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Vietnam Travel Guide
Sapa 3 day homestay trekking
- Make a unique trek through the stunning terraced rice fields and visiting authentic ethnic minority villages
- In a 3 day trekking you go beyond the beaten tracks and see the most authentic areas around Sapa
- Enjoy a unique experience with an overnight stay with a local hill tribe
- Learn about the local cultures
Day 0
Hanoi - Sapa
Sleeper train
Day 1
Sapa
Homestay trekking tour
Day 2
Sapa
Homestay trekking tour
Day 3
Sapa - Hanoi
Homestay trekking tour - Sleeper train
Day 0: Hanoi – Sapa
Sleeper train from Hanoi to Sapa
- Dream Train Express
22:00
Your 3-day homestay trekking tour around Sapa begins in Hanoi, where you’ll take a sleeper train to Sapa to save daylight travel hours.
You’ll be traveling on the Dream Train Express, a comfortable tourist train that offers a sleeper berth in a 4-berth cabin, complete with provided bedding and air-conditioning.
Alternative transfers Hanoi - Sapa
If you would like an alternative to the sleeper train from Hanoi to Sapa, we have other transportation options available.
- VIP sleeper bus
- Limousine bus by day including 1 extra night in Sapa
- Private transfer or transfer from other destinations to Sapa
Accommodation
Dream Train Express
SP3: Depart Hanoi – Lao Cai: (22:00 – 05:55)
- The bunk berths are pretty comfortable, but if you’re over 6 foot (1.83cm) you won’t be able to fully stretch out, if you are over 6 foot or (1.85cm) you might pull your legs a bit, however the ride is comfortable but it can be noisy of the train track is a bit bumpy ride.
- If you like to have a snack during the night, it is best to bring your own.
Day 1: Sapa homestay trekking
Trekking: Lao Chai - Ta Van
- Homestay
- Breakfast, Lunch
Morning
Arriving at the Lao Cai station early in the morning, you will be met to be taken to Sapa.
Breakfast will be prepared for you in Sapa before you start your Sapa adventure.
- Route: Lao Chai – Ta Van (overnight) – Giang Ta Chai – Seo Trung Ho / Su Pan – Ban Ho (Overnight)
- Difficulty: Medium – Difficult
From Sapa, we trek through beautiful countryside via Y Linh Ho to the Black H’mong Village of Lao Chai, where we spend time looking around the village and learning about local life. We have our picnic lunch in Lao Chai or at a suitable spot on our trek.
Afternoon
After lunch, we will hike through rice terraces and on local trails to the Zay village of Ta Van. This is the only village in the Sapa area where the Zay people live. We spend time looking around the village.
We meet our local Zay hosts at their home. Our hosts and guide will prepare the evening meal, and the rest of the evening can be spent chatting with the family or taking a stroll through Ta Van village.
Day 2: Sapa homestay trekking
Trekking: Giang Ta Chai - Seo Trung Ho / Su Pan - Ban Ho
- Homestay
- Breakfast, Lunch
Morning
After breakfast, we start a long day of hiking and head to the village of Giang Ta Chai. We walk along local trails, through rice terraces and scattered settlements to the Red Dao village of Giang Ta Chai to meet the people of the Red Dao minority with their colorful traditional clothing. We take picnic lunch in Giang Ta Chai or suitable place.
Afternoon
After lunch we follow local trails out of the village. There are currently two possible options:
Difficult option (not possible in bad weather): We continue hiking through a wilder and more undeveloped area to the Tay village of Seo Trung Ho where there is time to look around. We continue into the valley to the
the Tay village of Ban Ho, where we can observe the local life of the Tay minority in Ban Ho and compare life here with life in the H’mong villages near Sapa.
Easy Option: We will walk along local trails up the side of the valley and on to the closed road to Su Pan village enjoying the beautiful scenery. From there then a gradual descent from Su Pan through the forest to the village of Ban Ho. There is a small local school on the way down. At Ban Ho we have time to observe the local life of the Tay minority population and compare life here with life in the H’mong villages closer to Sapa.
