7 Days Northern Vietnam Yen Bai Hidden Trekking Tour

Northern Vietnam Hidden Trekking Tours – 7 Days. The trip is designed for travelers who seek for off beaten track experiences in northeast Vietnam. The route is least visited by travelers so you’ll enjoy staying closer with local people, learning their traditions, boating the pristine lake, and staying at comfortable eco-lodges and a base camp in northern Vietnam. There’s also a heap of landscape and portrait photo opportunities along the journey.

Day 1: Hanoi – Duong Lam Village – LaVie Vu Linh (Thac Ba) ( L , D )

This morning your guide and driver will take you from your hotel in Hanoi to the northern province of Yen Bai, driving through several villages, passing by pagodas, temples, and rice fields. You’ll stop en route for a brief visit to Duong Lam village – one of the very few hamlets whose original village entrance gate remains intact, dedicated to national heroes. Visit the Communal House and the oldest house in the village which dates back to 1635. You’ll then continue driving on winding roads through beautiful majestic limestone peaks in the middle of rice fields to Yen Binh for lunch. Arrival at Yen Binh town, you’ll hop on a local motorboat for 90 minutes which takes you to Lavie Vu Linh. Upon arrival, you will be met by LaVie Vu Linh staff members who will welcome you into a traditional stilt house that overlooks the lake. For the remainder of the day, you’ll stroll around to learn about the lake and local communities nearby or just relax and enjoy the sunset. Overnight in a stilt-house of LaVie Vu Linh Ecolodge which overlooks the Thac Ba Lake. Perched on the banks of northern Vietnam’s largest lake, Thac Ba, LaVie Vu Linh ticks many of the boxes as it works across education, environment, tourism, and culture. It employs and schools a local workforce from the nearby village and helps them learn more about their own cultural identity the Dao Quan Trang ethnic culture. ,

Day 2: Explore Thac Ba Lake by boat and on foot (4 hours) ( B, L, D )

After breakfast, you’ll enjoy a sampan ride (That Ba traditional boats) for 45 min. to Ngoi Tu village of Dao people where your host will serve a cup of tea. This is a great opportunity for you to interact with one of the many Dao families of the region to learn about their living. From there you will go to one of the islets by boat and hike up a hill to enjoy a panoramic view of the lake (3 hour – walk). Alternatively, you might consider enjoying a gentle hike deep in the local countryside with the second stop in another family house. You’ll return to Lavie Vu Linh for lunch or your lunch can be served by a local family. In the afternoon, you’ll drive to the Green Vietnam Eco Lodge. Upon arrival, you will be received by your hosts and get a briefing on the Green Vietnam organic agriculture project. Enjoy a welcome drink. The remainder of the day will be your own. Dinner and overnight at the Green Vietnam Lodge.

Day 3: Green Vietnam Lodge – Full Day Trekking Tour ( B, L, D )

Today you will enjoy a full day trekking to the Cham Chu Nature Reserve, which is the center of Mount Cham Chu, at 1,587 m, the highest mountain in Tuyen Quang province. This is one of the few areas where the highly endangered Tonkin Snub-nosed Monkey has been spotted. There are only about 200 of these monkeys left in the wild. After breakfast, you will drive to Cham Chu Mountain. You will trek through the forest up the mountain. Enjoy Vietnamese picnic lunch at a waterfall before trekking down the mountain where your car will bring you back to the lodge. Overnight in a stilt-house or at a bungalow of Green Vietnam Lodge.

Day 4: Green Vietnam Lodge – Pan Hou (Hoang Su Phi, Ha Giang) ( B, L, D )

A free morning to enjoy at the Lodge or wander around as your wish. After lunch, you’ll drive to the mountainous and remote district of Hoang Su Phi in the west of Ha Giang. Upon arrival, you’ll check-in at your base camp. The remainder of the day will be your own. Meals: B/L/D Overnight in a bungalow at Pan Hou village Ecolodge Pan Hou Village is located in Hoang Su Phi District in Ha Giang. The eco-friendly hotel uses solar-powered hot water systems and fans. Free Wi-Fi is available. Rooms at Pan Hou Ecolodge are made from bamboo and are surrounded by ponds and vegetable gardens. Each room comes with a private balcony and seating area. Ecolodge Village is surrounded by mountain jungles and running rivers, with many interesting ethnic minorities living in the area. Guests can arrange hiking tours with a local guide to explore these areas and feel closer to nature.

Day 5: Pan Hou Village Trek & Homestay (~15km) ( B, L, D )

This morning you’ll start your trek from Pan Hou to Nam Hong village, home of the Long Skirt Dao people with lunch at one of the local families which overlook the scenic valley. From there, you’ll continue your route through forest and tea gardens to Phin Ho village of Dao where you’ll have dinner and stay the night with a local family. If time permits, the host will show you their tea garden and explain the process of growing, harvesting, and drying the green tea. Overnight in a local family.

Day 6: Back to Pan Hou (~8km) ( B, L, D )

After breakfast, you’ll trek back to Pan Hou following different scenic routes, passing villages, forests, and stream en route. You’ll visit a Black Tay village before looping back to Pan Hou for a late lunch. Your afternoon is at leisure. You might consider a medicine herbs bath. A bathhouse is a place of healing as well as welfare where traditional massages are also offered. Overnight in a bungalow at Pan Hou village.

Day 7: Pan Hou – Hanoi ( B, L  )

After breakfast, you’ll return to Hanoi with lunch en-route, arriving in the afternoon. End of services.