MU CANG CHAI – LOCAL EXPERIENCE – 4D3N (Private)

Day 1:

Hanoi – Mu Cang Chai – Free time to relax (dinner)

Your driver will pick you up at 8am at your stay in Hanoi for the 6½ hour journey to Mu Cang Chai. Your driver will stop along the way for a local lunch (excluded). On arrival it is time to check-in and relax in this beautiful part of Vietnam. Dinner will be served at the lodge early evening.

Transportation: Private transfer by car

Meals:Dinner

Accommodation: Valley View Bungalow

Guide: N/A

Day 2:

Hang Co Vua Village to Hua Khat Village – 6 km easy walk – 3,5 hours (breakfast, lunch and dinner)

After breakfast we start walking from the small Hmong village of Co Vua via small trails, following the rice fields, and through the pine forest. Enjoy the fresh, cool air while being surrounded by nature and mountains. We’ll try to find forest orchids while you can hear the birds singing and perhaps spot a squirrel or two.

After a 2-hour hike we’ll arrive at Hua Khat village, home to ethnic Hmong people where you can experience real local life and see how ‘simple’ they live. In these remote areas it is unfortunately not possible through language barriers to communicate with them but they welcome you with open arms and are very friendly to share their way of living with you.

Leaving the village, you will be completely surprised to see the valley of terraced fields, which are the mark of human impact on nature in a harmonious way. You can imagine as the space carved by the hands of the artists.

After lunch we continue to Cai Dong – La Khat Village – to enjoy the picturesque scenery of Mu Cang Chai.  The beautiful scenes and simple life of the Hmong people is the highlight of your first day. Back at the lodge it is time to relax and enjoy dinner.

Transportation: Hiking

Meals:Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Accommodation: Valley View Bungalow

Guide: Non-English speaking local tour guide

Day 3:

Exploring the hill tribe – 17 km trekking – almost 7 hours (breakfast and lunch)

After breakfast we set off to visit a Thai village. From the lodge we’ll drive to Sang Village, home to Hmong people. From here we’ll take you on local trails for a 2-hour hike. From the trail you can watch the spectacular terraced fields in the Ngoc Chien Valley. The views here are absolutely breathtaking and considered as the ideal destination for photographers and painters. We continue through the pine forest and down the valley to discover the life of Thai ethnic people. The stilts located along the stream as the symbol of Thai people from ancient times. We’ll enjoy lunch here and depending on your available time you can have some free time to go through the small streets in the village to interact with the locals.

For the afternoon we have 2 options;

1. Ride back to the lodge and prepare for a fishing trip.
2. Continue to ride to a place where you can relax in a bath with hot water completely natural. Afterwards we return to the lodge and relax while waiting for dinner.

Transportation: Hiking and transfers by car

Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Accommodation: N/A

Guide: Non-English speaking local tour guide

Day 4:

Trekking and enjoying the most beautiful rice terraces – 7 km easy walking – almost 3,5 hours – Hanoi or SaPa (breakfast and lunch)

Terraced fields in Mu Cang Chai are widely existed in Mu Cang Chai plateau and we of course take you the most impressive ones, like “La Pan Tan terraced fields”, which is the biggest and most beautiful terraced field in Mu Cang Chai.

After breakfast we set off to visit the terraced fields, which are recorded as national heritage. We will go about 12km to reach the starting point of our hike. All the beautiful things of Mu Cang Chai are waiting for you at the top, after a 1 hour climb we pass through the village of Hmong people where you will meet children playing and meet hardworking women. All will welcome you with a friendly smile and in this village, you can visit a traditional home to learn about their customs.

We continue on the trail until you see the whole terraced fields that have been recorded as national heritage. We will have lunch before we head back to the lodge to check-out and say goodbye. Your driver is ready to bring you back to your accommodation in Hanoi or Sapa where this part of your journey ends.

Transportation: Hiking and transfer by car

Meals: Breakfast and lunch

Accommodation: N/A

Guide: Non-English speaking local tour guide