North Vietnam itinerary (Hanoi to Ba Be to Cao Bang to Ha Giang) 7 days

We will head to Ba Be Lake, known as the "Halong Bay of the mountains," crossing through Thai Nguyen province, famous for its green tea. You will encounter beautiful landscapes with tobacco fields, rice terraces surrounded by hills of tea, fruit trees, and palm trees, as well as ethnic minorities such as the Tays, Nungs, San Chi, and Then, dressed in traditional costumes.

In the afternoon, we will arrive at Ba Be National Park, characterized by a natural lake fed by three rivers and surrounded by high limestone formations and subtropical primary forest. You will stay in a Tay family homestay in Pac Ngoi, offering you the opportunity to explore the village and the lake surroundings at your leisure.

Dinner and overnight at homestay in Ba Be.

After breakfast, we will set off on a hike to Mỏ village (5km), then to Quá village where we will have lunch.

In the afternoon, we will continue our trek through the valley, a hill, and a small bamboo forest.

We will reach Cốc Tộc village on the shore of Ba Be Lake, where we will board a sampan for a cruise on the lake. During this journey, you will be amazed by the beautiful landscapes, the reflections of trees and mountains in the water, the bustling villages, encounters with fishermen and carriers, as well as the intertwined tree roots.

We will then return to our homestay.

Note: The hike will be 16 km long and will take approximately 6 hours, at an easy difficulty level.

Dinner and overnight stay with the locals in Ba Be.

At 8:30 AM, the driver and guide will take you to Khuổi Ky village in Cao Bang. The journey is picturesque, passing through several mountain passes before arriving in the vast valley where the city of Cao Bang is located in the afternoon.

Rest and overnight stay in Khuoi Ky

After breakfast, we will head to the famous Ban Gioc Waterfalls, considered the most beautiful in Northern Vietnam, facing China, with the border crossing through the middle of the largest cascade. You will have free time for lunch at a local restaurant along the way.

In the early afternoon, we will continue towards Khuổi Khon (Bảo Lạc).

We will arrive in Khuoi Khon by late afternoon.

Dinner and overnight stay in Khuoi Khon.

We will make a detour to visit the Black Lo Lo people in Khuoi Khon village, where "France 2" filmed the show "Rendez-vous en terre inconnue" with the famous rugby player Michalak.

Then, we will set out to explore one of Vietnam's highest and most impressive passes, Ma Pi Leng Pass, also known as the Horse's Nose Ridge Mountain.

This 25 km route connects the districts of Meo Vac and Dong Van, perched high in a mountain range above the Nho Que River, marking the border with China on the other side. It was nicknamed the "Happiness Road" by the Vietnamese after 11 months of work carried out by several ethnic minorities in 1965.

Overnight stay in Dong Van.

We will climb a high pass to reach "Heaven's Gate" - the entrance to the Dong Van Geological Park, characterized by karst landscapes. Then, we will visit the Palace of the H'Mong King Vương Chí Sình, unique in size and architecture, built with plateau stones and located at the bottom of the Sa Phin Valley.

We will make a stop in the town of Sủng Là, inhabited by two ethnic minorities: the H'Mong and the colorful Lo Lo. You will visit a traditional wooden and clay house, then take a walk through the H'Mong village, crossing rose and vegetable fields to the Lo Lo hamlet. Lunch will be on your own.

Next, we will head to the village of Tha, home to the Tay ethnic group. A brief walk will allow you to explore the daily life of local farmers in Thôn Tha, Phương Độ commune, Ha Giang city.

Tonight, you will stay with a local family in a guesthouse equipped with showers and hot water for an authentic experience.

Dinner and overnight stay with the locals.

After breakfast, we will hit the road back to the capital, Hanoi. Along the way, we'll make some stops to enjoy the scenery...

We'll arrive in Hanoi by late afternoon.

End of your 1 week North Vietnam !