“Mountains, Rivers & Waterfalls: A Scenic Journey Through Northern Vietnam”
Overview
This 8-day, 7-night journey takes you deep into the heart of Northern Vietnam, combining vibrant city life, rich cultural heritage, and some of the country’s most breathtaking natural landscapes. Your adventure begins in Hanoi, where the charm of the Old Quarter, colonial architecture, and world-famous street food set the tone for an immersive cultural experience. From here, travel դեպի the misty mountains of Sapa, home to spectacular terraced rice fields and diverse ethnic minority communities. Enjoy light trekking through traditional villages, gaining insight into the daily lives and customs of the local H’mong and Dzay people. The journey continues into the remote and awe-inspiring region of Ha Giang, known for its dramatic limestone karst landscapes and winding mountain passes. Explore highlights of the famous Ha Giang Loop, including panoramic viewpoints, traditional villages, and historic landmarks such as the Hmong King’s Palace and Lung Cu Flag Tower—the northernmost point of Vietnam. One of the most memorable experiences awaits at the legendary Ma Pi Leng Pass, where towering cliffs overlook the emerald waters of the Nho Que River. A scenic boat ride through this stunning canyon offers a unique perspective of the region’s raw natural beauty. The adventure then leads to Ban Gioc Waterfall, one of the most magnificent waterfalls in Southeast Asia, set along the border between Vietnam and China. Complementing this visit is an exploration of Nguom Ngao Cave, a fascinating natural wonder filled with impressive stalactites and stalagmites formed over millions of years. Finally, unwind amidst the tranquil surroundings of Ba Be Lake, where a peaceful boat journey takes you through lush forests, limestone cliffs, and quiet riverside villages. This serene setting provides the perfect conclusion to an itinerary filled with adventure, discovery, and cultural connection. Blending scenic drives, light trekking, cultural encounters, and natural exploration, this tour offers a comprehensive and unforgettable experience of Northern Vietnam’s most iconic and off-the-beaten-path destinations. Children Policy Children sharing a room with 2 adults (no extra bed): Under 4 years old: Free of charge (excluding domestic flights, if any) 4 – 7 years old: 50% of adult rate 8 – 10 years old: 75% of adult rate From 11 years old: Charged at full adult rate Maximum one child per room sharing with parents (recommended) 🏨 Guest Hotel Rates (Per Person in USD) Group Size 3★ Hotel 4★ Hotel 5★ Hotel 2 Pax 995 1006 1039 3–4 Pax 1035 1046 1080 5–10 Pax 727 738 771 10–15 Pax 558 570 603 15–20 Pax 518 530 563 👉 Rates are per person based on private group size and accommodation category. ❌ Cancellation Policy More than 60 days before departure: Free of charge 30 – 59 days before departure: 10% of total cost 15 – 29 days before departure: 30% of total cost 7 – 14 days before departure: 50% of total cost Less than 7 days or no-show: 100% of total cost
Highlights
Detailed Itinerary
Arrival in Hanoi – Old Quarter Food Tour & Beer Street
HANOI ARRIVAL – FOOD TOUR ( MEALS: D) Upon arrival at Noi Bai airport, our guide and driver will meet you at the airport and transfer to your hotel in city center. In the afternoon, you’ll join food tour and discover every corners of the Hanoi Old Quarter. You’ll enjoy amazing local food including: Banh Cuon: Vietnamese steamed rice rolls Bun Cha: rice noodles with barbecue pork. Hoa Qua Dam: fruit beams - one of the most popular cooling dishes for young people on hot summer days. In the sweltering weather, enjoying a cup of sweet, refreshing, and cool beams of fruit is a wonderful thing that everyone loves. Egg – coffee: a Vietnamese drink traditionally prepared with egg yolks, sugar, condensed milk and robusta coffee Finnally, we are heading to Ta Hien street. It’s known as “ beer corner of the Hanoi Old Quarter”. Our guide’ll take you back your hotel. Overnight in Hanoi.
