15 Ng. 100 Đ. Nguyễn Xiển, Thanh Xuân Nam, Thanh Xuân, Hà Nội 100000
15 Ng. 100 Đ. Nguyễn Xiển, Thanh Xuân Nam, Thanh Xuân, Hà Nội 100000
.jpg "Northern Vietnam Hiking Tour 7 Day")
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.jpg "Northern Vietnam Hiking Tour 7 Day")
.jpg "Northern Vietnam Hiking Tour 7 Day")
.jpg "Northern Vietnam Hiking Tour 7 Day")
.jpg "Northern Vietnam Hiking Tour 7 Day")
.jpg "Northern Vietnam Hiking Tour 7 Day")
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Overview
Northern Vietnam Hiking Tour 7 Day Itinerary is a moderate adventure trip the Hiking Vietnam team design for small groups and active adventure travelers. The 7 day trekking tour North Vietnam focuses on natural landscape and the rich ethnic culture, traditions of Bac Ha, Hoang Su Phi, Ha Giang, and Thac Ba Lake.
Private-guided walking holidays
Hiking Vietnam specializes in tailor-making trekking and hiking vacations in Vietnam. We offer the widest selection of day walks, jungle trekking, mountain climb, trekking home-stay, camping and wild life discovery in the northern Vietnam. With a dedicated team of senior travel consultants, hiking tour specialists, experienced English-speaking tour leaders, local H’mong, Thai, Tay guides, cooks, porters we can design any trekking, hiking, walking option for any age and budget.
The itinerary above is only a sample that can be further customized to better fit your personal requirements. Just follow it or contact us for designing your own adventure.
Inclusions
Our trip cost usually includes the following services. Please bear in mind Golden Trail Travel is specialized in tailor-made trips. Trip cost vary depending on group size and other details.
Car transfers
Local tour guide. The English-Speaking guide is provided by default. Other language may be available upon request (with extra charge).
Local porter(s)
Accommodation
Meals
Sightseeing entrance fees.
Bottled water.
Exclusions
Unless required most of the following services are usually not included in our tour price.
Visa (required)
Flight/Train tickets.
Accommodation pre/post trip.
Travel insurance
Tips
Personal expenses
Itinerary disclaimer
Occasionally our tour itineraries are updated during the year to incorporate improvements stemming from past travelers’ comments and our own research. The information given in this itinerary may be slightly different to that in the service proposal. It’s very important that you print and review a final copy of your itinerary a couple of days prior to travel, in case there have been changes that affect your plans. If you have any queries, please contact us. We are here to help you!
Please note that while we operate successful trips in Vietnam throughout the year, some changes may occur in our itineraries due to inclement weather and common seasonal changes to timetables and transport routes. This can happen with little notice so please be prepared for modifications to the route. The order and timing of included activities in each location may also vary from time to time.
Difficulty levels
Our trekking tours can be classified into three levels
Easy
There are about 8 – 10K to walk on flat roads. No previous experience is necessary. Anyone in good health and fit enough to perform an occasional hike can take an easy level trek. Vietnam easy walks are provided in Hanoi, Bac Giang, Mai Chau, Ngoc Son Ngo Luong…
Moderate
There are about 10 – 15K to hike on flat and hilly roads. At this point too, no special background is required. Hikers accustomed to trekking in hilly areas of Mai Chau, Pu Luong or Lai Chau, Yen Bai successfully accomplish our treks “moderate”, provided they are in good health and to have a correct fit. These treks are moderate or easy hikes with an average duration or shorter but more difficult steps.
Difficult
There are about 16 – 23K to trek on uphill/downhill dirty, rocky trails. Physical fitness is very important for these treks and you may have to lead you home before the trek. Most treks in this level are comparable with long rides in the Fansipan mountain or the the mountainous region of Ha Giang, Cao Bang, sometimes higher altitudes. The climate and isolation can also participate in difficulty. Prior trek experience is preferable but not vital if you have confidence in your fitness.
