Northern Nature Trail

Explore

Write a Review
Popular Travel Destinations

Recently Reviewed Hotels Around Hanoi

Northern Nature Trail

General Information


Image of Northern Nature Trail
Type:
Adventure
Price from:
545 GBP /person
Phone:
01273 322041
Payment Types:
  • No Cash
  • No Credit Card
  • No Cheque
  • No Travellers cheque
  • No Paypal
  • No Wire Transfer
Duration:
14 days
Location Start:
Hanoi
Location Finish:
Hanoi
We Speak:
English
Toursrequestform

Last updated: 02/19/2009

Sail leisurely through the magical Halong Bay, hike through the lush national park on Cat Ba Island, walk amidst mighty rocks and paddy fields on a journey to the traditional hill tribes of the North

Photos (click on a photo to view it)

Image of Northern Nature Trail Image of Northern Nature Trail Image of Northern Nature Trail Image of Northern Nature Trail Image of Northern Nature Trail Image of Northern Nature Trail

Itinerary

Day 1

Hanoi When you arrive in Hanoi a driver will meet you at arrivals for your hotel transfer. On the way you'll get your first impressions of Vietnam, buzzing with street traders and mopeds. Your hotel is a great example of classic Vietnamese architecture. All the rooms have an en-suite bathroom, air-conditioning, a mini-bar and a TV.

Day 2

Hanoi Today, your time is your own. Spend your hours ambling through the narrow lanes of the Old Quarter, stopping for cake and coffee, watching the world go by.

You can also discover the dappled history of the city and drop in on the oddly preserved body of Ho Chi Minh. You can see his body entombed in a glass sarcophagus - a huge building fronted by a grand square. Surrounded by guards, you can file in one by one, to take a look at ‘Uncle Ho'.

Day 3

Hanoi - Halong Bay You'll leave early this morning for Halong Bay by air-conditioned minibus (4-5hrs). The first part of the journey will take you through the hectic city, which has already been awake for hours. Once out of the city traffic, you will begin to see emerald green rice paddies, and eventually the picturesque landscape of Halong will unfold in the distance. You'll drift lazily through this incredible landscape by boat, relaxing and marvelling at your surroundings. The captain will also give you plenty of opportunities to dive into the turquoise waters and swim with the colourful marine life. At the end of the day, you'll head for Cat Ba Island where you'll spend the next two nights in a comfortable hotel.

Day 4

Halong Bay After breakfast, you'll head out with a guide to explore Cat Ba National Park. There is a huge diversity of flora and fauna in the park - 745 different plants belonging to 123 families, including 300 kinds of medicinal plants. There are also 32 different species of mammals, 69 species bird and 20 types of reptile. The hike is the perfect opportunity to see some of this exotic plant and animal life.

You'll trek over the island, climbing a (pretty steep) hill. This is totally worth the effort. At the top, you'll be rewarded with a magnificent panoramic view across the countryside below. Two guides will lead the way, allowing you to choose either a short or a long hike. After the walk, you'll take a dive into the salty water of the lagoon to cool off and refresh your energy. On the longer hike, you'll cover more ground and there are a number of steep climbs along the way, an excellent way to work off all those spring rolls!

Following your morning treks, you'll be taken back to the hotel for a well-earned lunch. In the afternoon, you'll be free to explore the island on your own or head for the quiet beach for a sunny snooze. You'll spend another night at the comfortable hotel on Cat Ba Island.

Day 5

Halong Bay - Hanoi You'll leave Cat Ba island in the morning for your return trip to Hanoi. You'll sail lazily from Cat Ba Island back to the mainland, absorbing the spectacular views for the last time. After lunch in a restaurant on shore, you'll travel back to Hanoi by bus (approx. 2-3 hours), arriving in the afternoon.

Once back in Hanoi, your time is again your own. Enjoy an evening meal in the atmospheric Old Quarter and wander along the shore of the peaceful lake.

Day 6

Hanoi - Sapa You'll be collected from your hotel in Hanoi in the late afternoon and taken to the train station. Here, you can stock up on snacks for the overnight journey into the north. The train is air-conditioned and the rhythm of the rails should lull you to sleep in your 4-bedded couchette.

Day 7

Lai Chau - Sapa The next morning you'll arrive in Lao Cai, a 2½-hour road trip from Sapa. On the way, you'll see paddy terraces climbing up the mountainsides like giant staircases. When you arrive you'll check into your comfortable hotel, full of local charm and located in the centre of Sapa.

After lunch you'll take a guided walk of about 5km to the village of Cat Cat, home to the Black H'mong people. The Black H'mong wear mainly black clothing, as their name suggests. The dye that they use tends to run and, as a result, their hands are also stained a little black. The adults chew betel nut - the seeds of the betel palm rolled up in a leaf. This often stains their teeth dark red. After visiting the village, you'll walk a little further to a cascading mountain waterfall before returning to Sapa for the night.