- Airport pickup & hotel transfer
- Check-in and rest
- Guided food tour in Old Quarter
- Taste local dishes (Banh Cuon, Bun Cha, Egg Coffee)
- Visit Ta Hien Beer Street
- Overnight in Hanoi
Hanoi to Sapa – Scenic Transfer & Cat Cat Village Exploration
HANOI – SAPA ( MEALS: B,L,D) After your breakfast, our tour guide and driver pick you up and drive to Sapa. Upon your arrival, have lunch at a local restaurant. Check in and rest before we take a short drive to Cat Cat village of the Black H'mong minority where we walk down to explore their everyday life and relax at Cat Cat waterfall. Back to your hotel and at leisure. Overnight in Sapa.
- Breakfast at hotel
- Scenic drive to Sapa
- Lunch at local restaurant
- Visit Cat Cat Village
- Explore waterfall & local H’mong culture
- Overnight in Sapa
Sapa Trekking – Y Linh Ho, Lao Chai & Ta Van Villages – Transfer to Ha Giang
SAPA – LAO CHAI & TA VAN VILLAGE – HA GIANG ( MEALS: B,L,D) After breakfast, our driver and tour guide will take you to Y Linh Ho village where we trek down to the bridge and it is time to trek up and down to Lao Chai village. Both are villages of the Black H’Mong minorities. This trekking route is not hard and enables you to take great photos of the terraced fields as well as visit some of the local families to learn about their life and culture, etc. After lunch in a local restaurant, we head to Ta Van village of the Day minorities. After that, we drive to Ha Giang. Overnight in Ha Giang.
- Breakfast at hotel
- Trek to Y Linh Ho village
- Continue to Lao Chai village
- Visit Ta Van village
- Lunch at local restaurant
- Drive to Ha Giang
- Overnight in Ha Giang
Ha Giang – Quan Ba Heaven Gate, Twin Mountains & Nam Dam Village Visit
HA GIANG – QUAN BA – NAM DAM VILLAGE ( MEALS: B,L,D) After breakfast, we continue to drive to Quan Ba Heaven Gate. You will have a great chance to walk up the top on hill to enjoy the stunning view of Quan Ba town, take the photo of Co Tien Double mountain. We then continue to Nam Dam village in Quan Ba. The charming village is nestled peacefully in a valley surrounded by karst mountains, holds inside it preserved traditional customs, habits and culture from ancient times which is appealing to tourists. Walk around the village, enjoy beautiful view of the village with the high mountains and the lovely terraced fields, houses of earthen walls gleamed in the sun. Overnight in Ha Giang.NAM DAM – THAM MA SLOPE – PAO'S HOUSE – THE VUONG'S PALACE – LUNG CU – DONG VAN (MEALS: B,L,D) After breakfast, we will drive via Yen Minh pass where you enjoy and fall in love with fabulous view of limestone mountain and valley, stop at Pho Cao pass (Tham Ma pass) to take the photo of Happiness road before drive to visit Lung Cam culture village to visit the home filming “ Story of Pao”, the film which won four Golden Kite Prizes (the Oscars of Vietnam). We then continue to The King Palace of Hmong people which is one of the few sites in Ha Giang travelers can visit for magnificent architecture and historical values. After lunch, drive to visit the Lung Cu national flag tower and the north pole of Vietnam. Head to Dong Van for overnight in a hotel.
- Breakfast at hotel
- Drive to Quan Ba Heaven Gate
- Enjoy panoramic mountain views
- Visit Twin Mountains
- Explore Nam Dam village
- Walk through traditional houses & rice fields
- Overnight in Ha Giang
Ha Giang Loop – Tham Ma Pass, Hmong King’s Palace & Lung Cu Flag Tower – Overnight in Dong Van
NAM DAM – THAM MA SLOPE – PAO'S HOUSE – THE VUONG'S PALACE – LUNG CU – DONG VAN (MEALS: B,L,D) After breakfast, we will drive via Yen Minh pass where you enjoy and fall in love with fabulous view of limestone mountain and valley, stop at Pho Cao pass (Tham Ma pass) to take the photo of Happiness road before drive to visit Lung Cam culture village to visit the home filming “ Story of Pao”, the film which won four Golden Kite Prizes (the Oscars of Vietnam). We then continue to The King Palace of Hmong people which is one of the few sites in Ha Giang travelers can visit for magnificent architecture and historical values. After lunch, drive to visit the Lung Cu national flag tower and the north pole of Vietnam. Head to Dong Van for overnight in a hotel.
