Meet at the group hotel in the Old Quarter of Hanoi. A single timed group transfer from the airport to our well located hotel, right in the heart of this charming capital city, will be provided. In the afternoon we will head out with our guide on a walking tour of the Old Quarter. The Old Quarter, a maze of 35 streets, is essentially the original pre-20th century Hanoi. The names of the streets tell a fascinating story about the history of the city, prior to the modern age each street was named for the particular trade for which it was (and sometimes still is) known; look out for Hang Gai (Silk Street) and Hang Bac (Silver Street). We'll also make a stop at Hoan Kiem Lake (Lake of the Restored Sword), the epicentre of old Hanoi, and at the Ngoc Son Pagoda, located on the shores of the lake. We will also stop at a shop where we can learn about traditional medicine and at an authentic Hanoian house, where we can enjoy a cup of local tea. Afterwards we head to a local restaurant where we can enjoy a welcome dinner to celebrate the start of our holiday. Our first chance to sample the deliciously fragrant Vietnamese cuisine and test out our chopstick skills!

After breakfast we depart Hanoi and begin our drive towards Ha Thanh in the province of Ha Giang in the far north. The drive will take around 6hrs, but there will be plenty to look at out of the window during the journey. As we head further northwards we will watch the landscape transform from the sweeping flats of the Red River Delta to a panorama of dramatic mountains, banded by deep cut and verdant river valleys. By mid-afternoon we will have arrived at our destination, Ha Thanh; a traditional Tay village, not far from Ha Giang City. We will stay here tonights as guests of the village. Ha Thanh is a stunningly located and picturesque village with its small collection of wooden stilted houses, with palm leaf roofs, surrounded by rice paddies and the dramatic Tay Col Linh massif as a back drop. We have some time to meet our hosts and settle in at our homestay before taking a short walking tour of valley, which is carpeted with vegetable gardens, small ponds and tiny hamlets surrounded by rice fields and karst peaks. Drive Time: 6hrs.

The Tay
Tay villages are usually found at lower elevations and in the valleys. They are the largest and oldest of the ethnic groups and have generally adopted Vietnamese beliefs, such as Buddhism and Toaism. The Tao usually wear more modest clothing than the other hill tribes.

This morning we will walk out from the village and up into the Tay Con Linh massif, which is dominated by Tay Con Linh (2429m) itself, the highest peak of Northeast Vietnam. Our pathway winds upwards through the shade of the palm trees on a forest path. As we gain height the landscape changes around us as we climb up amongst the high ridges towards the Red Dao village of Lung Vai. Here the Red Dao mainly grow corn and rice, cultivating the steep mountain slopes using a slash and burn technique. The rice fields are generally sown in May, creating a multi-coloured tapestry of crops through to around early October when the harvesting begins; between November and April, the land is rested ready to begin the process again. Leaving the village behind, we follow a path down into the valley and down to where we will meet our vehicle. We will enjoy a picnic lunch or drive the short distance back to Ha Thanh to take lunch at our homestay before setting off on the drive north towards Seo Lung (3hrs). Tonight we will be welcome guests in the home of Mr So, who is the former chief of the village. In the evening, he will join us and we can learn about the history of the village and White Hmong traditions.

The Red Dao
The villages of the Dao (or Dzou) people are often to be found in the foothills and they usually build their houses on the ground, rather than on stilts. The Dao practise ancestor worship and traditionally dress in black, decorated with red stripes or bands of intricate weaving. In some areas the Dao women shave their eyebrow and the hair above their foreheads, wrapping their long hair in a large red or black turban.

The White Hmong
The Hmong people migrated to Vietnam from China in the 19th century. The tribe is divided into many smaller subgroups…. black, white, red, green and flower; each with their own subtly different dress. Hmong villages are usually found at higher altitudes, often clinging magically to the side of mountains. Traditionally White Hmong women would wear white skirts, but most now opt for the black trousers worn under a black apron, with black shirts and lots of silver jewelry.

