Day 01:
HANOI – LAO CAI railway station.
Our tour
guide will pick-up you at the office of THREELAND to transfer to the
Station and take the night train to Lao Cai, the railway station
nearest to
Sapa.
Overnight on the train (No meal provided).
Day 02:
LAO CAI – SAPA. Hiking in SAPA (B/L/D)
Arrive at
Lao Cai Station at 06.00. Take a look-over at the border gate
Vietnam – China hereabout, where Lao Cai (Vietnam) is adjacent to
Hekou (China) and flows of visitors from Vietnam and China are
intermingling in the town to make a fascinating ambience. After a
breakfast of local
foods,
depart to Sapa (40km mountainous road from Lao Cai) with stopovers
en route to enjoy the scenery in the mist surrounding mountain
peaks and the green of paddy fields.
Arrive in
Sapa town at about 08.00. Leave your luggage at the hotel and hang
around with your guide to Sapa market, where you can meet the local
tribes and view their raw crafts made of wood, silver, dyed fabrics
and so on. Afternoon hike downhill 4km to Cat Cat stream and
waterfall. From the marketplace, walk down along a very nice path
passing some ruins from the French time, from where you can see the
Peak of Fansipan,
the highest peak of Indochina (3,143m) in clear days. The path leads
to the village of the H’Mong people, where you can visit their
quaint house-on-stilts and experience their routine life with waving
fabrics, dying clothes, cooking etc. Beyond the village you will
find some cascades within a bamboo forest and a few forgotten
buildings that served as the French power station during the
1920s-1930s. If you are still healthy and excited then, hike further
westward from the power station toward Fansipan Mt. through meadows
in the surroundings. Evening back to Sapa for dinner and overnight.
NOTE:
In high season, the early check-in to any hotels (before 12.00 or
sometimes 14.00) may be subject to a little surcharge not included
in the Package.
Sapa, elevation 1,650m, a
magical combination of alpine landscape, ethnic cultures, and
bracing mountain air, was found by the French in 1903 and built as
a hill station inside a beautiful valley in 1922. It’s home of
various hill-tribe communities, it’s the only place in Vietnam
that catches extremely rare snow flakes in winter, the base to
start any conquest to Fansipan, the highest peak of Indochina
(3,143m) via primitive forests and spectacular mountainsides. As
in other far mountainous towns, where the hill tribal villages
take some days to move to one another, Sapa has a weekend market,
during which the town fills up with hill tribal people selling
their wares. If you prefer to be apart from crowds of visitors who
will also gather in the marketplace in weekend, visit Sapa on
weekdays and hike to villages which are easily reached by trekking
or a short trip by car, to reach the villages and hamlets of the
colourfully-dressed H’mong, Red Zao, Dzay, Tay and Xa Pho people
and spectacular green terraced fields along the roads.
Day 03: SAPA
– More Hiking - LAO CAI – TRAIN TO HANOI (B/L/D)
From Sapa,
drive 15km northeast to Taphin, hike thru paddy fields and an old
seminary in Taphin Valley, you will reach the villages of the H’mong
and Red Zao people, who are skillful in dying and making clothes and
embroidery by traditional, old silk thread. The women’s outfits here
vary with silver-colored beads and coins, and it’s said that the
health of a woman is equal to the weight of the counts she carries.
Back to Sapa for a rest and a delicious lunch before heading south
to another remarkable area at Lao Chai (10km from Sapa) and walk
thru 3km to Tavan with visits to the villages of the tribal people
H’mong, Tay and Dzay en route. Take your car to be back to Lao Cai
Station for the train at 19.00 or 20.00. Dinner in Lao Cai. O/N on
the train.
Day 04:
ARRIVE IN
HANOI
Your
tourguide will help arranging taxi to transfer you to your
accommodation in Hanoi before saying goodbye to you at Hanoi
station. End of services.
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Official Papers |
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Valid passport |
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Airline tickets |
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Luggage |
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Small daypack for camera, water bottles, rain gear and other
trail necessities |
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Passport security pouch or belt |
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Luggage tags and locks |
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Footwear |
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Lightweight hiking boots, broken in and water resistant |
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Outerwear |
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Rain jacket, waterproof and breathable |
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Rain pants, waterproof and breathable |
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Windbreaker or synthetic sweater |
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Clothing |
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T-shirts |
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Long-sleeve shirt(s) for sun protection |
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Underwear |
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Hiking pants, quick-dry |
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Hiking shorts, quick-dry |
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Hiking and liner socks |
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Sun hat |
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Travel Accessories |
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Flashlight or headlamp with extra batteries/bulb |
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Sunglasses with cord |
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Sunscreen and lip protection (SPF 15+) |
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Insect repellent |
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Toiletry kit |
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Personal first-aid kit |
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Sleep sheet or sleeping bag liner |
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Baby Wipes |
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Hand sanitizer gel |
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Favorite energy snacks and drink mixes |
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1/2 roll of toilet paper |
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Ziploc bags to separate wet items from dry |
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Optional Accessories |
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Camera and spare batteries |
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Waterproof disposable camera |
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Small binoculars |
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Reading and writing material |
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Travel games |
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Gaiters, ankle-high (for July and August only) |
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Rain cover or trash bag to protect your daypack in the event of
rain |
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Paddling gloves |