7-Day Scenic North Vietnam Trekking
- Hanoi
- Ha Giang
- Dong Van
- Bao Lac
- Cao Bang
Embark on a captivating 7-day journey through the majestic landscapes of North Vietnam. Trek through Dong Van, navigate winding paths, and explore traditional villages, all while marveling at extraordinary natural beauty. Traverse the Nho Que River, witness the stunning Ban Gioc Waterfall, and discover the allure of the Cao Bang region. Immerse yourself in the rich tapestry of mountains, valleys, and picturesque rice terraces that define this unforgettable adventure.
- Experience the majestic landscapes with mountains, valleys, and rice field terraces.
- Trek through Dong Van, navigating winding paths, and witness extraordinary natural beauty.
- Traverse the Nho Que River, exploring magnificent landscapes.
- Explore traditional villages and picturesque landscapes.
- Marvel at the stunning beauty of Ban Gioc Waterfall and discover the allure of the Cao Bang region.
- Hanoi
- Ha Giang
- Dong Van
- Bao Lac
- Cao Bang
Day 1 Hanoi - Ha Giang
Depart for a Hanoi - Ha Giang tour early in the morning, with a photo stop to capture the grandiose landscapes, endless mountains, and hills of the northeast region.
Upon arrival in Ha Giang, the mountainous plateau in the far north of Vietnam, you'll find a 'paradise for nature and adventure enthusiasts,' as summarized by the Lonely Planet guide.
Enjoy free time to relax and explore the charming environment of your hotel. Spend the night in Ha Giang.
Day 2 Ha Giang - Quan Ba - Dong Van
Greetings to our hosts as we continue our journey to the karst plateau of Dong Van, one of the largest geological parks in Asia. Today's route follows winding roads through dizzying massifs, allowing you to immerse yourself in unique and extraordinary landscapes—countless limestone peaks stretching as far as the eye can see. This leg of the journey promises to be the most breathtaking itinerary of the trip.
Several stops are planned along the way:
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In Lung Tam, explore a Hmong women’s linen factory—an ancestral craft of the local Hmong. Discover linen production techniques, weaving, and a wide range of linen items, including clothing, bags, wallets, etc., inspired by the region's ethnic cultures.
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In Pho Cao, visit a small neighborhood of clay houses with tiled roofs, built long ago.
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In Sa Phin, explore the Vuong Chi Duc palace, a blend of Chinese and local architecture. Vuong Chinh Duc was a famous king of the Hmong tribes in this region during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Arrive in Dong Van late in the afternoon, check into the hotel, and enjoy a free evening for rest or walks in this mountainous suburb. Spend the night at the hotel
Day 3 Dong Van trekking
A day of hiking to explore the karst plateau of Dong Van, perched at an altitude of 1300 m. This expansive karst plateau, covering an area of 600 km², is among the most significant geological parks in Asia. It serves as the homeland for the Hmong, a minority ethnic group originating from the southern Himalayan lands.
Today's route takes you away from the typical tourist paths, crossing particularly vast and incredibly exciting karst rock formations. You'll descend into small valleys with steep terrain, populated by the Hmong - a minority ethnic group sustaining themselves through corn and barley cultivation, as well as cattle raising. Hmong women are renowned for their cultivation and weaving of linen, creating vibrant and distinctive clothing.
Following the Sino-Vietnamese border, you'll catch a glimpse of the Chinese territory, with the Yunnan massifs bordering the entire north of Dong Van. By day's end, make a stop at Thien Huong village nestled at the bottom of a valley. This Tays village still preserves several traditional mud houses with Ying-yang tile roofs. Along the village alley, large century-old banyan trees add to the picturesque scene.
Return to your hotel towards the end of the day. Spend the night in Dong Van.
Day 4 Dong Van – Nho Que - Meo Vac – Bao Lac
After breakfast, depart for Ngai Lau, following route 4C, which winds around the famous Ma Pi Leng Pass. In the past, the dizzying verticality of this giant limestone wall made it impassable.
From route 4C, take small zigzag paths to descend to the bottom of the pass. The route traverses countless karst peaks and valleys dotted with traditional houses of ethnic minorities. Make a stop at Ngai Lau, a charming Hmong hamlet.
Continue the walk to Ta Lang, a small pier on the Nho Que River. Board a boat for a moving excursion on the picturesque Nho Que River. Rising from Yunnan, Nho Que is a small river winding its way at the foot of the Sino-Vietnamese massifs, showcasing breathtaking vertical limestone cliffs. Its waters have an emerald green color almost all year.
