Detailed Itinerary

DAY 1 : HANOI

Arrival at the Noi Bai Airport in Hanoi. Transfer to the hotel for checking.

The afternoon is devoted to walk at the Lake of the Restored Sword, a place that lies in the heart of Hanoi. Visit the Temple of the Jade Mountain, located at the shore of the lake. Take a cyclo to get around the old neighborhoods. Dinner in a local restaurant A water puppet show awaits us in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 2 : HANOI – BA BE

Departure in the morning to Bac Kan - great destinations for visitors who want to enjoy  natural beauty and golden culture in North West.great destinations for visitors who want to enjoy  natural beauty and golden culture in North West.

Lunch at Thai Nguyen. Departure to Ba Be (three lakes), nicknamed "The Halong Bay of the mountains." This is one of the hundred largest freshwater lakes in the world. Check in. Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 3 : BA BE – CAO BANG

Transfer to the port of Buoc Lom. Take a boat to visit the Ba Be Lake, nicknamed "The Halong Bay of the mountains." This is one of the hundred largest freshwater lakes in the world.

Lunch. Departure to Cao Bang. Enjoy the grand panorama offered by the northeastern mountains of Vietnam through the Gio pass, the Cao Bac pass and Tai Sin Ho. Arrival in Cao Bang. Dinner. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 4 : CAO BANG – BAN GIOC – CAO BANG

Departure to Trung Khanh. Passing the Ma Phuc pass, you can admire the magnificent natural landscape of Cao Bang. Have lunch.

Visit the Ban Gioc waterfall, one of the ten most beautiful waterfalls in the world, which is located right at the border of Vietnam and China. This waterfall offers a wonderful landscape where the greenish colour of the water contrasts with the green of the surrounding mountains.

The afternoon is dedicated to the exploration of the Nguom Ngao cave, it is situated in a limestone mountain, some parts of it are underground and some under water. Return to Cao Bang. Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 5 : CAO BANG – MEO VAC – DONG VAN

We will take the road over the Keng Pan pass, the Khao Son pass and the Long Luong pass to get to Meo Vac. Lunch in Bao Lac. Conquer the top of the Route of Happiness to discover the impressive geographic park Dong Van, one of two geographic parks in South East Asia.

Passing the peak of Ma Pi Leng, one of the four most beautiful mountain passes in Vietnam, you will have a great view over the valleys and roofs of H'Mong houses. We explore the old town of Dong Van, located in a valley in the heart of the Dong Van Plateau. Dinner. Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 6 : DONG VAN – LUNG CU – HA GIANG

In the morning we depart to the the village of Lo Lo, located in the mountains of the Dragon. We walk to the village of Sung La. The road continues to the door of heaven of Sa Phin to visit the palace of the H'Mong king, a very original and typical site in the mountainous province of Ha Giang.

Lunch. We take the Happiness Road, a legendary route starting in Ha Giang, and pass the peak of the Pac Sum mountain as the Mien river unfolds before our eyes. A stop along the way is obligatory to savor the special tea of Ha Giang, the Shan Tuyet with Bac Ha honey. Dinner. Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 7 : HA GIANG – LAO CAI – SAPA

Visit the Thon Tha village and discover the daily life of the Tay ethnicity, the second largest ethnic group in northern Vietnam. Drive to Sapa. Lunch at Pho Rang.

Arrival in Sapa in the afternoon. Check in at the hotel. Dinner. Evening stroll over the night market in Sapa. On Saturday evenings you can witness the spectacle of the Love Market, where guys and girls from different villages come to Lao Cai to meet one another and maybe find a partner. They talk, sing and play different games according to their ethnic groups’ tradition. Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 8 : SAPA– HAM RONG – CAT CAT

Ascension of the Ham Rong Mountain to the "gate of heaven," where you have a great view. Discover the orchid garden.

Lunch. In the afternoon we visit the Cat Cat village, a typical village of the H'Mong ethnicity. Discover the daily life and culture of this minority. Dinner. Free time to discover Sapa. Overnight at hotel.

DAY 9 : SAPA – DIEN BIEN

Departure to Dien Bien, passing the O Quy Ho pass, which is nicknamed the "king of the passes" of Northwest Vietnam.

Lunch in Muong Lay. We enjoy the scenic beauty of the north western mountains of Vietnam with views of the Nam Na River. Arrival in Dien Bien. Check in at the hotel. Dinner. Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 10 : DIEN BIEN – TAY TRANG – MUANG KHUA

Transfer to cross the Laotian border in Tay Trang. Visa procedures.