Day 8

Sapa Today, you'll walk a little less (4km or so) to the small village of the Red Dzao people. On the way, you'll cross bamboo bridges over clear mountain streams. There will be plenty of magnificent views and you'll come across many women working in the fields. Though they may speak only a few words of English, they are incredibly warm and welcoming, and will often invite you for tea in their homes. Their houses are built mostly of wood and cane and there's usually a fire in the middle of the room. Initially, the villagers might seem rather shy, but if you give them a smile, you will quickly be rewarded with beaming faces. Once you're back in Sapa, you can just relax or wander round the local market.

Day 9

Sapa - Hanoi This morning, it's time to say farewell to Sapa. You'll take a drive to Bac Ha, a small mountain village famous for its busy market. The market is an amazing trading hub, as the people of many different tribes meet here to sell their goods. It's also a perfect opportunity to pick up a few unique Vietnamese souvenirs made by the local people.

After lightening your pockets at the market, you'll drive on towards the Chinese border to catch a glimpse of the chaotic jumble of Chinese signs. From here, you can see the bridge and stretch of water that forms the actual boundary between the two countries. At the end of the afternoon, you'll be taken to Lao Cai where you'll have plenty of time to grab an evening meal before boarding the night train back to Hanoi.

Day 10

Hanoi At around 6am, you will arrive back in Hanoi. You can usually get into your room from around mid-morning. However, if you wish your room to be ready as soon as you arrive, we can book a day room for you at an additional cost. Just let us know, and we'll make the arrangements.
There's nothing else planned for the rest of the day, so you can relax and take things at your own pace. Hanoi has plenty of temples, pagodas and museums, if you're looking for a culture fix. You could also take a cycle rickshaw tour of the major temples, which usually costs no more than a couple of dollars. From your rickshaw seat, you can see the city pass by at very close quarters, taking in the atmosphere as you go.

Day 11

Kenh Ga Today, your trip begins with a visit to the village of Hoa Lu, which was the capital of Vietnam during the 10th century. The temples were reconstructed in the 17th century, and retain their original features. On the top of a mountain nearby stands the grave of King Dinh. It's worth the climb for the spectacular panoramic views from the top.

After the visit to Hoa Lua, you'll stop in at the village of Kenh Ga. This is a very unique settlement floating on a river and nestling between two sheer limestone rock faces. Even more interestingly, the local people paddle their boats using only their feet. A tasty lunch will be provided, and then you'll sail over the Golden Dragon River (3hrs) to reach the remarkable floating village. You can watch fishermen in action and observe the normal pattern of daily life along the riverbank. Then, after a short walk through the paddy fields to the Van Trinh Caves, you'll visit a steaming hot spring for a refreshing dip- a perfect end to a busy day. You'll arrive back in Hanoi at around 6pm, and your evening is your own.

Day 12

Perfume Pagoda Today your air-conditioned minibus will leave at 7.30am and drive for approximately 1-2 hours into the countryside. After the drive, you'll travel further by rowing boat on the Yen River until you reach Thien Tru harbour. The rest of the journey will be on foot, and it will take perhaps another 1½ hours (uphill) to reach the pagoda. The Perfume Pagoda stands in a huge cave at the top of the mountain with breathtaking views of the landscape below.

After walking back down the hillside, you'll visit the Thien Tru Pagoda, dubbed 'The pagoda that leads to heaven'. Next you'll hop aboard a boat to Ben Huc, where the minibus will be waiting to take you back to Hanoi. Again, the rest of the evening is free for you to go as you please.

Day 13

Hanoi Today is your final day in Hanoi. If you're full of energy, you can get up at sunrise to visit Hoan Kiem Lake, where hundreds of locals gather for their morning workout. There are men and women doing Tai Chi, badminton tournaments, joggers, and groups of women walking around the lake, stopping now and again to stretch their arms and legs. A really inspiring start to the day.

Day 14

Hanoi After one last evening in Hanoi, you'll leave Vietnam on Day 14. You'll make your own way to the airport, when you arrive you'll check in for your international flight home. Please remember that you'll need to pay departure tax at the airport. This comes to $14 USD per person, so be sure to keep this much cash at hand.

Extra Information

Inclusions -
Breakfast and some other meals
Exclusions -
International flights to Vietnam
Extras -
This is not a group tour and can be tailor made to create your perfect trip. We can play around with your itinerary until we get it just right.

Couldn't find what you're looking for? Check out more tours & excursions in Hanoi

1-day tours

Long tours

Email the tour operator - Northern Nature Trail

close

Important Notice : Avoiding Fraud

It's rare, but some helpful hints to watch out for with regards to fraud:

  • It is important to NEVER wire funds or use/employ other fund transfer mechanisms such as western union: Always use a credit card to protect yourself against fraud. If owners pressure you into providing a deposit or refuse to accept credit cards, there is a high probability that this is a scam.
  • If at all suspicious of fraud, ask to see their website, or any other literature they can provide or send to you. Ask them for contact details for guests who have previously stayed on their property insisting on telephone numbers. Be suspicious of emails that originate from free email services (yahoo, hotmail, gmail, etc)
  • Research the property thoroughly on the internet to see if there is any history or mention of scams associated with the property.