Disembark and then proceed to Bao Lac, a small town located on the banks of the Gam River. Upon arrival at Khuoi Khon, a high hamlet adorned with rice terraces and populated by the black Lolo ethnic group, well-known to French-speaking viewers from the show "Rendez-vous en terre stranger" on France 2.
Check into a homestay with a Lolo family in the village. Spend the night in Khuoi Khon.
Day 5 Bao Lac- Quang Uyen
After breakfast, drive towards Quang Uyen, a small district located on the road to Cao Bang near the Chinese border. Upon arrival, embark on a walk to explore the craft villages of the Tay and Nung minorities. These villages, distinguished by traditional houses with notable Yin Yang roofs, remain relatively untouched by modern life. Visit the Phia Chang village, specializing in the manufacture of knives made from special steel, and then the Phia Thap village, specializing in incense. Few ethnic groups in the northern mountains practice various crafts like the Tays and Nung in Quang Uyen.
Settle in with a Tay family in the Incense village.
Enjoy dinner and spend the night in their stilted house.
Day 6 Quang Uyen - Ban Gioc - Cao Bang
Departure towards the easternmost part of this corner of Vietnam, bordering China, involves crossing countless hills and sugarloaves covered in lush vegetation.
Upon arrival in Trung Khanh, indulge in a visit to the splendid Ban Gioc Falls, regarded as one of the most beautiful in Asia. They are also recognized as the fourth longest falls globally (following those of Iguaçu, Niagara, and Victoria), and there are opportunities for swimming during certain times of the year.
Next, transfer to Dam Thuy to explore the magnificent Nguom Ngao cave, adorned with stalagmites and stalactites that date back several centuries.
Return to Cao Bang for the night at the hotel.
Day 7 Cao Bang - Hanoi
After breakfast, return to Hanoi by road.
Arrive in the city towards the end of the afternoon, where you can unwind with a foot massage session at a local institute.
Completing the 7-day tour exploring North Vietnam.
More tour ideas
- Accommodation for the entire circuit, in hotels or with locals
- Travel according to the program by private car
- English-speaking guide for the visits mentioned in the program
- All activities mentioned in the program, including entrance fees to tourist sites
- Economy class domestic flights with airport taxes included
- Meals mentioned in the program
- Bottle of water during guided tours (2 x 500ml/traveler/day)
- Government taxes currently in force (VAT, etc.)
- International flights from your home
- Visa fees, payable directly at the airport customs (see VISA)
- Bank fees related to payment
- Personal insurance
- Personal beverages during meals: beer, Coca-Cola, fruit juice, etc.
- Other meals not specified in the program
- SIM card and mobile plans
- Tips, personal expenses, and other services not mentioned in the "Our Included Services" section
Our Happy Customers
Mr. Pierre Pernot's family
06 MAY 2024 - Ms. Lan Duong, good morning
As promised, I'm giving you feedback on our trip in May 2024 and if I had to give you an overall rating it would be 9/10.
Let's start at the beginning the contact with your agency and yourself as well as the communication in French is excellent, your warm welcome as an experienced professional gives confidence, by your responsiveness which is maximum whether by email or WhatsApp reassures us even more, finally your formula to adapt as much as possible to the client's wishes is most pleasant, Or to simply take your tour organized according to the length of the client's stay, I discovered that the distances in the mountains are counted in hours and not in kilometers between the many bends or the fact of climbing passes it will take time.
The prices charged are competitive and in line with the services offered and given for a 21-day tour in the north (budget to be added depending on the stages, lunch or dinner which remain very affordable
Mr. Patrick and Mrs. Marie Perou
The rest of the journey went very well until Pu Long, largely thanks to Thien who quickly understood what we wanted to see (amazing hikes) and what we wanted to experience in our interactions with the minority ethnic groups. Thanks to our guide, we had many warm exchanges and shared beautiful emotions over tea, fruits, and bong gao in their humble homes. Unforgettable experiences in the villages of tiles, knives, incense, and weaving.
An opportunity for great happiness to experience the Than Minh festival proposed by Thien.
Thank you for the foot massage, which was a pure moment of relaxation... It made us want to book a full body massage upon our return from Pu Long.
We are truly delighted with our journey in the North, although we missed the good weather a bit.
A word also about our driver, who was extremely careful on the mountain roads and always provided valuable assistance with a smile for his passengers.
Looking forward to continuing towards Halong Bay tomorrow.
