The Khau Pha Pass, Yen Bai, Vietnam
  • Visited places: Hanoi, Sapa, Bac Ha, Yen Bai, Tram Tau
  • Tour Activity/Theme: Adventure, Trekking, Mountain climbing, Ecotourism, Ethnic market, Ethnic village, Sublime nature, Homestay, Off the beaten track

Trekking Tours in the Ta Xua Mountain and Sapa are physically challenging trekking adventures in 5 days, 4 nights. The trip is for our adventure travelers to explore the chaste beauty of the Ta Xua Mountain famed for staggering clouds at certain times of of the year, and Sapa well-known for cool climate, sublime mountain and colorful ethnic minorities.

Trekking Tours in Ta Xua Mountain and Sapa Overview

Hanoi – Nghia Lo – Tu Le – Khau Pha Pass – O Quy Ho Pass – Sapa – Can Cau Market

What to expect from the trip:
- The most beautiful mountainscape in Vietnam.
- A lovely and unique mountain trekking tour completely off the beaten track.
- Hunting for heavenly clouds on the Ta Xua mountain peak among the highest in Vietnam.
- The most beautiful rice terraces in Vietnam.
- The most beautiful mountain passes in Vietnam.
- Lovely encounters with ethnic communities on the adventure.
- Exotic and colorful market of Can Cau.

Muong Lo Valley, Nghia Lo, Yen Bai
The Muong Lo Valley, Nghia Lo, Yen Bai

This is a very hard trekking adventure and it is required that you are fit and you have hiking boots, ponchos/raincoats for the treks. The best time to take the trek in September – early October when rice terraces turn into yellow golden colors. Some rains are expected during this time though.

The temperatures may be extremely cold in December – February and you should bring along warm clothes; during this time we often encounter amazing clouds at the Ta Xua Mountain. In June-July, it may be either warm or rainy that weather updates should be closed monitored before taking on this trip. It is nice in August mostly, still there are rains sometimes that the trip may not be operated. It is dry in March – April but there is no rice during this period.

Road amid rice fields at the Muong Lo Valley (Nghia Lo, Yen Bai Province)
Road amid rice fields at the Muong Lo Valley (Nghia Lo, Yen Bai Province)

All homestays have lovely natural settings about and are equipped with hot shower and western toilets. The conditions are very simple and may not be suitable for travelers with high demands of quality. Most included meals are cooked hot by our hosts. There are 2 picnic lunches for the 2 trekking days; these meals are simple.

Accommodations
Nghia Lo: Homestay with a Thai family
Sapa: Homestay amid rice terraces with a Giay Family.

{Inclusions
English-speaking guide;
Transportation as indicated on the tour itinerary;
Accommodation with homestay as indicated on the tour itinerary;
Meals as indicated as indicated on the tour itinerary: B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner;
All admission fees as indicated on the tour itinerary;
}
{Exclusions
Insurance of any type;
Drinks or personal expenses;
Others not specified in the inclusions;
}

Detailed itinerary

Day1 ( Tuesday ) Ha Noi – Nghia Lo (200km) (B/-/D)

0800 A.M Depart Hanoi and head northwest to the Muong Lo Valley.
Lunch en route on your own account.
Arriving at our homestay in a Black Thai village amid lovely rice fields of the Muong Lo Valley, Nghia Lo.
Dinner included at the homestay.
Overnight at homestay at Nghia Lo.

Road to Tram Tau running between two ranges of mountains
Road to Tram Tau running between two ranges of mountains

 

Day2 ( Wednesday ) Nghia Lo – Tram Tau – Ta Xua Mountain Peak – Nghia Lo (B/Picnic Lunch/D)

Breakfast at the homestay.
Drive for 1 hour to the mountain base in Tram Tau where we take the adventure to the first peak of the Ta Xua Mountain. There are 3 peaks but we do not cover them all. Once at the top today, have time to take in the lovely nature with breathtaking views and possibly with ethereal clouds.
Descend the mountain and make it back to Tram Tau Township later in the afternoon. Transfer by car back to the homestay.
Picnic lunch and dinner at the homestay are included.
Overnight at the homestay at Nghia Lo.

