Trang An Vietnam
Mai Chau Trekking: An Authentic Trip To Rural Vietnam
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Northern Vietnam scenic route

Ninh Binh – Mai Chau – Pu Luong – Moc Chau – Mu Cang Chai – Sapa In 8D7N

Let’s explore the breathtaking landscapes and vibrant cultures of Northern Vietnam with our one-of-a-kind journey that you may have never experienced. From marveling at towering limestone peaks in Ninh Binh to trekking through the rice terraces of Mu Cang Chai, we will take you on an adventure through the Northwest region. If you wish to immerse yourself in places that other tourists may not have the opportunity to set foot on, this tour is perfect for you!

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Tour Highlight & Itinerary

Quick Look

An 8-Day Route Through Ninh Binh, Pu Luong, Mai Chau, Mu Cang Chai and Sapa

This tour is designed for travelers who want a compact but varied Northern Vietnam route, combining limestone scenery, river boat rides, nature reserves, ethnic minority villages, cloud-hunting trails, mountain passes, rice terraces, and Sapa trekking.

Ninh Binh Limestone Scenery

Cycle around Tam Coc, visit Bich Dong Pagoda, take a boat ride on Ngo Dong River, and climb Mua Cave for panoramic views.

Pu Luong Nature Reserve

Walk and trek through peaceful valleys, rice terraces, ethnic minority villages, and remote Hieu Hamlet.

Mai Chau Village Life

Visit Van Mai and Mai Hich, then cycle around Lac Village through rice fields and White Thai stilt-house scenery.

Moc Chau Cloud Hunting

Visit Pa Co Village and trek to a cloud-hunting viewpoint for mountain scenery and a sea of clouds when conditions are right.

Mu Cang Chai Rice Terraces

Explore La Pan Tan, Raspberry Hill, Lim Mong Village, and highland landscapes shaped by H’mong communities.

Sapa Trekking and Homestay

Trek through Giang Ta Chai, bamboo forests, terraced rice fields, waterfalls, and stay overnight with a local Giay family in Ta Van.

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Trip Itinerary

Northern Vietnam Adventure 8-Day Schedule

Travel from Hanoi through Ninh Binh, Pu Luong, Mai Chau, Moc Chau, Nghia Lo, Mu Cang Chai, Tu Le, and Sapa on a scenic northern Vietnam journey filled with rice fields, limestone landscapes, mountain villages, local homestays, trekking routes, waterfalls, cloud-hunting viewpoints, ancient tea areas, and peaceful countryside experiences.

Day 1 HANOI – NINH BINH – OVERNIGHT IN NINH BINH

Our private car and guide will pick you up at your hotel at 8 AM and then we will head to Ninh Binh, which is 100km away from Hanoi. Once we arrive, get ready for an exciting bicycle ride around the Tam Coc area to visit the breathtaking Bich Dong pagoda.

The journey continues with the boat ride through the scenic Ngo Dong River amidst towering limestone karsts, known as “Halong Bay on land”.

Next, we will head to Mua Cave, one of the best trekking routes in Ninh Binh, located 3.5 km away from Tam Coc. After ascending nearly 500 steps for about an hour, marvel at the breathtaking panoramic views from Ngoa Long Mountain, overlooking Tam Coc’s golden rice fields.

Overnight at a local bungalow in Tam Coc.

Day 2 NINH BINH – PU LUONG

Pu Luong Nature Reserve offers you chances to explore the pristine and peaceful land of ethnic minority villages.

After breakfast, hop on your car to travel to our next destination – Pu Luong Nature Reserve. On our arrival, we will start a 1.5 hour walking-trip along the road to Don village where we start to trek to Hieu Hamlet – the most beautiful and remote hamlet in Pu Luong. Hike on the off-the-beaten track passing through the beautiful valley of rice terraces and up to mountains for a panoramic view of the region.

Overnight in a traditional bungalow of Black Thai people.

Day 3 PU LUONG- MAI CHAU

Continue your trip to Mai Chau and visit Van Mai village where they produce wine and visit the Chopstick factory in Mai Hich village. Our day keeps on with the cycling journey around Lac village, which is located within the picturesque Mai Chau valley. Let’s pedal through emerald rice fields and past stilt houses of the White Thai ethnic minority. Encounter warm smiles, vibrant culture, and the serene beauty of northern Vietnam’s countryside.

