Hanoi - Sapa - Lao Chai - Ta Van - Giang Ta Chai

06:00–06:30: Welcome at the Hanoi bus station. Board the sleeping bus and depart north toward Lao Cai and Sapa. Settle in for the journey.

07:30–11:45: Travel northwest along the expressway to Lao Cai City with one comfort break en route. Watch the Red River Delta flatlands give way to the mountainous northwest.

11:45–13:00: The bus begins its climb from Lao Cai up the winding mountain road to Sapa. Terraced hillsides and cloud-filled valleys appear through the windows — a dramatic preview of the landscape you will trek through this afternoon.

13:00: Arrive Sapa Town (1,600m) — a highland market town alive with the colourful traditional dress of H'mong, Dzao, and Tay ethnic people. Welcome drink and tour briefing with your guide.

Lunch with local Vietnamese dishes. Drop luggage at the hotel (large bags stored here while you trek — you carry only a daypack to the homestay).

14:15: Short drive to Y Linh Ho, the starting point of Day 1 trek. Begin the 9-km guided walk through the heart of the Muong Hoa Valley — along the Muong Hoa Stream, through cascading rice terrace fields, and into the Hoang Lien Son mountain landscape.

Enter Lao Chai — a Black H'mong village where your guide introduces you to the community's agricultural traditions and way of life. Continue south to Ta Van village, arriving in the late afternoon as the light turns golden on the peaks.  Trek: ~9 km · 3.5 hours

17:45: Check in at the homestay with your Dzay host family in Ta Van. Drop your daypack, meet the family, and take in the mountain sunset from the village. Help prepare dinner — a shared cooking experience with your hosts, learning traditional Dzay recipes with locally grown ingredients.

Eat together around the family table. In the evening, the village bar nearby offers music and the chance to meet other travellers from around the world.

Overnight at the homestay.

 Meals:  Lunch , Dinner

 Accommodation: Homestay in Ta Van

08:00: Breakfast prepared by your host family — a warm, home-cooked start to the day. Say goodbye to the family and begin the Day 2 trek fresh.

08:45: Continue trekking through the rice paddies surrounding Ta Van, with panoramic photo opportunities across the valley. The trail enters a bamboo forest — a strikingly different landscape from the open terraces of Day 1 — before emerging above Giang Ta Chai village: home of the Red Dzao people, recognisable by their distinctive red headdresses and intricate embroidery. Pause at the panorama viewpoint above the village before descending through Giang Ta Chai.  Trek: ~4 km · 2 hours

11:00: Trek ends at Giang Ta Chai Bridge. The bus picks up the group and returns to Sapa Town.

12:00–13:00: Freshen up with a shower at the hotel (facilities available after checkout). Lunch in Sapa. Free time to browse the market for local handicrafts, textiles, and fresh produce.

13:30: Gather at the hotel with the full group. Prepare for departure.

14:00: Board the bus for the return journey to Hanoi with two comfort breaks.

20:30–21:00: Arrive at the Hanoi bus station. Tour ends. Thank you for travelling with Halong Bay Cruises.

The tour price includes standard sleeping bus transport. Upgrade your comfort on both the outbound and return journey:

Tip: For the best sleep on the overnight leg, the single private cabin or VIP Limousine D-Car is highly recommended — especially for taller travellers or those who value personal space.

 Meals:  Breakfast , Lunch