Tour Guide
Our tour guides speak English or French. They hold a university degree in tourism and national license as a guide. If you wish to send a tour leader along with any group, he or she can fully rely on the knowledge and experience of our local guides.
Remote treks are always accompanied by a local representative to deal with permits and authorities and manage the porter team. They speak the local dialects, know the cultural traditions and give tips on suggested behavior in fragile ecological areas and tribal communities. For some itineraries, the role of tour leader and representative is combined.
When to hike
The north Vietnam experiences two distinct seasons; winter and summer. Winter is cool, dry and lasts from November to April. Temperatures range between 15 to 25°C during the day and 0 to 10°C during the night. With little rain, the winter season offers the most pleasant weather conditions for trekking in Vietnam. Read more about Vietnam weather.
Porter
During all trekking tours we may use local porters to carry your luggage as well as our trekking equipment, where required. To generate local income we employ local villagers for this task. Participants will have their own porter, carrying trekking equipment and luggage to a maximum of 15 kg per client. Travelers only have to carry their day packs. Read more how to pack
Vehicle
Depending on the nature of the tour, journeys will be accompanied by an air-conditioned car/minibus cover the larger overland sections.
Accommodation
Campsites and lodges are not common in Vietnam, instead we make use of homestays; staying the night in tribal villages along the way. Facilities are clean, but very basic. Travelers share a bamboo-slat floor, separated by curtains. Animals usually sleep under the house and restrooms and showers are often absent. Water sources are available outside. Mattresses, blankets and mosquito nets are taken care of.
Over the years Golden Trail Travel has established a number of projects to upgrade home stay accommodation into a bit more comfort. Basic facilities aside, spending the night in a tribal village and enjoying a meal with the locals brings travellers unforgettable cross-cultural experiences. In the past 15 years of organizing trekking by this way, we never received a complaint.
Food
During all treks meals will be arranged on the spot, in local restaurants and at home in local villages along the way. The meals are prepared by our cooks, the local guide or by the local host. Our cooks are well trained to prepare and serve food hygienically and they cook a variety of local delicacies. Sometimes this may include the slaughter of a chicken, duck or pig. We sometimes have the chance to bring western food, and snacks from Hanoi for breakfast and picnics along the way, and coffee and tea are available in abundance. Our cooks make a special effort to provide as much variety as possible. The porters give necessary assistance on the spot.
Drinking water
There are many shops and villages that have bottled water for sale. On remote trekking tours, we buy a sufficient supply of water for the next couple of days. We recommend bringing some water purifying tablets.
Packing
Comfortable lightweight clothing in natural fabrics such as cotton is most suitable for travelling in Vietnam. The dress code is fairly casual as in most parts of the tropics but it is advisable to cover arms and legs in the evenings against biting insects. A lightweight raincoat is a good idea in the rainy season. During the winter months warm clothing is needed for visiting the north of Vietnam. Visitors should not wear shorts, short skirts or other skimpy clothing when visiting religious buildings such as pagoda, temple, communal house and shoes should be removed before entering a private home.
What you take will naturally depend upon where you are travelling and the style of journey you are undertaking, and it can often be difficult to decide what to pack. Nevertheless, the following should act as a useful checklist of essential items worth thinking about taking.
1 medium-sized backpack.
Comfortable walking shoes with good grip
1 long (easy to dry) pants and 1 long sleeved shirt to wear during the trek (easy to dry).
1 pair of flip flop (sandals).
1 pair of shorts and T-shirt to wear at camp site (2 if you do 4-day trek).
1 medium-sized towel.
1 medium-sized dry bag.
Hiking poles/walking sticks
GPS
Responsible Tourism
We strongly believe that Responsible Tourism can support to local communities: proving incomes,positive cultural exchanges and an incentive to protect natural environment. We recognize that there is always space for improvement. We continually strive to narrow the gap between principle and practice.
