Tours out of Ho Chi Minh City and across Vietnam
Northern Vietnam
City, karst and terraces in a week
Three very different landscapes in one week: the capital, the limestone of Ninh Binh and the terraced valleys around Sapa, joined by a night on the train.
Overview
Three landscapes, one week
This is the week we suggest to people who want the northern mountains without giving up Ninh Binh. It runs Hanoi, then Ninh Binh, then an overnight train to Lao Cai so that you wake up at the foot of the Sapa hills rather than lose a day in a car. Two nights in the valley below Sapa follow, with walking both days, then the road back to Hanoi.
Hanoi and the travel between regions are handled by our long-standing Hanoi partner operator; the Sapa walking guides are from the valley villages. If trains are not for you, the road option leaves Hanoi in the morning and reaches Sapa in about five and a half hours by expressway.
- Length
- 7 days, 6 nights
- Night train
- Hanoi to Lao Cai, optional
- Walking
- Two valley days in Sapa
- Best months
- March to May, September to November
- Nights
- Hanoi 2, Ninh Binh 1, train 1, Sapa 2
- Run by
- Our Hanoi partner operator
Nights
The route and the nights
Day by day
Day by day
Day 1
Arrive in Hanoi
Met at Noi Bai and driven to your hotel, about 45 minutes. An evening walk with the guide around the lake and the Old Quarter, finishing with dinner at a street kitchen.
Day 2
Hanoi, then south to Ninh Binh
A morning in the city: the Temple of Literature and the mausoleum area. After lunch the car heads south, about two hours, arriving in time for bicycles in the lanes around Tam Coc and the climb up Mua Cave at 16:30.
Day 3
Trang An, then the night train
The Trang An boats as they start in the morning, two and a half to three hours on the water. Lunch, then back to Hanoi by mid-afternoon with a few hours at a hotel day room or a café. You board the overnight train to Lao Cai in the evening; it arrives very early.
Day 4
Up to Sapa and down into the valley
The car meets the train at Lao Cai and drives an hour up the hill to Sapa for breakfast. Your walking guide then takes you down through the terraces to Lao Chai and along the river to Ta Van, about three hours. Homestay with a Giay family.
Day 5
A long walk in the Muong Hoa valley
Five to six hours through bamboo, over suspension bridges and past Dao villages, with lunch in a village house. The car collects you mid-afternoon and brings you to a small lodge for a hot shower.
Day 6
A short walk and back to Hanoi
A two-hour morning walk around the Red Dao village of Ta Phin, then the expressway back to Hanoi, about five and a half hours, arriving by about 18:30.
Day 7
Departure
Transfer to Noi Bai, about 45 minutes, for your flight.
Price
Price
| Travellers | Tier 1 — simple | Tier 2 — comfortable | Tier 3 — the good ones |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 travelling | from 895 | from 1120 | from 1700 |
| 4 travelling | from 735 | from 915 | from 1395 |
| 6 travelling | from 660 | from 830 | from 1260 |
The table above includes the train in a standard four-berth cabin. A private cabin for two, or road both ways instead of the train, shifts it slightly. The hotel tier matters most in Hanoi; in the Sapa valley even the top tier means a good small lodge rather than a large hotel.
Included
What is included
What the price includes
- Airport transfers in Hanoi
- Private car and driver for all road travel
- Overnight train Hanoi to Lao Cai, four-berth cabin
- English-speaking guides in Hanoi and Ninh Binh; a valley guide in Sapa
- Five nights of accommodation and one on the train, breakfast daily
- Meals as listed, entrance fees, boats and bicycles
What it does not include
- International and domestic flights
- Visas, travel insurance, drinks and tips
- The Fansipan cable car
Practical
Weather and walking
The mountains set the timing. March to May and September to November are the good months, with the terraces flooded in May and gold from mid-September to early October. From December to February Sapa can be near freezing at night and misty for days; Hanoi is cool and grey. June to August is the wettest period in the north, with slippery paths and cloud in the valleys.
The walking is moderate: earth paths, steep in places, slippery after rain. Good shoes matter more than fitness.
Not for everyone
Who this does not suit
The train berth is comfortable enough but it is not a hotel bed, and light sleepers should take the road option. The two Sapa days involve real walking; anyone who cannot manage five hours on uneven ground should consider Pu Luong instead, or ask us to shorten the walks. There is no bay on this route — if you want the sea as well, the trip needs nine or ten days.
Common questions
Questions travellers ask most
Is the night train to Sapa worth it?
For most people, yes: it saves daylight and has a certain charm. Light sleepers prefer the road, about five and a half hours by expressway.
Can we add Ha Long Bay?
Yes, with two extra days. The six-day northern trip on this site shows how the bay fits after Ninh Binh.
Is Sapa too touristy?
The town is. The valley below it is not, and both our nights are there.
Related
Read next
Northern Vietnam
Hanoi
The capital: Old Quarter, food, and the northern base.
View this journey
Northern Vietnam
Ninh Binh
Karst, rivers and rice fields ninety minutes from Hanoi.
View this journey
Northern Vietnam
Sapa
Terraced valleys, homestays and honest advice about the town.
View this journey
Example journey
Sapa valley trek
Two walking days between valley villages, with a homestay night.
View this journey
Example journey
Northern highlights, six days
Hanoi, Ninh Binh and a night on the bay, unhurried.
View this journey
Tours
Tours
Day trips, regional routes and full-length itineraries.
View this journey
Start planning
Tell us about the trip you have in mind
Dates, party size and the places you care about are enough to start. You get a draft route and an indicative price, not a brochure.
Or talk to us:+84 766 045 399