Sapa Terraces & Northern Highlands

Hanoi · Sapa · Ninh Binh · 7 nights

Seven nights from Hanoi to Ninh Binh, paced around the days that matter.

The Journey

Seven nights across three stops: Hanoi for three nights, Sapa for two and Ninh Binh for two. Every transfer between them is private and timed around the day's plan.

The days are built around Old Quarter and the French Quarter, Muong Hoa Valley Trek, Trang An and Tam Coc and Ho Chi Minh Complex and Street Food. Each one is set out below with what you will see, how you get there and which meals are included.

The defining moment of this route: village homestead lunch with a Hmong host. Your travel specialist can add a night, swap a day or change the order before you book.

Signature Highlights

Village homestead lunch with a Hmong host
Old Quarter and the French Quarter, Hanoi
Ho Chi Minh Complex and Street Food, Hanoi
Muong Hoa Valley Trek, Sapa
Trang An and Tam Coc, Ninh Binh

Your Experiences

Moments shaped just for you

Old Quarter and the French Quarter, Hanoi

The 36 guild streets on foot or by cyclo, the Temple of Literature, Hoa Lo prison and the Opera House quarter, with a water puppet show in the evening.

Ho Chi Minh Complex and Street Food, Hanoi

The mausoleum and stilt house, the One Pillar Pagoda and the Ethnology Museum, with a guided street food walk covering phở, bún chả and egg coffee.

Muong Hoa Valley Trek, Sapa

A walking day through terraced rice fields between Hmong and Dao villages, with a local guide from one of those communities and a homestay lunch.

Day by day

Your Itinerary

8 days

01
Day 1 · Hanoi
Arrival in Hanoi
Arrive at Noi Bai International, about 45 minutes by road into the city and transfer privately to your base. Time today to walk the Old Quarter lanes and around Hoan Kiem lake in the evening.
- Private transfer via Noi Bai International
- Walk the Old Quarter lanes and around Hoan Kiem lake in the evening
- Time to settle in before dinner
Meals:
D
02
Day 2 · Hanoi
Old Quarter and the French Quarter
The 36 guild streets on foot or by cyclo, the Temple of Literature, Hoa Lo prison and the Opera House quarter, with a water puppet show in the evening.
- Old Quarter guild streets
- Temple of Literature
- Water puppet theatre
Meals:
BL
03
Day 3 · Hanoi
Ho Chi Minh Complex and Street Food
The mausoleum and stilt house, the One Pillar Pagoda and the Ethnology Museum, with a guided street food walk covering phở, bún chả and egg coffee.
- Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum complex (closed Mondays and Fridays)
- Museum of Ethnology
- Street food and egg coffee walk
Meals:
BL
04
Day 4 · Sapa
Hanoi to Sapa
Travel northwest from Hanoi by expressway or overnight sleeper train. On arrival, walk out of town towards the Muong Hoa valley for the terrace view.
- Travel northwest from Hanoi by expressway or overnight sleeper train
- Walk out of town towards the Muong Hoa valley for the terrace view
- Timings reconfirmed locally the day before
Meals:
B
05
Day 5 · Sapa
Muong Hoa Valley Trek
A walking day through terraced rice fields between Hmong and Dao villages, with a local guide from one of those communities and a homestay lunch.
- Terraced valley trek
- Hmong and Dao village visits
- Home-cooked lunch
Meals:
BL
06
Day 6 · Ninh Binh
Sapa to Ninh Binh
Drive or take the train south from Hanoi into the Red River delta karsts. On arrival, cycle out among the rice fields and limestone towers before dusk.
- Drive or take the train south from Hanoi into the Red River delta karsts
- Cycle out among the rice fields and limestone towers before dusk
- Timings reconfirmed locally the day before
Meals:
B
07
Day 7 · Ninh Binh
Trang An and Tam Coc
A rowing boat through the UNESCO-listed Trang An cave system, rowed by foot in the local style, and the Tam Coc river valley with Hang Mua's steps above it.
- Trang An rowing boat and caves
- Hang Mua viewpoint steps
- Tam Coc rice valley (yellow in late May)
Meals:
BL
08
Day 8 · Ninh Binh
Departure from Ninh Binh
An early rice-field morning before the drive on. Private transfer to Hanoi in good time for your onward flight.
- An early rice-field morning before the drive on
- Late check-out arranged where the hotel allows it
- Private departure transfer
Meals:
B

Inclusions

Handpicked luxury accommodations across the journey
Daily breakfast; select lunches and dinners as noted
Private airport transfers and inter-city ground movement
Curated experiences and reserved access as listed
24×7 on-trip concierge from our India desk

Not included

International airfare unless explicitly mentioned
Visa fees, travel insurance and personal expenses
Meals and experiences not listed in the itinerary
Gratuities for guides, drivers and hotel staff
Anything of a personal nature (spa, minibar, laundry)

Transfers

Private arrival and departure transfers with a named driver
Moves between stops by private car, rail, ferry or domestic flight, as shown day by day
Timings reconfirmed with you the evening before each transfer

Visa & Documentation

Visa guidance provided by our documentation desk
Recommended to hold passport valid for 6+ months
Digital pre-arrival forms handled on your behalf where possible

Common Questions

How do we get to Sapa?+

By expressway from Hanoi, about five to six hours, or by overnight sleeper train to Lao Cai and a short drive up.

How hard is the trekking in Sapa?+

The valley walks are moderate, on paths that can be muddy after rain. We choose a route to suit your group.

When is the best time for Sapa?+

September to November and March to May. Winter can be cold and misty; summer is wet but green.

How far in advance should we book?+

Three to four months ahead gives the widest choice of rooms and guided days, and more for school holidays, festivals and peak season. Shorter notice is often possible; ask and we will check live availability.

Can the itinerary be customised?+

Yes. Every journey is a starting point: add or remove nights, swap a day's plan, change hotels or reorder the route, and your travel specialist re-plans the whole trip around it.

What is the payment schedule?+

Your quote sets out the deposit that confirms the booking and the date the balance is due. Both depend on the hotels, airlines and guides involved, so they are agreed with you before you pay anything.