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This five days hard trekking trip offers a chance to explore the most
stunning area of Sapa district which is under protection of Hoang Lien Son
nature reserve. Trekking from 6 to 7 hours every day you will follow foot paths
up and down mountains, through forest, terraced rice paddies, crossing river and
water streams by suspension bridges… from village to village of different ethnic
minorities including H’mong, Zao, Tay, Xa Pho,.. paying visit to local homes,
witnessing daily life activities and especially village home staying will bring
the interesting insight of local life.
Day 1: Sapa - Y Linh Ho - Lao Chai - Ta Van homestay (L,D)
Transfer 6km along the main road to a beautiful spot where your village trek
begins.
This part offers spectacular scenery of the highest part of Hoang Lien Son
mountain range and in a nice day, Fansipan Peak can be seen. Crossing the river
by a suspension bridge you will challenge your feet uphill to Y Linh Ho village.
Here you will pay visiting to some H’mong families, watching them doing their
daily works. After picnic Lunch, the trail continues up and down hill for about
2 hours as you reach to Lao Chai, a large village of the H’mong and then
following the river bank to Ta Van of the Zay people, paying visiting to local
homes, village schools… you will enjoy much your cultural discovery of local
ethnic peoples as well as breathtaking scenery of the Muong Hoa Valley. Tonight
you will enjoy a home stay in Ta Van Village for an unique life experience.
Day 2: Ta Van - Giang Ta Chai - Su Pan - Ban Ho homestay (B,L,D)
Leaving Ta Van village after Breakfast and following the foot path uphill, you
will pass through impressive terraced rice paddies on the hill slopes before
getting through a bamboo forest, a huge waterfall to Giang Ta Chai village of
the Red Zao peoples. Walking around the village you will meet many women with
their embroidery work to make their traditional dresses, occasionally you can
see the blacksmiths making farming tools and even hunting riffles. Passing the
Muong Hoa river again and then trek uphill to Su Pan village passing the rocks
field with unique carving which is believed to be the messages of the ancient
peoples. In this village you will see the special technique to build houses on
the steep rocky land. From Su Pan trekking downhill for an hour, Ban Ho valley
will opens wide in your sight. Arriving to Ban Ho of the Tay late in the
afternoon, check in the spacious local house built on stilts for Dinner and Home
stay.
Day 3: Ban Ho - Nam Toong - My Son homestay (B,L,D)
After Breakfast we spend an hours walking to explore Ban Ho, a large village of
the Tay peoples who live on spacious wooden houses built on stilts and very well
organized before ascending uphill to Nam Toong village of the Red Zao. The trail
of this part is really steep but the higher you reach to, the more stunning
scenery will open in your sight. The village locates on the top of a hill and
almost isolated and the houses are rudimentary but the peoples are very
welcoming. After Nam Toong, the trail winds its way up and down hill slopes for
an hours to Nam Keng and My Son, the two small villages of the Xa Pho ethnic
whose population is only about 4000 in Vietnam. Most of the Xa Pho are still
living the most primitive way basing on forest gathering, hunting and practicing
slash and burn agriculture. Every family here built a small house on stilts away
form their living house to avoid catching fire for store their food and valuable
property. You will stay overnight in this village.
Day 4: My Son - Thanh Phu - Sapa (B,L,D)
Wake up early for fresh air watching local life before Breakfast. The amazing
thing here is watching children walking some kilometers up and down hill to
school and it seems that they enjoy their school hours very much! Leaving this
poor village, walking downhill to the river for a crossing and then uphill again
to Thanh Phu, another Tay village where you will spend about two hours wandering
around the village before Lunch. In the afternoon, continue trekking for few
hours along the way back which offers panorama view of Ban Ho valley before
picked up and drive back to Sapa by jeep. Check in hotel and your evening is
free.
Day 5: Sapa exploration - Overnight train to Hanoi (B,L)
After breakfast, you will start trekking to Cat Cat Village which is occupied by
the Black H’mong tribe. You will experience the tribal way of life while
enjoying wonderful views of the terraced rice paddy fields and the waterfall in
Cat Cat village. Coming here,you can see the hydroelectric power station which
was built by the French in twentieth century. After lunch we have free time to
explore Sapa town or go shopping at Sapa Market
. Continue walking the steps from the market to the church and then onto the top
of Ham Rong Mountain where you can visit an orchid garden and a small museum
about ethnic peoples of the Northwest.
Picked up in the afternoon at about 16.00 by mini bus for a transfer downhill to
Lao Cai station for taking the night train back to Hanoi.
TRIP ENDS |
