The Best Mu Cang Chai and Sapa Photography Tour

Duration icon Duration: 06 Days/ 5 Nights
Trip code icon Trip Code: ORG_MCCSP06
Map marker icon Best places to visit: Hanoi → Nghia LoMuong LoTu LeMu Cang ChaiLai ChauSapaY Ty

Overview

On this 6-day Mu Cang Chai & Sapa photography tour, you’ll travel from Hanoi by private car to explore Mu Cang Chai and capture stunning photography of the iconic rice terrace fields in its famous villages and in Sapa. Here is also a great chance you discover Y Ty rice terrace field as well as visit the unique Ha Nhi minority people who has very less habitant now in Sapa. Their houses are very special building which cool and warm all year round.

Highlights:

  • Travel on car through the mountain scenery to see different beauties of Long Coc tea hill, Nghia Lo and Khau Pha Pass before reaching the amazing rice terrace fields
  • Walk on foot and discover the different villages of La Pan Tan, Che Cu Nha, De Xu Phinh, Mo De to enjoy the amazing beauties of rice terrace fields in each village in different shapes of Shoes, Horseshoes, etc.
  • Reaching a spectacular Tram Ton Pass and O Quy Ho pass while traveling to Sapa and enjoy its special beauties.
  • Touch local minority people and share their culture beside you enjoy its rice terrace fields and if fall on Sunday can enjoy Muong Hum Sunday market while visiting Y Ty.

Mu Cang Chai and Sapa Photography Tour Map

Mu Cang Chai and Sapa Photography Tour Travel Map

Itinerary Details

Day 1: Hanoi - Phu Tho - Long Coc Tea Hill - Nghia Lo - Tu Le. Homestay in Tu Le (L/D)

Day 1: Hanoi - Phu Tho - Long Coc Tea Hill - Nghia Lo - Tu Le. Homestay in Tu Le (L/D)

Morning Activities:

At 8.00, Start the journey with our guide and driver, pick up at your hotel in Hanoi City and travel to Phu Tho Province and visit Long Coc Tea Hill where you can shoot beautiful photo of tea in Long Coc.

And then you continue to Yen Bai Province and travel to Nghia Lo with distance 220km and take 4 hours to reach Nghia Lo – Yen Bai Province.

Arrive in Nghia Lo you make a shooting photo in Van Chan to view the panorama of Muong Lo Valley far from where you can catch the panorama of the spreading famous rice fields valley in Nghia Lo.

Have lunch at local restaurant.

Afternoon & Evening Activities:

You continue your journey from Nghia Lo to Tu Le and make a visit the Thai ethnic village to discover more of Lim Mong and Lim Thai village.

This is the best place to shoot your beautiful photo and you will surprise for its beauties spreading under the sunlight to the foot of faraway of mountain.

This our guide can flexile for you to have a place to get the photo shooting on the rice field.

Check in to the homestay and then you have time to enjoy stunning views of countryside and nature, visit local villages, experience daily life.

Have the special dinner with traditional dishes cooked by Thai professional chef. Overnight at homestay.

Day 2: Tu Le - Khau Pha Pass - Mu Cang Chai. Homestay in Mu Cang Chai (B/L/D)

Day 2: Tu Le - Khau Pha Pass - Mu Cang Chai. Homestay in Mu Cang Chai (B/L/D)

Morning Activities:

Start trip at 5.00 to shoot sunrise photo on Lim Mong valley at Kong Hill camping site or return Nậm Búng commune on National Highway 32 to get the beautiful sunrise photo.

After that you travel continue to Khau Pha Pass and discover its beauties. This is one of beautiful view for the valley as well as parasailing site on yellow rice season on September yearly. Tu Le terrace field offers you more chance to take beautiful of rice photo, especially golden time of rice; it covers a large area for golden terrace fields.

Have lunch at restaurant.

Afternoon & Evening Activities:

Spending this afternoon to visit and shoot photo at Mam Xoi Hill in La Pan Tan village where is one of the beautiful sightseeing of terrace fields.

Infact there are Mam Xoi Lon and Mam Xoi Nho hill in La Pan Tan village so it depends on your time you can visit both or just Mam Xoi Lon only.

