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Sapa: Detailed Itinerary
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Victoria Express Luxury Coach |
After dinner in Hanoi, board night train departing Hanoi to Lao Cai at 9:30 PM. Accommodation in Victoria luxury coach couchette (right) traveling overnight to the Vietnamese/Chinese border town Lao Cai. |
Switzerland? No, Vietnam! |
Groggy arrival at sunrise in Lao Cai, but after breakfast of warm omelletes, soup and a strong jolt of Vietnamese coffee, we'll be ready to mount our bikes for the ride from Lao Cai into the "Tonkinese Alps" to
Sapa. The climb, although only 19 miles, gains over four thousand feet
and not everyone is expected to ride the distance — there will be a support
van along to hop into when the legs have had enough. The views are magnificent
the higher we climb. Looking back over the border into China, seven different
mountain ranges can be seen. And on the left of the road, a deep valley
has been carved over centuries with terraces for cultivating rice. We'll
also see our first hilltribes - mostly Hmong - dressed in traditional,
Indigo-dyed clothing. Upon arrival in Sapa, lunch at a local restaurant
before ride to the Victoria Resort, which overlooks
the breadth of Sapa's mountain range, including Fansipan - Vietnam's highest
mountain. Dinner and overnight in Sapa. (B,L,D) |
Room at the Victoria Sapa |
Ride to Silver Falls and Dinh Deo Pass, at five thousand feet is Vietnam's
highest paved road, and to the source of Sapa's morning fog - Qui Ho Lake.
Cycle back to Sapa for lunch. In the afternoon, continue riding another
10km before we start a hike to Ta'van hill tribe's village approximately
four miles away in a wide, serene valley. We'll meet and observe the Ta'van
in their day-to-day activities. Along the way we will see the few remaining
French colonial buildings, including a large church, that were severely
damaged during the Chinese invasion in 1979. Return to the hotel in the
late afternoon. Dinner and overnight at the Victoria. (B,L,D)
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Qui Ho River |
Morning hike down past the terraced rice fields to the Qui Ho river valley
dotted with Hmong villages. Lunch is at a local restaurant. Afternoon
free or optional walk around the town to meet and interact with various
hilltribe groups such as Hmong, Dzao, Dzay who gather around the central
market to sell their weavings. Preparations for next day's ride. Dinner
and overnight at the Victoria. (B,L,D) |
Dzay hilltribe gathering |
Ride from Sapa to Bac Ha. Our morning begins with an hour descent.
We coast out of Sapa back down to Lao Cai losing over four thousand feet
of elevation. Once at Lao Cai board Victoria coach for return journey to Hanoi, the daylight trip affording views of rural Hanoi missed on the overnight journey up. Arrive late evening in Hanoi. Transfer by private car to hotel and farewell with guide. (B,L,D). |
Mt. Fansipan — Vietnam's highest peak |
Mount Fansipan (left), Vietnam's highest peak is one of several mountain ranges that can be observed in the area. There are also options for extended hiking in the area. For a longer trip, consider our Northwest Loop tour, continuing onto historic Dien Bien Phu, picturesque Mai Chau, and back to Hanoi (also flight option from Dien Bien Phu back to Hanoi). This optional extension adds from two to five days onto the above itinerary. Ask us for more details on this unique side trip in Vietnam (great for advanced cyclists, with over 7,000 meters of climbing for the entire loop). |
Hmong girl over Qui Ho Valley |
Hilltribes are diverse and numerous in the area, largely still living traditional lifestyles. But not for long, the men have begun dressing in jeans and t-shirts imported from China, and satellite dishes are beginning to crop up on wooden longhouses along the route. The Vietnamese government is also now integrating ethnic hilltribe children into mixed schools with Vietnamese children. In only a generation, these lifestyles with be forever altered. |
Legend for Included Meals: B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner
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