Day 0: Departure from Hanoi to Lao Cai
8PM - transfer from your hotel to the Hanoi train station for boarding at 9:15pm. Enjoy a restful night in an air-conditioned soft sleeper cabin for 4 to travel north to Lao Cai town. (Unlike some other travel agencies, we would never consider this as Day 1 of the itinerary.)
Day 1: Lao Cai - Sapa - Ta Van - 5-hour trek (B/L/D)
6AM - The train arrives in Lao Cai, where you will be met by a guide, driver and car. Drive to Sapa and enjoy the scenic view of terraced rice patties lightly blanketed by the early morning fog.
8AM - arrive at a local restaurant in Sapa for a shower and breakfast.
11AM - depart Sapa by jeep and cross the Muong Hoa River. Subsequently, trek for 2 hours before arriving at 3 remote villages of the H'mong and Dzay people.
1PM - A picnic lunch will be arranged on route. Continue trekking.
5PM - Stay the night at a local family in Ta Van village after dinner.
Day 2: Ta Van - Ban Ho - 7-hour trek (B/L/D)
8AM - depart Ta Van village and trek to the Su Pan village to visit the Black H'mong people and also to Giang Ta Chai village to visit the Red Dao people, passing terraced paddy fields, bamboo forests, a waterfall and a rattan bridge.
12PM - A picnic lunch will be arranged along the way. Cross the river and continue onwards to Ban Ho village where the Tay people reside.
5PM - Arrive at Ban Ho village and stay the night with a Tay family. Dinner will be arranged at the homestay.
Day 3: Ban Ho - Sapa - 3-hour trek (B/L/D)
8AM - depart Ban Ho village to visit a waterfall for a swim or just to soak in the view. Return to Ban Ho village to change and pack.
11AM - depart Ban Ho village for Sapa by jeep. Lunch will be arranged on the way and dinner will be in Sapa. Overnight in a hotel.
Day 4: Sapa - Lao Cai Station - Hanoi (B/L/D)
8AM - Free and easy day to explore Sapa
12PM - Check out of hotel and depart Sapa after lunch for Lao Cai. Explore Lao Cai for the afternoon before departing for Hanoi by an overnight train.
Arrive in Hanoi, back to civilisation at about 5am the following day.
What to bring:
sleeping bags, a cable lock for your bags, flashlights, comfortable walking shoes, first-aid kit and insect repellent are recommended. Avoid bringing valuables, except your original passports, which are required to check in to hotels.