The adventure of traveling to Vietnam with the Kommer family
Xenia Kommer's Family Travel Diary
[29/3/24]: Tony and the driver are great! And everything we've seen and done too 😊
[1/4/24]: Hello! We are back from the boat in Halong Bay. It was very beautiful! I didn't tell you that we ate crickets last 😁 week In Tam Coc the boys played football with children from there 😉
[3/4/24]: Hello, we arrived safely in Hoi An today. Everything is great, the hotel is very nice. Yesterday the boys swam in the Hue😉 River
[5/4/24]: Hoi An diving, I don't do it but the boys love it 😃
The Alzarral family with their friends
To begin with, thank you for this wonderful trip that you organized for us. Thank you to Huan, Kien and Ms. Chau for conveying the love of their country to us. Bus drivers were also safe in this traffic.
After the discussion among all the participants in the trip, we send you these observations:
Guide: 5/5⭐
Drivers 5/5⭐
Bus:4/5⭐
Hotel: 4.9/5⭐ (slightly small breakfast room at the Sanouva Hotel in Saigon).
Choice of restaurant by guides: 5/5⭐
Transfer by plane: 5/5⭐
Choice of visits:5/5⭐
Organization of the agency: 5/5⭐
Thank you, Mrs. TRANG VU, for your warm welcome at the agency and for your willingness to organize our trip. We also thank Bao for his kindness and for the short documentary on YouTube. You can count on us to really appreciate your skills.
Thanks again for everything 😘😘
Mrs. Silvia and her husband
Greetings from Lima, guys! We just got home and we don't even feel tired! I still have the energy to keep going, haha!
Now, let's talk about the North. In February, from Hanoi to Ha Long, there is a lot of drizzle. I suggest other visitors always carry a fine raincoat when they go. Luckily, it didn't alter our plan much. We enjoyed the coffee with egg and the bun cha. Ms. Nhung knew all the perfect places to eat, without worrying about finding available places, and at good prices! I'll send you some great photos from Hanoi!
But, the most amazing thing was the experience on the Mekong! Just perfect. We loved Mr. Nguyen; He had an in-depth knowledge of the place, which made us enjoy it to the fullest. He also shared a lot of interesting things about the Vietnamese and their current and current culture, not just theory.
The hotels were ok, no complaints. This trip makes us think of Cambodia and Thailand with our friends in the future (still wishes)
I think that's enough for now. See y
Chantal & Daniel
Hello Mrs. Huyen and all her team,
We had dreamed it, we had prepared our trip with the guides, and now we are back, with the images still fresh in our minds.
Thank you and congratulations for this perfect organization, despite the fact that a flight was delayed a day at the last minute. We found our guides and drivers as planned, the guides were friendly, spoke perfect Spanish, the "busy" program was respected.
Recounting our journey could become a real novel, so we will talk about the main points. Now, worry before leaving because the guides said that we should avoid the Tet period, that for the lunar new year everything was closed, anyway what joy, flowers, decorations, events everywhere.
👉Hanoi, staying in the center, after a tour of the city, and a visit to Kampa Tour, a well-deserved siesta, we set off on foot (without a guide) through the narrow streets (thanks to the GPS to find the hotel).
👉The next day, visits to museums, great water puppet show.
👉Day 3:
The Le Boucher family
February 15-28, 2024 -
"Hello, the trip is going very well. Yesterday I grew rice. A symbol and a source of pride for me, I would even say one of the goals of this trip. Thank you"
"The work in the rice paddies is already well underway...we are lucky to see the peasants in full activity, it is really enriching to learn about your way of life. A 12km walk today was an intense moment. "
The Diego Family
January 2024
We're on the flight from Siem Reap to Bangkok. I'm writing these lines because I'm eager to share more details about the trip, in addition to praising the services (hotels, restaurants, etc.) that I mentioned during the call in Vietnam.
Visiting the Angkor Wat temple complex is worth it. When we entered, we felt like we were becoming tiny people. It was a very surprising experience. On the second day, when we arrived at the lakeside village of Kompong Khleang, the scenery isn't beautiful, but it showcases the culture of the people, which is very interesting. The tour guide in Cambodia is very good, has a good sense of humor, and is always willing to explain everything coherently. So we didn't respond to the message immediately.
