This 8 days adventure tour ends at the top of Mount
Fansipan, the "Rooftop of Indochina". Enjoy the colonial charms of
Hanoi before meeting the Black H’mong tribe in Sapa and camping under
the stars on the slopes of Mount Fansipan.
Day 1 : Hanoi Arrival
Meet & Greet
at Noi Bai international airport and transfer to your hotel in Hanoi
city. Our guide will provide you with a welcome kit which contains all
the necessary information about your journey. Free at leisure and
overnight in Hanoi city.
Day 2: Hanoi – Lao Cai (Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner)
Today
we enjoy a half day city tour, seeing the mausoleum of the nation’s
founder Ho Chi Minh, the Presidential Palace and Ho Chi Minh’s House.
Close to this complex is the One Pillar Pagoda. We also visit the
Temple of Literature and the peaceful lake of Hoan Kiem with its sacred
temple before continuing on to the impressive Ethnologic Museum,
dedicated to Vietnam’s 54 ethnic minorities, some of which we will see
on our forthcoming days. The reminder of the day is free for your own
exploration of Ha Noi until transferring to the rail way station for a
night train to Lao Cai. The train conditions are very basic however we
will travel in soft sleeper class which is compartment for 4
passengers. Overnight on the train.
Day 3: Lai Cai – Sapa - Ta Phin Village (Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner)
On
arrive Lao Cai railway station around 6.00 am. The bus will pick you up
and leave to Sapa city 1 hour) for breakfast. Check in hotel and relax.
Sapa
is located at the extreme north of Vietnam, near the Chinese border.
The Sapa plateau was identified in 1901 during the first topographic
plotting of the area. A military post was built in 1903. Originally,
Cha Pa was created for medical purposes. Its bracing climate was
beneficial to westerners exhausted by a long stay in Vietnam. The
military sanatorium, completed in 1913, was built on the hill on which
the municipal cistern now stands.
After lunch, we trek to Ta
Phin Village to meet friendly Back Hmong and Red Dao minorities,
explore their famous handicrafts making and the old French catholic
church, the peace grotto.
After visit Ta Phin village, we come back Sapa by jeep for dinner and free at leisure. Overnight in Sapa city.
Day 4: Sapa - Fansipan (Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner)
We
start out together with our team of Black Hmong porters from Sa Pa
around 9.00 am and head for the Black Hmong village of Sin Chai in the
bottom of the valley. Soon thereafter the ascend starts and we will
walk for about three hours before our cook serves a well prepared lunch
in the forest. We continue our climb and around 4.30 pm we arrive at
our campsite at approximately 2500 m. The tents are raised for your
comfort and the cook is already busy preparing a well deserved dinner.
It is time to enjoy the fresh air and the nocturnal sounds of nature.
Day 5: Fansipan Trek (Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner)
Today
we spend a full day trekking mountain sides. The walk is very strenuous
at times so some physical preparation will enable you to maximize
enjoyment from the trip. On arrival at the ridge of 2200m we stop to
have lunch, stretch our legs and catch a breathtaking views over the
valley of Sapa. The next stop of our trip is the peak of 2900m where
will set up our tents.
Day 6: Fansipan – Sapa (Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner)
Maybe
your body feels a bit busted, but a refreshing cup of coffee and some
breakfast gives new energy to the descend from the mountain. After the
camp has been packed down we start walking around 9.00 am. We enjoy
lunch in the forest before reaching Sa Pa in the early afternoon,
rushing for a cold drink and a hot shower.
Day 7: Sapa – Hanoi (Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner)
Today
is set aside for our relaxation, either to stay at our hotel or walk
down to the local market to take some pictures. In the afternoon, we
will return to the Lao Cai train station to catch the night train back
to Hanoi (the train departs at 21.15). Overnight in train.
Day 8 : Hanoi - Departure (Breakfast)
On
arrival Hanoi railways station at 5.30am, we will be picked up transfer
to hotel for early check in and relax. Free at leisure in Hanoi until
time transfer to airport for departure or extension.
This tour can be customized as you wish.
¤ All land transportation as shown in the program (Jeep for Sapa excursion)
¤ Accommodation in twin sharing room
¤ English or French speaking guide (Italian and Spanish speaking guide are available with surcharge US$45 per day)
¤ Porters during Mt. Fansipan trekking
¤ Cooking & Permission
¤ Tents and sleeping bags
¤ Cyclo ride in Hanoi
¤ All entrance and sightseeing fees
¤ International airfares & airport taxes in/out Vietnam
¤ Meals that not mentioned in the program
¤ Travel insurance
¤ Personal expenses (drinks, laundry, telephone...)
¤ Tips