Feature: This 3-day, 4-night tour is a perfect combination of trek and culture while visiting the hill tribes’ villages at a pace and style that compliments you. Journey away from the crowds and homestay a traditional Dao home. Learn and participate in village life and truly feel the warmth and hospitality of these incredible people. This is an unforgettable soft adventure to Sapa that should be part of everyone’s time in Vietnam, yet probably only offered by Footprint.
Itinerary in Detail:
Day 1: Hanoi - Lao Cai - Sapa, trek to Ta Phin
trek to Ta phin Sapa Lao Cai, Vietnam(The night before: 8:00 pm transfer from your hotel to the Hanoi train station for boarding at 9:15 pm. You will be in shared AC soft sleeper cabins of 4 to travel North to Lao Cai town.) Today’s Morning: The train arrives in Lao Cai at about 6:00 am where your Footprint guide will welcome you. Look for the “Footprint Travel” sign when you exit the train station. Then take a morning drive through the clouds by car / van to Sapa (about 1.5 hours). When you arrive in Sapa you will be taken to a local restaurant for a morning shower & breakfast. Then we will take short ride from Sapa to our trekking base where we start our trek through terraced rice fields and Hmong villages. Chances to meet and talk with locals working in the fields are plentiful. We will break for a picnic lunch en route then continue trekking to Ta Phin village of the Dao people (~4 hours). Your Dao host family will warmly welcome you to their traditional home where we will share in an ethnic style dinner and stay the night.
Inclusion: Transfer, guide, homestay, train ticket, entrance fee, all meals, permit
Day 2: More trekking and back to Sapa
Sapa tour, more trekking and back to SapaAt the first of gleam of daylight, you will see and hear the sounds of morning village life. You can join them in some of their activities, like feeding the animals, cleaning the houses, gardening or preparing breakfast. After breakfast, we will complete our trek on valley route to the main road (~2,5 hours) linking Lao Cai and Sapa. Alternatively, for this long trek, you can choose take a short morning wander around the village for about 1 hour, resulting in more time spent with the host family and other villagers. For both options, you will be supported by our car / van back to Sapa (30 min). When we arrive back in Sapa we will check in to the hotel, shower, and break for lunch. At 2:30 pm we will visit the gardens of beautiful Ham Rong mountain & take part in a traditional ethnic music performance put on by the ethnic minority people. Then return at your own leisure with free time to discover the secrets of this colorful town. Overnight at the hotel 2 star in Sapa town
Inclusion: Transfer, guide, hotel, breakfas, entrance fee,
Day 3: A visit Hmong village, then Lao Cai for night train to Hanoi
Sapa night train to HanoiWake up in Sapa town, breakfast at the hotel then enjoy the morning with some of your new friends that you may have met the afternoon before. You have the entire morning and lunch for free time and visiting the lively markets. At 2 pm travel by car/van to visit the Hmong village of Sin Chai to learn more about the Hmong people in an area close to the tourist path but still untouched. You will return to Sapa then and finally depart for the Lao Cai train station at 5:30 pm. The train leaves Lao Cai at 8:15 pm and arrives after a pleasant sleep to Hanoi at about 5:00 am. Please find your own way to your hotel, a taxi normally costs you a set of 50,000 dong to the hotel in the city center.
Inclusion: Transfer, guide, train ticket, breakfast,entrance fee,
Why book this tour with Footprint?
* Trek/walk on the roads less traveled,
* Homestay at the Dao’s ethnic minority,
* Attention to your personal needs before and after the trek
S.S: is used for Single Supplement: A surcharge added to the cost per person when one want to have her/his own room.
Costs are $US NET. Subject to 3% surcharge if paid by credit cards or 2% on travellers’ cheque.
Inclusion: See inclusive items listed after each day
Exclusion: Visa, Insurance, drinks, personal expenses, others not mentioned in details, tips are welcome!
What to bring: Passport, change of clothes, sun-glasses & hat, toiletries, sun-block, insect repellent, flashlights, good shoes, personal first aid kit & medicines, small VND notes for buying drinks. If you feel the need then sleeping bags, cable lock for your bags is recommended.
Notes:
* We use standard 2 star hotel, twin shared room. Upgrade is available on request.
* Homestay condition is very basic, please expect the simple things on www.Footprint.vn
* Meals: Vietnam food.
* Guide: English speaking guide (on site).
* AC soft sleeper train to Sapa, please see our FAQs on www.Footprint.vn
* Please travel responsibly: The small things you do will make a big difference!
* Time to travel: Good to travel year round but best from September to April.
Website: http://www.footprintsvietnam.com
Link to book this tour: http://www.footprintsvietnam.com/Tours/Trekking/Sapa-EasyTrek-Tour3days.htm