Hiking on the trails of Vietnam

Breakfast at the hotel. Travel by road to Hoa Binh province, northwest of Hanoi, the land of the Muong people, encompassing a mountain range separating the Red River Delta from the Ma River basin. This range is the southern extension of the Hoang Lien Son mountain range, which distinctly divides northwest from northeast Vietnam. In this northwest region, between Laos and the mountain range, flows the Da River (Black River, formerly known as the Colonial River), which originated in China.

Continue for approximately 40 kilometers through high mountain landscapes towards Moc Chau. Arrive late morning in the colorful Hmong village of Hua Tat , nestled on the slopes of a mountain along a long valley. Check into a rural guesthouse, part of a community tourism development project and run by a charming Hmong couple.

Dinner and overnight stay with a local family in Hua Tat.

After breakfast, a 2-hour hike along the valley, passing through various villages, cornfields, pine forests, and mountains. The scenery is especially beautiful between January and early February during the flowering season.

Then, we'll head to Xa Linh , a Hmong village, for a two-hour hike to Hang Kia, a village nestled in the Hmong heartland. This charming spot is located in a beautiful valley where the Hmong cultivate corn, tea, plums, and peaches. Dinner and overnight stay with a local family.

The path climbs gently, then you'll suddenly enter the jungle, frequented only by hunters and mountain people searching for firewood. Descend a staircase with high, slippery steps. Later, you'll cross rice paddies before reaching the White Thai people . Allow approximately 6 hours for the hike .

Dinner and overnight stay with a local family in a house on stilts.

After breakfast, enjoy a nature hike through rice paddies. You might see villagers working in the fields. After a short climb, you'll enter a rainforest to discover various plant species. On the other side of the mountain, you'll find charming villages nestled in the homes of the Thai people – the region's main ethnic group: Khoe and Ban Te . The walk becomes very easy on small paved paths through tiny hamlets with smiling faces, stilt houses, fruit orchards, lush vegetable gardens, and fish ponds. Lunch will be served at a local home.

After a short break to escape the tropical heat, you'll walk through a beautiful evergreen forest to reach the village of Xom Kha . Transfer by car to Ban Van. Dinner and overnight stay with a local family in Ban Van village.

After breakfast, you'll set off by bicycle to explore the beautiful Mai Chau basin. With us, you'll discover a different kind of adventure. Bicycles will allow you to venture inland, exploring an authentic countryside still relatively unknown to travelers. You'll be charmed by the traditional stilt houses, the smiles of the Thai people, the warm welcome, and the lush greenery of rice paddies, vegetable gardens, and bamboo forests along your route. You'll pass through villages such as Chieng Sai, Cha, Cha Long, Na Tang, and Tong Dau , where people still live much as their ancestors did 100 years ago.

Lunch with a local family, then a short transfer to Quan Hoa near the Laotian border. After about an hour, you'll arrive at the gateway to the Far Northwest. You'll see the first limestone karsts covered in lush vegetation. The trek begins in the lands of the hill tribes who still live in self-sufficiency and remain faithful to their ancestral way of life. In the late afternoon, you'll arrive at the village of Ban Hang , home to the Thai ethnic group, with its stilt houses. After settling in with your host family, you'll discover local agricultural activities as well as the work of the women, such as weaving clothes, making rice wine, and preparing meals.

A full day of hiking in the heart of Thai country . You'll begin by discovering magnificent landscapes: lush vegetation, limestone peaks, and terraced fields, before passing through Thai villages with their many stilted huts. Overnight stay with a local family in Kho Muong , a beautiful village nestled in nature.

A day of trekking in the heart of the Pu Luong Nature Reserve to admire beautiful landscapes and discover the daily life of the villagers. We'll cross terraced rice paddies, tropical forests, and Thai villages. Enjoy a picnic lunch in nature. We'll arrive in the late afternoon at the village of Ban Don , where you'll have a panoramic view of the valley.

