Ref. T3C
Activity: Hiking
Grade: Demanding
Route: Sapa – Thanh Phu – Sin Chai – Ben Den – Lao Cai
Overview:
The trip takes you to one of the most remote areas where you can meet very friendly locals. The night you spend in the local houses of the Tay and the Red Dao minorities will be a great experience. The trip also offers you opportunity to enjoy wonderful scenery, which is still well protected as well as meet Xa Pho minority, the unique nomad in Northern Viet Nam.
Itinerary:
Day 1: Sapa – Thanh Kim – Nam Toong – My Son - Thanh Phu (-,L,D)
You will commence your full day walk by a transfer to a trekking point near Thank Kim. From here you start the walk on a small trail running downhill towards Thanh Phu suspension bridge set over the beautiful Muong Bo River. The walk is through the rice paddy terraces hill sides and you have many opportunities to enjoy magnificent valley view and encounter with some animals like water buffalos, goats or mountain pigs, which belong to the nearby Tay and Red Dao minorities, but are living their wild life. You will then cross the bridge and head up to Red Dao village of Nam Toong, where you will enjoy lunch in a local house or at a nice spot.
After lunchtime, you descend to the valley where locates My Son village of Xa Pho minority, one of the smallest ethnic groups in Northern Vietnam. From there you take a short walk to Thanh Phu village of Tay minority. You will spend the night here, in a traditional house of the Tay.
Approx: Grade 2 of 5 /1 hour driving/ 5 hours walking
Day 2: Thanh Phu – Nam Sai - Nam Cang - Nam Than - Nam Nhiu - Sin Chai (B,L,D)
Today’s trek will be mostly on the dirt road but give you more opportunities to visit more minorities’ villages. You will visit the Tay in Nam Sai, the Red Dao in Nam Cang and Nam Nhiu and the White H’mong in Nam Than. You will also have time to photograph the beautiful rice paddy terraces, streams, waterfalls and the surrounding mountains.
You will stay tonight in a local house at Sin Chai village, where you will be attracted by the wonderful hospitable atmosphere of the Red Dao.
Approx: Grade 2 of 5/ 6 hours walking
Day 3: Sin Chai – Nam Ket – Ta Thang – Lao Cai (B,L,-)
You rise up early today for breakfast and repack your luggage for the long trek heading toward Lao Cai. Once you leave Sin Chai, the trek takes you into a fabulously mountainous area, the most remote part of Sapa. En route you meet children’ curious eyes as you are the very first tourists passing by. Red Dao ethnic minority inhabit the entire area. You will enjoy the fresh of bamboo forest and jungle until you make a stop at Nam Ket for lunch.
Your trek then is mostly downhill. After about half an hour, you will have the opportunity to enjoy one of the most beautiful views of days over a green valley lying along the Red River. You eventually arrive in Ta Thang village of the Tay minority. Here you will be transferred to Lao Cai.
Approx: Grade 2 of 5/ 1 hour driving/ 6 hours walking
Note: The difficult level of this trek depends on weather conditions. Therefore, the itinerary is subjected to changes. This trip will easily be combined with the transfer to Lao Cai railway station without repeating the way or passing by Sapa.
Inclusive
Exclusive