Taste of Sapa

Day 1: Hanoi

On arrival in Hanoi you are met and transferred to your hotel. You meet your tour leader here who will organise a pre-trip briefing, where you meet the other members of your group, before heading out for an optional group dinner. Until your meeting we encourage you to get out and discover the delights that Vietnam has to offer. Make sure that you take a hotel business card so that you will be able to find your way back to the hotel. Please note that your tour leader will collect your travel insurance details at the meeting, so please bring them with you. The meeting is generally followed by an optional group meal out at one of Hanoi's fantastic eating spots.

Day 2: Hanoi

Hanoi is one of Asia's most enchanting cities. This northern capital is a quiet, contradiction of its southern counterpart. Its relaxed ambience is a joy, with exploration best on foot or bicycle. The shopping is fun and the many lakes and parks provide enjoyable escapes. We take a guided half-day tour of Hanoi, visiting the major sights, including the Temple of Literature, One Pillar Pagoda, and paying homage to Vietnam's most famous revolutionary - Ho Chi Minh. We also include lunch at the KOTO café – an amazing project aimed at providing vocational training and experience in the hospitality industry for underprivileged young people. The afternoon is free but as you are heading up north, we highly recommend that you catch a taxi out to visit the excellent Museum of Ethnology, situated on the outskirts of town. We then travel on an eight-hour overnight sleeper-class train journey up towards the Chinese border in the remote north of Vietnam. Expect to encounter more basic conditions as we travel away from Hanoi. Meals included: 1 breakfast, 1 lunch

Day 3: Sapa

On arrival in Lao Cai, we transfer to a bus to the hill town of Sapa. The mountainous terrain of the Tonkinese Alps provides a stark contrast to the low-lying Red River Delta region. The road conditions are basic in this frontier region and the travel can be a little bit arduous. Sapa was founded in the early years of the 20th century as a retreat for the French administrators, when the heat of the plains became unbearable. With an altitude of over 1000 metres above sea level, there are warm days and cool evenings. As well as being inhabited by local Vietnamese, Sapa is also inhabited by the Red Dzao and Black Hmong people. We have a free day to explore this town with a visit the the villages of the Black Hmong people to get a glimpse of one of the proudest Vietnamese minorities.

Day 4: Bac Ha - overnight train

An early start departing Sapa as we again past the frontier town of Lao Cai and head for hills towards the east. We visit the lively and colourful Sunday market in Bac Ha, arguably one of the most colourful markets in the world! Here we see many ethnic minority groups, but the dominant are the aptly named Flower Hmong. All these ethnic minority tribes wear their distinct costumes and come into town to trade on this one day of the week. Returning to Lao Cai, we catch the overnight sleeper train for an eight-hour overnight journey back to Hanoi. Meals included: 1 breakfast

Day 5: Hanoi

The tour ends on arrival in Hanoi. A transfer to the airport is not included; however, the Tour Leader will be on hand to advise you as to the options available.