The continuity between the visit to Cambodia and the conclusion of the trip in Vietnam is certainly very reasonable. The number of days for visiting is also appropriate. In addition to following our itinerary, we also made use of our free t
Mr. Sebastian Rodriguez and his friends
January 2024 - The trip went well. We had memorable experiences in Asia with your team, the guides, and even the driver. Everything went smoothly, from the weather to the services (meals, accommodations) you arranged for us. Here are more details:
The first week in Vietnam was very good. We loved the egg coffee. Vietnamese cuisine is very diverse, and it was great because we had time to try most of the typical dishes: pho, bun cha, cao lau, and banh mi. The Old Quarter of Hanoi has an ancient beauty, but it's still a bit noisy. The cyclo experience was very reasonable and helped us not get bored while going to Hoi An, also to the Old Quarter, but to explore it by bikes. Ha Long Bay is very beautiful. The cruise was excellent.
The next part of the trip was in Cambodia, where we had truly amazing moments in front of the ruins of Angkor Wat. The tour guide in Cambodia was very detailed in everything we wanted to know. A few days in Cambodia are enough.
The end of the trip was in
Mrs and Mr SCHAMP
Dec 23, 2023 - We came back enchanted from our trip to Vietnam as a couple. Vietnam is a magnificent and endearing country.
The inhabitants are very welcoming and kind. As soon as we got back, we were already looking forward to going back. This was our first trip to Asia. Thanks to Kampá Tour and above all to its highly competent team, and in particular Madame Thom Doan, we set off with great confidence, and we haven't regretted it. The organization is impeccable, the hotels are top-quality and the activities varied (visits, trekking, kayaking, cycling, etc.).
The program was heavy, but we were able to split the tour into 17 days instead of 15, to take advantage of each region.
What a pleasure it was to be accompanied in each region by a guide who spoke perfect French and knew the country very well. We were able to travel with complete peace of mind, letting ourselves be guided and driven without worrying about a thing.
The family of Mr. GEIGER
Dec 6, 2023 - What a superb trip! Complete satisfaction! Discovery of the NORTH and CENTRAL VIETNAM. A very well-organized journey by VIETNAM DISCOVERY; competence and kindness of our guide LUNA; We were warmly welcomed at the agency (beautiful structure) by Mrs. THOM DOAN. The circuit and hotel services were fully in line with the program. We return with lots of beautiful memories and stunning images in our minds. Landscapes, temples, rice fields, Hmong villages, Halong Bay, Hue, Hoi An. We wholeheartedly recommend. BERNARD
[See more]Mrs Gisele Denaes and friends
28 Octobre 2023 - Hello, we had good feedback. All my friends were satisfied with your services. I will come back to you if we decide to go back.
Thanks again. I hope to see you soon.
Gisele Denaes.
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Hello, yes, the return trip went well. We appreciated the beauty of your country, its authenticity and the kindness of the inhabitants.
Thank you for your warm welcome. Our guide Duc and the driver were excellent, very professional and very kind.
Sincerely Agnès and Gilbert STRAUCH.
The Patricia Ait family
November 13, 2023 - Our trip was simply extraordinary and wonderful. It was a lesson in life. It would not have been possible without Mrs. Duong Lan, our Vietnam découverte correspondent, who was always available and very attentive, and who proposed a personalized tour according to our needs, guiding us in our choices.
The hotels were chosen with great care, and we really appreciated the home-stay accommodations, which gave us the chance to share special moments with the families.
Our driver, Phong, young and careful, was wonderful and very kind. Our guide, Hiep, "a walking encyclopedia of Vietnam", knew northern Vietnam and its history inside out. He was very committed, a good listener and had great human qualities to match his skills.
Recognition by travel guides
Most frequently asked questions
1. Am I exempt from the visa? If not, how can I obtain it?
You will be exempt from the Vietnamese visa if you are from countries like France, Italy, Spain, Germany, and the duration of your stay does not exceed 45 days. You just need to present a valid passport upon arrival in Vietnam and a return flight ticket reservation. Here is the list of European countries exempt from the Vietnamese visa: France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway.
A visa is mandatory for those who are not mentioned above. There are three options to obtain a visa: an E-visa, issued online on the Vietnamese Immigration website; a visa on arrival; or a regular visa provided by the Vietnamese Embassy (or Consulate) in your country. We recommend choosing the E-visa or visa on arrival as they are easier to obtain and less expensive. Please contact us for more information on visa procedures.
2. What type of vehicle is planned for my trip?
3. Can I make changes to the itinerary?
4. How can I make payments on-site? Which currencies are accepted?
5. When and how is the balance of the trip paid?
6. What are the payment terms?
7. What budget should I plan for a trip to Vietnam?
- Tour: 7-Day Scenic North Vietnam Trekking
- Duration: 7 days, 6 nights
- Type: The Essentials
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