Mu Cang Chai is a district of Yen Bai province, about some 300 km north of Hanoi, in the Northeastern region of Vietnam. The place is home to the H’Mong and Thai community. For the place being about 1000 meters above sea level, the steep hills make it almost impossible to grow rice fields like those in the delta. Thus local residences grow their own rice on the terraced fields, for the purpose of preventing water from flowing downhill. These terraced fields lying among rugged green mountain valleys, under the clear blue sky or a mysterious and crips fog, bring to eyes an imposing scenery.

During harvesting season, ready crops transitioned to yellow, while new crops still remain in their green color. The scenery is a big attraction to the photographer and trekkers. Mu Cang Chai’s the most beautiful seasons are waterfall season from May to Jun and the harvesting season from September to early October every year. 

Full Itinerary

Day 1: Hanoi – Nghia Lo ( L, D)

Departing Hanoi northwards towards Nghia Lo town on 32 highway, this journey passes through a stunning mountainous landscape, featuring with the fertile hilly area covered with green tea plantations, the mountains get higher and higher. Along the way, you can see thick forests cover high mountains.

Spending about 4 hours walking through a narrow and long valley, we meet three tribal setting their villages in different ways which reveal their traditional customs and living style: The Thai occupies the low land almost at bottom of valleys, near river or streams from which they build up water wheels for transfer water to rice paddies on which they farm wet rice intensively. The H’mong settle at the highest elevation, grow corn and dry rice on the burn-over land and the Zao live in the middle practice both methods of farming and it is easy to realize that they learn a lot of farming technique from the Thai.

Arriving in Nghia Lo, a pretty mountainous town, we spend the remaining hours of the day wandering the town including the market area, we will check into the hotel. Dinner and overnight in Nghia Lo.

Day 2: Nghia Lo – Tu Le – Mu Cang Chai (B, L, D)

After breakfast, we transfer from Nghia Lo to Tu Le. The road ride today takes only 2 hours so we have a lot of time exploring the area for real mountainous life of the local ethnic minority people. Fancy a four-hour trekking along a trail which connects villages to villages, meeting different tribal people such as White Thai, Black Zao, Red H’ mong…who seem very surprise, staring at you for the first moment and turn out very friendly and inviting you to their homes in which you will be hosted with tea or homemade wine. Next, to Mu Cang Chai, we enjoy another home staying in a large Thai village, which offers fantastic hours for your culture discovery.

On arrival Mu Cang Chai town, we will check into the guesthouse. Dinner and overnight in Mu Cang Chai.Mu Cang Chai4

Day 3: Mu Cang Chai – Hanoi (B, L)

Wake up early enjoy the clean air of Northeast mountainous landscape. After breakfast, check out we will return to Hanoi. On the way, we stop at Kim Noi Hill to take photograph and see the full views of Mu Cang Chai Town, next we will trek to “Mam Xoi” on the season of grain or Sky Mirror on the falling water to photograph & enjoy the beautiful landscape.

Continue to Nghia Lo Town to relax and have lunch here. Arrival in Hanoi, tour guide say goodbye to you, see you again in another journey.

Inclusion

– Transportation as tour program

– 2 bottle of 500 ml water/ day/ person

Exclusion

– Drinks, tips for tour guide & driver, personal expenses

– Others do not mention above

Notes: Advised to take good walking shoes, raincoats, jackets, torch, insect repellent …