Sapa Explorer - 6 days

2012 - Your Journey starts Hanoi, ends Saigon

DAYS 1-2 - HANOI & OVERNIGHT TRAIN
Arrive in Hanoi and transfer to your hotel. Join your small group of like-minded travellers and tour leader for welcome drinks. The next morning enjoy a peaceful walk around tranquil Hoan Kiem Lake and try the famous Vietnamese coffee, before an exploration of the intriguing Ethnology museum and an interactive cooking class. In the evening, board an overnight train and race through the night in a comfortable sleeper, waking to the stunning mountains of Northern Vietnam. The main town is Sapa, your base for discovering the surrounding rice terraces and villages of the ethnic minorities that live here. Sapa itself is full of charm and provides plenty of opportunity for exploration.
Hotels: Tirant, Overnight train

DAYS 3-6 - SAPA
Transfer to your hotel for a hearty breakfast before you head out to explore Sapa on a walking tour of the town and delightful local market. Tour the Ta Van valley with sweeping views across stepped rice fields, and soak up the regional lifestyle of the mountain dwelling locals, before transferring to Topas Ecolodge, with incredible views on all sides of the lush valley below. Gain a deeper insight into the lives of the unique minority people, as you are immersed in their villages. Further explore the town of Sapa, before returning to Hanoi on the overnight train. On your last day, enjoy free time before your departure transfer, or continue on to one of the many journeys that combine perfectly with a Sapa adventure.
Hotels: Bamboo Sapa, Topas Ecolodge, Overnight train