- Breakfast at hotel
- Drive through Yen Minh Pass
- Stop at Tham Ma Pass for photos
- Visit Lung Cam village (Pao’s House)
- Explore Hmong King’s Palace
- Visit Lung Cu Flag Tower
- Drive to Dong Van
- Overnight in Dong Van
Dong Van – Ma Pi Leng Pass, Nho Que River Boat Trip – Transfer to Cao Bang
DONG VAN – MA PI LENG PASS – NHO QUE RIVER BOAT TRIP – CAO BANG (MEALS: B,L,D) This is a long day to drive back to Hanoi so we have early breakfast, check out and we start our trip at 06:30am to visit Ma Pi Leng pass, inlcuding a visit to the "Happiess Road Museum" and take a short walk to the top of amazing Ma Pi Leng pass We continue to drive on the "Happiness road and stop where you want for photos. Nestled between the mountain of northeast of Vietnam, Nho Que River winding like green thread shimmering north from heaven. The length of 192 km, the river engraved name on 46 km across the strip of land in Vietnam, and flows through the rocky sloping limestone mountain of the global geological park system Dong Van stone. The Nho Que river carries a beautiful turquoise blue color. That shines through the bright green patches of the forest almost all seasons of the year (except the rain season from Apr till Sep). Take "XeOm - Motorbike" to get to the boat wharf. After 1 hour for boat trip along the river and visit Tu San alley, we will take “xeom” to get back the car and drive to Cao Bang. Overnight in Cao Bang.
- Early breakfast & check-out
- Visit Ma Pi Leng Pass
- Walk to scenic viewpoints
- Drive along Happiness Road
- Motorbike ride (Xe Om) to river
- Boat trip on Nho Que River
- Visit Tu San Canyon
- Drive to Cao Bang
- Overnight in Cao Bang
Cao Bang – Ban Gioc Waterfall & Nguom Ngao Cave – Transfer to Bac Kan
CAO BANG – BAN GIOC WATERFALL – NGUOM NGAO CAVE – BAC KAN ( MEALS: B,L,D) After breakfast, we drive to Ban Gioc waterfall. You’ll have a chance to enjoy the most picturesque and beautiful landscapes of Cao Bang where Vietnamese photographers come for great pictures and you will also meet local Tay and Nung ethnic minorities to learn about their culture and life. Arrive at Ban Gioc, we visit the waterfall. After that, we are heading to visit Nguom Ngao Cave - which was formed about 300 million years ago. According to Tay language, Nguom Ngao means the cave of tigers. Legend has it that, the sound of the stream inside the cave likes the growl of tigers, so the local people named the cave as Nguom Ngao. Lunch is served at local restaurant. After that, we are heading to Bac Kan. Check in hotel. Overnight in Bac Kan.
- Breakfast at hotel
- Drive to Ban Gioc Waterfall
- Explore waterfall & surroundings
- Meet local ethnic communities
- Visit Nguom Ngao Cave
- Lunch at local restaurant
- Drive to Bac Kan
- Overnight in Bac Kan
Ba Be Lake Boat Trip & Cave Exploration – Return to Hanoi
BA BE LAKE – HA NOI ( MEALS: B,L) After breakfast, we enjoy the boat trip in 3 hours (or 5 hours if you request). This is a spectacular boat trip on the lake. We stroll along the riverfront, visit some lovely villages and hike the upper reaches of the lake, in an area marked by massive limestone cliffs and mountains. The boat will come to Puong Cave where you can explore the stalactites and stalagmites which are a result of the erosion of the river on the karst as well as looking out for the bat colony several thousand strong. Lunch is served at local restaurant. After lunch, we are heading back to Noi Bai International Airport. Our driver & tour-guide say goodbye to you! End of services!
- Breakfast at hotel
- Boat trip on Ba Be Lake (3–5 hours)
- Visit Puong Cave
- Explore riverside villages
- Lunch at local restaurant
- Transfer to Hanoi airport
Inclusions
- Accommodation with daily breakfast
- Private transportation (AC vehicle)
- Meals as per itinerary (B/L/D)
- English-speaking guide
- Entrance fees & sightseeing
- Boat trips (Nho Que River & Ba Be Lake)
- Drinking water during transfers
Exclusions
- International & domestic flights
- Visa fees
- Travel insurance
- Personal expenses (shopping, drinks, etc.)
- Tips & gratuities
- Peak season / holiday surcharges
- Anything not mentioned in inclusions