Dinner and overnight stay with a local family in the village of Ban Don.

After breakfast, you resume walking for approximately 5 hours through beautiful landscapes, green countryside, terraced rice paddies and picturesque villages like Ban Nua.

Lunch in a village halfway along our journey.

Dinner and overnight stay with a local family in a traditional Thai house in Ban Nua village.

After breakfast, you continue the walk towards Ban Hieu village.

The hike is at a moderate pace. First, you descend into a wide, open valley. Then, you turn left and climb gently towards the village of Ban Hieu.

Lunch in a village halfway along your journey. Upon arrival in Ban Hieu , you can relax at our hosts' place, stroll through the villages, or even swim in the river if the weather permits.

Dinner and overnight stay with a local family in a traditional Thai house in Ban Hieu village.

After breakfast, you continue the walk towards the Ma River via the other side of Ban Doc . After a 2-hour walk, we arrive at Pho Doan town and visit the local market.

Next, we take the walk along the Ma River path. You have a beautiful view of the river, the rice paddies, and the waterwheels.

Our vehicle will be waiting for you there, and we'll depart for Tam Coc – the "Halong Bay on Land ." We'll explore the temples dedicated to the ancient kings Dinh and Le in the Hoa Lu Valley. These sites were built in the 17th century amidst beautiful gardens of hibiscus and frangipani trees, releasing a delicate fragrance.

Overnight stay in a hotel in Tam Coc.

Breakfast at the hotel, followed by a boat trip to Thung Nham (Linh Coc – Hai Nham). This is a beautiful 1.5-hour ride on a canal through the mountains. Your day of sightseeing continues with a bicycle ride to the Bich Dong Pagoda complex , built on a mountainside surrounded by lotus blossoms. Then, depart to visit Hang Mua Cave , climb to its summit, and enjoy a breathtaking panoramic view of Tam Coc and its surroundings. Return to your hotel for free time to relax. Overnight at the hotel.

Departure for Lan Ha Bay , the smaller sister of Halong Bay. Upon arrival at Ben Beo pier, we board a traditional junk. Our journey begins amidst countless karst formations. The boat soon reaches a floating village where the main activity is seafood farming. We then continue sailing to the small beach of Van Boi. Lunch is served on board, followed by free time for swimming. The water is warm and a beautiful emerald color; you can walk to the beach and sunbathe. The sundeck is also available for relaxing or taking a nap.

In the afternoon, the junk takes us further into the bay, towards the Hang Ca or Dau Be cave, for a sea kayaking excursion , another way to discover the area.

In the late afternoon, the junk returns to the middle of the bay so we can admire the sunset. We drop anchor for the night. Dinner and overnight on board.

Note: The order of visits during the cruise may be modified depending on the weather conditions on site.

An early start to enjoy the sunrise over the bay. During breakfast, the junk resumes its journey through Lan Ha Bay, getting as close as possible to the most beautiful peaks and rocks. We dock at Viet Hai, a small, secluded fishing village in the bay. We explore the village by bicycle , where there are almost no roads. Back on our junk, we enjoy a refreshing shower before brunch.

The junk sails peacefully back to Ben Beo port, where your private driver to Hanoi awaits. Arrival in Hanoi around 5:00 PM. Overnight at the hotel.

A day of discovery in Vietnam's capital, a city imbued with timeless charm. You'll begin with a visit to the captivating Ethnographic Museum , which houses costumes, tools, musical instruments, and displays typical houses representing the country's 54 ethnic groups (closed every Monday). Next, you'll visit the Temple of Literature , Vietnam's first university, Hanoi's oldest pagoda, Tran Quoc , and the Ngoc Son Temple on the shores of Hoan Kiem Lake. A stroll through the narrow streets of Hanoi's Old Quarter will give you a true sense of local life in the capital.

Free time for shopping or exploring the city on your own before your transfer to Hanoi airport for your departure. Room available until noon only.