TOUR OVERVIEW

Reception by the driver (without guide) at the airport exit (recognizable by the sign with your name), after collecting your luggage and completing customs procedures. Transfer and hotel accommodation will be provided.

Rooms will be available from 2 pm. Early check-in is not included, but can be requested for an additional fee.

In the afternoon, you will enjoy an orientation walk, visiting some of Hanoi’s main attractions: the Opera House, the Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem Lake, and Ngoc Son Temple. Dinner will be free and you will spend the night in a hotel in Hanoi.

Breakfast at the hotel. Meeting with our guide at the hotel reception at 08:30. You will transfer to Ninh Binh, a place enriched with historical, cultural, religious and natural wonders. During the journey we will cross the Red River Delta , where you can stop if you want to immortalize the beauty of the place.

Once you arrive in Hoa Lu, the former capital of Vietnam from the 9th to 10th centuries, you will visit the temples dedicated to Emperor Dinh Tien Hoang of the Dinh Dynasty (968-80) and Emperor Le Dai Hanh of the Le Dynasty (980- 1009), who played a fundamental role in obtaining the country’s independence after a millennium of Chinese rule.

Free lunch in the local restaurant.

After lunch, you will have the opportunity to visit the Trang An complex, which was recognized by UNESCO in 2014 as the first and only site in the world to be considered both cultural and natural heritage. Upon your arrival at the pier, you will board a traditional boat driven by locals and sail along the river passing through a series of caves, some of which are 300-400 meters long. Each stretch will offer you a new secret world composed of isolated and peaceful valleys. You will get off the boat to take a short walk among pagodas and temples dedicated to the mandarins of the famous Tran dynasty. Finally, you will make a short stop at Am Tien Cave, where you can admire a breathtaking panoramic view of Tuyet Tinh Coc.

You will then return to Hanoi and the tour will end around 6.00pm/6.30pm. Next, transfer to the station to take the train to Lao Cai. Overnight stay on the train, 4 people/cabin.

Arrival at Lao Cai station around 06:00. Welcome with a local English-speaking guide. Breakfast at a local restaurant.

Depart for Bac Ha through Thanh Kim and Thanh Phu. Along the way, you will be able to enjoy breathtaking views of mountains, rivers and lakes. Located at an elevation of 1,000 meters, Bac Ha is home to several ethnic groups, including the Hmong, Phu La and Tay, all characterized by their vibrant colors. The Bac Ha region is famous for its weekly markets, which take place in an enchanting wilderness setting. These markets are not only places to exchange goods, but are also a cultural meeting point between the different ethnic groups living in harmony in this region. You will have the opportunity to visit one of these colorful ethnic markets, held once a week.

(Alternatives include Coc Ly market-Tuesday, Sin Cheng market-Wednesday, Lung Khau Nhin market-Thursday, Lung Phinh market-Friday, Can Cau market-Saturday, Bac Ha market-Sunday).

You can explore the market and observe the products sold, such as vegetables, poultry, horses and buffalo. Your attention will be caught not only by the liveliness of the market, but also by the various ethnic groups wearing colorful clothes.

After visiting the market, you will take a short walk through some of the small ethnic villages that make up Bac Ha, surrounded by corn fields, cassava hills and clay houses, as well as plum gardens. You will have free lunch at a local restaurant.

Finally, you will head to Sapa. The tour ends around 2:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. You will have free time in Sapa. Dinner will be free and you will spend the night in a hotel in Sapa or a lodge in the village.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Afterwards, you will head to Sapa to visit Y Linh Ho village through a walking tour. Along the way, you will have the opportunity to interact with the friendly women and H’mong children who reside in houses nestled in the valley. If you are fond of sports and adventure, you can follow the Buffalo Trail (a dirt path) that offers breathtaking views and fewer tourists. For those who prefer an easier hike, you can take a leisurely walk along the Muong Hoa River.

Next, you will advance to Lao Chai Village by following a picturesque trail through rice fields until you reach the small hamlet. This will be a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the daily life and cultural traditions of the local people. The tour will continue with an exploration of the charming Ta Van Village, home of the Dzay people, located on top of a hill with breathtaking views of the river, rice terraces and the towering Hoang Lien Son Mountains. While strolling through the narrow streets of the village, you will have a chance to meet the local villagers, who will warmly welcome you into their homes.

At lunch, you will enjoy local dishes at a typical restaurant in Ta Van. In the afternoon, you will walk for about 3 km along a hilly path surrounded by bamboo forest until you reach Giang Ta Chai Village, where you will have the opportunity to meet the Red Dzao ethnic minority. You will make a brief stop at a waterfall to take unforgettable photos and then stop at May Bridge (Cau May), the oldest suspension bridge in Sapa. Finally, you will visit Su Pan Village.

Dinner will be free and you will have the choice of several options. For overnight stay, you can opt for a homestay or a hotel in Sapa, depending on your preference.

After having breakfast, you will set off for Son La crossing rivers, charming villages and endless expanses of rice fields. You will encounter the kind smiles of local people and the curious eyes of children.

Continue to Son La by crossing the O Quy Ho Pass, The O Quy Ho Pass is the largest and most beautiful pass in Sapa, also the longest pass in the northwest. The pass is an important road connecting the two provinces of Lao Cai and Lai Chau. Afterwards, you will arrive in Son La. You will have free dinner and spend the night at Son La.

