Vietnam Northwest 4 WD Tour

In the morning, from your hotel, our guide and driver will take you to Mai Chau (Hoa Binh Province) along the highway 6 about 135km. This area is the northwest highland which offers tourists a balance of cultural interest and physical activities, as well as some of northern Vietnam's most stunning scenery. Mai Chau is a small town with many different ethnic minority groups living here such as the White Thai, H'mong, DZao, Muong, Tay, Hoa and Viet. The local people here are very warm and welcoming, as well as famous for their handicrafts and their skills in embroidering clothes. Along the way you will stop at Thung Khe pass to enjoy the scenic landscape, and see a Muong tribe. After have lunch in Mai Chau and freshen up, you spend the afternoon trekking off the typical tourist track, along the Ma River. Trekking through terraced rice paddies and small ethnic villages, you will discover the natural beauty of the valley and get more knowledge about the culture of the White Thai people, as well as their life style. In the evening you will have dinner with a local family in a Thai Village and enjoying a home stay in their house.

After breakfast at the home stay you will leave Mai Chau and drive north to visit Son La. Along the way you can explore the stunning sceneries and take the fascinating photos as well as visit to the minority villages of the H'mong and Black Thai. Spend time to enjoy lunch at a local restaurant en route. Your next stop is Moc Chau plateau, the greatest valuable tourism resource of Son La and the Northwestern Vietnam. This is a chance for you to visit a tea plantation for discovering the best Vietnam's tea growing region along the roads and on the hillsides. Upon arrival in Son La City in the afternoon, do the check in procedure and spend time to relax. Then have dinner before an overnight stay in Son La.

Spend this morning to travel on more winding and stunning roads, longer passes and discover more colorful minority groups in Son La. This is another chance for you to take more amazing photos and visit the villagers to learn more about their rich cultures and daily life. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant and then drive to visit Dien Bien Phu. Along the way you will travel through the impressive Pha Din pass, the highlight of this day. With 32 km length on the high way 6, Pha Din pass located on 1,000 meter or 3280 feet above the sea level and is one of four largest pass of Vietnam. According to local legend, Pha Din means the connection between Heaven and Earth. On this trip you will get an unforgettable experience when climbing and descending the slopes with the many bends and deep gorges. You will reach Dien Bien Phu in early afternoon and spend the rest of the day visiting the historical site of the Vietnamese - French war, Dien Bien Phu Museum and A1 Hill. Enjoy dinner and then stay overnight in Dien Bien Phu.

Have breakfast and spend free time to discover at your leisure before starting another spectacular driving to Lai Chau. Belong the way passing the stunning gorges you will have an opportunity to enjoy the peaceful countryside along the Nam Na River. Stop en route to visit the H'mong and Dzao villages, communicate with honest locals and understand more about their culture. You will reach Lai Chau in early afternoon and spend time to enjoy lunch. Then is your free time for you to enjoy Lai Chau or just relax before having dinner. Finally stay overnight in Lai Chau.

Today you will leave Lai Chau and drive about 25 miles to visit Sapa town in Lao Cai province. This trip will give you the memorable time to enjoy the magnificent scenery of the surrounding fertile valley, pristine rivers and high mountains. You will have an amazing chance to go up the highest pass in Vietnam, the Chin Co pass and Tram Son pass, as well as have view to Fansipan Peak - the Vietnam's highest peak and the roof of Indochina with 3143 m height from the sea level. Beside you can enjoy the beautiful areas of Heaven's Gate and Silver Waterfall en route. Sapa is one of the highlights of the North Vietnam, which is nested in the spectacular valley near the border of China. Famous for its beautiful trekking routes, stunning rice terrace, colorful minority groups and the back drop of mountain Fansipan, Sapa is known as a paradise for trekkers. Upon arrival Sapa in the afternoon, you will have free time to enjoy Sapa at leisure before dinner. Stay an overnight in Sapa.
Please note: The colorful Sunday market in Tam Duong is very interesting to see, with lots of colorful ethnic minorities. Today we will visit the Fair market en route. (Twice a week on Thu and Sun).

Have breakfast at your hotel and then spend all day for a great trekking tour downhill to Muong Hoa valley and enjoy the most beautiful trekking route in Vietnam. You will take part in a five hours trekking tour on the dirt path away from tourist tracks, through pine forest, terraces and Hmong villages. Chance to learn about local life and educated by a visit to the village school and spend time to enjoy lunch. In the afternoon, you will hike through the village of DZay people and head to an end of the hike today. Finally, the driver will pick you up at Ta Van Bridge for the drive back to Sapa. It's time for you to relax in the hotel area and have dinner on your own before an overnight stay in Sapa.

Having an early breakfast at your hotel and then you will leave Sapa to join in a long and spectacular drive to Hanoi. Spend time to stop en route for relax and have view of stunning landscapes. Along the way you can see how the views quickly changed from mountainous into the flat plains of the Red River Delta. Finally back to Hanoi in the late afternoon.
(*) For a supplement, you can take the night train from the town of Lao Cai to Hanoi for a more comfortable journey.