Enjoy the wild landscapes of the nature of the mountains of northern Laos. Arrive at Muang Khua. Check in at the hotel. Having dinner. Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 11 : MUANG KHUA – MUANG NGOI

We board a boat in the morning for a ride on the river Nam Ou. Arrival to the village of Muong Ngoi, a small remote village in north eastern Laos, only accessible by boat. Surrounded by mountains, it offers sailing to beautiful waterfalls and walks to discover the landscapes and villages of the Hmong and Khmu. Check in at the hotel. Dinner. Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 12 : MUANG NGOI – NONG KHAI – LUANG PRABANG

We continue the ride down the river Nam Ou in the morning and see the wonderful landscapes of forests of Nong Khiaw.

We continue to Luang Prabang. We have the opportunity to make a few stops on the way and find the hidden caves of Pak Ou, two consecutive caves with thousands of gold statues with lots of different shapes and sizes. In the evening we arrive in Luang Prabang. Check in at the hotel. Dinner. Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 13 : LUANG PRABANG

The morning is spent visiting the old temple of Wat Sene and Wat Xieng Thong, which means the temple of the golden city. Decorated with mosaics of inestimable value, ornate wood carvings, the Wat Xieng Thong temple is one of the stars of the city of Luang Prabang. Discover Wat Visoun, the oldest temple in Luang Prabang.

We continue with the visit of the Wat Aham and Wat Mai temple. Conquer the summit of the Phousi mountain to get a view of the city at sunset as well as the Mekong River.

Dinner. Evening stroll to the night market in Luang Prabang and we can observe how the local artisans make textiles. Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 14 : LUANG PRABANG - KUANG SI WATERFALL - LUANG PRABANG

Visit the artisanal Laotian minorities’ villages like Ban Ou, Lao Loum, Ban Thapene and Khmu.

Transfer to the Kuang Si waterfall, a must-see for everyone visiting Laos. These cascades pour down on different levels of water and form small turquoise pools below. You can bathe, swim or climb the rock where the source of the waterfall is located.

Return to Luang Prabang via the village of Ban Xang Khong, a village known for its traditional silk weaving and paper manufacturing. Enjoy the sunset at Wat Siphouthabath. Dinner. Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 15 : LUANG PRABANG – XIENG KHOUANG – PHONSAVAN

In the morning we depart to Xieng Kouang, where the famous Plain of Jars is located. We make a few stops along the way to take pictures and discover the daily life of the Laotian people.

We visit the ancient capital Muang Khoun and the surrounding traditional villages (Hmong and Thai Dam ethnicity). Arrival in Phonsavan. Check in at the hotel. Dinner. Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 16 : XIENG KHOUANG – PLAIN OF JARS – VANG VIENG

We visit the Plain of Jars which is a remarkable archaeological site in Laos with hundreds of ancient stone jars spread over a field. The mystery of this field regarding the meaning and origin of the jars are not yet fully understood.

Lunch. Road to Vang Vieng, a small village nestled on the edge of the Nam Song river. Check In at the hotel. Dinner. Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 17 : VANG VIENG – THAM JANG CAVE – VIENTIANE

We explore the exciting dug out caves and karst cliffs of Vang Vieng by boat. Visit the cave of Tham Jang, the most famous of Vang Vieng which overlooks the valley. We continue by boat to the village of Ban Huai Ngai.

Lunch. Departure in the afternoon to Vientiane. Arrival in Vientiane, capital of Laos, a city marked by the cultural mix between Laos, Thailand, China and Vietnam. Check in at the hotel. Dinner. Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 18 : VIENTIANE 

We visit Wat Sisaket, the oldest temple in Vientiane that retained its original appearance. Then we discover the temples of the ancient kingdom of Wat Prakeo, which houses the photo of the famous Emerald Buddha. We visit the Buddhist stupa Pha That Luang, the most sacred monument of the country, and the triumphal arch Patuxai.

Lunch. The afternoon is devoted to visit the Buddha Park, a collection of about 200 Buddhist and Hindu statues made of concrete. Enjoy the sunset over the Mekong River. Dinner. Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 19 : VIENTIANE

Transfer to the airport of Vientiane for the flight back.

End of excursion

The price of the tour includes:

• transfers with private air-conditioned vehicle

• accommodation at the hotels

• visits and services mentioned in the programme

• meals mentioned in the programme

• the assistance of a local guide (English speaking)

• travel insurance

The price of the tour excludes:

• personal expenses

• tips for the guide and the driver