Environment
We have been turning environmentally responsible tourism into practices to minimize tourist impact upon the local habitat. From biodegradable soaps to re – usable water containers, we provide clients with the best information and mean to help them identify and implement effective ways to positive protect local nature and communities. It is a vital criteria that can be passed on and abided by all, long after the trip ended.
Community
Prior to our tours, we contact and work with local community leaders to make sure we are welcome and in a manner that minimizes negative social and cultural impacts. We visit local development and community projects specific to the region, encouraging customers to donate and assist such a projects in appropriate and sustainable manner.
Where make sure that where and whenever possible our tours positively benefit the local community. We stayed at locally owned accommodation and visit cottage industries for local handicraft souvenir, generating income for local business. We often employ, hire support team such as local guide, motor-taxi drivers, cook assistants on all trips to ensure that the local community benefit not only short term but with increased employment opportunities for the future.
To begin the first day of Northern Vietnam Trekking Tour, we get transferred to the train station to take the overnight train to Lao Cai. The trains generally leave between 21 and 22h, and the train journey takes about 8 hours for 350km. We spend the night in 4-berth compartments with simple comfort …
Arrival at Lao Cai Station early this morning. Lao Cai is a border city and commercial crossroads between China and Vietnam. Shower in a mini-hotel. Breakfast and transfer to Bac Ha, stopping at Coc Ly market. Located at the edge of Chay River, the Coc Ly Market is held every Tuesday. In the early morning, small groups of various Vietnamese ethnic groups, especially the H’mong flower, in traditional dress, arrive on horseback, scooter or on foot. They bring many homemade products to the market such as maize, cassava, tea, fruit, honey, alcohol, artisanal products … The market is divided into several areas: fruits, vegetables, animals, fabrics and traditional clothing. The area where buffaloes are sold is the liveliest because, in this region, buffalo is the major force for the preparation of soil – plowing and harrowing – necessary for the transplanting of rice fields.
After visiting the market, if the water level allows, boat ride of about an hour on the Chay River before returning to Bac Ha. If the water level does not allow it, direct route to Bac Ha after the market visit. In the afternoon, have a short walk to discover the way of life of the Hmong-flowers and other ethnic groups living in Bac Ha.
At the end of the afternoon, return to the homestay. We help the family prepare the meal and learn how to prepare the famous spring rolls.
On this third day of Northern Vietnam Trekking Tour, we get transferred to Hoang Su Phi via Coc Pai: crossing from west to east of the Chay River Massif by a winding but beautiful mountain road, almost parallel to the Vietnamese-Chinese border. From Coc Pai, the journey continues along the valley of Chay River which we go upstream for about 40km to the town of Hoang Su Phi. About fifteen kilometers before reaching this village, detour in the north following a beautiful valley. The landscapes are breathtaking (except in misty days in January and February). At the end of the road, discovery of a village located at about 1000m altitude on a mountain slope overlooking the valley. It is inhabited by a few dozen families of the La Chi ethnic group. With a community of more than 10,000 people, the La Chi are a minority in the minority. Walk for 1 hour in their village and meeting with locals.
Return to Hoang Su Phi for lunch before continuing the journey of a dozen kilometers on a small road that climbs on the northwestern side of the highest mountain of the massif, whose cumulative point, Mount Kiou Leou Ti, stands at 2402 meters.
Departure for a hike uphill, mountainside, through beautiful rice terraces and villages. Panoramic views of a set of valleys and chaotic mountains before arriving in a village where we will be welcomed in a black Dao family, recognizable by their costumes and black scarves, embellished with red stripe. They live on rice terraces, breeding and cardamom cultivation. Installation in their wooden house on stilts. Free time to enjoy great landscapes, dine with the family.
After breakfast at the homestay, we continue our 7 day Trekking Tour North Vietnam with an easy hike of about 2h from the village to the meeting point with the driver. The trail on the mountainside passes like a snake through rice terraces and hamlets populated by the Dao. It goes up and down, bypasses small hills before throwing itself at the bottom of the valley cut by a river that you will pass by a suspension bridge to join the vehicle.