Spend your night at a local homestay there.

Day 4 MAI CHAU – CLOUD HUNTING – MOC CHAU

Say goodbye to your host family and get ready to move to Pa Co village. Pa Co is the home of the Blue Hmong community, situated high in the hills at an altitude of 1500m in the picturesque Mai Chau valley in Hoa Binh. Walking around the village to learn about the local’s expertise in needlework and indigo dyeing. Hop on your car and head toward Moc Chau.

Stop at Cloud Hunting trail and prepare yourself for a 3-hour trekking adventure to the viewpoint in which you will have the opportunity to witness the wonder of nature. You will be mesmerized by a sea of clouds floating through the mountaintops under deep blue skies.

Overnight at a homestay in Moc Chau.

Day 5 MOC CHAU – NGHIA LO

Today, we will move to our next destination in the Northwest of Vietnam, which is Nghia Lo – a small town in Yen Bai province. Along the way, located 10 km away from Moc Chau’s town center, we will visit Bach Long Glass Bridge, which was recently certified as the longest glass bridge in the world by Guinness World Records.

On the road, we will visit Suoi Giang Commune, Van Chan district to admire the hundreds of years old – ancient tea trees, which make up the specialty tea Shan Tuyet. We will stop by Thai village, which is located in Mu Cang Chai town. Not only attracting people with its lush natural landscape, peaceful scenery, and fresh atmosphere all year round, Thai village also has countless traditional stilt houses existing through many generations up till now.

Overnight in Nghia Lo town.

Day 6 NGHIA LO – MU CANG CHAI – TU LE

This morning, we will spend time visiting La Pan Tan village and Raspberry Hill – one of the most famous destinations in the country with a round shape following the mountain shape. La Pan Tan village is well-known for with large and high rice terraces in Mu Cang Chai. Everything was built by the human hand of the H’mong people over the past hundreds of years.

Next, let’s move to Lim Mong village, located in the breathtaking Mu Cang Chai region, to further witness endless terraced rice fields sculpted into the rolling hills by generations of Hmong farmers.

After a long day, spend your night in a homestay in Tu Le town.

Day 7 TU LE – SAPA

After breakfast, get in your car and keep on your adventure to Sapa for some memorable trekking experience. Once you arrive, start by having a walk around Sapa town with your guide. After that, we’ll then begin the journey and head towards Giang Ta Chai Village. It’s a very special trekking route. Trekking to Giang Ta Chai village through terraced rice paddies, bamboo forests, and stunning waterfalls.

Stop at a waterfall in Giang Ta Chai village to swim and enjoy the cool water. Move to Ta Van and spend the night at a local Giay homestay there.

Day 8 SAPA – LAO CAI – HANOI

After breakfast, you’re free to spend your morning lying down or having a walk around the village. Then, say goodbye to your host family and get in your car to move back.

End tour at your hotel in Hanoi.

Cost details

What’s Included and Excluded

Review the main inclusions and exclusions before sending your request, so you can better understand what is covered in this 8-day Ninh Binh – Mai Chau – Pu Luong – Moc Chau – Mu Cang Chai – Sapa tour.

What’s Included

  • Ground transport
  • English-speaking guide
  • Accommodation
  • Activities and meals mentioned in the itinerary

What’s Not Included

  • Airfares
  • Visa fees
  • Travel insurance
  • Gratuities
  • Personal expenses
  • All other services not clearly mentioned above

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Plan your trip

Ready to Explore Northern Vietnam in 8 Days?

Select your preferred start date, tell us how many people are joining, and we’ll get back to you soon with up-to-date prices and availability for this 8-day, 7-night Ninh Binh – Mai Chau – Pu Luong – Moc Chau – Mu Cang Chai – Sapa journey.

    Book Your Trip

    Meet Our Team

    Who will be with you on this journey?

    nhi - tour operator

    Nhi Trinh
    Travel Consultant

    Hi, my name is Nhi. Me and the YESD team are here to support you, to help you choose the most suitable tour and make sure that experience memorable. Join us on the next journey by leaving your contact. Our team will reply shortly.

