Terraces to Heaven

Our Authentik Travel tour guide and driver will welcome you at the airport and transfer you to your Hotel in the city center.
Get given some first briefing information about our country.
Overnight in Hanoi.
 

Exploring the Temple of Literature or Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam, the outstanding Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, visiting the French Quarter, and discovering the Hanoi Old Quarter

9:00 AM: Get picked up by tour guide to the Temple of Literature which was built under the Ly dynasty in the 11th century for worshipping Confucius and teaching Royal children. Enjoy a walk in the garden to the city’s symbol Khue Van Cac. You will then visit the World Heritage "stone steles” which shows the names of outstanding students. Continue to explore the Quoc Tu Giam which is considered the first national university of Vietnam.

The next stop is the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology (closed every Monday) which offers a deep insight into Vietnamese culture through traditional costumes, tools, musical instruments, and traditional houses of many ethnic groups. To fully explore this interesting museum, it takes you around two hours. 

In the afternoon, visit (outside) Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum before continuing the day with a walking tour in the Hanoi Old Quarter. Start with a small pagoda named Ba Da quietly located in a small alley - only a few steps from the Hanoi Great Cathedral, built by French colonialism in the 19th century. Your tour guide takes you to typical streets of Hanoi, such as Lan Ong Street, which sells traditional medicine, and Lo Ren Street, where metal items are produced. Stop to visit the Dong Xuan Central Market - the largest in Hanoi. Continue walking to the famous area for night activities and street food - Ta Hien Street, where you can see the vibrant streets with a lot of amazing local foods and drinks. Try to taste some for an unforgettable experience.

Return to the city center and take a break before attending the water puppet show, a unique performance that originated in the 11th century. These shows depict the daily life, culture, and beliefs of the Vietnamese people through puppets moving on water. The performance often includes traditional music as well.

Come back to the hotel. End of the day​

Thanh Son green tea hill  and  Muong Lo rice valley.

In the morning, meet our tour guide and driver at your hotel and transfer to Muong Lo via Thanh Son. Muong Lo is known as one of the four most important fertile valleys of the north west (Muong Thanh in Dien Bien Phu, Muong Tac in Phu Yen and Muong Than in Than Uyen) in which the Thai ethnic group predominates. The village consists of hundreds of houses on wooden stilts and Thai people cultivate the water rice.

Drive to the national road number 32 along the black river (Da River) one of the most important rivers in the northwest. In Thanh Son, we will make a stop to visit the green tea plantation hill then walk through the stilt-house villages. It belongs to the Muong ethnic group, considered as Authentic Viet. The Muong ethnic group is one of few communities in the north that is immune to Chinese influence.

Arrive in Nghia Lo, check in at your home stay in the Thai village and enjoy their hospitality.
Walk or bike around the Thai village to discover the beautiful rice field valley and hamlets that still preserve the authentic houses on stilts and meet the friendly locals.
Go back to the home stay to freshen up and rest.
Dinner will be served with special traditional local foods.

Driving time: 5hours – 200km
Cycling: 5-10km depends on your interests.
Overnight in Nghia Lo.

Thai people in Tu Le Valley – Khau Pha pass – Mu Cang Chai rice terraces.

After breakfast, visit a local market in Nghia Lo then transfer to Mu Cang Chai via Tu Le. Mu Cang Chai is well known for its marvelous rice terrace widely considered as the most beautiful in the world.
In 2007, Che Cu Nha, De Su Phinh and La Pan Tan were recognized as outdoor masterpieces on the list of national heritage.

At the exit of Nghia Lo, you will cross the hilly region populated by the Zao ethnic group on the hills and the Zay in the valley. Stop for a chance to take photos and meet the local people on the way.
Arrive in Tu Le. It is possible to trek to the valley where Thai people live in houses on stilts and have some unusual encounters that allow you to immerse yourself into the authentic local life.
In the afternoon, continue to Khau Pha pass which offers you a splendid panoramic view of the valley of rice terraces. Then the car will take you to La Pan Tan which is a legendary route for photographers.
You will admire the gorgeous rice terrace masterpieces created by the Hmong peasant artists from generation to generation.
Enjoy the majestic landscape and follow the route from La Pan Tan to Mam Xoi.
Arrive in the village and take a shower and rest.
Enjoy dinner and stay overnight in a homestay.

Driving time: 3hour – 100km.
Trekking: 2-3 hours (optional).
Overnight in Mu Cang Chai.

Thai region and Dien Bien Phu Basin.

Depart to Dien Bien Phu via Tuan Giao, a beautiful landscape of rice terraces and mountains that follow you along the way. From Than Uyen, we turn on to the quiet national road 279 to Tuan Giao. 
On arrival at Ban Chat reservoir, a large reservoir that will accompany you for 20km, stop for a short walk to enjoy the tranquility and spectacular landscape.  Keep driving to Pa Uon Bridge in Quynh Nhai, crossing Da River, one of the most important rivers in the north. Stop again to take great photos and meet the local people. Arrive in Tuan Giao at noon and enjoy lunch at a local restaurant.

Continue to Dien Bien Phu, crossing the region of black Thai and white Thai ethnic groups.
Dien Bien Phu is located strategically near the borders of three countries: Vietnam, Laos, and China. This is an 18km long, 6km wide valley surrounded by 1000m high mountains. The valley was the main battlefield between Viet Minh and the French expeditionary force in 1954.

