Overnight at homestay.

Day 2

Enjoy the morning from the homestay, then have local breakfast and pack your things to get ready for check out and do other activities.

There are 2 options: 

• Trekking for another 2 hours to go to Hau Thao village (Concrete Road)
• Doing cable car to visit Fansipan (Rooftop of Indochina)

Then go back to the meeting point in Sapa to have lunch.

Spend some free time exploring the town.

14:00: Come back to Hanoi by limousine bus.

What's Included
- 1 guide & Entrance fee to Sapa Valley

- Train tickets Hanoi - Lao Cai (Express night train). If the train hasn't run again this time, we arrange a VIP cabin bus that is clean and comfortable.

What's Not Included
- Drinks

- Cable Car to visit Fansipan

- VAT

- Travel Insurance.

Know Before You Go
- A normal trek is about 12-15km, so you will walk for about 5-6h. If you cannot walk all the way, you can go part of the way by motorbike taxi. Extra transportation is not included in the price.
- Bring shoes with a good grip. There are high mountains, ravines, and terraced fields all around Sapa. Some parts of the trek will be a narrow path up and downhill around the mountain, it's unavoidable, but not too dangerous. The valley you will trek in is under 1500m.
- The trek is private but you will meet other travelers at the homestay. Homestays are run by families who choose to welcome travelers and have prepared their houses to accommodate guests. At the homestay, the guests share one big loft/room on the second floor in a beautiful traditional house. The host and their family stay in a separate part of the house, but you eat dinner together. There are no private bedrooms in the homestays. There are hot showers, western standard toilets, beds, and tasty traditional food. You don't need to bring bed sheets, towels or sleeping bags. The homestays are clean and safe.
- Weather: Can be unpredictable depending on the season. Make sure to check weather forecasts and updates from your Experience Manager. In the event of cancellation due to inclement weather, the EM will notify you of alternative options.
- Please be prepared to bring a smaller backpack with a change of clothes and personal things needed for the trek. Water - You can buy water along the way, but bring some with you. A small bottle of water will be provided at the beginning of your trek. Shoes with good soles for hiking, Mosquito repellent, Extra toilet paper for unplanned emergencies, Snacks for the road, Warmer clothes that keep you dry (dress in layers), Flashlight, and Suncream.

Minimum To Operate
4 people

Maximum Capacity 
8 people 

Deadline To Book 
14 days before the event