Though Hoang Lien National Park to Ban Ho valley, ref: T7B (7 days)

Though Hoang Lien National Park to Ban Ho valley, ref: T7B
(7 days)

Sapa – Y Linh Ho – Tavan – Seomity – Ta Trung Ho – Muong Bo – Sin Chai B – Nam Sai

Highlights:

On this trip you have an opportunity to explore one of the most beautiful parts in Sapa area, which is under protection of Hoang Lien National Park. The night you spend in campsite nearby a river will be memorial moments along the trek. You will also be able to meet several different minorities, which cannot be found in other areas of Sapa, such as Giay in Muong Hoa valley, Tay and Xa Pho in Ban Ho valley. Both valleys are beautiful with mountainous surrounding and rice paddy terraces.

Itinerary:

Day 1: Sapa - Cat Cat - Y Linh Ho – Tavan (-, L, D)

Met up at your hotel in Sapa by local guide and start your trek through the market and leave the busy town behind. After a couple  of  minutes, you follow a road going  downhill to  Cat  Cat village. You  will  stop  by  a  waterfall and a  hydroelectric  station  for a while  before you  trek  on a  dirt trail through rice paddy terraces. You also will enjoy spectacular scenery while walking along a narrow river. You eventually arrive in Y Linh Ho village of Black Hmong minority, where you can take a rest while you are served lunch nearby the river.

After lunch, you head Muong Hoa valley.  You will pass through  Lao  Chai  village  of  Black Hmong minority and then Tavan village of Giay minority by following a very popular trekking route.  You will spend the night in local house of Giay minority. You will be able to take a walk to enjoy the valley view as well as swim in the river nearby.

Approx: 5 hours walking/ 1-hour lunch.

Day 2: Tavan - Seomity (B, L, D)

After having breakfast, you start today’s trek, which is mostly uphill until lunchtime. Whenever you stop for a rest, you will be able to enjoy valley view. Before noon, you stop again at a nice spot for lunch. The trek will be softer in the afternoon. But the scenery becomes even more beautiful. You pass by Seomity village of Black Hmong minority before you arrive in a campsite, which locates nearby a river outside the village. While porters put up tents and cook dinner, you can take a walk to stretch the legs.

Approx: 4 hours walking/ 1 hour lunch

Day 3: Seomity – Den Thang - Ta Trung Ho (B, L, D)

The trek today takes you through beautiful rice paddies and over old suspension bridges. You will trek on small trail sneaking through rainforest. You arrive in Den Thang village of Black Hmong by noon. Here you stop for lunch either nearby a river or in a local school according to the weather.

After lunch, the trek will becomes tough on tinny footpath going up and down, which requires a lot of concentration. You will reach to Ta  Trung Ho village of Red Dao minority where you spend the night in local house. Both the valley and the village have just received foreign visitors. The night will be even more interesting when you are in the wonderful hospitable atmosphere of the Red Dao.

Approx: 6 hours walking, 1-hour lunch

Day 4: Ta Trung Ho - Nam Toong – My Son – Muong Bo (B, L, D)

You are now at the fringe of the rain forest by the Hoang Lien Son mountain range. Fansipan, the highest peak in Indochina with its 3143 m, is located in this mountain range. You will start the trek today by ascending to Nam Toong village of Red Dao minority. Here y our lunch will be prepared in a local school.

After lunchtime, you descend to the valley where locates My Son village of Xa Pho minority, one of the smallest groups ethnic in Northern Vietnam. From  there  you  take  a  short  walk  to  Muong  Bo village of  Tay minority. Here you spend the night in traditional house of the Tay.  You can take a walk to explore local daily life while your dinner will be served with Vietnamese dishes.

Approx: 7 hours walking/ 1-hour lunch

Day 5: Muong Bo - Nam Cum – Sin Chai (B, L, D)

Today’s trek will be relatively short and soft. Once leaving Muong Bo, you follow the trekking route built in the bottom of the valley, which offers the best view to the surrounding mountains. You stop at a nice spot for lunch.

After lunchtime, you continue the walk toward Sin Chai village of Red Dao minority where the night will be spent in a bamboo hut in the village.

Approx: 3 hours walking/ 1-hour lunch

Day 6: Sin Chai – Nam Nhiu – Nam Than – Nam Sai (B, L, D)

Breakfast and leave Sin Chai B at about 08.00 am. Today’s adventure will take us through a number of small ethnic minority villages (including Red Dao, Tay,  Xafo and Black H’mong). This portion of the trek offers stunning view of Nam Sai and Nam Cang Valleys as well as chances to understand life of tribal peoples in remote land. We will see people from the local communities carrying out their daily activities as it is in the northern highlands. Our trek will take us to our home stay for tonight in the Tay village - Nam Sai. Check in home-stay, having a short rest and enjoy an easy walk to explore this charming and quiet village.

Approx: 5 hours walking/ 1-hour lunch

Day 7: Nam Sai – Nam Sang – Thanh Phu bridge – Sapa (B, L, -)

Following breakfast we will leave Nam Sai behind us and start to ascend to Nam Sang village of the Xa Pho people through Nam Sai valley. Paying visiting to local homes here for interesting discovery of the unique way of living. The Xa Pho is a sub group of the Phu La ethnic whose population is just about  4,000  in  Vietnam  and  still  live  a  primary  way.  Then following the trails sneaking through mountains heading to Thanh Phu. Once you get to Thanh Phu bridge, you start your journey back to Sapa by car.

Approx: 1-hour driving/ 5 hours walking/ 1-hour lunch

Note:   The trek is sometimes hard. The itinerary can be changed due to high water level in the river between Seomity and Ta Trung Ho. There will be no toilet facilities in the National Park area. Toilet tent will be provided.

Cost in US$ per person in the party of (valid 30 Sep '11)	Through Hoang Lien National Park to Lao Cai Ref. T7B
1 pax	510
2 pax	384
3 pax	336
4 pax	319
5-8 pax	291
9-12 pax	280
13-16 pax	267

 INCLUDING:
• Transportation in private air-conditioned vehicle with driver
• Accommodation in homestay
• Meal as mentioned: B = breakfast, L = lunch, D = dinner
• English or French speaking guide
• Entrance fee to indicated sights

EXCLUDING: Other meals, tip, drinks, single room, personal expenses, insurance...