Small trail to the village where our trekking adventure starts
Small trail to the village where our trekking adventure starts
From here the trail keeps going up and there are patches of thin woods on the way
From here the trail keeps going up and there are patches of thin woods on the way

 

The Turtle Head, a good spot for our picnic lunch
The Turtle Head, a good spot for our picnic lunch

 

Clouds on the trek at the Ta Xua Mountain
Clouds on the trek at the Ta Xua Mountain

 

The Dinosaur Backbone is where we stop and adore the breathtaking nature around, then time to go down
The Dinosaur Backbone is where we stop and adore the breathtaking nature around, then time to go down

Day3 ( Thursday ) Nghia Lo - Mu Cang Chai – Than Uyen – Sa Pa (250km)/Hiking Lao Cai – Ta Van (B/-/D)

Breakfast at the homestay.
Bidding farewell to our hosts and travel amid amazing nature of the Northwest of Vietnam. We’ll travel through 2 of the most beautiful mountain pass in northern Vietnam today: Khau Pha Pass and O Quy Ho Pass. The latter is the highest mountain pass in Vietnam; and the former offers just amazing photo opportunities.

Free time for lunch en route.
Arriving at Sapa, have time for a short stroll in the town center. Then continue further into the Muong Hoa Valley.
Dinner at the homestay included.
Overnight at homestay at Ta Van Village (Giay People) amid rice terraces of the Muong Hoa Valley.

The stunning Khau Pha Pass at Mu Cang Chai in Yen Bai
The stunning Khau Pha Pass at Mu Cang Chai in Yen Bai

 

Muong Kim, Than Uyen, Lai Chau
Muong Kim, Than Uyen, Lai Chau

 

The magnificent O Quy Ho Pass between Sapa and Lai Chau
The magnificent O Quy Ho Pass between Sapa and Lai Chau

 

The Muong Hoa Valley, Sapa, Lao Cai, Vietnam
The Muong Hoa Valley, Sapa, Lao Cai, Vietnam

Day4 ( Friday ) Trekking: Ta Van – Giang Ta Chai – Su Pan – Ta Van (B/Picnic Lunch/D)

Breakfast at the homestay.
Have a day to take in the impressive nature of Sapa. We’ll trek uphill through a bamboo forest to Giang Ta Chai (Red Dao People). Picnic lunch at the waterfall of Giang Ta Chai. Then hike up to Su Pan where we stroll back to our homestay via a lovely mountain road.
Dinner at the homestay.
Overnight at homestay at Ta Van Village (Giay People) amid rice terraces of the Muong Hoa Valley.

The waterfall near Giang Ta Chai Village in Sapa
The waterfall near Giang Ta Chai Village in Sapa

 

The suspension bridge where we hike through and uphill to Su Pan to take the car back
The suspension bridge where we hike through and uphill to Su Pan to take the car back

Day5 ( Saturday ) Ta Van – Sapa – Bac Ha - Can Cau Market (130km)/Can Cau – Hanoi (330km) (B/--)

Breakfast at the homestay.
0700 A.M Depart Sapa for the Bac Ha Plateau on a sublime mountainous road.
Travel past Bac Ha Town to Si Ma Cai for Can Cau Market which is in session on Saturday morning only.
Free time for lunch.
Take the highway back to Hanoi. End of service. We trust you had a memorable trekking tour in Ta Xua Mountain and Sapa with AdventureGreen.

Time to bid farewell to Sapa now
Time to bid farewell to Sapa now

 

Can Cau was originally a market for trading water buffaloes
Can Cau was originally a market for trading water buffaloes

 

Nowadays it is a good spot for trading everything that families need in their daily life
Nowadays it is a good spot for trading everything that families need in their daily life

Vietnam Adventure Travel