Journey through Hoang Su Phi area towards Ha Giang. After two passes known as “heaven gates”, descent on the basin of the river Lô. Between the two passes, a recognized and classified landscape: the rice terraces of Thong Nguyen made by the Red Dao (or Man Ta Pan). From the city of Tan Quang, go up north for 45km along the River Lo to the beautiful village of Ha Thanh. Charming, peaceful and relaxing, this village nestles at the foot of the Tay Con Linh massif. Meeting with our host and installation at the homestay. From his house, direct view of the rice fields in the middle of small rocks. Like its neighbors, our host is a farmer, living from rice growing, and fish farming. We are here in the heart of a Tay community.
At the end of the afternoon, have a short walk in the village and / or in the rice fields to the neighboring village. Rice fields, vegetable gardens, small ponds devoted to raising fish and houses on stilts surrounded by greenery … this is the landscape that forms the living environment for local residents.
In the morning, hike for 3-4 hours in the heights of the Tay Con Linh massif. From the village, walk on a shady path of palm trees with broad leaves, ascending on the northern slope of the massif. On the other side of the valley, a chain of mountains is outlined on the horizon with its magnificent karstic serrations. After 1h30 of walking, we arrive in a village populated with the Red Dao, established on the mountainside. Their rice fields, which surround the village, unfurl over the rolling hills of the mountains as on the back of a giant animal. These rice fields vary considerably with the seasons. In winter and spring, the bare crops reveal a raw soil strewn with burned straw. Between late April and late May, the flooded terraces reflect the sky. From July to October, the rice fields are adorned with all ranges of colors, green and then golden yellow.
Descent gradually down the valley. After crossing a river, continue walking on a flat path to another village Tay, a haven of peace. Discovery of the village then short transfer by vehicle to return to our homestay.
In the afternoon, meet with an artisanal producer of the most consumed drink in all villages in the northern Vietnam: rice wine. Holder of traditional secrets, he will explain, and demonstrate the entire process of production of this alcohol. We then go to another house and we talk with him, in his fields, about rice farming techniques. Initiation to agrarian works according to seasons.
Road towards Thac Ba Lake. The road winds on the slopes in a beautiful region of small rice valleys dotted with small hamlets of the Dao ethnic group to the village of Cam Nhan. Have a short walk (1 hour) in the valley of Cam Nhan. The walk begins on a path along the valley, crossing Tay hamlets of Ban Hung. Continue the journey by vehicle. Shortly after, Thac Ba Lake, the largest freshwater reservoir in the north, becomes visible. The village of Ngoi Tu, reached by a road along the eastern shore of the lake, is then about fifty km distant.
Covering an area of 23,000 ha, the artificial lake of Thac Ba reaches a depth of more than 50m and retains, depending on the season, 3 to 4 billion m3 of water. The creation of the lake (1970) flooded a vast area of hills, causing the formation of more than 1300 islands. Arrival in the early afternoon at the beautiful village of Long Dress Dao of Ngoi Tu. Installation at our homestay, then have a boat ride in the lake to the rhythm of local activities: cassava plantations, plaice fishing, lifting shrimp traps, fish farming, cattle and goat farming.
After breakfast, farewell to our guests and drive back to Hanoi. 60km before arriving in Hanoi, we stop to visit the village of Duong Lam, one of the oldest villages of the Red River Delta. This village is particularly characteristic, in its layout and its atmosphere, of the Viets culture, which represents 90% of the Vietnamese population. Lunch at local house then walk through the village to discover the Communal House and old houses. Arrival in Hanoi late afternoon. Trip end of the Northern Vietnam Hiking Tour 7 Day Itinerary.
