Trekking & conquering Mount Fansipan Sapa

Conquer the “Roof of Indochina”- Fansipan recognized as the highest mountain in Vietnam with the height of 3.143 m. It was named in the local ethnic minority language “Hua Xi Pan” and means that a huge protruding rock. This is wonderful to enjoy the feeling of standing at the top of the highest peak of Hoang Lien Son Mountain range. Get off the beaten track to dig out the hidden gems of the Northern mountains. Also, discover Sapa and learn about the significant lives of the ethnic minorities living in the hills or be enchanted by the tranquil water in iconic Halong bay.

Day 01: Hanoi Arrival (D)
Day 02: Hanoi City – Lao Cai (B.L.D) by train
Day 03: Lao Cai – Sapa – Fansipan (B.L.D)
Day 04: Fansipan (B.L.D)
Day 05: Fansipan (B.L.D)
Day 06: Fansipan – Sapa – Lao Cai – Hanoi (B.L) by train
Day 07: Hanoi – Halong – Kayaking (B.L.D)
Day 08: Kayaking – Cruise – Overnight on the junk (B.L.D)
Day 09: Kayaking – Cruise – Overnight on the junk (B.L.D)
Day 10: Kayaking – Cruise – Hanoi – Departure (B.L)

Day 01: Hanoi Arrival
Arrive at Noi Bai airport, welcomed and transferred to hotel. Free to discover Hanoi charming. Have your own dinner and stay overnight in Hanoi.

Day 02: Hanoi City – Lao Cai by train
After breakfast at hotel. Discover Vietnam’s capital, including Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum and traditional stilt house, the revered One Pillar Pagoda and visit Vietnam’s first university, the thousand year old Temple of Literature. Then, visit the typical Vietnamese places of worship, QuanThanh temple and Tran Quoc pagoda, along the shore of West Lake. Have Lunch at local restaurant. Then, visit Ethnology Museum and enjoy the rickshaw ride to discover Hanoi old quarter. In the evening, You will take part in the water puppet show. Have dinner at local restaurant and transfer to Hanoi railway station for night train to Lao Cai and stay overnight on the train.

Day 03: Lao Cai – Sapa – Fansipan
Arrive in Lao Cai in the early morning, you will be picked up  and transferred to Sapa for breakfast. We start to move out and the Hmong porter, pick up our baggage and go with the cook. From our altitude of 1500m. While passing the Hmong village of Cat Cat, you can see pigs scuffling around freely among the wooden houses. In the bottom of the valley (1200m) we pass the river of Y Linh Ho, carefully keep our balance on the fragile bamboo bridge. We start to go long upward and later of the day we may experience the rainforest, which soften your steps and block our view for a while. Before nightfall, we pick up a spot in the jungle and camp in 2200m altitude. Enjoy the nocturnal sounds of the forest is a perfect background for the smell of good evening meal, being prepared by the cook. Have dinner and stay overnight at the camping in Fansipan.

Day 04: Fansipan
We start out very slowly with a minor descend, before we again move upwards. If we are lucky, we might see some of the giant butterflies living around here, reaching a size of 25cm. Now have a magnificent view down through the Sapa’s long valley over the area we just have passed, to the mountain range on the other side. At an altitude of 2400m, the porters put up our camp for the next 02 nights. There is a fine view from here, and this will be our base camp, from this place, we are going to start the final higher altitude in the next morning. Have dinner and stay overnight at the camping in Fansipan.

Day 05: Fansipan
After an early breakfast, we set out for the final altitude. A few steep stretches must be passed, but nothing insurmountable, and at the lunchtime, we reach the summit at 3143m. Now we are standing at the highest point of Viet Nam (The north and south are borderred with China and Lao respectively). It is time for a good long break, before we return to our base camp at 2400m. Have dinner and stay overnight at the camping in Fansipan.

Day 06: Fansipan – Sapa – Lao Cai – Hanoi by train
We enjoy our morning-coffee and the sounds of nature, while the porter take down the camp and move ahead down the mountain. Trekking back down across well-known country. Have a fast move; we will reach Sapa again. It is time for a hot shower, a cold drink, and transfer to Lao Cai and stay overnight on the night train back to Hanoi.

Day 07: Hanoi – Ha Long – Kayaking

Arrive in Hanoi in the early morning. Picked up at your hotel from 8h00 for 3.5 hour coach ride through the country side of the Red River Delta to Ha Long City. Upon arrival, aboard a traditional wooden junk, fresh seafood lunch (vegetarian menu available) would be served while the boat is gliding out.
Pm : A short tender ride from your boat in the middle of the bay to an island for the famous Surprising (Sung Sot) Cave, followed by another island visit (Titop Island) and swimming on its sandy beach. As the sun sets over the anchorage area, it is your own time to lean back on our well designed deck with your favorite drink. Dinner will be served with typically local seafood. Stay Overnight on boat.

Day 08: Kayaking – Cruise – Overnight on the junk
Am: Rise up for a breath taking on sundeck, be ready with your camera for a stunning vista in the serene bay. After breakfast, a kayaking support boat will take you further to the Southern end of Halong bay to anchor in the tranquil beauty of Lan Ha, away from the overcrowded water area. Learn some basic paddling techniques, and then make your own strokes and private beaches hopping.
Pm: Have lunch (BBQ lunch on beach basing on the tide’s time) and swim at a private beach. More kayaking for more deserted lagoons and exploring quiet floating village. Then goes a perfect time to take in the views in the cool of the afternoon as the last rays of the sun cast reflections over this beautiful area. You would be back on the junk at the end of the afternoon. Have dinner and stay overnight on boat.

Day 09: Kayaking – Cruise – kayaking – Cat Ba
Am : Take morning breath in the serene Heritage Site then have breakfast before leaving the junk for an active day on another site of the bay. A local support boat will take us to a sleepy water area of Cat Ba National Park, where you grab the paddle and make your own strokes to discover parts of Lan Ha Bay. It is your time to go exploring labyrinth of limestone cliffs that rise out of the sea, paddle through floating houses and deserted lagoons and wild sandy beaches from our sleek ocean kayaks.
Pm : Have lunch (BBQ lunch on beach basing on the tide’s time) on boat, relax and swim in your private beach. More kayaking to other parts of the bay, from now on you are pro kayakers. See other amazing limestone karts formations from the water in the ways that many people can only imagine!
When you get tired, leave your kayaks behind to take a boat to Cat Ba Island. We then drive you to Cat Ba Eco Lodge, an ideal jungle lodge that compliments the local culture, perfectly in tune with the surrounding environment.

Day 10: Cat Ba – Departure
Am : After your breakfast, options are available:
o Relax and do some reading at the lodge
o Rent a motorbike (at your expense) from the lodge and drive to see the town
o Stick to our original itinerary: be guided to hike Cat Ba National Park (2 hours hiking) after a short coach ride from the lodge. Physical reward and magnificent view!
Pm: We take a hydrofoil boat ride from Cai Vieng Pier to Hai Phong City, and then 2 more hours drive back to Hanoi. Transfer directly to Noi Bai airport for the departure. End of service.