Trek Vietnam's Most Northern Mountains 14 days

Early risers can enjoy the sunrise and the quiet beauty of Ha Long’s karst landscape. Breakfast will be served around 8:00 AM before a local boatman rows you a short way around the bay. 

We will begin to head back to the harbour of Ha Long, but before that, there will be time for one last swim and lunch. When we are on the road back to Hanoi we will stop for a water puppet show at a traditional Vietnamese village before arriving back in Hanoi around 5:00 PM.

Inclusion: Shuttle bus, guide, entrance fee, breakfast, lunch, junk.

After having breakfast at your hotel at around 7:30 AM, we leave Hanoi for Bac Ha, a friendly and non-touristy mountain town which makes a relaxed base to explore the Northern Highlands and hill tribe villages. On arrival in Bac Ha, you can visit the town and settle for some lunch at a local restaurant with magnificent views of the mountains and the surroundings. Take an enjoyable afternoon walk to visit the minority villages of the Hmong Hoa and the Tay to get a glimpse of village life and get your first impression of the Northern Vietnam Hill Tribe culture. Overnight in Bac Ha town.

Distance: 3-5km

Trail Difficulty: 2/5

Inclusion:Transfer, guide, entrance fee, all meals, hotel.

After breakfast at the restaurant and a coffee break at around 9:00 AM, you wind the way along a small tarmac road by vehicle to the Lung Phin Commune.  The trip starts from the junction Lung Phin (1,307m) with a gradual ascent for about 20-minutes to a hilltop (1,331m) and a gradual descent to the valley of Lung Phin along a major road for nearly two hours between a pine plantation and farmland. After the visit, you can continue the trip through a narrow valley for 2 hours to visit the Pa Chu Ty 1 and 2, home to the Hmong flower tribe. Back to Pa Chu Ty 2 Village at about 4:30 PM  and stay overnight.

Distance: 10 - 12km

Trail Difficulty: 3/5

Inclusion: Transfer, all meals, guide, porter, toilet tent, bathroom tent, mattress, sleeping bags, entrance fee, homestay.

After breakfast, you continue the journey by foot from Lung Cai, passing the high ridge and visit villages of the Black Hmong hill tribe. We will then drive to Hoang Su Phi - a mountainous district of the Ha Giang province which offers some of the most stunning landscapes of rice terraces in Northern Vietnam. Dinner and overnight at the home of the local people, where you can learn about their customs regarding agriculture, tradition and so on. Stay overnight in Hoang Su Phi. 

Distance: 7 – 8km

Trail Difficulty: 3/5

Inclusion: Transfer, all meals, local guide, porter, toilet tent, bathroom tent, mattress, sleeping bags, homestay, permit.

After breakfast, you start your day at 8.30 AM with a morning walk upstream the tranquil Chay River (5km) to Tan Tien, followed by a footpath winding on the mountainside of one of the highest mountain ranges called Tay Con Linh. Then, visit the villages of the Nung and Zao people. The trek offers magnificent scenery of the Tung San Valley. Arrive at the village of the Tung San Commune in the mid-afternoon and wander through village after village to finally arrive at the villages of the Zao Ao Dai (Zao with the long dress) and the Co Lao tribes. Dinner and stay in a house of a Zao Ao Dai family in Ho Nhat Village to experience the rustic lives of people here.

Distance: 12km

Trail Difficulty: 3/5

Inclusion: Breakfast, lunch, dinner, transfer, guide, porter, toilet tent, bathroom tent, mattress, sleeping bags, entrance fee, homestay.

You will say goodbye to your host at 8:00 AM and start your trek to Cao Banh (3-4 hours trekking) through misty hills and perfect views of nature.  Our picnic lunch is served by our local guide at a narrow passage called Heaven’s Gate – a famous viewpoint overlooking the picturesque villages and mountains surrounding the fields below. We will then descend downhill for the whole afternoon along a larger path, passing through a tea plantation and hamlets of the Dan Khao village. Walk around the village to have a talk with a local before having dinner with the host family and sleep in the traditional house of the Tay people. Stay overnight in Cao Banh.

Distance: 10km

Trail Difficulty: 3/5

Inclusion: Breakfast, lunch, dinner, transfer, guide, porter, toilet tent, bathroom tent, mattress, sleeping bags, entrance fee, homestay.

Farewell with our Tay host at 8:00 AM before you start with a visit to the Truong Son mineral spring. Then you continue your trek through the Chang village and more villages in the Viet Lam area. You will see the pristine beauty of the villages and hills along the way and meet different hill tribes. Have a picnic lunch on the way before we arrive in Viet Lam around 4:30 PM. 

Our van picks you up and transfers you about 40km to Ha Giang town for our evening at a local guesthouse.

Distance: 18km

Trail Difficulty: 3/5

Inclusion: Breakfast, lunch, dinner, transfer, guide, porter, toilet tent, bathroom tent, sleeping entrance fee, guesthouse.

In the morning, you have breakfast at a local restaurant at 8:00 AM. Afterwards, we bring you to the trekking point (6km). There, we trek through some Tay villages. We have lunch on the way before we go back to the van for a 4km transfer for some more trekking to the Dao village (approximately 1 hour).

Our afternoon is followed by a 1-hour drive, crossing some amazing passes towards the highlands of the Quan Ba district. There, we will get out the van for an about 1-hour trek to the Nam Dam village for the evening. On arrival in the village, you are free to explore this beautiful village of the Dao, have dinner and sleep in their traditional house.

Distance: 10km

Trail Difficulty: 3/5

Inclusion: Transfer, breakfast, lunch, dinner, guide, entrance fee, homestay.

For your breakfast, you will get the chance to try the traditional and home-cooked cuisine prepared by the Dao at the Nam Dam village. We depart at around 8.30 AM and make our way through the vast valley of Nam Dam towards the Lung Tam Village. Then, we walk to visit a local group of the Hmong doing their traditional handicrafts with their skilful and beautiful products. 

Afterwards, we transfer you to Yen Minh to visit the Zay village, where you have lunch in a local restaurant. After lunch, we move further to Meo Vac for an overnight stay in the guesthouse.

Inclusion: Transfer, guide, entrance fees, all meals, guesthouse.

Today is all about driving and sightseeing. We leave from Meo Vac to experience the most amazing mountains of Northern Vietnam. You will find fantastic nature as you drive through the different mountain passes of Ma Pi Leng – one of the four highest passes in Vietnam. From here, you will see the tranquil Nho Que River crossing ravines. 

We will have lunch in Dong Van and explore in and around Dong Van before travelling back to Ha Giang .Sleep in a guesthouse in Ha Giang.

Inclusion: Transfer, guide, entrance fees, all meals, guesthouse, permit.

On our last day of the Northern adventure, we will have a relaxed drive back to Hanoi, where we arrive around mid-afternoon. Then, you have no program in the afternoon, but we suggest you relax with a well-earned Vietnamese traditional massage. Overnight in Hanoi.

Inclusion:Transfer, guide, entrance fees, breakfast, lunch, hotel.

Today is your last day in Vietnam so take your chance to do more sightseeing if the time permits. We can also give you some shopping suggestions to bring some interesting souvenirs back home.

Transfer to the airport for your flight home. Goodbye and see you again soon!

Inclusion:Transfer drop off, breakfast.

Leaving back home.