Night 1:  Night train to Lao Cai.

Transfer from your hotel to Hanoi Railway Station for the night train to Lao Cai. Overnight in AC soft sleeper cabin.

Summary
Transfer hotel – railway station:  AC vehicle
Accommodation:   Soft sleeper in AC cabin

Day 1:  Lao Cai – Sapa – Tavan Village

Arrive in Lao Cai around 5.30 am. We will take 1hr bus ride uphill to the beautiful town of Sapa. The ride give you a glimpse of the stunning vistas and impressive rice terraces. Upon arrival in Sapa Town we have breakfast in local restaurant. Free time for the rest of the day to explore the town.
Optional walking tour begins at 1 pm to Lao Chai Village, home to Black H’mong people. Overnight in Sapa.

Summary
Transfer Lao Cai – Sapa: 1 hr
Accommodation:  Hotel in Sapa
Activity:    Free at leisure
Meals:    Breakfast

Day 2: Sapa – Heavens Gate – 2900m

In the morning we travel by car toward the Silver Waterfall where we will be able to take a short walk to the waterfall. We will then drive further to Heaven Gate, the highest peak of roads in Vietnam. From there you can see Fansipan, the highest peak of Indochina mountains as well as enjoy stunning view of Binh Lu Valley. The trek will be relatively soft until lunchtime. After a couple of hours of hiking, we will have a break at a nice spot in the forest and enjoy a good lunch. With new energy we start ascending as well as descending towards the campsite. En route have opportunity to enjoy the scenery and magnificent views to Sapa area and beautiful landscape of Lai Chau province. We will arrive to the campsite at 2900m ASL in the late afternoon. Now it is time to relax and enjoy a well prepared dinner.

Summary
Trekking:   5 hrs/ascend 2,900 m from 1,600 m (Sapa)
Accommodation:  Camping
Meals:    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3: 2900m – the top of Mt. Fansipan – 2700m

After having breakfast, we climb to the top, where we can celebrate your victory. From there, we can enjoy the best view to beautiful sceneries. You will then start descending. We stop on the way at a nice spot for lunch.
After lunch, we start the tough trek, which is all the way downhill through rainforest. This part requires a great concentration to step on steep trail until we meet the campsite at 2700m ASL. Here we spend another night in tent.

Summary
Trekking:   6 hrs/ascend 3,143 m and descend to 2,700m
Accommodation:  Camping
Meals:    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4: 2700m – Y Linh Ho Village

We wake up in the fresh and pure morning in wild nature, where we can take deep breath before we start the tough day. We descend through well protected forest and after a couple of hours of hiking, we stop for lunch.
We will then continue descending toward the valley. On the way we will be able to enjoy valley views and beautiful surrounding. We arrive in Y Linh Ho village of Black Hmong minority in the late afternoon. Here we spend the night at a campsite nearby Muong Hoa River.

Summary
Trekking:   8 hrs/descend to 1,600m
Accommodation:  Camping
Meals:    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5: Y Linh Ho Village – Seomity Village

Today’s trek will be mostly uphill until lunchtime in a beautiful part of Hoang Lien National Park. On the way, we have many opportunities to enjoy valley views. After a couple of hours of hiking, we stop at a nice spot for lunch. The trek will be softer in the afternoon. But the scenery becomes even more beautiful. We pass by Seomity village of Black Hmong minority before we arrive in a campsite, which locates nearby a river outside the village. While porters put up tents and cook dinner, we can take a walk to stretch the legs.

Summary
Trekking:   5 hrs
Accommodation:  Camping
Meals:    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6: Seomity Village – Den Thang Village – Ta Trung Ho Village

The trek today takes us through beautiful rice paddies and over old suspension bridges. We will trek on small trail sneaking through rainforest. We arrive in Den Thang village of Black H’mong by noon. Here we stop for lunch either nearby a river or in a local school according to the weather. After lunch, the trek will becomes tough on tinny footpath going up and down, which requires a lot of concentration. We will reach to Ta Trung Ho village of Red Dao minority where we spend the night in local house. Both the valley and the village have just received few foreign visitors. The night will be even more interesting when we are in the wonderful hospitable atmosphere of the Red Dao ethnic group.

Summary
Trekking:   7 hrs
Accommodation:  Home-stay
Meals:    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 7: Ta Trung Ho Village – Nam Toong Village – My Son Village – Thanh Phu  Village

We are now at the fringe of the rain forest by the Hoang Lien Son mountain range. Fansipan, the highest peak in Indochina with its 3143 m, is located in this mountain range. We will start the trek today by ascending to Nam Toong village of Red Dao minority. Here our lunch will be prepared in a local school. After lunchtime, we descend to the valley where locates My Son village of Xa Pho minority, one of the smallest groups ethnic in Northern Vietnam. From there we take a short walk to Thanh Phu village of Tay minority. Here we spend the night in traditional house of the Tay. We can take a walk to explore local daily life while our dinner will be served with Vietnamese dishes.

Summary
Trekking:   7 hrs
Accommodation:  Home-stay
Meals:    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 8: Thanh Phu Village – Nam Cum Village – Sin Chai Village

Today’s trek will be relatively short and soft. Once leaving Thanh Phu, we follow the trekking route built in the bottom of the valley, which offers the best view to the surrounding mountains. We stop at a nice spot for lunch. After lunchtime, we continue the walk toward Sin Chai Village of Red Dao minority where the night will be spent in bamboo huts. We will be attracted by the wonderful hospitable atmosphere of the Red Dao.

Summary
Trekking:   3 hrs
Accommodation:  Bamboo hut
Meals:    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 9: Sin Chai Village – Thanh Phu village – Ban Ho Village

Today’s trek takes us through several villages where you will be able to meet Tay, H’mong and Xa Pho ethnic minorities. We will have time to photograph the beautiful rice paddy terraces and the surrounding mountain. On the way we will visit a local school. Our lunch will be prepared and served in a traditional Tay house in Thanh Phu.
In the afternoon, we head toward Ban Ho. We will trek along Muong Bo River where we can enjoy a refreshing swim nearby a waterfall before we arrive in Ban Ho. Here we spend the last night in a Tay house. We will have chance to taste rice wine with friendly Tay people during the meal.

Summary
Trekking:   4 hrs
Accommodation:  Home-stay
Meals:    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 10: Ban Ho – Su Pan – Sapa – Night train back to Hanoi

Today will be very relaxing; take an easy walk around the village, visit a local school, go swimming or just sit in the balcony to read book and enjoy the views. We will have lunch before heading uphill toward Su Pan. After lunch, we trek all the way uphill. On the way we can enjoy the valley views while taking a rest. We will pass by a tinny village of Red Dao minority where we may find a small local souvenir for our trip. Once we get to Su Pan, we start your journey back to Sapa by car. Upon arrival in Sapa we can celebrate our achievement, taking shower and relax until transfer to Lao Cai Railway Station for the night train back to Hanoi.

Summary
Trekking:   2.5 hrs
Accommodation:  Night train back to Hanoi
Meals:    Breakfast, Lunch

Day 11: Back to Hanoi

Arrive in Hanoi early morning. Tour ends.