This Trekking Mu Cang Chai Tour 4 days gives you the best chance to discover the mountainous beauty, the amazing Rice Terraces, as well as the local life of different ethnic groups in the rural tribe: Mu Cang Chai – where the charming essence of these lands remains unchanged. Exploring these lands by hiking around unparalleled routes, meeting locals and rural villages will be the unforgettable memories in your Vietnam trips.
Noi Bai International Airport (Google Map)
Your hotel in Hanoi
7:30 am: Our guide will pick-up you at hotel. We also pass Nghia Lo town – the home of Thai people – one of the main ethnic people in Yen Bai. Around 2-3pm, arrive Tu Le town, you will walk around the rice fields, spring and villages, explore the life, the house, the culture…of Thai and Mong people.
Ups on your health and time, we will go farther, through Nam Co – Nam Pang to homestay in Bung Som village, around 10km in 3,5hrs. Or shorter route 6-7 km in 2hrs. You will follow the rice field, narrow muddy local path, cross the stream. If you want, you can join to swim with children in the stream. The Hiking road is quite flat, not too much difficult, but cross the field and stream is one of interesting activity.
Overnight at the homestay wooden stilt house of Thai people in Tu Le. ( if you want a private room, we can arrange the room in a hotel)
Sum up
Hiking difficulty: Easy ( 1/5) ~5 -10 Km in 2-3,5 hrs
Driving: 250 Km – 5hrs
8 am: After breakfast, we will move to Mu Cang Chai. We will drive over the Khau Pha pass (one of the four greatest passes in Northern Vietnam, connecting Tu Le and Mu Cang Chai. These scenic roads offer a lot of stops for picture-taking as it is the viewpoint to see the Lim Mong, Lim Thai village or paragliding-point on the top of this pass.
When we arrive in Mu Cang Chai, we will spend around 3 hrs trek from La Pan Tan village to Small Rasberry Hill – CHe Cu Nha– one of the most famous destinations in the country with round shape follow the mountain shape. La Pan Tan village is well-known 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. The simple lunch will be served after go down to the main road, or if you want to try to experience the life of Hmong people, you can visit their house, cook and eat lunch with local.
In the afternoon, Hiking through Bamboo Forest to Mang Mu village, visit local house, learn draw batik clothes, explore the Hmong culture.
Then leave house, continue trek to see the sunset in Mong Ngua – Sang Nhu village. Where have the beautiful rice terrace field with Horse feed shape and amazing sunset. However, this Hiking trip is quite steep.
Overnight at the stilt house homestay of Thai or Mong people. ( P/s: If you want to experience sleep in the homestay of Hmong people, we will arrange a night in Hello Mu Cang Chai homestay in La Pan Tan village.)
Sum up
Morning: You will continue to take the Hiking from Thai village to CHe Cu Nha in around ~9-10 km in 3 -3,5hrs. On the way, we will go up a high mountain, pass the H’ mong village and a waterfall in a remote area. Besides seeing the beauty of rice fields, you’ll be guided on how to plant rice, harvest rice or discover the farm working of locals. We can visit some houses or schools to explore local life and culture if that interests you.
After reaching the main road, you will be transfered back to main Rasbery Hill in La Pan Tan village ~3km to see the most beautiful terrace in Mu Cang Chai. ( if still have time, you can go farther 7km)
The car pick you up and transfer back to Tram Tau ( 110km ~3hrs driving).
Sum up
Hiking level: (2/5) ~5-7 Km
Sleep at homestay Zoni Home.
Morning:
Option 1: Take a relax at 
Option 2: If you still want to trek – trek around rice terrace field of Thai people in Luu village. ( easy trek ~5km)
Or harder a litlte bit from homestay to Ta Xua waterfall ( 7km).
Have lunch at Tram tau before come back Hanoi. Driving back to Hanoi around 6-7pm. Our guide will say their goodbyes. See you again in another journey!./.
P/s: The itinerary can change according your requirement
Amazing Trekking Experience
We did a 4 Days trekking tour with Zonitrip to Mu Cang Chai. The views were breathtaking. Nghia was knowledgeable in the area and readily shared the culture of Hmong, Tzao and Thai with us.
Overall, the trip was incredible (with breathtaking homestays) and impeccable service. We will definitely book another trip with Zonitrip if we are in this region.
AMAZING TRIP TO MU CANG CHAI
I recently did a two day trip with two friends riding pillion with three motorbike riders.
We travelled from Yen Bai and spent two days sight seeing in Mu Cang Chai Province and spent one night in a homestay. We just caught a bust 2 1/2 hours to Yen Bai from Hanoi and spent a night at a hotel right next to the bus station so we could make an early start the next morning.
Nghia from Zonitrip organised everything for us and went out of her way to organise booking the hotel for us also. It was an amazing two days, and the best adventure I have had yet in all my travels in Vietnam. Unfortunately, because I have been teaching, I missed going before the rice harvest, but it was still spectacular.
If you want a trip away from all the touristy areas like Sapa, and want to see more of the real rural Vietnam, I suggest you contact Nghia and she will customise your trip to suit you.
Authentic, fun, great guides
We did a hike through Mu Cang Chai, the trip was great, well organised and authentic. The walks were great lengths and we went through areas where we only came across locals and water buffalo! Thanks to the Zoni Trip team!
We absolutely LOVED this three day, two night trip with Nghia! We started from Hanoi and made our way up north to Mu Cang Chai. We spent the first day trekking to a tea farm up in the mountains and spent the first night at a homestay. We biked through rice fields, met locals and learned a lot about the community. We trekked up in Mu Chang Chai the second day via motorbike, walking and met locals, including our tour guide. As a traveler here, you need to be flexible and willing to experience the trip, even when the conditions aren’t ideal. It rained some on the second day, and was very muddy, but I think that gave the day an even better memory.
Our meals were also very yummy and we were able to experience all sorts of local delights.
Mu Cang Chai
I saw great reviews on TripAdvisor. Because I’m short on time and traveling alone, I’ve contacted Nghia and told her what i was looking for and asked for the available options for visiting Mu cang chai.
With a quick response she gave me detailed information for plan A, B etc.
Because a private tour would be a bit expensive, she offered me to join a group of 3, only if they were willing to receive me into the group. This is something i truly admire. She doesn’t mix people into a larger group just to make more profit.
When your traveling with family or friends, and you want it to be a private experience , she will honor it.
I was really fortunate that i could join the others.
Nghia has a lot of knowledge about the thai and hmong people and she will give you the opportunity to come contact with the local people, amazing sightseeing etc.
Actually, everything is just easy going, no stress,no time requirements and she is just fun to talk with (travel, traditions, life,…)
I would suggest you do these trips as soon as possible, because even though the area is large and we didn’t see other travelers for many hours, there are some places where they are building resorts. So soon it will be very touristic.
Of course it’s a good thing for the local people, and for the travelers who wants the best of both (trekking/relax), but for those who wants to experience it without too many others…
Thanks for the great experience and i hope to see you soon!
