The mountains in northern Vietnam. Along the Chinese border.

To make a really good tour in the breathtaking mountain world, you need 4 days. We would like to point out that we are reluctant to offer Sapa, as this is completely overcrowded and also overpriced.

The tours can be driven and offered in different variations. The roads are mostly good but also very curvy.

We'll build these tours into your schedule, taking into account local markets or events.

We leave the main roads and follow the border

We try to avoid main roads and prefer to spend the time in the countryside. The landscapes change several times a day from gentle hills to hard karst landscapes. Thousands of meters of altitude have to be conquered and the most diverse minorities will surprise you with their customs and way of life.

Examples of our most popular tours are the 4 or 6 day tours. If it can be arranged, then the 6-day tour is the best insight into the hidden north with its incredible mountains. We determine the route according to the season. We often have to make small changes due to the season and road conditions.

We try to describe it here with pictures.
Day 1:Hanoi, Lang Son-Cao Bang
In the morning we start in Hanoi and leave the city as quickly as possible. On the way to Lang Son we visit Bac Ninh and Bac Giang provinces. We look around a small market and enjoy the first specialty of the day.
At noon we are in the border town of Lang Son. A visit to a cave and its history are inextricably linked to the region. Lunch is at the local market.

In the afternoon we leave Lang Son and head to Cao Bang. The mountains are getting higher and the rice fields are steeper. In some regions only corn or vegetables can be grown. There is much to see from abandoned prisons in the forest, villages, rice cultivation and animal husbandry. There are also gorges and sometimes raging watercourses. The shortest distance to the Chinese border is a few meters. There is a lot of information and stories about it.

Dinner in Cao Bang and then a city tour and possibly a visit to the market. A massage to relax is always a good idea and just have your hair washed in "Vietnamese style".

Day 2: Cao Bang to Ban Gioc Waterfall and Tiger Cave

Today only 88 km separate us from the waterfall. But we will leave the main road again. The scenery of Cao Bang is just too beautiful to rush by. After a short time, the journey takes us to a pass. We have given this pass a name: Cow-head-pass. Why? :).
From here it is not far to Hien and her family. For many generations, the people in the village have been making the best knives by hand. We take a close look, taste the house schnapps and hike through the village.
After the village we turn (weather permitting) onto a small side street. Gentle waterfalls invite us to swim or simply enjoy the landscape. The villagers do not know any tourism and are very curious. Again and again one is photographed or asked to look at the new house.
In a small community we go through the weekly market. Special features here are the fruits and the fresh tobacco. We'll see the extension.
The Ban Gioc waterfall is on the program. The fourth largest waterfall in the world, which marks an international boundary, is impressive. We will actively exceed this limit and need a special permit for this. A raft tour brings us very close to the water masses.
We relax and then go to a small restaurant for dinner.
A visit to the Tiger Cave is difficult to describe. We refrain from being guided by the tour guides in the cave. Or to put it better: We're just too slow for them, because we go a little different ways and that takes time.

Day 3: Cao Bang to Meo Vac or Dong Van

If you can speak of a trip to the high mountains, then today is one of the days. One pass after the other takes us through small villages, markets and growing areas of different fruits. From dragon fruit to pineapple, everything is within reach here. You can hardly give an announcement to temptation. The roads are good and the gorges are getting deeper and deeper.

Worth seeing is the spinning of jute and also the laborious cultivation of tobacco and other crops. The landscape becomes more karstic and we can guess what the farmers have to do here.

The rice terraces get higher and higher and embrace the mountains. Depending on the season, these are deep green, yellowish before harvest or the water buffalo prepare the soil. Level surfaces are hard to be found in the afternoon. In the afternoon we reach the Ma Pi Leng Pass. It is a remarkable 700m down almost vertically next to the road. Some thrills coupled with the karst landscape make this section an unforgettable experience. Not all visitors find the viewing platform, but for us it is a MUST.

The day is marked by "stop calls" from the guests, because there are thousands of photo opportunities.

