Sapa Photography Tour 3 days 3 nights

Sapa Photography Tour 3 days 3 nights
Activity Level:  Easy – Moderate
Group size: Private
Tour date: Daily

Brief Description:

With calved rice terraces that climb heavenwards, the natural splendour of Lao Cai Province in Northern Vietnam is matched only by the unique cultural heritage of the many ethnic tribes who have made this rugged and unforgiving landscape their home.
The landscapes and people of northern Vietnam are amongst the most photogenic of anywhere in South East Asia. Sapa Unique Tour specialises in tours that offer extraordinary opportunities for landscape and portrait photography. Our photography experiences are unique as they offer an opportunity to visit some wonderful locations along with a group of like-minded photographers whilst being accompanied by one of our local hill tribe guides who are experts at getting you to the very best places at the best time of day for the best shots.
You will have the time to fully explore and absorb locations. We don’t believe in rushing you from place to place. You will have the luxury of being able to reflect on your surroundings and learn how to convey a sense of place through your photography.

Detailed itinerary:

Day 1(Saturday) : Hanoi – Night train to Lao Cai

09:00  P.M Pick up at the lobby of the hotel in Hanoi transfer to Hanoi Railways Station for the night train to Lao Cai.
Accommodation: 4 berth soft sleeper train cabin.

Day 2 (Sunday): Lao cai – Bac Ha Market – Sapa (B,L,D)

Arriving in Lao cai at 06:30 A.M, you are welcomed by our local guide then we will have breakfast & fresh up at the nearby restaurant before being transferred  to Bac Ha Town let via Lao Cai city.  Arrive to the market place at about 09.00am, right at the most crowded hours. Spend two hours joining the local tribal peoples including Flower H’mong, Black Zao, Phu La and Tay for the market activities and festive atmosphere. All peoples in their best traditional costume gather every Sunday for shopping, but socializing is of great importance. The cattle and clothing sections are the most interesting until 11.00 and then comes the food section where peoples meet, talk, enjoy food and especially drink a kind of locally made corn-wine. Lunch break in a local restaurant. Then leave Bac Ha for half an hour road ride downhill to Trung Do village which is beautifully set in a valley on the eastern bank of the mighty Chay River. Take an hour leisure walk to explore this prosperous village of the Tay ethnic people who live in large stilt houses andl have maintained well their traditional way of life. Walk to the boat pier in mid afternoon, boarding a boat for cruising downstream the Chay River for an hour to Bao Nhai. Boat cruise end at Bao Tan Village, near the motorway. Picked up and transfer 45 km to Lao Cai city, spend half an hour to see trading activities at the border gate and coffee break before being transferred to Sapa Town.

Day 3:  Sapa – Silver Waterfall – Love Waterfall – Tram Ton Pass – Binh Lu Valley (B,L,D)

09:30 A.M, we depart for the Silver Waterfall. The Silver Waterfall is located about a half hour from Sapa town which offers stunning views over surrounding mountains and lush forests belonging to Hoang Lien National Park. You are advised to stop by a farm for a cup of tea and talk with people to understand their local life. After that, we are driven to Tram Ton Pass where we will trek 30 minutes through the forest. Along the way, you have chances to see wild flowers. Trekking along the Golden Stream, you will arrive at Love Waterfall. It is the best place for relax in Sapa, returning to Tram Ton Pass. Then we continue our drive uphill to the Heavens Gate, the highest stretch of road in Vietnam as well as the provincial border of Lao Cai and Lai Chau provinces. Enjoy fantastic view over the valley!. From Heavens Gate the scenery and views are amazing.We now begin a sometimes steep descend towards the Nam Mu River. The road conditions here are bother good and bad. We take it easy, we reach the village of Chu Va which is inhabited by the Black Hmong minority.It is still going downhill. And the ride will bring us to Binh Lu. In Binh Lu we make a break for a glass of local tea at the local house and after look around in the village and enjoy the local life.From Binh Lu we restart to Tam Duong, on the way you will appreciate that amazing scenery and discover all the long the way the Tai Lu, Tai Laos minority people whose textiles are intriguing.After the village of Tam Duong will still have lunch at the local restaurant before being transferred back to Sapa.

Day 4 : Visit tribal villages in Muong Hoa Valley and Ban Ho Village – Bus to Hanoi (B,L,D)

Leaving the hotel after breakfast, the road ride will take you southwards of Sapa along the only narrow road to Muong Hoa Valley. Spectacular scenery of the highest part of Hoang Lien Range including Fansipan Peak can be seen in the first 7 km of the road trip with many photo stops. Then the valley suddenly opens wide as you reach to Lao Chai. From high evevation fo the road you can see the whole valley, the Muong Hoa River winds its way through the valley bottom and small villages and hamlets of the Hmong and Dzay peoples scattering on the other side of the river, even very high on hill slopes. Leaving the main road, you will tak a walk following the foot path downhill and then crossing the river to the other side to pay visiting to Lao Chai village of the Hmong and Ta Van of the Zay during which you will drop in several local homes for experiencing their hospitability as well as observing the traditional living way. After lunch at a beautiful village lodge we will continue our trip to Ban Ho Village where can see another beautiful scenery of the rice paddy and mountain range. Finally, you are transferred back to Sapa for our shower before catching our bus to Hanoi at 04:00 P.M. Arriving in Hanoi at 09:00 P.M, ends the tour.