11 - day The best of Vietnam tour

This morning, we conquer Fanxifang, 3143 meters above sea level – the highest peak in Indochina.
Exploration of this mount used to be not easy for many people until recently when cable cars and mountain rail system were built.
Start your tour with short mountain railway ride through the scenic Muong Hoa valley to cable cars station.  We then embark cable car ride over the mighty Hoang Lien range.
 
Challenge your self with climbing some 600 steps to the mount’s peak. The The view of the surrounding landscape is so breathtaking. We then get back to the Sapa for lunch at local restaurant.
 
This afternoon, head to Bac Ha town. Upon arrival, take 1hour trek to a H’mong village before hotel check-in. Free for the rest of the day.

Note: You can take 2-minute Funicunur ride after disembarking 25-minute cable car ride and climb some 100 steps in stead of climbing 600 steps.

• Meals: Lunch
• Accommodation: Bac Ha

If today is at weekend, after the breakfast, you will have time to visit a hill tribe market that attended by different ethnic minorities in Bac Ha (Bac Ha market on Sunday; Can Cau market on Saturday).

Otherwise, the morning scenic drive takes you to Hoang Su Phi (Ha Giang province). Hoang Su Phi is one of Vietnam's famous places for amazing rice terraces. Lunch is on the way at a local food store. In the afternoon when you arrive at Hoang Su Phi, get off your car and embark on 1.5-hour trek on small dirt paths to Luoc village of the ethnic Tay people. Along the trek you are able to view many beautiful terraced fields.

Check in your homestay at a local house for dinner and overnight.

• Meals: Breakfast/lunch/dinner
• Accommodation: Homestay

This morning, after the breakfast at the family. You will trek another scenic valley up and down the rice terraces in Ban Luoc Commune.

This area is one of the national rice terrace heritage cores in Hoang Su Phi. The beauty of the landscape is at its best at the yellow season (early half of October). After 2.5-hour trek, get picked up by your private vehicle and heading toward to Dong Van Karst Geopark. Lunch is on the way. The afternoon drive will include some photo opportunities such as Quan Ba Pass; View point of Fairy Mountains.

Late in the afternoon, check in a lodge at Nam Dam village. Dinner and stay overnight.

• Meals: Breakfast/lunch/dinner
• Accommodation: Homestay

After your breakfast at the lodge, make your way up to Dong Van geopark with some photo stops.

After Yen Minh town, the topography is getting rockier and you will be amazed by the tough life of the H'mong people on the Rock Plateau. In the afternoon, you will embark on a stunning trek of 7km at one of the heritage core.

Get picked up at the end of the trek, then check into a standard hotel for the night.

• Meals: Breakfast/lunch/dinner
• Accommodation: Ha Giang

Start your day with a visit to the H'mong King's palace. Followed by a drive to visit Lung cu national flag tower. This Vietnam's northernmost point offers you a beautiful view from the top of the tower.

Several ethnic minorities live at the foot of Lung Cu Mountain. One of them is the Lolo people. There is a chance for a walk to the village if you wish. After that, you will drive to Dong Van little town for lunch. Check in your hotel and have a short rest before the afternoon trek to the surroundings.

Your driver will transfer you to a trekking point where you will start another 7km (about 2.5hour) trek to admire the mountainous Dong Van. Dinner and overnight at a comfortable hotel in Dong Van town.

• Meals: Breakfast/lunch/dinner
• Accommodation: Ha Giang

Depart Dong Van at 8:30 AM. The drive to Cao Bang takes you the whole day. One of the impressive stops is at Ma Pi Leng Pass, overlook the Nho Que River.

The down-hill drive today is rather long but you are able to have breaks on the way when needed. Along the way, you will realize that the topography is changing with greener land. Lunch is one the way.

Late in the afternoon, you will arrive in Cao Bang city. Check in your hotel and relax for the remainder of the day.

• Meals: Breakfast/lunch/dinner
• Accommodation: Cao Bang

Today, you will spend the whole day exploring landscape of Cao Bang. The morning drive takes you to Trung Khanh District where you will enjoy 2-hour kayaking downstream the Quay Son River.

In the afternoon, take a gentle raft ride to view Vietnam's most beautiful waterfall which lies right on the border with Chinese. Followed by one-hour walk inside Nguom Ngao Limestone Cave. The cave is long and consists of thousands of beautiful stalactites and stalagmites.

Tonight you will have dinner and overnight at the homestay of a Tay ethnic family which surrounded by beautiful mountains.

• Meals: Breakfast/lunch/dinner
• Accommodation: Homestay

After breakfast, challenge yourself with a climb to a summit mountain near the village. The climb is through lush vegetation, some part is rather challenging but you will be good with you guides at the side. The panorama from the top is worth your hard-work!

Get back to the homestay for refreshment and bid farewell to the host family and make your way to Ba Be National Park. Arrive in the park, check in a guest-house run by a local family.

Dinner and stay for the night.

• Meals: Breakfast/lunch/dinner
• Accommodation: Homestay

Explore the diverse and beautiful landscapes of Ba Be as you trek through the national park. Start from Coc Toc Village where the Tay people make a living through fishing in the lake.

Then cross Pelu Stream and navigate some steep terrain, but as you gain height you will begin to see the beautiful views of the mountains. As you journey further towards the uplands, you will stop in a H'mong ethnic village where you will have a picnic lunch.

The guide will then take you through the vast mountain ranges and valleys to see the stilt houses and school of the Dzao people and along the trail to visit another H'mong ethnic village.

You will then return to your homestay where you started this morning.

• Meals: Breakfast/lunch/dinner
• Accommodation: Homestay

Start the morning with a short walk to a boat dock of Ba Be Lake, get on a motorized boat for the ride through the lake and onto Nang River. There is a time for a swim if you are interested. The boat will have a short stop at Puong Cave where you can get some views from the cave. It is quite impressive as the whole river gets through a mountain.

Enjoy your lunch at a nearby town after the boat trip. The afternoon transfer takes you to Ha Noi.

• Meals: Breakfast/lunch
• Accommodation: Ha Noi