Today we walk from the village, accompanied by one of Mr So's sons, up through the forests of the Phu Ta Ca massif. Mount Phu Ta Ca (2276m), or Three Fairies Mountain, is a karstic formation made up of irregular limestone, dotted with sinkholes, underground streams, and caverns. It is the second highest point in the Ha Giang province and is surrounded by numerous smaller summits covered with dense jungle. This is one of the region's last real mountain forests and is home to an abundance of wildlife (peafowl, pheasants, pangolin and even tigers can be found in this area!) and flora, including cardamom, which grows in abundance in the undergrowth. As we walk through the valley, bordered by this primeval forest, we will also see how the White Hmong have survived here, taming this wilderness into terraced rice fields. We follow the valley on a level path all the way to its eastern corner. As we walk along, depending on the season, we might witness farmers harvesting their cardamom or uncovering the Cardamom ovens (Aug - Oct), where they dry the precious spice to preserve it. We arrive into Mr So's own Cardamom plantation, where we can learn about how the cardamom is harvested. From here we follow a steep trail down and then follow the stream back through the central valley to Seo Lung where we will enjoy a lunch of local specialities.In the afternoon we transfer to Meo Vac. The scenic 3hr drive takes us up the Du Gia valley and the last part of the drive, along the magnificent Ma Pi Leng pass, will be a real highlight. This meandering road is cut directly into the side of the cliff, high above the Nho Que river. We arrive into Meo Vac where we will spend the night at a simple hotel. Dinner will be taken in a local restaurant.

Today's circular trek will take us across the Pa Vi Mountains, another breath-taking limestone karst peak. We walk north up and along the massif on a superb trail overlooking the Nho Que gorge and the Tu San Canyon; with distant views of the misty summits that mark the Chinese border. We arrive at the village of Si Cu Ti, which is home to around 100 White Hmong families. The village is nestled in a small valley, completely encircled by karstic peaks. We visit the village and meet some of the residents before continuing our walk out towards the East of the massif where our vehicle will be waiting to meet us. In the afternoon we make the 4hr drive to Khuoi Kohn, a village inhabited by the Black Lolo tribe. Here we can learn all about the local traditions and customs from our hosts as we settle into our homestay where we will stay for the next two nights. Drive Time: 4hrs

Today we spend time with the villagers and our host family! In the morning we can make ourselves useful lighting the fire, collecting water or gathering wood. Later we can join one of the villagers on a hike into the upper valleys, where we can meet the local shepherds and discover some long abandoned Hmong villages. Depending on the season, if you wish, it may also be possible to help assist with various agricultural activities, weeding, hoeing, harvesting or learn about traditional handicrafts, such as weaving, spinning and textile dying techniques with some of the local artisans. This is an incredible and unique opportunity to learn about real life in rural North Vietnam.

This morning we say goodbye to our hosts and drive towards Lung Sao and the start of our next trekking trail. We won't have access to our main bags again tonight, so we will pack our essentials into our packs before heading off on today's linear hike. In the morning we wind our way through an almost lunar landscape of limestone pinnacles and granite outcrops before stopping for lunch in a village inhabited by the Dao. In the afternoon we will pass through Mi Loun, a Hmong hamlet, from here we follow an undulating path on through the Lung Peng Valley, a long and narrow valley dominated on either side by craggy reliefs, before traversing up and around a limestone cirque surrounded by narrow cols. In the late afternoon we ultimately arrive in Va Tai, a Red Dao village nestled amongst the forest covered limestone peaks. Tonight we will stay in a very simple Dao house. The Dao are known for living in high and remote areas and this this will be the most basic accommodation of our tour. Drive Time: 1hr

We make an early start today and we climb up through the jungle and over a small pass before traversing around to the narrow Va Tai Pen valley, inhabited by Hmong. We follow the valley up towards the hamlet of Lo Lung Xitung, before descending through another impressive limestone cirque. We follow a trail through the jungle for around an hour before arriving at our lunch spot. In the afternoon we continue on to Coc Phat, a Hmong village where the French settled a military post in the 1950s, and from here we descend southwards beneath a range of limestone mountains. We wind our way down through the forest and limestone labyrinth and follow the river through the valley to Nam Ngu. Nam Ngu is a small Nung village and home to just seven families. Tonight we will stay as guests at the home of Mr Ke.

The Nung
The Nung people are only found in far north east of Vietnam, living in small villages. Spiritually the Nung are most similar to the Tay, though most Nung villages still have a resident Shamen. The Nung are renowned for their handicrafts, which are generally made from bamboo and rattan.

This morning those keen to continue walking have the option to take a walk from the village out into the Thong Nong range. We follow the Na River, and cross it on a bamboo bridge, pass-by more Dao hamlets, like Sac Xay in the upper Nam Ngu Valley where we will pause to take tea at a local house. We ascend and cross a small pass to Lung Lich village where our vehicles will meet us. We then transfer to the Ba Be National Park, stopping to pick up anyone who has chosen to remain in Nam Ngu en route. Ba Be is a haven of towering limestone mountains, waterfalls, caves and lakes; it is also home to numerous different ethnic minorities; there are villages of Tay, Hmong and Dao here. It is around a 5hr drive to the park and we will arrive in the mid afternoon. Located in the middle of the national park is the lake of Ba Be, which is the biggest natural lake in Vietnam extending over a surface of 5000 square metres! The combination of the lake, the limestone peaks and jungle creates a stunning panorama. We take a boat across the lake to the southern end and the Tay village of Coc Toc, where we will stay of the night with a Tay family. We have some time to stroll around and discover the village before returning to the homestay we can also help prepare dinner this evening if we wish. Drive Time: 5hrs

