Day 1: Arrive Hanoi.
Upon arrival at Hanoi airport your guide will accompany you to your hotel and assist with your check-in procedures. Whilst there are no activities planned for today, your guide will be on hand to offer any advice and assistance regarding your free time, and this evening will take you out to dinner at one of Hanoi’s superb restaurants.

Day 2: Hanoi City Tour.
Today we have a tour of the city’s highlights including the Temple of Literature, site of Vietnam’s first university, dating back to the 11th century. The temple is dedicated to one of the world’s most famous scholars, Confucius. Inside the temple grounds huge stone stele rest on the backs of even larger stone turtles (in Vietnamese culture the turtle represents longevity). The stele recorded the names of the successful candidates who would later go on to become mandarins in the Emperor’s court. We also visit The Ngoc Son Temple on Hoan Kiem Lake and the vibrant Old Quarter. The Old Quarter’s bustling streets are home to hundreds of small thriving businesses, each one identified by its name, such as Tin Street or Fish Street. Following lunch we visit the Museum of Ethnology, dedicated to the country’s 54 ethnic minorities. This is a must for us as tomorrow we embark on a trek into the homeland of several minority peoples. The remainder of the day is free.

Day 3: Hanoi – Ba Be National Park.
With an early departure from Hanoi we journey towards Ba Be Lake. The drive of 270 km takes approximately seven hours as we travel through the flat lands of the Red River Delta and up into the mountain areas north of the capital. The further north we progress, the more picturesque the scenery becomes. Our scheduled lunch stop will be at Bac Can town. From here it is only around 2½ hours to our destination. Arriving in Ba Be town by mid to late afternoon we will check into our guesthouse and then head out for a bit of an exploration before sunset.

Day 4: Ba Be Lake.
After breakfast we board our private boat for a cruise on the lake. Weather permitting you will have the opportunity for a swim in the crystal clear waters before having lunch on board. Following lunch we will work off our feast with a three-hour trek to a Dzao village. Here we will see firsthand how life in these remote areas has remained unchanged. Arriving back at the jetty we transfer back to our hotel. Tonight we spend our second night in Ba Be.

Day 5: Ba Be Lake – Cao Bang.
This morning we take to the road again for the 90km drive (2.5 hours) to Cao Bang. Here the H’mong, Zao, Tho and Nung ethnic minority people live together in harmony. We will arrive at Cao Bang slightly before lunchtime and spend a little time learning more about the people and their culture. This afternoon we take a short 1 hour drive to visit a traditional smith village befor returning to Cao Bang.

Day 6: Cao Bang Trekking.
This morning we enjoy breakfast before departing Cao Bang for the 1½ hour drive to Pac Po, the hideout used by Ho Chi Minh when he came back to Vietnam after 30 years of self imposed exile. It was here that he organized his resistance army against the French. We embark on an 8-day trek covering a distance of over 140km through mountainous rain forest. We will be sleeping and eating in villages of various ethnic minorities and generally living as the locals do. Some of the hiking is quite arduous as we follow ill-defined buffalo paths and trails. There will also be some steep climbs over the mountain ranges. We will be rewarded with some beautiful scenery that the majority of travellers to Vietnam never get the chance to experience. As we trek we will witness the hardships and joys of people whose way of life has been virtually untouched by modern times and despite their extreme poverty, the people we meet are some of the friendliest and hospitable in Vietnam. Please note that to respect the traditional customs of local hill tribe people, men and women are not allowed to share the same bed, even if you are married, when we are at the home stays. From Pac Po we trek 12 km to Nam Nhung village inhabited by the Nung minority people.

Day 7: Cao Bang Trekking.
Today is our first day of full trekking and we will cover 20 km. Most of the walking is along dirt roads, passing many villages of Tay and Nung people along the way. After approximately 3 hours we arrive at our accommodation for this evening at Tong Cot village. There are few vehicles here and most travel as we do, by foot!

Day 8: Cao Bang Trekking.
The terrain today is very similar to yesterday, following dirt roads and passing many villages of different minority groups, a great opportunity to experience the different cultures living in the area. Na Ma village, our home for the evening, is one of the smallest villages in the North of Vietnam and consists of only two families.

Day 9 & Day 10: Cao Bang Trekking.
Day 9 is the longest day of the trek at 26km, however the terrain is not too arduous and the scenery is diverse. Day 10 we have a 30 minute drive in our support vehicle before we continue trekking to Tha Meng Village. Once we arrive at Tha meng Village we can cool down and refresh our bodies by swimming in the nearby river.

Day 11: Cao Bang Trekking.
Today we continue our trek along a river to Ta Lung, a small border town. We expect to arrive by early afternoon.

Day 12: Cao Bang Trekking.
Today is more challenging than the previous trekking days as the terrain becomes more undulating with some steep sections. Our trail winds through primary forest and is a beautiful part of Northern Vietnam. This is where your pre-trip training comes in handy. This afternoon we have a well deserved rest at La village.

Day 13: Cao Bang – Lang Son – Hanoi.
The trek concludes today as we bid farewell to our porters and camp crew. From here we drive to the border-trading city of Lang Son. We enjoy lunch and a visit to the local markets at Lang Son before our afternoon drive back to Hanoi. On arrival we can freshen up at our hotel before embarking for a celebratory meal at a Hanoi restaurant. Overnight in Hanoi hotel.

Day 14: Hanoi.
Today is free for further exploration of this fascinating city and to do some last minute shopping.

Day 15: Departure.
Group arrangements conclude after breakfast. If you are departing Vietnam today, a transfer will be provided to the airport

HOTELS
Homestay
Economy 2*+ Hotels
Superior 3* Hotels
First Class 4* Hotels
Deluxe 5* Hotels
Luxury 5*++ Hotels

Notes:
*All prices are based on per adult, in Double/Twin sharing
Surcharge will be applied for single traveler or single room request

Important Notes:
HOTELS, PROGRAMS & SCHEDULES SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE

GUIDE/LEADER:
English speaking guide. French , Germany , Spanish, Italian, Russian  speaking guide can be arranged with on request.

What’s included
English speaking Trekking guide ( other languages upon requests)
Accommodations are based on double/ twin occupancy
Private Eco homestay village based on size of group
Meals details in itineraries ( 13 breakfast, 14lunches,  13 dinners)
Van or bus transfer And  supported and carry luggage to homestay each day.
Sightseeing excursions as outlined itineraries
First aid kit
Cold water box, small fresh towel.
Mineral water for drinking
Permission paper entrance to visit frontier region or restricted areas
Support crew to supply picnic lunches and water on trekking day, prepare breakfast, lunch and dinner in trekking.  
Local trekking guide  
  
What is not included
International airfare
Travel insurance
Items of personal nature
Alcoholic beverages and soft drinks in meals
Mineral water beyond that supplied
Optional excursions
Additional transport required due to any emergency situation
Personal expenses such as telephone, laundry bills.
Visa fee    
Departure  tax
Tip for team and guide

The following brings are essential suggested for trekking days only:

Backpack specialized for trekking.
Trekking shoes (extra light sandal suggested).
Light and comfortable trousers (02 pcs)
Cotton long sleeve: (01pc for each day)
Long socks (01 pair for each day)
Water proof jacket: 01    
Pullover: 01
Coat to keep warm at night and waypoint: 01
Durable flash light.
Hat, Sun glasses and other manddatory
Camera (compact camera is suggested)