Breakfast at the hotel. You will travel from Son La to Dien Bien Phu along the updated New Highway No. 6. This wonderful stretch of road is lined with breathtaking scenery. You will make numerous photo stops along the way and visit villages of the H’mong and Thai Black ethnic minorities. Then, you will visit a tea plantation on the Moc Chau Plateau, Vietnam’s main tea-producing region.

In the afternoon, you will continue on winding mountain roads through the beautiful countryside of North Vietnam. Crossing the majestic Pha Din Pass will be the highlight of the day. Pha Din, according to local legend, means “the link between Heaven and Earth” and is located 1,000 meters or 3,280 feet above sea level. You will arrive in Dien Bien Phu in the late afternoon.

Located in a heart-shaped basin near the border with Laos is Dien Bien Phu. The famous historic battlefield where the Vietnamese successfully defeated the French, marking the end of French colonial occupation. You will start the day with a visit to the military base and historic site of the First Indochina War, stopping at the Dien Bien Phu Museum and A1 Hill.

In the afternoon, you will continue your journey, driving along the quiet Muong Thanh Valley to the Tay Trang border crossing into Laos. Your guide and driver will assist you with immigration procedures.

As you cross the border, your guide and car from Laos will be waiting for you to continue through one of the most remote regions of Laos to Muang Khua, a small border village located on the banks of the Nam Ou River. You will arrive in Muang Khua in the late afternoon and check into your hotel. You will have free time to relax, then take a short walk to visit the local market and temple nearby.

You cannot miss the Binthabat ceremony early in the morning. Hundreds of monks will come out of their temples and make a slow procession through the city, starting at 5:45 a.m. and lasting about an hour. You can easily find them starting from your hotel.

Back at the hotel for breakfast, we will embark on our cruise along the picturesque scenery of the Nam Ou River, the longest inland river in Laos. Enjoy the enchanting mountainous setting on a nine-hour cruise. You will stop for lunch at your own expense (of simple local cuisine at Muang Ngoy) and in the afternoon we will continue the Mekong River cruise to Luang Prabang, with a stop at the confluence of the Nam Ou and Mekong to visit Pak Ou Caves, a pantheon of golden Buddha statues hidden in the niches of limestone cliffs. From there it will be only a short distance to Ban Xang Hai village. You will stop here to learn about LauLao (Lao whiskey) and LauHai (Lao wine), before continuing on to Luang Prabang on the Mekong. You will check into your hotel, then take an evening walk through the picturesque streets and admire the sunset over the river and lush surrounding countryside. The highlight of the evening will include a visit to the local night market, where ethnic minority people gather to buy and sell their products.

Optional: Get up early around 5:30 a.m. to watch and participate in the offering of alms to hundreds of orange-clad monks (Buddhist monks) who receive offerings from locals-an exciting sight for many travelers.

Let your guide know if you wish to make an offering so that he can prepare food for you. This morning ritual has ancient roots in Laos. Watch the town come alive in the morning, then return to your hotel for breakfast.

After breakfast, you will take a drive into the countryside (30 km south) to visit Kuangsi Falls, which, although not very high, are spectacular and really beautiful with their preserved green park environment. We will stop along the way to visit a fresh produce market called Talad Phosy, and also the village of Ban Na Oune, a small village of the “Hmong” ethnic group, probably the best known in Laos. Just before arriving at Kuangsi Falls, you will also visit the village of the Khmu ethnic group called Ban Tha Pane. Our picnic lunch will be served in the shady park near Kuangsi Falls. You will have plenty of time to relax and bathe in the cool waters before returning to Luang Prabang in the late afternoon.

In the afternoon, enjoy a scenic tour of the sacred city of temples; nearly fifty still remain in the city and surrounding areas. You will visit the National Museum, the former Royal Palace that houses the collection of precious objects, including the famous Prabang Buddha statue, and gifts received from foreign dignitaries…etc, Wat Visoun, a 16th-century temple that serves as a small museum for religious objects; Wat Aham, a 19th-century temple whose two gatekeepers at the base of the steps represent two characters from the Ramayana–Hanuman, the Monkey God, and a fierce Yaksa; and Wat Xiengthong, a 16th-century temple, which more than any other temple in Luang Prabang, embodies all the elegance and grace of Luang Prabang architecture.

The rest of the day will be at your leisure to relax in one of the city’s many curious cafes or stroll along the beautiful riverbank.

Breakfast is served in the hotel.

Afterwards, you will depart for Vientiane and visit the highlights of the Lao capital, starting with the city’s oldest temple, Wat Sisaket, which houses thousands of miniature Buddha statues. You will also visit the former royal temple of Wat Prakeo, which once housed the famous Emerald Buddha statue. You will continue our journey to the imposing Patuxay Monument, also known as the Vientiane Arch of Triumph. Later in the evening, you will take a hike along the Mekong River to watch the picturesque sunset, weather permitting. You will also have the opportunity to observe the activities that take place during the night hours. Finally, you will admire the Thatluang stuppa, a gold-covered monument and symbol of the country, which is an object of veneration.

In the afternoon, you will transfer to the striking Buddha Park (also known as Wat Xieng Khouane), which is definitely worth a visit during your tour of the capital of millions of elephants. As soon as you arrive, I recommend taking some time to explore the more than 200 religious statues there, including a towering reclining Buddha that stretches 40 meters.

Dinner will be free and you will spend the night at your hotel.