We meet our local Tay hosts at their home. Our hosts and guide prepare dinner. The rest of the evening can be spent getting to know family life in Ban Ho or strolling through the village.
Day 3: Sapa homestay trekking
Sleeper train from Sapa to Hanoi
- Dream Train Express
Morning
After breakfast there will be time to look around and experience life in the pretty village of Ban Ho (and take a dip in the river when the weather is good). There is also the option to visit the hot springs. We have our picnic lunch in a suitable place.
In the end we either make a steep accent on foot or on a motorcycle through the valley and in the direction we came from. Return to Sapa by jeep.
Rest and enjoy dinner before being taken to the station for the train journey back to Hanoi.
Alternatives
- VIP Sleeper bus
- Limousine bus by day + 1 extra night in Sapa
- Private transfer or alternative destination (ex. Ha Giang)
Booking information
Planning
- Start tour: Hanoi train station
- End tour: Hanoi train station
- Duration: 3 days and 4 nights
Including
- All accommodation described in the itinerary
- All meals described in the itinerary
- All transfers described in the itinerary
- Trekking tour with local guide
Excluding
- Meals and services not describer in the itinerary
- Personal expanses
- Transportation from your hotel in Hanoi to the train station
What to bring
- Comfortable hiking shoes or boots
- Lightweight and breathable clothing suitable for hiking
- Warm clothes for the evenings and higher altitudes
- Rain jacket and waterproof pants in case of rain
- Hat and sunglasses to protect you from the sun
- Insect repellent
- Sunscreen
- Personal hygiene items (toothbrush, toothpaste, wet wipes, etc.)
- Water bottle and snacks
- Camera or phone to capture the beautiful scenery
- Cash in small denominations for purchases at local markets
Additional information
- Confirmation: You will receive a confirmation immediately after booking. You will receive a voucher by e-mail within 3 working hours. If you have not received your voucher, please check the Spam or notify us via email or chat.
- Voucher:Save a digital voucher on your phone. As a sustainable company, we would like to ask you not to print the voucher..
- Itinerary: The itinerary is subject to change depending on the weather and other conditions.
- Pick-up:Please arrive at the hotel lobby 10 minutes prior to departure. Please be patient on shared / group tours in case of unforeseen delays along the pick-up route.
- Cancellation:View the cancellation conditions here.
FAQ
Do I see much more in a 3-day trek than a 2-day trek?
Yes, generally a 3-day trek will cover more ground and allow you to see more of the beautiful landscapes and remote villages in Sapa than a 2-day trek. Additionally, a 3-day trek also brings you further away from places that get visited by popular day trekking’s from Sapa.
What do I do with my other luggage during a trek?
We provide free luggage storage services in Sapa.
How is the quality of homestays during a trekking in Sapa?
It’s important to keep in mind that homestays are a way to experience the local culture and way of life, so they may not have all of the amenities that you are used to in a hotel. However, most homestays are clean, comfortable, and offer a unique opportunity to interact with local people and learn about their customs and traditions.
Do I need to be fit to go trekking for 3 days in Sapa?
Yes, you should have a reasonable level of fitness to go trekking for 3 days in Sapa. The trek can be physically demanding, involving long walks on steep and uneven terrain, sometimes in hot and humid conditions.
Booking & Information request
Ask for booking, availability, pricing or general questions about this tour.
Need help?
Use the booking form to ask your questions
Book local
Book directly with a local travel agency without a middleman
Pay in your own currency
Possible to pay in: EUR, USD, AUD, SGD, CAD, GBP
Local support
Local team in Vietnam for questions and help on the spot
Deposit possible
Pay 30% now and the rest to your guide at the start of the tour.
Alternatives
- 10 days
Hanoi – Sapa – Halong – Ninh Binh – Hoi An – Saigon – Mekong Delta 10 days
From $797.00