You are picked up at your Hanoi hotel and taken to the Topas Mountain Express, a five-hour drive to the north. Arrive at your mountain retreat in the hills of Sapa Valley, the Topas Ecolodge, and settle in to your bungalow. The views here of the surrounding terraced hillsides are breathaking, and nearly every spot on the property inspires you to pause and take the scenery in.

This afternoon head out with a cycling trip down the main road to the Lech village, a Red Dao community. Leave your bikes and walk a short distance to visit a Red Dao family. Learn about this community's way of life and interact with some of the locals. Hop back on your bikes and continue on to a Moi Village. Learn about the women's embroidery for which the Red Dao are famous. This evening return to the lodge for dinner.

Biking: 1.5 hours on easy grade with 30 minutes of walking, 6 km / 3.7 miles

Enjoy breakfast at the lodge and prepare for your hike today. Transfer deeper into Hoang Lien National Park this morning by vehicle and start out on your hike near Sin Chai Village. Hike through the mountains and past deep valleys with waterfalls as you make your way to the Red Dao village of Nam Nhiu. The local villagers greet you with a cup of green tea and an invitation into their home to learn about their daily life. From here set out on a small trail for stunning views of the rice terraces dotted with small huts for local farmers during harvest periods. Arrive to Nam Cang village where you enjoy lunch at Nam Cang Riverside Lodge set along a river in one of the most remote areas of Sapa. The Red Dao women here wear some of the most colorful and diverse dress of all of Vietnam's ethnic groups. Learn about the local embroidery, medicine, and herbs used by these women and explore the village with your guide. See how they make rice paper for writing and jewelry, or opt to take a dip in the river. Mid-afternoon your vehicle picks you up for a drive back to Topas Ecolodge to rest this evening.

Hiking: 3 - 3.5 hours of moderate hiking, 6-7 km / 3.7-4 miles

This morning transfer by shuttle into Sapa town to explore this bustling tourist hub. Get on your bike for a short ride to the old Hill Station Town and the lake nearby. Descend from here to the Muong Hoa Valley and its stunning mountain scenery with rice paddy fields along the way. Get off your bikes to visit a black H'mong village. The people here are renowned for their skills in making agricultural tools, musical instruments, hemp, and for their unique indigo dying. Return to Topas Ecolodge this morning for some time to relax before your transfer back to Hanoi later this afternoon. 

Biking: approximately 3 hours of moderate grade. 22 km / 13.5 miles