DAY 1 HANOI – SAPA

Morning pick-up from the hotel. Visit Ho Chi Minh mausoleum, his former residence and One Pillar Pagoda nearby. Visit the Temple of Literature, the first university in Vietnam. Head back to the old quarter of Hanoi to visit busy 36 streets by riding a rickshaw for an hour. Lunch is on your own.
This afternoon, enjoy the short drive to the outskirts of Hanoi to visit the Museum of Ethnology. After a brief introduction, you will have free time to explore this largest museum in Vietnam.
Head back to central Hanoi, stopping for a visit at the temple of Quan Thanh and the oldest pagoda in Vietnam - Tran Quoc. Relax by walking along Thanh Nien Street next to the famous West Lake followed by included dinner and transfer to railway station for overnight train to Sapa(D, OVERNIGHT ON THE TRAIN)

DAY 2 SAPA The train arrives at the Lao Cai train station at approximately 6:00 am. There will be a vehicle waiting to transfer us to Sapa. The drive to Sapa is only 38 km but it takes around one hours to make our way up the mountains. Once at Sapa, after checking in, we will have time to  freshen up. After breakfast we are ready to explore Sapa town. We embark on a lovely walking tour to the hill tribe villages of Cat Cat, home to the H'mong hill tribes minority peoples. As we walk to the village nestled in the valley below Sapa, we will meet some of the local minority people on their way to and from Sapa. Here we have the opportunity to share cultural experiences with the families that live in the area. Dinner at Mimoza restaurant. (B, D) (OVERNIGHT IN SAPA) DAY 3 SAPA - TAVAN HOMESTAY After breakfast we leave the hotel and start trekking. The first part is on the road but we soon turn to the right and walk on a small path down the valley to the Muong Hoa River and from here to the Black H’mong village Lao Chai. Black H’mong is one of the biggest minority groups in the Sapa area. They are proud of their culture and keep their traditions and way of living alive. They have their own language and wear traditional indigo blue clothing.

After this you continue to Ta Van village (12:00 ) to visit Zay people. Zay is a fairly small minority group of about 38.000 people who live mainly in the mountains in Northwest Vietnam. The development has meant that some of their old customs have been lost but many women still wear traditional shirts with a purple, blue or green colour. The Zay houses are built in wood and bamboo with clay floor. We stay overnight with a local family in Ta Van and have our dinner there. (B,L,D)
(OVERNIGHT IN HOMESTAY OF ZAY PEOPLE)

DAY 4 TAVAN – SAPA
We bid farewell the local family we continue to visit Red Dao people at Giang Ta Chai where we also see a waterfall. The Red Dao women have very colourful red embroideries and coins on their clothing.They wear a red scarf on their head. Some of the women have shaved off their eyebrows because of a nice Red Zao’ Legend.
We continue along small paths in the rice fields, cross the Muong Hoa River and trek up to Su pan where you will meet the jeep to transfer you back to Sapa.
Take a day room in Sapa for shower. You will have  free time for leisure and shopping and and will have time to visit Sapa town till transfer to Lao Cai station for overnight train back to Hanoi. (B)
(OVERNIGHT ON THE TRAIN)

DAY 5 HANOI
You will be picked up and transferred to your hotel for early check in. Some optional tours around Hanoi will be recommended. Your tour ends after breakfast. (B)

Note: There are 2 or 4 soft- berth cabins for choices. All berths are wooden-pannelled, air-conditioned with individual reading lights, baggage storage.