Vietnam Sapa Trek - Trails of the Red Dzao

Hanoi

Old Quarter, Hanoi, Vietna

Day 1

Hanoi

Old Quarter, Hanoi, Vietna

Day 3

39 Views

3 Days From

~~$455~~

$433

Vietnam Sapa Trek - Trails of the Red Dzao

3 Days Starting and ending in Hanoi, Vietnam

Visiting: Hanoi, Topas Ecolodge, Nam Cang

Tour operator:

Topas Travel Vietnam

Tour code:

TP - SEH3

Specialist Group:

18-30 Somethings

Guide Type:

Fully Guided

Group size:

2 - 10

Physical rating:

Medium, Easy to Moderate

Age range:

6-75

Special diets catered:

Tour operated in:

English

Private Available:

From: $455 $433 (USD) Travel Club discount: -$22

NB: Prices correct on 10-Mar-2025 but subject to change.

Tour Overview

Topas Ecolodge, set deep in the Hoang Lien National Park, 18 km from Sapa town, offers you an ideal stay during your hiking tour into the Sapa Mountains. Enjoy the direct Hanoi – Sapa ride with our luxurious Topas Mountain Express limousine; take the best hiking tours along hilly trails to experience the ethnic communities and their interesting cultures, explore the deep valleys covered by terraced rice fields, and relax with breathtaking mountain views at Topas Ecolodge.

Highlights

Scenic Hiking Trails: Sapa is renowned for its breathtaking landscapes, with terraced rice fields, lush valleys, and misty mountains. Hiking trails in the area offer opportunities to explore these stunning vistas up close, with knowledgeable guides leading the way.
Cultural Immersion: Sapa is home to several ethnic minority groups, including the Hmong, Dao, and Tay peoples. During your tour, you may have the chance to visit local villages, interact with residents, and learn about their unique customs, traditions, and way of life.
Topas Ecolodge: Staying at Topas Ecolodge provides an eco-friendly and sustainable accommodation option. The lodge is typically built using local materials and designed to minimize environmental impact while offering comfort and amenities for guests.
Community-Based Tourism: Many tours in Sapa focus on community-based tourism initiatives, which aim to support local communities and provide them with economic opportunities. Staying at Toasp Ecolodge may involve participating in activities that directly benefit the surrounding villages and residents.
Educational Experiences: Tours to Sapa often include opportunities for educational experiences, such as guided tours of local markets, visits to cultural sites, or workshops where you can learn traditional crafts or cooking techniques from local experts.
Spectacular Views: Whether you're hiking through the mountains or relaxing at the lodge, you'll be treated to spectacular views of the surrounding landscapes. Sunrise and sunset are particularly magical times to take in the beauty of Sapa's scenery.
Relaxation and Rejuvenation: After a day of hiking and exploring, returning to Toasp Ecolodge provides a chance to unwind and relax in a tranquil setting. Many lodges offer amenities such as spa treatments to help guests rejuvenate body and mind.

Itinerary

Expand All

Day 1 : Direct limousine drive to Topas Ecolodge and hike to neighboring Red Dao village

Tran Quoc pagoda, the oldest temple in Hanoi, Vietnam

Old Quarter, Hanoi, Vietnam

Red Dzao Lady

Old Quarter, Hanoi, Vietnam

Tran Quoc pagoda, the oldest temple in Hanoi, Vietnam

Topas Ecolodge

Tran Quoc pagoda, the oldest temple in Hanoi, Vietnam

Old Quarter, Hanoi, Vietnam

Location: Hanoi, Topas Ecolodge

Accommodation: Lodge, LodgeLodge

Accommodation Name: Topas Ecolodge – Premium Executive bungalow

From 6:30 – 7:00 AM, you will commence from your Hanoi hotel with Topas Mountain Express for 5 hours transfer to Topas Ecolodge. After checking in your bungalow, you will enjoy the beautiful and peaceful view of the surrounding mountains and valleys from your private balcony.

The walk in the afternoon starts from Topas Ecolodge on a quiet road with a great view of the rice terrace below. You then take a slight ascent to Lech village. You will visit a wooden local house, meet the friendly Red Dao hosts and experience their daily way of life. The Red Dao women, like their ancestors, have hair and eyes brows shaved and wear very colorful customs. They are famous for beautiful handmade embroidery. On the way back to Topas Ecolodge, you will walk on small trails passing rice terraces and cross a suspension bridge, where you can take some great pictures of the natural landscape. Your guide will explain the interesting cultivating culture of the local farmers.

