ITINERARY

• Day 1:    Hanoi

  A personal concierge guide will meet you at your hotel for an welcome to Vietnam and a introduction walk to Hoan Kiem Lake.

• Day 2:   Hanoi to Sapa      B

    Good Morning Hanoi! An early start for a wonderful walking tour see the historic Old Quarter as Hanoi come to life in the early morning. After breakfast back at your hotel a city sightseeing tour including all the main sights and finishing at the Water Puppet show an age old traditional art form. Afternoon at leisure. This evening you will depart on the overnight train to Sapa.

• Day 3:    Sapa                    B, L  

  Early arrival at Lao Cai on the Chinese border where a local bus service operates for your 1 hour transfer through the winding hills to Sapa (payment to bus made locally). After checking in and time to freshen up, your local guide will meet you at the hotel for your trek. First we walk through the market then leave the busy town behind us. After a couple of minutes, you follow a road going downhill to Cat Cat village. Stop by a waterfall and a hydroelectric station for a while before trekking a dirt trail through rice paddy terraces. Spectacular scenery awaits along the way with terraced rice fields, small communities and local’s going about their day. Arrive in a village of Black Hmong minority for a rest, and then continue past another village of Black Hmong minority and Giay minority peoples. Return to overnight in Sapa.

• Day 4:     Sapa - Hanoi    B, L

   Today is your choice to either visit one of the areas weekly markets (* the market location rotates daily) or enjoy free time to discover Sapa at your own leisure.  You’ll witness the local ethnic peoples including the Flower H’Mong, Black H’Mong, Dzay, and Dzao and other ethnic groups who are famous for their wonderful crafts, hand-made decorative clothing and textiles, coming to the market. The markets are very much a social event.  After spending the morning exploring the market, a simple lunch will be served in a local restaurant. After lunch return to Sapa with time at leisure before your transfer to Lao Cai Railway Station for the overnight train back to Hanoi. 

• Day 5:   Hanoi 

  Early morning arrival at Hanoi Railway Station where your tour ends.