This morning's circular walk begins from directly from our accommodation. We hike towards the northwest part of the highest massif overlooking Ba Be Lake. Along the way we will trek through various plantations (corn, cassava, sweet potato…) and through Hmong and Dao hamlets, nestled in the thick jungle, surrounded by giant ferns and liana vines that twist like the thousand arms of a Hindu god. Eventually, we reach the Hmong village of Khau Qua surrounded by several rice fields and bordered by a winding river. We will spend a little time exploring the village before taking a different route back to our guesthouse. After lunch at the guesthouse we have the option of joining a kayaking tour, gliding along the tranquil flow of Ba Be Lake in the direction of Nang River. As we paddle across the calm waters, we can really immerse yourself into the resplendence of nature. We return to Coc Toc village and our accommodation in the mid-afternoon and the rest of the afternoon and everning is free for us to relax and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere.

Today marks the end of our time with the hill tribes as we bid goodbye to our hosts at our final homestay and make the journey back to Hanoi. If possible we will stop at a local market, though this will differ from departure to departure as the markets take place on different days of the lunar month. We will arrive into Hanoi in the early afternoon and check in to our hotel. In the mid-afternoon we can head out to explore some of Hanoi's main tourist attractions: Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum, and grounds of the old governor's palace (now a Presidential Palace), the unique One Pillar Pagoda and the modest stilt house used by Ho Chi Minh himself. We can also visit the Temple of Literature, the first national university of Vietnam in the original architecture. Built in 11th century, the temple is dedicated to the worship of Confucius and the Scholars. It has become a symbol of not only Hanoi, but of Vietnamese Culture. This evening we will head out into Hanoi's Old Quarter to sample some of Vietnam's delicious street-food. The rest of the evening free. Drive Time: 5hrs

After breakfast, we drive towards Lan Ha and Ha Long Bay. The drive takes us through the colourful rice fields of the Red River Delta. Arriving at Tuan Chau pier in the late morning, we have lunch at a local restaurant before boarding our boat, where we will receive a warm welcome from our captain and crew, and setting sail into the bay and around the edge of Ha Long Bag. After one hour we will reach Gia Luan Pier on Cat Ba Island, where we take a transfer across the island to Beo Pier from here we setting sail into Lan Ha bay in the direction of the fishing village of Viet Hai. Lan Ha Bay is a geographical extension of Ha Long Bay, but belongs to a different region of Vietnam. Its collection of limestone peaks, caves and islands are every bit as beautiful as Ha Long Bay but have the advantage of beautiful white sand beaches and also being much quieter! As we cruise along we will have plenty of time to enjoy the landscape, explore hidden lagoons and discover the fascinating floating houses of the bay's inhabitants. We will visit Viet Ha, a village set in the midst of vast jungles and stunning scenery, in the late afternoon. Later, we enjoy a leisurely bicycle ride (optional) to reach the village where our lodge is located. As we cycle we will observe farmers working the fields with the help of their water buffalos. Arriving at our accommodation, we receive a warm welcome and check into our bungalows. The rest of the evening is free to relax and soak up the enigmatic atmosphere. Dinner is taken at the lodge. Drive Time: 4hrs

Early morning we can take a hike to Hai Quan Hill near Viet Hai for a beautiful panoramic view over Lan Ha Bay, which looks its best in the morning light. We then head down to Viet Hai Pier and return to Lan Ha Bay. We can visit an impressive cave, which has thousands of stalactites and stalagmites shaping a stunning natural palace; or take another opportunity to swim in the crystal waters. After a delicious lunch on board we disembark on Beo Pier on Cat Ba Island and take a transfer to Cat Hai from where we take the public ferry to the mainland, where cars will be waiting to take us back to Hanoi where we will have some free time to hunt for last minute souvenirs. In the evening we can head out for a celebratory farewell meal to mark the end of our adventure. Drive Time: 3.5hrs

The holiday ends after breakfast. A single timed group transfer to Hanoi International Airport is provided. If you would like to extend your stay in Hanoi additional hotel nights can be arranged, or you may want to consider adding an extension to visit neighbouring Cambodia, and the magnificent temples at Angkor Wat. Contact the KE Office for details