North Vietnam Adventures 8 Days

Day 1: Hanoi - Bac Son (L, D)
Your English speaking guide will greet you at your hotel and start the trip heading to Bac Son. Lunch will be prepared and served by a local family who you spend the night with upon arrival. Afternoon, make a short tour around the village to see how people work on their fields and do other daily activities. After that, climb up the Na Lay peak, the highest peak in the area to contemplate the wonderful panoramic view over the valley. From above, the valley looks like a beautiful picture of green paradise with winding river runs crossing the rice fields surrounded by high peak mountains. Have dinner and stay overnight at home stay in Bac Son.

Day 2: Bac Son - Cao Bang (B, D)
After breakfast depart for Cao Bang. You will arrive at a small village that do blacksmith, take a short trip around to meet people in the village then have dinner and stay overnight with a local family (home stay).

Day 3: Cao Bang - Ban Gioc - Ba Be (B, D)
Highlight of the day is the visit to Ban Gioc waterfall, the largest waterfall in Asia and the fourth largest waterfall along a national border in the world (it’s considered the natural borderline between Vietnam and China). Surrounded by limestone mountain peaks, its water rushes down a three-tiered cliff from a height of more than 70 meters and is divided into three falls by rocks and trees. About 4km from the waterfall is Nguom Ngao caves, one of the most spectacular caves in the North Vietnam with beautiful stalactites of various shapes. We will certainly include this amazing cave in our trip today plus a short visit to the stone craft village of Khuoi Ky where most of the houses made of stone. Depart for Ba Be National Park after finishing all the sights. Stay overnight at home-stay with Tay minority in Ba Be.

Day 4: Ba Be (B, L, D)
After breakfast, have 4 hour boat trip on the emerald Ba Be lake surrounded by limestone mountains and lush vegetation. Keep rowing to reach the scenic Dau Dang waterfall and visit mysterious Puong cave where inhabited by thousands of bats. Lunch will be prepared by your host, waiting for you at their house. You have free time in the afternoon to visit surrounding villages, get to know local people and learn about their culture and their way of life. Stay overnight in homestay accommodation.

Day 5: Ba Be - Dong Van (B)
After breakfast, we say goodbye to the host and depart for Meo Vac, a beautiful valley with picturesque terraced rice fields and peaceful villages nestled at the foot of the hills. Enjoy amazing landscape while winding on mountain passes through beautiful lush valleys. Stop sometimes for photo hunting or short visits to local villages, and join local market if this day falls on Sunday. Keep driving for Dong Van via Ma Pi Leng Pass, perhaps this is the most astonishing stretch of road in entire country that offers superb view over the Nho Que river valley below with hundreds of limestone mountains towering around. Upon arrival at Dong Van,  if it is early you can have a short trek to Don Cao,  a top mountain bunker built by French military in the wartime to control the area. Later you are free to spend time to visit the small town and to socialize with local people and go for dinner. Stay overnight at homestay.

Day 6: Dong Van - Ha Giang (B, D)
Depart for Lung Cu Flag Pole, the Northernmost point of Vietnam then visit Vuong Chi Sinh's house, the former palace of H’Mong King, made of stone and timber and was built by French colonial to please the King. Spend time with the local H’Mong people in Lung Tam vilage, see how they do weaving and other activities in their daily life. After that, leave for Ha Giang, contemplate the beauty of rock fields on the way. Have dinner and stay overnight at homestay accommodation in Ha Giang.

Day 7: Ha Giang - Bac Ha (B)
Leave Ha Giang for Bac Ha, contemplate the beautiful landscape on the way with winding mountain roads, lush valley, terraced rice fields, tea-lands and local ethnic people working on their farms in colorful traditional costumes. Upon arrival, we will check-in a small hotel and start trekking around the area. We visit Hoang A Tuong Palace, built between the years of 1914 – 1921, the most powerful house in Bac Ha before 1945. Then visit Ban Pho village where is famous for wine making. Stay overnight in Bac Ha.

Day 8: Bac Ha - Hanoi (B)
Attend local market to see people of different ethnic minorities from many surrounding villages in their most beautiful traditional dress gather together to sell their products. However, the market days are fixed so we must arrange our trip to match it. There are three markets in Bac Ha including Coc Ly on every Tuesday, Can Cau on every Saturday and Bac Ha on every Sunday. After that, head back to Hanoi, end the trip.

Include:
- Private A/C transfer Hanoi - Ha Giang and vice-versa. (Not for standard tours)
- English speaking guide.
- Entrance fees and border entry permission.
- Accommodation as mentioned in the program.
- Meals as mention in the program (B: breakfast; L: lunch; D: dinner).(Some meals are not included in standard tour)
- 1 bottle of fresh water daily.

Excluded:
- Travel insurances.
- Drinks and personal expenses (laundry, phone calls etc.).
- Tips and gratuities.
- Services not clearly mentioned above.