Xin chao! Welcome to Vietnam. A welcome pack containing a welcome letter, your trip itinerary, a Sapa information sheet and feedback card will be waiting for you at your hotel. Please ask your hotel's reception for the Intrepid welcome pack upon arrival. In any free time, dive into the barrage of bikes, boulevards and bustling life that characterise Hanoi. Take time to explore the French colonial architecture that decorates the tangled laneways, indulge in a decadent Vietnamese coffee while people-watching from street-side cafes, or step back in time on an exploration of the Old Quarter. This evening you will be picked up by your local guide from your Joining Point Hotel (see below), or from an alternate hotel located in Hanoi's Old Quarter (advised prior to departure), between 6.00pm-6.30pm. You guide will first take you for...

You’ll be met on arrival into Lao Cai in the early morning (approximately 6.00 am), and meet your local driver. Your driver will be picking up several other passengers travelling on to Sapa. Transfer to Sapa by minibus (approximately 1 hour), passing through dramatic scenery along the way. You have a free morning to relax and explore this fascinating hillside town. If the weather is feeling generous, enjoy unhindered views out towards the giant staircase of rice terraces that cascade down the side of the mountains. Otherwise, delight in the enigmatic mists that often shroud the Sapa hillsides. In the afternoon, begin a guided 2-3 hour moderate trek down to the hilltribe villages of Cat Cat, often taking a paved path and passing a waterfall. The villages are home to the H'mong people who originated from China about 300 years ...

This morning after storing you main luggage at your Sapa hotel, set off on a six hour guided trek (approximately 6 kilometres). Pass along buffalo paths and trails, as well as through several hilltribe villages and resident minority groups such as Red Zao and Tay people. This is a spectacular walk, winding through stunning scenery and elegant rice paddy terraces. Be sure to watch your footing here as there can be uneven slopes, muddy patches, and rocky inclines. The idyllic countryside scenes are like something out of a storybook, and you will encounter some of the friendliest people you could ever hope to meet. Stop for a picnic lunch along the way, and finally spend the night in the home of a Zay family in Ta Van Village. Perhaps take some time to explore the village after you arrive, wandering down to see the locals paddling...

After a hearty, energy-giving early breakfast, set off on a 2-3 hour walk to Su Pan Village. Today’s trek is shorter, but the scenery is still beautiful. Take the road to Giang Ta Chai village of the Red Dzao minority via the paths between terraces and through bamboo forests. Walk past waterfalls where buffalo might cool themselves from the heat and cross a suspension bridge. Be sure to take it all in and make the most of the last of your time in these incredible surroundings. Cross Muong Hoa River, then head up to the mountain to visit the last village of the trek – Su Pan. Maybe grab a quick bowl of pho before meeting up with your vehicle for the 30 minute drive back to Sapa. Arriving in Sapa, you have a free afternoon to explore the town. Maybe get a massage to sooth trek-tired muscles, check out the local market selling p...

Your adventure ends upon arrival at Hanoi train station in the early morning (around 5am). The rest of the day is free for you to soak up the grace of this dynamic city that's the epitome of modern Vietnam. Special Information