Arrive in Dien Bien Phu at 15:30, then visit the War Museum, A1 hill which offers a panoramic view of the basin, De Castries' command post and the memorial to the soldiers of the French expeditionary force, built 1992, and a symbol of reconciliation between Vietnam and France.
Check in to your hotel and relax.
Driving time: 6 hours – 220km

Note:  The next day, it is possible to go to Laos via the border gate at Tay Trang, 40km from Dien Bien Phu city. Depart from your hotel to Tay Trang, arrive at the border and leave Vietnam then our Laos tour guide will welcome you.
 

The region of Hmong and Kho Mu.

Depart to Lai Chau, 20km from Dien Bien Phu and home to numerous ethnic groups including Kho Mu. Originally from Northern Laos, there are 60,000 Kho Mu people living on the hill slopes between the Hmong in the upper and Thai in the lower. You will find yourself in a land of colorful Hmong people, crossing Muong Cha, Muong Lay. Meet the local women in their colorful traditional dresses, wearing silver or golden jewelry. Stop at the villages to meet the locals and discover their authentic lifestyle.

Arrive in Muong Lay – a relocation place for hundreds of Thai villagers. Previously, they lived in the valleys flooded by the reservoir for hydroelectric Lai Chau – Son La.  You can stop here if you would like a tea break.
The journey is accompanied by the Nam Na River and the beautiful surrounding landscapes.

Discover Thai and Hmong villages on the way before your arrival in Lai Chau City in the late afternoon.
Check in to your hotel and relax.
Driving time:6 hours – 200km

The region of Laos and Lu ethnic – Crossing Hoang Lien Son pass ( O quy Ho pass).

In the morning, depart to Sapa along the Hoang Lien Son mountain range.
At the exit of Tam Duong, we will turn right to visit Nam Tam Village where the Laotian and Lu people live.
This is a beautiful, tranquil landscape. Traditionally, the local women are distinguished by black teeth and indigo colored clothing encrusted with silver pieces. Take a 2 hour hike through the river, villages, rice fields, and hills and meet the locals.
Meet our driver for a transfer to Sapa, crossing Hoang Lien Son pass (O Quy Ho pass). This is the longest and highest pass in Vietnam, 54km in length and 2047m in height. Stop to relax at the top of the pass and soak up the grandiose landscape. This is also a great place for photos.
Arrive in Sapa, a town discovered by the French in 1903, in the afternoon. With a temperate climate, Sapa became an attraction for holidaymakers because of its beautiful rice valley, splendid mountain range and the diversity of minority tribes such as Black Hmong, Red Zao and the Zay ethnics.

Stay overnight at a hotel in the town.
Driving distance: 100km
Trekking: 2 hours in Na Tam.

Ma Tra Valley – Ta Phin and Bac Ha – the plum plateau.

Depart from your accommodation for the hike following the itinerary: Ma Tra – Ta Phin which is less touristic. The journey will lead you to the superb rice terrace valley, meeting the local people of the Black Hmong and Red Zao ethnic groups. They were originally from southern China. They settled in Vietnam in the 11th century. And still live at high altitude, far away from the modern world. This helps them to preserve their traditions, language and especially their ancestral way of life. Make a stop on the way to visit a Hmong family and school in Ma Tra Village.  After a 3-hour trek, you will reach the Red Zao village to transfer to Sapa.

In the afternoon, transfer in Bac Ha via Lao Cai City. Stop in the city for a visit to the Vietnam - China border gate.

Arrive in Bac Ha in the late afternoon. Located at an altitude of 1000m, Bac Ha is home to several ethnic groups such as the colorful Hmong, Phu La and Tays. Bac Ha is well known for its weekly, colorful Sunday market surrounded by wild and beautiful scenery. Bac Ha market is not only for the exchange of goods but it has also been for the cultural exchange of the ethnic groups for centuries.

Walking distance: 12km – 3 hours.
Driving distance: 100km – 3 hours.
Level: Moderate.
Overnight at hotel in Bac Ha.

Flower Hmong Village – Thac Ba Lake.

From Bac Ha, it is possible to visit a colorful, ethnic market if it falls on these days: Bac Ha Market on Sunday, Can Can Market on Saturday. Enjoy the striking atmosphere with so many goods such as vegetables, poultry, horses and buffalos while capturing many minority groups in their best colorful clothing of the week.

The next stop is Ban Pho Village, famous for its corn alcohol. Discover life in the village and the people who survive from the cultivation of corn and plums.
Thanks to the village’s water source, they make and exceptional corn-flavored alcohol that is appreciated by both the locals and the guests from afar.
Go trekking through some Hmong ethnic villages and end up at Na Kheo, a Tay ethnic village. Simply idyllic, it's a typical Bac Ha Landscape, mixed with corn fields, manioc hills and clay houses. Plum gardens decorated with Hmong women and their colorful skirts will accompany you along the trip.

In the afternoon, depart to Thac Ba Lake, inhabited by Zao ethnics with white trousers. This is an ideal resting place as it's an ecological lake.
Along the way, encounter untouched ethnic groups of Tay and Nung people in the middle of authentic villages with hundreds of houses on stilts covered with thatch.
Enjoy dinner and stay overnight in a homestay (A stilt-house of the Zao people)

Driving time: 3hours – 130km
Walking distance: 10km – 3hours

Ecological Paradise.

In the morning, take a boat trip to discover Thac Ba Lake, an artificial lake used for hydroelectricity. In front of your eyes, you will admire the huge valley covered by water and numerous hilltops from the hundreds of islets which bring a certain charm to the lake.
Visit a Zao village, then go back to host family to say good bye and transfer to Hanoi.

Arrive in the late afternoon and it's the end of the Adventure Tour among the ethnic groups.
Driving time: 4hour – 170km.

 

Enjoy your last minutes in Hanoi – the capital of Vietnam before transfer to airport for your next destination.

Tour ends.