It's difficult to describe and if it fits into the schedule, then we'll be here on Saturday, because on Sunday Meo Vac has the largest and most colorful market in the entire region.

A small selection of images without the real highlights. You should see them there.

Day 4.1 with market
Morning market and afternoon to the northernmost point of Vietnam

The market in Meo Vac or Dong Van is unique. No "plastic stuff" for tourists, but everything you need to live. From the cowbell to the water buffalo, everything is a matter of negotiation here. Many market participants walk up to 2 days through the mountains to reach the market. Many can only do this a few times a year and offer their products here. You just have to experience it.

Early in the morning we'll show you where you can find what in the maret and later we'll meet in the large hall for dinner. It's a dream .... fresh out of the pot.

We leave the market before 11:30 a.m., because the very cheap rice wine and the meeting with other minorities at the market tempts the locals to drink one over their thirst. We want to get through the traffic safely and drive on a side street to the Lung Cu Tower. The northernmost point of Vietnam is marked with a 54m2 national flag. One square meter for each ethnic minority in the country. The Lo Lo live here and they represent one of the smallest minorities. With a lot of luck we will see them :)

Depending on your interest, we will then visit the castle of the last king of Vietnam or we will go on a hike. If it is not a market day, then see Day 4.2.

Day 4.2 (without Sunday market): Meo Vac / Dong Van to Ha Giang

As described under 4.1, we visit the northernmost point in Vietnam. After that, head towards Ha Giang. On this section we come through the hard karst landscape of the Dong Van Karst Plateau. The Geopark offers a lot of room for imagination and you can see everything from dragons to seals in the fela formations. Life is difficult for the residents here. They plant the agricultural products between the rocks and the use of technology is out of the question. The different costumes of the residents and the high mountains make Dong Van a very special experience.

After some time the first rice fields appear. The high plateau offers enough water to allow cultivation. One pass follows the other and the roads wind around the mountains. Sometimes we follow the rivers and then come back to "moonscapes". On the roadsides you can follow a wide variety of activities and beekeeping is also one of them. The honey of the region is characterized by the taste of the jungle that covers large areas. Most beekeepers do not centrifuge the honey, but only harvest the "excess". Together with the typical green tea, it tastes really great.

We will climb various viewpoints and see rice terraces that are unique to here. You can't see them from the street, but that's why we're on the road with you to show you them. We have given up trying to count all these levels of fields.

A massage after the drive in the high mountains in the resort is just right after countless bends and passes. We enjoy local specialties in the spacious "garden".

Day 5: Ha Giang - Ba Be Lake

After breakfast we leave Ha Giang heading south. The road is well developed and you can make good progress. Since we love side streets, we turn east and drive into the former opium cultivation area. A brief registration with the responsible authorities and we are allowed to travel on without problems. It goes back into the mountains, but here they are more reminiscent of low mountain ranges and appear velvety soft. The landscape changes and the areas become more spacious. High plateaus and forests determine the picture. We pass large reservoirs and the traffic is getting less and less. Water buffalo and other farm animals cross our path. It's so different from the days before. Our destination is Ba Be Lake. The freshwater lake is clear and surrounded by mountains. The family in the homestay is already waiting for us for the boat tour with a short hike through the jungle. The silver waterfall is rather small compared to the Ban Gioc, but the jungle and the village on the way make it a special experience.

In the evening the family cooks for us and we end the day.

Nothing stands in the way of a hike in the late evening. Depending on the season, you can see a wide variety of animals, which you can discover with a flashlight.

Day 6: Ba Be Lake - Hanoi / Airport / Railway Station

Here I always follow the further plans of the guests. When do they have to be in Hanoi, or at the airport? We can arrange that and flights from 5:00 p.m. are easily accessible.

The route via Thai Nguyen brings you closer to tea cultivation. There are beautiful views along the way. We discuss and plan the day before on our tour. :)

The mountains in northern Vietnam. Along the Chinese border.

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