Approx: Grade: Easy/ 2.5 – 3 hours walking

Day 2 : Explore the most remote area of Sapa

Location: Topas Ecolodge, Nam Cang

Accommodation: Lodge, Lodge

Accommodation Name: Topas Ecolodge – Premium Executive bungalow

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Enjoy a great breakfast and prepare for today´s walk. At 8:30 AM, you will commence the excursion with a transfer deeper into Hoang Lien National Park to the trek starting point near Sin Chai village. You are now “off the beaten track” enjoying beautiful views of high mountains, waterfalls and deep valleys. The trails will soon lead you to the Red Dao village of Nam Nhiu, here you will meet the villagers, visit their houses, and learn about their daily way of life. Leaving the village behind, you will turn into a small dirt trail and soon be inspired by the marvelous view of the rice valley dotted with bamboo huts, which are used by local farmers as overnight lodges on harvesting days. Passing the rice terraces and a river you will walk on a quiet road for a while before arriving Nam Cang village. Your lunch is served at local restaurant.

Nam Cang village locates in the most remote area of Sapa. The Red Dao women wear some of the most colorful and diverse costumes of all Vietnam’s ethnic groups. Herbal bath, local medicine and embroidery are some of the things that the Red Dao are very skilled at. Accompanied by your guide, you will explore the village and learn how the local villagers make writing paper, jewelry and embroidery.

At 14:15, you will have a transfer back to Topas Ecolodge. Here you may want to book a traditional Red Dao herbal bath at the lodge’s spa.

Approx: Grade: Moderate/ 3-3.5 hours walking

Day 3 : Leaving the mountain and back to Hanoi

Tran Quoc pagoda, the oldest temple in Hanoi, Vietnam

Old Quarter, Hanoi, Vietnam

Tran Quoc pagoda, the oldest temple in Hanoi, Vietnam

Old Quarter, Hanoi, Vietnam

Tran Quoc pagoda, the oldest temple in Hanoi, Vietnam

Old Quarter, Hanoi, Vietnam

Infinity swimming pool at Topas Ecolodge

Old Quarter, Hanoi, Vietnam

Tran Quoc pagoda, the oldest temple in Hanoi, Vietnam

Location: Hanoi, Topas Ecolodge

Meals Included: Breakfast

The morning is at your leisure at Topas Ecolodge. You can either relax or borrow high-quality mountain bikes from the lodge for an exploration of the surrounding areas. You can also take a scheduled shuttle bus to Sapa to visit the town or book a half-day tour to explore the highest peak of Indochina, Mt. Fansipan (3.143m) by cable car.

Topas Mountain Express departs from Sapa at 13:15; from Topas Ecolodge at 14:30 and returns you to your hotel in Hanoi.

Please note for Topas Mountain Express:

Only pick up and return passengers at hotels/residences in Hanoi’s Old Quarter and Tay Ho Area.
Pick-up time is around 6.30 – 7.00 am but clients need to be ready at 6.30 for smooth services.
Due to limited space, guests are requested to bring only 1 cabin bag/suitcase 115cm (56cm x 36cm x 23cm) per person.

What's Included

Accommodation

2 nights in a premium executive bungalow at Topas Ecolodge
Fully Guided

English speaking local tour guide on day 1 and 2 hikes Please note for excursions: The excursions in Sapa are based on sharing a group of maximum of 10 travelers
Meals

All meals as indicated in the program
Transport

Join-in Topas Mountain Express direct shuttle between Hanoi and Topas Ecolodge: Please note for Topas Mountain Express: Only pick up and return passengers at hotels/residences in Hanoi’s Old Quarter and Tay Ho Area. Pick-up time is around 6.30 – 7.00 am but clients need to be ready at 6.30 for smooth services. Due to limited space, guests are requested to bring only 1 cabin bag/suitcase 115cm (56cm x 36cm x 23cm) per person.
Free refillable water during transfers and at Topas Ecolodge (Please check with your guide or driver and bring your own water bottle)
All entrance tickets and permits to local villages and Hoang Lien National Park
Government Value Added Tax

What's Not Included

Drinks and alcohol
Vietnam visa
Travel insurance
Upgrades to higher standard rooms or single supplements. Early check in or late check out at all hotels/boat (Standard check-in time: 1pm, check-out time: 11am)
Personal travel items
Tips
Other services not mentioned in itinerary and inclusive portion

Optional Extras

Compulsory Gala Dinner: USD 127 per person

Christmas 24 Dec 2025
Compulsory Gala Dinner: USD 127 per person

New Year 31 Dec 2025
Peak season surcharge at Topas Ecolodge in 2025: USD 28 per person per night

Hung King: 5-7 Apr 2025 (3 nights) Victory and Labor day: 30 Apr – 1 May 2025 (2 nights) National Day: 30 Aug - 2 Sep 2025 (4 nights) Xmas: 23 – 25 Dec 2025 (3 nights) New Year Eve: 30-31 Dec 2025 (2 nights)

Mode of Transport

Sharing Topas Mountain Express 8-seater limousine from Hanoi - Topas Ecolodge - Hanoi
Shuttle bus from Topas Ecolodge - Sin Chai, Nam Cang - Topas Ecolodge

Accommodation

Topas Ecolodge is based on sustainable hotel operation values to ensure minimum impact on the surrounding environment while offering guests a unique position to immerse themselves in local communities.

