Hanoi – River trails – Dao villages

Thai Nguyen - Your tour guide will pick you up at your hotel in Hanoi in the early morning, starting your journey to Ba Be National Park. We’ll drive along Highway 3 passing through Thai Nguyen City (where we stop for local lunch) for about 5 hours in a comfortable car.

Ba Be National Park - Once you reach Ba Be, you will continue on foot along the Nang River until you reach Puong Cave, located in a Dao ethnic village. From here you continue your hike through thick rainforest while keeping an eye out for local wildlife. Eventually you’ll reach the summit which offers amazing panoramic views of the countryside below, before visiting some Hmong villages followed by our destination for the day, a Dao ethnic minority village. Here you are invited by your host family to participate in preparing your traditional dinner, cooked on an open fire and served with local corn wine. If you’re not much of a chef, don’t worry, this activity is entirely optional. After dinner you will stay overnight in the traditional Dao house.

Trekking to remote areas – Ba Be Lake

Ba Be National Park - Start by enjoying a traditional local breakfast, we’ll set out on our 10km hike to a H’mong village, where we’ll spend some time in a local school, interacting and playing with the children. Often our guide will bring some sweets, pens and notebooks to give out as gifts to the kids. Our guide will also pack a basic but tasty picnic lunch that we’ll enjoy here. After lunch we set out for another 10km of trekking to reach Coc Toc village. This last leg of the trek can be somewhat challenging and will present a great workout for anyone who’s not in perfect shape. We’ll cross Coc Toc Stream, where you’ll see local fishermen plying their craft, and this is a great place for a quick rest and refreshing swim before continuing on. Once we arrive in Coc Toc, we’ll check in at our guesthouse run by Mr Linh and his family, who specialize in cooking the most delicious and authentic local dishes, which you’ll get to enjoy for dinner before overnighting in this traditional Tay stilt house.

Kayaking in Ba Be lake – Hanoi

Ba Be National Park - Breakfast will consist of pancakes and Vietnamese coffee, served on the open-air balcony overlooking stunning views, if the weather permits. Then we’ll hop in our kayaks and paddle across the lake, giving you ample time to enjoy the beautiful scenery surrounding the lake before we have to say goodbye to this slice of paradise. We will take you along roads snaking through mountain passes as we return to Hanoi, stopping for a quick lunch in an area rarely visited by tourists, which results in the locals there probably showing a big interest in you and your group, before arriving in Hanoi shortly before dark.

• Homestay accommodations included.
• No additional fees post-confirmation.
• Guidance from an experienced English-speaking guide.
• Meals covered: breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
• Included entry tickets to all sightseeing destinations.
• 24/7 hotline support for peace of mind.
• Private door-to-door pick-up and drop-off services.
• All transportation arranged and provided privately.

• Personal expenses, tips and gratuities
• Travel insurance
• Beverage
• Other services not mentioned above.

The hallmark trek of Ba Be National Park winds its way along the backbone of the Pia Booc Range, maneuvering through passes, mountain lakes, and offering close-up views of striking rocky peaks. The journey includes river boating, forest hikes, homestays with two distinct ethnic families, preparing local cuisine, mountain treks, lake kayaking, and a visit to a local school. This trip is indeed packed with exhilarating activities and offers a wonderful opportunity to witness raw scenic beauty and gain genuine experiences interacting with local individuals.

If you cancel at least 3 full day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a full refund.
If you cancel within 3 day(s) of the scheduled departure, you will receive a 0% refund.