Just 3 hours from Hanoi , Midway between Son La and Hanoi Mai Chau Valley is blessed with rich forest, limestone panoramas, magnificent rice terraces, water wheels, breathtaking mountain scenery and beautiful villages. On this trip we discover the very best of the region, encounter many ethnic minorities and experience the everyday life and culture of Flower Hmong, White Thai, Muong people and stay in their traditional long house and taste their delicious cuisine.
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Day 1: Hanoi - Mai Chau - Hang Kia Village (L/D)
We drive to Mai Chau. This scenic drive takes around three hours. Along the way we pass fields of tapioca and sugar cane as well as rice paddies. After lunch in a traditional stilt house of the Thai people, we drive for one hour to Sa Linh Village to begin our trekking. The verdant and rugged mountain scenery combined with the colorful local population makes this an unforgettable experience. Today we walk along gravel tracks and small paths, used by the locals. Our destination for this evening is Hang Kia village, home of the H'mong Minority people. Here we stay overnight as the guests of an H'mong family in a traditional long house, situated in a picturesque valley of peach orchards.
Day 2: Hang Kia - Van Village (B/L/D)
Today we get well and truly off the beaten track as we trek through tropical rain forest, using the local tracks and passing through cornfields as we descend in to Mai Chau Valley . On the way we will encounter the local villagers as they go about their daily business: whether it be tilling the fields, logging or herding buffalo. The trek will take around 7 hours and is quite steep in places. Lunch will be provided en route, and weather permitting, we will have a picnic near a babbling brook at the foot of the valley. From here we pass through several White Thai villages, and are sure to attract attention as this part of the country receives very few visitors. We will arrive at Van village by late afternoon and we will have time to walk around this charming little village, enabling us to understand a little more about how the people live. The village is home to the Thai people, and tonight we will be their guests in one of their traditional stilt houses. There, we will be toasted as honored guests and will be able to sample some of their homemade rice wine!
Day 3: Van village - Xo Village (B/L/D)
After breakfast we spend the morning strolling around the surrounding villages and meeting villagers along the way. After a morning's exploring we return to Van village for lunch. With lunch finished there will time for a short siesta or a stroll down to the river before embarking on a 3-hour walk to the village of Xo (pronounced Soh). Here there will be an opportunity to freshen up at the communal well before sunset.
Day 4: Xo village - Pomg Cong Village - Sai Village (B/L/D)
Bidding farewell to our new friends after breakfast, we have a five-hour trek from Xo to Poong Cong village where we will take lunch. We can wander around this pretty crafting village. Following lunch we drive to Ban Sai village from here we trek to the Thai Village of Hang. We spend the night with a local Thai Family who will be our hosts in a traditional house built on stilts. We will definitely learn more about their lives and cultures when staying with them.
Day 5: Hang Village to Kho Muong Village (B/L/D)
The sound of mountain, cock and pork make us up for a new day and breakfast. We stroll around the Hang Village before we start trekking. We will be hiking about 6 hours through many Thai Villages and hamlets and encounter friendly children, villagers before arriving Kho Muong Village , home to the Muong ethnic minority, where we stay overnight.
Day 6: Kho Muong - Hin Village (B/L/D)
Following a simple breakfast, we trek for three hours on un uphill gradient through a picturesque forest passing several villages along the way. We break for a lunch in Nua village before we downhill to the Hin village. We overnight in the Thai Family.
Day 7: Hin village - Hanoi (B/L/-)
Thanks for the graceful host; we walk about 4 hours thoughts beautiful hamlets, villages and meet our driver again and drive back to Hanoi .
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Trip price includes:
• All transportation in air conditioned vehicles
• English speaking guide
• Accommodation in Sapa based on twin share basis with daily breakfast & local home stays
• Cook
• Porters
• Overnight train soft sleeper, first class
• Additional meals as indicated in the itinerary
• Fees and permits where applicable
• Services charges and government taxes
Trip price excludes:
• International airfares
• International departure tax
• Visas and Visa fees
• Pre and Post trip accommodation in Hanoi
• Travel Insurance
• Tips and gratuities
• Personal expenses |
