The Northwest Viet Nam Loop
Ha Noi – Mai Chau – Moc Chau – Dien Bien Phu – Sa Pa
This immersive Northwest Vietnam loop takes you through some of the country’s most spectacular and culturally rich regions. From peaceful valleys and winding mountain passes to historic battlefields and ethnic highland villages, this journey offers a perfect balance of natural beauty, history, and authentic local life. Along the way, you will admire dramatic landscapes, explore Vietnam’s resistance history, and connect with the daily life, customs, and cultures of ethnic minority communities.
Day 1 : Ha Noi – Mai Chau
Meals: Lunch, Dinner/ Accommodation: Private room at local homestay
07.30 AM : Your private car and English-speaking tour guide will pick you up at your hotel in Hanoi. Depart for Mai Chau via Highway 6 (approx. 150 km), passing scenic countryside with rice fields, sugarcane, cassava, and orange plantations.
– Stop at Thung Khe Pass to admire stunning mountain views, take photos, and observe the daily life of the Muong ethnic people.
– Enjoy a panoramic view from Mai Chau Flag Point.
– Upon arrival, enjoy a 1.5-hour walking tour through peaceful villages, green rice fields, and traditional stilt houses. Watch local people weaving clothes and scarves.
– Drive 10 km to Mai Hich, a quiet and untouched area known as the “backyard” of Mai Chau. Check in at the homestay and enjoy lunch.
– In the afternoon, enjoy walking or biking through nearby villages (Ban Hich – Ban Den – Ban Ngoa – Sam Khoe – Ban Buoc). Admire limestone mountains, rivers, rice fields, and suspension bridges. Observe daily life as Thai villagers farm, fish, and care for buffaloes.
– Return to the traditional stilt house of your friendly Thai host for dinner and overnight.
Day 2 : Mai Chau – Moc Chau – Son La – Tuan Giao
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner/ Accommodation: Hotel in Tuan Giao
– Wake up to the fresh mountain air and peaceful rural surroundings.
– After breakfast, depart for Van Ho (approx. 40 km) along the old National Road 6, passing pristine forests and ethnic villages.
– Visit Tat Nang Waterfall, also known as the “Fairy Waterfall,” a breathtaking natural highlight cascading more than 100 meters amid lush greenery.
– Continue through the Moc Chau Plateau, famous for its cool climate, flower farms, tea plantations, and dairy farms. At over 1,050 meters above sea level, Moc Chau is home to Black Thai and H’Mong communities and is Vietnam’s most important tea-growing region.
– Lunch at a local restaurant.
– Visit Son La Prison, a significant historical site built during the French colonial period.
– Continue driving to conquer Pha Din Pass, one of Vietnam’s four legendary mountain passes. Stretching over 32 km and reaching around 1,500 meters above sea level, the pass offers breathtaking panoramic views of valleys often wrapped in clouds.
– Arrive in Tuan Giao for dinner and overnight.
Day 3 : Tuan Giao – Dien Bien Phu – Lai Chau
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner/ Accommodation: Hotel in Lai Chau
– After breakfast, drive approximately 50 km to Dien Bien Phu, one of the most important historical sites in Vietnam.
– Visit key landmarks of the Vietnamese–French War, including Dien Bien Phu Museum, A1 Hill, and De Castries’ Bunker, to gain a deeper understanding of Vietnam’s struggle for independence.
– Continue the journey through scenic mountain passes, misty ranges, local markets, and terraced valleys.
– Enjoy the peaceful countryside along the Nam Na River.
– Along the way, stop for photos and visit H’Mong and Dao villages, interact with local people, and learn more about their traditions and way of life.
– Arrive in Lai Chau, enjoy dinner, and overnight at the hotel.
Day 4 : Lai Chau – Sapa
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner / Accommodation: Homestay in Giang Ta Chai village.
– Have breakfast and check out hotel
– Visit a weekly ethnic market (depending on your travel date) to see traditional products and vibrant local trading activities.
– Drive from Lai Chau to Sapa via Tam Duong Town and over the spectacular O Quy Ho Pass (nearly 2,000 meters above sea level), Vietnam’s highest and most beautiful mountain pass.
– Along the way, enjoy views of Heaven’s Gate, the Hoang Lien Son mountain range, and Silver Waterfall.
– Lunch in Sapa town.
– Transfer to the trekking point in Sa Seng Village, home of the H’Mong people. Trek uphill along quiet, less-touristy trails, sometimes rocky, passing small Black H’Mong hamlets.
– Continue trekking to Hang Da Village, where you will enjoy expansive views of Muong Hoa Valley, especially on clear days. The trek offers stunning scenery of misty valleys, rice terraces, cornfields, forests, streams, and mountains.
– Dinner and overnight at a local homestay with cultural exchange and authentic home-cooked meals.
Day 5 : Sapa – Ha Noi
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch/ Accommodation: Not included
– Enjoy breakfast with pancakes at the homestay.
– Begin trekking from Giang Ta Chai to Hau Thao, continuing to Su Pan Village, a peaceful hilltop area with panoramic views of valleys, rivers, mountain ranges, and terraced rice fields.
– Trek downhill to Ban Den Village, home of the Tay ethnic people.
– Lunch in the village.
– Drive back to Hanoi via the Noi Bai – Lao Cai Expressway.
– Drop-off at your hotel in Hanoi. Tour ends at approximately 20:00.
Important Note
Giang Ta Chai homestay:
- Accommodation is in a large communal house on the second floor.
- Guests sleep on individual soft mattresses with blankets, pillows, and mosquito nets.
- Shared bathrooms are located a few steps from the main house and meet international standa
We are confident that this journey will leave you with unforgettable memories.
What to bring
- Sun and rain protection
- Insect repellent
- Trekking clothes
- Trekking shoes or good sandal
- Original passport
Tour Includes
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Private car with air-conditioning
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English-speaking tour guide
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Bicycle
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Overnight permits for homestays
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All entrance fees
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All meals and accommodations as stated in the itinerary
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VAT and other applicable taxes
Tour Excludes
- Personal travel insurance
- Drinks
- Tips and gratuities
Why choose this private tour?
- Complete Northwest Vietnam loop
- Nature, culture & history combined
- Authentic ethnic village experiences
- Iconic mountain passes & scenic roads
- Private tour with flexible pace
| Group size | 2 people | 3 people | 4 people up |
| Price/ per person | 590 usd | 480 usd | 415 usd |
| Type of car | 7 seats | 7 seats | 16 seats |
For solo travelers or groups of more than 8, please contact us for the best price.
