Ultimate Trek and Home Stay

Posted in 4 days, Sapa routes, Trekking

Have the ultimate Sapa experience with this four day trek, taking in all the regions highlights

Route: Sapa —> Cat Cat —> Ylinh Ho —> Lao Chai —> Tavan —> Giang Tachai —> Supan —> Banho —> Nam Toong —> My Son —> Thanh Phu —> Ban Ho

Distance Covered: 53 km

Grade: Medium

ITINERARY

Have the ultimate Sapa experience with this four day trek, taking in all the regions highlights.

Day 1 – 16 km: Cat Cat- Y Linh Ho

On Day 1 we will leave Sapa at 9am and trek down to Cat Cat village, taking in the stunning waterfall at the bottom of the hill. After a slight retrace of steps (but not all the way back up!) we will take a turn towards Ylinh Ho and begin a 2km walk through rice terraces. Ylinh Ho is home to the H’mong minority, and their established rice terraces are around 100 years old. Rice appeared after the French left at the turn of the century – before this the H’mong traditionally hunted animals for food. This is a perfect opportunity to immerse yourself in true H’mong culture. From Ylinh Ho we will make our way to Lao Chai, an established H’mong minority village which has been inhabited for centuries. See the product of this minority at its best with established rice terraces, homes and a vibrant community. You will be welcomed warmly by Mai and her family who run the first ever homestay owned and run by H’mong Minority in the Sapa region. TravelSapa supported Mai in setting up this homestay and we hope it’s the first of many!

Check out the photos

Day 2 – 17km: Ta Van- Giang Ta Chai- Supan- Ban Ho

When you awake on Day 2, open the window and have a look outside – weather permitting you will be treated to amazing views across the rice terraces in the valley. After breakfast you will make your way to Tavan where you will visit the Giay minority people. This tribe traditionally fished for a living and as a result established themselves close to rivers. They have mastered the art of fishing with bamboo sticks, and cook the fish in the bamboo. Nowadays however you are more likely to see the Giay working in fields planting or harvesting rice. We will continue our walk through an impressive bamboo forest to Giang Tachai, and then on to the village of Supan where you will be able to rest your legs and take in the stunning mountain scenery as we stop for a picnic lunch.

Feeling revitalized, we will hike the final 6km to Ban Ho village where will spend the night at another homestay. This building is particularly special as it sits on stilts overlooking rice terraces. Dinner is cooked on an open fire, and some local speciality rice wine will be on offer to help you wind down!

Day 3 – 16 km : Nam Toong- My Son- Thanh Phu

On Day 3 you will know when it’s time to wake up when you hear the patter of feet on bamboo heading up the stairs to the bathroom. After a filling breakfast in the homestay we will walk 3km to Nam Toong village, home to the Red Dao minority.  We will then follow a buffalo trail through sprawling rice terraces, taking in the spectacular views of Halong National Park as we make our way to My Son village. Here you can meet the Xa Pho minority, one of the smallest tribes in the Sapa area. We will spend the night in the village of Thanh Phu, where you enjoy local food and a warm bed in a Tay minority stilt house.

Day 4 – 6 km : Ban Ho- Sapa

We will start Day 4 with a filling breakfast, after which we walk from Thanh Phu back to Ban Ho by a different route, following the Muong Hoa River. It is an easy but beautiful route to wind down from the last three days, and it will give you the chance to absorb as much of the remaining scenery as possible. There will also be a chance to swim in the river if the weather is good (or even if it’s not if you are brave!). Transport will be waiting in Ban Ho to take you back to Sapa for a well deserved rest!

PRICE in USD per person

INCLUDES

Breakfast (day 2, 3, 4), Lunch (every day), dinner (day 1, 2, 3), tour guide, transport, village entrance fees

EXCLUDES:

Personal travel insurance, tips.

WHAT TO BRING:

trekking shoes, waterproof jacket, suitable clothing, mosquito repellent

Once you’ve seen our itinerary for Ultimate Trek and Home Stay in Sapa, you can make any changes you wish. We are a very flexible tailor-made tour operator and we can design tours to meet our clients’ precise requirements.

Please send email to Sapa Travel via: info@travelsapa.com for information about Sapa Tours  in Vietnam and our sample tours. Book now for getting promotion rates from First Choice.