Northwest Vietnam exploration

Hanoi, Ninh Binh, Ha Long Bay, Sapa, Ha Giang Loop, Cao Bang | 12 Days

$1699

Tour Overview

Embark on an epic 12-day adventure through Northwest Vietnam's most breathtaking landscapes and cultural treasures. This comprehensive expedition takes you from the bustling streets of Hanoi to the mystical karst formations of Ninh Binh, the emerald waters of Ha Long Bay, and the remote mountains of Ha Giang, Sapa and Cao Bang, unveiling the authentic heart of Vietnam's northern frontier. Perfect for adventure seekers, this tour combines breathtaking natural scenery with authentic cultural experiences as you traverse winding mountain roads, sleep in local homestays, and explore the most beautiful landscapes Northern Viet Nam has to offer.

Tour Duration 12 Days
Destination Hanoi, Ninh Binh, Ha Long Bay, Sapa, Ha Giang Loop, Cao Bang
Start Date
End Date

Not Included:

  • Flight tickets
  • Travel insurance
  • Personal expenses
  • Drinks not mentioned in the itinerary
  • Visa fees

Tour Itinerary

1

Day 1: Hanoi

Accommodation: NT Elysian Hotel

Meals: Dinner

Start your trip in Hanoi with hotel check-in and welcome drinks. Walk around the busy streets and enjoy dinner.

Today's Activities:

  • Airport transfer
  • Check-in
  • Welcome drinks
  • Optional activities: City tour by tuk tuk, Street food tour, foot massage (all three available if checking in before 16:30PM)
2

Day 2: Ninh Binh: Hoa Lu - Trang An – Mua Cave

Accommodation: Trang An Heritage Garden

Meals: Lunch, Dinner

Visit old temples in Hoa Lu, bike through small villages, and eat lunch in a private garden. Ride a boat through amazing caves used in a King Kong movie. Climb 500 steps up Mua Cave for great views of the area.

Today's Activities:

  • 07.30AM - 8.00AM: Our tour guide and driver will pick you up from the hotel in Hanoi Old Quarter for transfer to Ninh Binh.
  • 9.00AM: You will have a short break of 15 - 20 minutes to stretch your legs, use the facilities or have a quick snack.
  • 10.30AM: Pay a visit to Hoa Lu - the ancient capital of Vietnam from 968 to 1010. There, you will see the Temple of Dinh King and Le King and learn more about Vietnamese history under the Dinh, Le, and Ly Dynasties
  • 11.15 - 11.45 AM: It’s now time to join our 30 minutes cycling activity to discover the life of the local people. Alternatively, you can choose to stay behind and relax by the pool
  • 12.00 PM: Enjoy a buffet lunch with local specialties in the private area of our Trang An Heritage Garden.
  • 13.15 PM - 13.30PM: You continue your trip to Trang An, a World Heritage Site recognized by UNESCO in 2014. There, you will spend 1.5 hours on a row boat ride and enjoy the beauty of this place, which boasts a large tunnel cave system featuring in the 2017 movie “Kong: Skull Island”
  • 15.30 PM : Our next destination is Mua Cave. There, you will climb 500 steps to reach the mountain's peak, overlooking the beautiful view of the city and Tam Coc below
  • 17.00 PM: The minivan will transfer you back to Trang An Heritage Garden.
  • 17.30 PM Check in the room. Enjoy swimming at pool on summer time.
  • 19.00PM - 19h30PM: Complimentary dinner at the restaurant. Overnight at Trang An Heritage Garden
3

Day 3: Transfer to Ha Long Bay for your 5 stars cruise - Return to Hanoi

Accommodation: NT Elysian Hotel

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Board a cruise in Ha Long Bay. See thousands of rock islands during lunch. Check out a big cave, go kayaking, and climb to a viewpoint. End with a sunset party before heading back to Hanoi.