First and foremost, we are situated 18 km outside of Sapa town, (a 45-minute drive). The road meanders through valleys, local villages, and mountains and can be expected to be in poor condition at times. You may have to stop once in awhile to let a buffalo cross the street!

While we do have “luxury” in terms of our awe-inspiring mountain views, we are not a 5-star resort but a lodge similar to what you would find in Scandinavia.

Our bungalows were surrounded by pure nature with rustic but comfy interior design, hoping to help you completely escape from everyday life and immerse yourself into pure nature. You can spend the whole day on your private balcony mesmerized by the mountains, in our two saltwater infinity pools, or the Rice spa.

One of the pillars of our organization is our committment to the local community, therefore all of our employees are hired from the nearby local tribes. As they work at Topas, they learn English as well as other hospitality skills through training. We ask guests to be patient and kind when ordering in English, and that in the event of any language barriers, you can always find someone to help you at Reception!

Due to our mountain location, the weather can be unpredictable – so please do pack something for all seasons when coming, as we have a famous phrase that this location can experience all 4 seasons in one day!

We are so excited to welcome you here at Topas Ecolodge and our little slice of Vietnam. So go ahead and escape your busy city life and truly experience the peacefulness and authenticity of a real mountain getaway.

Check out our Q&As

Are all entrance fees included in the price?

Yes, they are included in the price
Are vaccinations required for this tour?

No need
Is free Wi-Fi available in the accommodation used?

Yes, wifi is available at Topas Ecolodge
Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?

Yes, they are English-speaking tour guides
Am I contributing to any charity by booking the tour?

We are thrilled to share that your upcoming tour with us contributes to our meaningful charity initiatives. At Topas, giving back is at the heart of what we do, and your booking plays a significant role in supporting various projects aimed at making a positive impact in the communities we hold dear. Our Charity Streams: Own Projects in Sapa: Rooted in Sapa, we conduct numerous projects focusing on education, including rebuilding schools, constructing bridges, and improving homes for those facing hardship. A dedicated project manager in Sapa oversees our charitable work. NGO Partnerships: Newborns Vietnam: Trains neonatal medical staff and provides vital equipment for critically ill newborns. Works with Lao Cai Hospital near Sapa and Moc Chau, a direct result of our partnership. Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation: Supports street kids and victims of human trafficking. Besides funding, we offer free slots in our Vietnam Trail Series races and sponsor the Blue Dragon Running Club kids, celebrating their achievements at events like the Vietnam Trail Marathon. Hue Help: Addresses drowning prevention, teaching kids and educators to become swim safety instructors. Collaborative projects in Thanh Hoa province, an area where we host the Vietnam Jungle Marathon. Operation Smile: Performs facial surgery, changing the lives of young people in Vietnam. We've witnessed firsthand the impact, supporting kids from Sapa and Pu Luong for corrective surgery in Hanoi. Your travel experience with us goes beyond exploration; it becomes a conduit for positive change in these communities. We deeply appreciate your contribution to our charitable endeavors. Thank you for being a part of our journey to make a difference.

What policies are in place for Covid-19?

Traveling to Vietnam is now as comfortable as any other destination, with COVID-19 policies reflecting a sense of normalcy. As of the latest updates, there's no special treatment required for COVID-19, and travelers are no longer obligated to undergo testing or purchase specific COVID insurance. While Vietnam has embraced a more relaxed approach, we strongly recommend securing a comprehensive travel insurance package. This insurance should cover essential aspects such as medical treatment, personal accidents, medical evacuation, and extend beyond unforeseen circumstances like natural disasters and cancellation fees. Client's safety and well-being remain our top priority, and we encourage travelers to explore Vietnam with confidence, armed with a robust travel insurance plan that ensures peace of mind throughout your journey.
How long has the tour company been trading?