Answer: Golden Trail Travel specializes in offering a wide range of travel packages to Vietnam and other Indochina countries such as Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Indonesia, China, and Malaysia. We offer themed tours including Classic Highlights, Cycling, Trekking, Beach Holidays, Luxury Honeymoon, Short Trips, Family, Off The Beaten Track, Multi-Country, Motorbiking, Veteran, Food, Students, Luxury, Golf, Photography, Cooking Class, Bird Watching, Indochina Cruises, Kayaking, Muslim-friendly tours, Offroad 4x4WD, Indochina MICE Travel, Cave Expedition, and Helicopter tours.
Answer: You can book a tour by contacting us directly via phone, email, or by filling out the contact form on our website. Our team of travel experts will advise and assist you in designing a suitable itinerary.
Answer: Absolutely! We understand that every traveler has unique preferences. Golden Trail Travel is happy to customize tour packages to fit your specific needs, interests, and budget.
Answer: Depending on your nationality and the destination, we may provide guidance or assistance with the necessary visa procedures. Please contact us for more detailed information.
Answer: We are committed to delivering authentic and unique travel experiences in Vietnam and Indochina. With a team of knowledgeable local experts, meticulously designed tour packages, and dedicated customer care, we ensure every trip is a memorable journey.
Answer: We will provide you with a detailed checklist of what to prepare, including information on luggage, appropriate clothing for the weather and local culture, essential personal items, and health advice.
Answer: Our cancellation policy will be clearly stated in the terms and conditions when you book a tour. Please refer to this information or contact us for specific details.
Answer: We prioritize the safety and health of our travelers. Before your trip, we will provide information and advice regarding health, travel insurance, and safety measures at the destination.
Answer: Yes, we can arrange tour guides who speak Vietnamese or other common languages (such as English, French, German, Spanish, etc.) upon your request and subject to availability. Please inform us of your language preference when booking your tour.
Answer: We highly recommend all travelers purchase comprehensive travel insurance before departure. While we do not directly provide insurance, we can advise on suitable insurance types and the importance of having coverage during your trip
Answer: We accept various payment methods, including bank transfers, credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express), and some online payment options. Detailed information on payment options and payment schedules will be provided upon confirmation of your tour booking.
Answer: Yes, we have tour options suitable for solo travelers, including group joining tours or specially designed private tours. Please contact us so we can advise on the best package for you.
Answer: We offer many family-friendly tour packages and can adjust itineraries to suit travelers of all ages, including children and seniors. We will advise on the difficulty level, travel time, and activities appropriate for each member of your family.
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Answer: We are committed to practicing responsible and sustainable tourism. We constantly strive to minimize our environmental impact, respect local cultures, and contribute positively to the communities where we operate.
Answer: Your safety is our top priority. Golden Trail Travel has a 24/7 emergency support team. We will provide emergency contact numbers and detailed instructions before your trip. Our guides and local partners are trained to handle emergency situations professionally.
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Answer: Yes. Throughout your trip, you will always have the support of your local guide, driver, and Golden Trail Travel's operation team. We will provide a 24/7 support hotline so you can contact us anytime if you have any issues or need assistance.
Answer: Each tour package has clear details on included services (e.g., accommodation, transportation, meals as per itinerary, entrance fees to attractions, tour guide) and exclusions (e.g., international flights, visas, travel insurance, drinks, tips, personal expenses). You will receive a detailed itinerary and an inclusion/exclusion list before confirming your tour booking.
Answer: Our tour group sizes can vary depending on the type of tour. For join-in tours, we try to keep the numbers small to ensure a personalized and comfortable experience. We also offer private tours for families or groups of friends upon request.
Answer: Before departure, you can contact our team of consultants via phone, email, or online chat. We are always ready to answer any questions and help you prepare best for your trip.
Answer: We are strongly committed to sustainable tourism. This is reflected in our collaboration with responsible local partners, supporting local communities, encouraging travelers to respect culture and environment, and minimizing negative impacts on destinations. Our goal is to benefit both travelers and local people.
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