Today's Activities:

  • 6.15AM - 6.30AM: Check out of Trang An Heritage Garden, and enjoy breakfast
  • 7.00AM: Start your transfer by limousine to Ha Long Bay, where you will start your cruise
  • 11.15AM-11.30AM: Arrive at Tuan Chau harbour. Transfer to our 5 stars Luxury Cruise by speedboat
  • 12.00PM-13.15PM: Have buffet lunch while cruising in the magnificent Ha Long Bay admiring the fascinating rock formations in the bay
  • 13.30PM-14.15PM: Your tour guide will take you to Sung Sot cave – one the most beautiful & biggest caves of Ha Long Bay.
  • 14.30PM-15.15PM: Discover the Luon cave by kayaking or on a bamboo boat, rowing along with local residents.
  • 15.30PM-16.30PM: From the top of Titov island, you can enjoy the panoramic view of Ha Long Bay with thousands of limestone, swimming at Titov beach, or enjoy the Jacuzzi on boat.
  • 16.45PM: Attend a sunset party, complimentary variety of fruits, cakes, juices, tea. Enjoy the sunset while the cruise returns to Tuan Chau port
  • 17.45PM-18.00PM: The Cruise back to harbour, get onto a comfortable limousine back to Hanoi
  • 20.30PM-20.45PM: The limousine drops you off at our hotel in the Hanoi Old Quarter. Optional activities: Foot massage in a 5 stars SPA
4

Day 4: Sapa: Cat Cat - Shin Chai Village

Accommodation: Lustig Hostel

Meals: Lunch, Dinner

Travel to mountain town Sapa. Explore Cat Cat village, see a waterfall, and learn how locals make cloth and carve silver. Enjoy views of big mountains.

Today's Activities:

  • 6.30AM : Tranfer to Sapa in the morning by VIP cabin
  • 13.00PM : Expected arrival at Sapa town, enjoy lunch
  • 14.00PM : Start exploring the Cat Cat – Shin Chai village, home of the H’mong ethnic people – A colonial French area and a renowned resort since the early twentieth century. Arriving to Cat Cat village, visit the Hydropower station, explore the Cat Cat village waterfall and learn about the culture, customs and unique traditions of the area: weaving, carved silver, and hand forged agricultural tools.
  • Arriving to Cat Cat village, visit the Hydropower station, explore the Cat Cat village waterfall and learn about the culture, customs and unique traditions of the area: weaving, carved silver, and hand forged agricultural tools.
  • Walk back to Sapa (4Km)
  • 6:30PM / 7:00PM: Dinner
  • Stay overnight at Lustig
5

Day 5: Sapa: Lao Chai Village - Ta Van Village

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Walk to Lao Chai and Ta Van villages where H'mong and Dzay people live. Hike through rice fields and meet local families to learn about their way of life.

Today's Activities:

  • 07.00AM : Breakfast
  • 09:00AM-09:30AM: We embark on a lovely walking tour to the hill tribe villages of Lao Chai and Ta Van, home of the H'mong and Dzay hill tribe minority people. As we walk to the villages nestled in the valley below Sapa we will meet some of the local minority people on their way to and from Sapa. Here we have the opportunity to share cultural experiences with families that live in the area. Have lunch en route or at a local family.
  • After lunch explore another village, then dinner at your accomodation for the evening
6

Day 6: Sapa: Ta Van - Giang Ta Chai - Su Pan - Travel to Ha Giang

Accommodation: VIP cabin while transfering to Ha Giang / Private room at rural homestay

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Trek 10km to Red Dzao villages. See a waterfall and cross a special bridge made of rattan. After dinner, start overnight trip to Ha Giang.

Today's Activities:

  • 8:00 AM: Breakfast at the homestay
  • 8:45 AM: Start a trekking 10 km walking to visit 2 villages of the red Dzao, home of the H’mong ethnic people (Giang Ta Chai & Su Pan). Visit a beautiful waterfall and rattan bridge. Then, up to Su Pan and bus pick up to Lustig hostel to take a rest and have dinner before starting the Ha Giang Loop
  • 7:00 PM: Transfer via VIP cabin to Ha Giang, expected arrival at 2AM
7

Day 7: Ha Giang Loop: Dong Van plateau, Quan Ba Heaven's Gate, Yen Minh town, Dong Van Town

Accommodation: Private room at rural homestay

Drive the famous Ha Giang Loop road. Stop at Heaven's Gate and see the twin mountains. Travel on twisty roads with stops for photos. Sleep in Dong Van town.