We’ve been creating Vietnam travel experiences since 1993 and our team is here to help you create the perfect trip for your own travel style. We love travel, we love Vietnam, and we love sharing our passion for both. Whether you want to see the bucket list sites with a twist or discover lesser-known destinations, our team is ready to make it happen. We will ensure you have the best possible experience discovering the sites, sounds, and scents of beautiful Vietnam. What’s more, doing travel the right way and giving back to the communities where we work is at the very heart of the Topas philosophy. Read our charity page to learn more about why to travel with us if you want to travel responsibly.

Reviews of this operator

Catherine Yeo (Google Reviewer)

The service from this agency...

16-Oct-2022

The service from this agency is excellent. I mostly corresponded (from Singapore) with Ms Hoai and she was very responsive and detailed. She provided every single information I enquired about. The itineraries she proposed were also informative and complete. When we were in Vietnam, she ensured that everything went as planned. We had a great time there and everything went on without problems - pick-ups were on time and the tours and accommodation were of excellent quality. Thank you!

Mr James Richard Duber

Northern Vietnam and Cambodia 12 days

22-Dec-2022

The hotel in Hanoi was perfectly located so that we could enjoy what the city had to offer. The guides were terrific. Our contact at Topas in Vietnam -Loan - has been fantastic. She really understood what WE liked and organized the most wonderful trip for US.

Pat Enfield (Google Reviewer)

Topas tours organised a 5...

06-Jan-2025

Topas tours organised a 5 day, 3 night tour of the Mekong Delta, for my family group of 2 ladies in their mid 70s, 2 couples in their thirties and a 4 year old girl. Challenging to say the least! From the excellent communication to the itinerary that met everybody's needs, Topas Travel were excellent. Den, our guide, was always punctual and very knowledgeable about local culture and history. Our driver was very steady and we never felt worried in traffic. The Eco lodge in Can Tho and the Mekong Riverside Resort were very comfortable with lovely staff. We visited the Cai Rang floating market and the Mekong Delta by boat and the others did a 25 km bike tour around Cai Be, while I rested and watched the traffic on the Mekong. Den and the cheerful local guide Hapi were most concerned with our comfort and safety. Den made interesting and delicious choices for our meals. We highly recommend Topas Tours and their staff.

Stefan Cami

The Best of Vietnam in 21 days

21-May-2023

We had a really nice trip to Vietnam! The communication between us and the local guides/ misses Loan could not be any better. Everything was very well organized. All of the drivers were perfectly on time and the guides were really nice and sweet. We have discovered Vietnam in a really special way thanks to the great guides and welcoming families and people. We for sure will recommend the organization to our friends! Thank you for everything!

Miriam Zukas

The Best of Northwest Vietnam in 5 days

18-Oct-2023

Excellent services from Anh and Fong - we really had a great time! Extremely efficient and everything worked like a dream. Thank you!

VU BANG (Google Reviewer)

Very professional adventure tour operator...

01-Mar-2018

Very professional adventure tour operator in Vietnam

Gordon Ahrens

The Best of Vietnam 17 days

15-Mar-2023

Logistics were good and were executed very well. Both the riverside lodge and the ecolodge were great. Our guide during this time was excellent. the Vespa tours were excellent

Vicente Montes

The Best of Northern Vietnam in 8 days

30-Jul-2023

Everything was perfectly planned and we did not have to worry about anything at all. Drivers and tour guides were always on time which is something that surprised us. Loan Tran and her team were very helpful and accommodated every request. I was worried before the trip since I didn't know anything about the tour company, simply came across them on a hotel's website. But since we arrived in Hanoi my concerns were quickly resolved. As the days went by, I was genuinely surprised with the choices Loan made for our tour in Vietnam and with the service provided. During the trip, I crashed my drone and they even helped me get s new one. The new drone was waiting for me at the hotel. This tour company is simply amazing.

Katrien callewaert

The Best of Vietnam in 21 days

02-Sep-2023

All the guides and drivers were on time. We never had to wait for them. Unplanned/unforeseen changes due to force majeur were communicated in due time and correctly applied.Perfect service! all local guides were concerned about us. We felt safe and well surounded. Thanks Loan for your follow-up whatsapp messages!!

Hung Do (Google Reviewer)

Group of 15 had bike...

15-Feb-2018

Group of 15 had bike tour in Sapa. - Bikes are in poor conditions ( Not same brand- some are TREK and the others are IDEAL bike??!!,- old and gears not smooth. 3 chains broke on first day). - Pack lunch provided 16 Feb is too simple for the money paid - Guide , Quyền and the lodge saved the tour - Not so friendly with environment when providing small plastic bottles of water for each of cyclist/ day. Too much plastic bottle wasted.

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~~$455~~ $433 (USD)