    Ha Tran travel Consultant

    Ha Tran
    Travel Consultant

    Hi Dears! Have a nice day! I am Ha, a Travel Consultant & Tour Operator of YESD. I am grateful for the opportunity to work at Yesd and contribute to the company’s sustainable tourism development. Working here, I find joy in the work, fron the little things like supporting customers to personalize their experiences, supporting new guides on board, training, and company trips… I also learn a lot from the tourists, tour guides, homestay or accommodation owners, and other young members in YESD’s team. I hope that our company will grow more and more and can spread the community values that the company Is aiming for to more people around the world.

    Chi marketing partnership YESD

    Chi Nguyen
    Marketing Partnership

    Hi, I’m Chi from the Marketing Partnership team at YESD. My work gives me many opportunities to travel here and there and meet many different people from various ethnic minority groups. More than that, through every project we have done, I hope we can somehow improve local people’s daily lives and inspire more children to go to school for a better future.

    Guest stories

    What Travelers Say About YESD

    Real stories from travelers who joined YESD for authentic, responsible, and locally connected travel experiences in Vietnam.

    “

    Ha Chiang loop for an old boy

    Well what can I say about my Ha Chiang loop trip I did with Yesd. They were excellent from start to finish. As a 54 year old man I did the loop solo with my driver Chinh as I wanted to avoid the happy water and karaoke aspect. Chinh understood this perfectly and took me on a fabulous trip. We took local routes when he could, avoiding some of main routes. He kept ahead of the ‘Mongolian army’ as he called the throngs of other loopers and often arrived at view points before they arrived …

    Nikki F. / TripAdvisor
    “

    An authentic and sustainable experience

    It was a unique experience that allowed me to truly experience sustainable tourism. The activities took place in breathtaking landscapes and gave us the opportunity to learn firsthand about the traditions and lifestyle of the local communities. The team was very attentive and took care of every detail to ensure we enjoyed our stay to the fullest.
    Realmente lo recomiendo! es una manera hermosa de descubrir Ha Giang y, al mismo tiempo, contribuir a un turismo responsable.

    Estefano / TripAdvisor
    “

    A memory for life

    An amazing experience! Incredible guides! You almost feel privileged compared to other groups. The accommodation is top-notch; the house, the welcome, the meals—everything is perfect. The mountain trek is magical, the motorbike trek is insane, incredible views the whole time, and super enriching stories. Thank you again to the entire YESD Travel team; they are truly wonderful people.

    Dan B / TripAdvisor
    #YESD FAQs

    Ninh Binh – Mai Chau – Pu Luong – Moc Chau – Mu Cang Chai – Sapa Tour FAQs

    Practical answers to help you understand the route, trekking level, homestays, rice terraces, cloud-hunting experience, inclusions, and whether this 8-day Northern Vietnam tour is the right fit for your trip.

    How long is this Northern Vietnam tour?

    This tour lasts 8 days and 7 nights, starting from Hanoi and ending with a return to your hotel in Hanoi.

    What destinations are included?

    The itinerary includes Ninh Binh, Pu Luong, Mai Chau, Moc Chau, Nghia Lo, Mu Cang Chai, Tu Le, Sapa, Giang Ta Chai, Ta Van, and Hanoi return.

    Is this tour good for rice terrace scenery?

    Yes. The route includes rice terrace scenery in Pu Luong, Mu Cang Chai, La Pan Tan, Raspberry Hill, Lim Mong, and Sapa trekking areas.

    Does the tour include trekking?

    Yes. The itinerary includes trekking in Pu Luong, a 3-hour cloud-hunting trek near Moc Chau, and Sapa trekking through Giang Ta Chai, bamboo forests, terraced rice paddies, and waterfall scenery.

    Will I stay in local homestays?

    Yes. The itinerary includes local stays such as a Black Thai bungalow in Pu Luong, homestays in Mai Chau and Moc Chau, a homestay in Tu Le, and a Giay homestay in Ta Van.

    What cultural experiences are included?

    The route includes White Thai villages, Black Thai accommodation, Blue Hmong culture in Pa Co, needlework and indigo dyeing, local rice wine production, and village life in Mai Chau and Sapa.

    Will I visit Ninh Binh’s famous highlights?

    Yes. Day 1 includes Tam Coc, Bich Dong Pagoda, Ngo Dong River boat ride, Mua Cave, and panoramic views from Ngoa Long Mountain.

    What is included in the tour price?

    Ground transport, English-speaking guide, accommodation, and activities and meals mentioned in the itinerary are included.

    Can the itinerary change?

    Yes. The itinerary may change or be cancelled due to weather conditions.