Today's Activities:

  • 7:30AM - 8:30AM: Breakfast
  • 9:00AM: Start conquering the Dong Van rock plateau, then you will go to the Tham Ma slope for an 8 km motorbike ride
  • Admire Quan Ba Heaven's Gate, the Co Tien twin mountains and winding roads of Ha Giang with their majestic natural scenery. Then, stop for lunch in Yen Minh town
  • Afternoon: Continue to conquer the roads, stop at Tham Ma pass to take a selfie, then pass through Sung La valley and visit the King Cat palace
  • Evening: Complimentary dinner and sleep in Dong Van Town
8

Day 8: Ha Giang Loop: Dong Van (Market on Sundays) – Lung Cu Flagpole – Sky Path – Ma Pi Leng Pass (trekking) – Nho Que (boating) – Meo Vac (Pa Vi Village)

Accommodation: Private room at rural homestay

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Visit Vietnam's northernmost point. Drive the "Happiness Road" with white cliffs. Cross Ma Pi Leng Pass with views of Vietnam's deepest canyon and green river. Take a boat ride and sleep in Pa Vi village.

Today's Activities:

  • 07:00AM: Breakfast
  • 08:00AM: Departure to visit Lung Cu flagpole, which marks the northernmost point of Vietnam. The Lung Cu flagpole is located on the top of Long Son (dragon mountain), right above the ancient village of Lo Lo Chai, and you will hear historical stories associated with Lung Cu ever since. At about 12 noon, have lunch in Dong Van town.
  • The "Happiness" road takes you to the white cliff - a breathtaking sight for adventurous travelers. Walking this path offers an unforgettable experience. Beyond this lies the "Four Great Peaks," with the famous Ma Pi Leng mountain being the most impressive.
  • Ma Pi Leng includes the Nho Que river and Tu San canyon (Southeast Asia's deepest). We'll explore these natural wonders by boat.
  • 17:30PM: Return to Pa Vi village around. Stay at the village's best homestay.
  • 19:30pm: Dinner featuring Ha Giang specialties.
9

Day 9: Ha Giang Loop: Meo Vac – Me Pia Pass – Pac Po relic site

Accommodation: Private room at rural homestay

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Travel to Cao Bang over Me Pia Pass with its 14 hairpin turns. See amazing mountain views on the way to historic Pac Bo area.

Today's Activities:

  • 8AM: Breakfast, then leave Pa Vi village. Travel to Me Pia pass (14 levels) in Cao Bang to see the journey's most beautiful pass. Optional: hike 1km+ to the observation point for panoramic views.
  • Lunch stop at Bao Lac. Continue to Pac Bo historic site. End the day at a homestay near Pac Bo. (This day mainly involves traveling from Ha Giang to Cao Bang while enjoying natural scenery and the 14-level pass).
10

Day 10: Cao Bang: Pac Po – Le Nin Stream – Ban Giooc’s Waterfall – Nguom Ngao Cave

Accommodation: Private room at rural homestay

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

See Lenin stream and Pac Bo cave. Visit Ban Gioc, Vietnam's biggest waterfall on the China border. Explore Nguom Ngao cave with cool rock formations. Optional night walk to see the lit-up waterfall.

Today's Activities:

  • Leave at 8AM after breakfast to visit Lenin stream and Pac Bo cave. Enjoy the peaceful natural beauty of the clear stream alongside historic sites. Stop in Cao Bang for lunch.
  • Continue to Ban Gioc waterfall - one of the country's most beautiful and famous waterfalls.
  • Visit Nguom Ngao cave (meaning "tiger" in Tay language), located about 3km from the waterfall. The cave maintains its wild beauty from geological formations.
  • Stay at a homestay near Ban Gioc waterfall. Evening option: short trek to see the waterfall illuminated at night.
11

Day 11: Cao Bang: Thung Mountain, return to Hanoi

Accommodation: NT Elysian Hotel

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Visit Thung Mountain with its unusual holes and wide grasslands. Get last amazing views before returning to Hanoi.

Today's Activities:

  • Leave at 8am after breakfast
  • Visit Thung Mountain ("mountain of God's eyes"), featuring rare natural beauty. Known as the "perfect love cup," it offers enchanting views with perforated mountains, rocky terrain, and green grasslands - a unique landscape.
  • Return to Cao Bang city for lunch, then bus to Hanoi NT Elysian Hotel.
12

Day 12: Airport transfer

Accommodation: Day use at NT Elysian Hotel

The journey ends here! Explore Hanoi for last-minute shopping or a farewell lunch / dinner before transferring to the airport for your departure flight

Today's Activities:

  • Checkout
  • Transfer to airport
Total: $1699
All prices in USD