The rest is you get more photo shooting and sunset at Mong Ngua view point (Horseshoes) in De Xu Phinh village. Having as much as possible beautiful photo here and enjoy the sunset over the hill.

Special note: You must walk 5km from main road to hill or can have a support of motorbike to reach the village and then can have a short walking distance.

Have dinner with the family. Evening just simple interact with local family and enjoy the mountain atmosphere. Overnight at homestay.

Day 3: Sunrise Mu Cang Chai & discover terrace fields. Homestay in Mu Cang Chai at another village (B/L/D)

Day 3: Sunrise Mu Cang Chai & discover terrace fields. Homestay in Mu Cang Chai at another village  (B/L/D)

Morning Activities:

At 5.00, you wake up and take photo of sunrise if the weather is fine and sunny at your homestay or around rice terrace fields here (Or can back Mui Giay in De Xu Phinh village – or reach Mam Xoi Be Hill in La Pan Tan village to get sunrise photo here again).

Then you travel to Nha Ngo Mang Mu (Corn House) where you can see local minority people is keeping their corn as their way and here is also a nice spot to see local culture and the way the save their foods.

Continue your trip to reach Bamboo Forest (Rừng Trúc Mồ Đề) where can see the amazing scenery of bamboo forest here. This is one of nice place to shoot photo as well as harmony yourself.

Next you will visit Shan Nhu village – 2 km from Mu Cang Chai town where you can catch beautiful scenery of terrace fields looks like as Mong Ngua “Horseshoe”.

Have lunch at restaurant.

Afternoon & Evening Activities:

More time to discover its amazing scenery on terrace fields in Mu Cang Chai with famous villages and nice view for shooting photos.

Next you visit and take photograph Che Cu Nha Rice Terrace Field of Hmong people with the famous rice terrace hill. Reach Háng Tàu Dê of Che Cu Nha village where has the special way when Mr Giang Dua Cha create by stone to make his rice terrace field more special than.

Back Mu Cang Chai town centre and check in homestay (You can check in after lunch time). Have dinner with the family. Overnight at homestay.

Day 4: Sunrise Mu Cang Chai - Kim Noi village - Lai Chau - Sapa. O/n in Sapa (B/L)

Day 4: Sunrise Mu Cang Chai - Kim Noi village - Lai Chau - Sapa. O/n in Sapa  (B/L)

Morning Activities:

At 5.00,  you wake up and take photo of sunrise if the weather is fine and sunny at your homestay or around rice terrace fields here.

Say goodbye the family and Continue your trip to Kim Noi village where has the nice terrace fields for shooting photo and enjoy its beauties.

And then leave Mu Cang Chai for Sapa and pass through Lai Chau Province.

Have lunch at restaurant.

Afternoon & Evening Activities:

Continue on your trip in Lai Chau and pass through tea hill and Tram Ton Pass.

If you would like to stop and visit Rong May Glass Bridge you can ask our guide and pay the entrance fee ticket by yourself.

And then travel ahead to Sapa town and pass through Silver Waterfall. Check in hotel on arrival. Free to have your own dinner. Overnight at hotel.

Special note: Depending on the location homestay you will overnight, the itinerary can be flexible to change, however, still guarantee you will visit famous villages and sites we list in tour. Or depend on that date as well as climate our guide can be flexible to change the position of each village how to have the most reasonable itinerary but not cut your trip.

Also apart from rice terrace fields seasons, Mu Cang Chai is very nice in each season which you can visit all year round.

Day 5: Sapa - Bat Xat - Muong Hum - Y Ty - Sa Pa. O/n in Sapa (B/L)

Day 5: Sapa - Bat Xat - Muong Hum - Y Ty - Sa Pa. O/n in Sapa (B/L)

Morning Activities:

Have breakfast at hotel. At 8.00, Leave Sapa town with our guide and driver from the morning and drive to Y Ty where is famous for the fabulous scenery and unique cultures of Ha Nhi people as well as Giay people.

En route you can stop over to visit and learn more of Ha Nhi people at A Lu as well as their lifestyle.

You pass through Y Ty primary forest with the diversity of flora and fauna, rarely woods and herbal, cool climate all year round.

You arrive in Muong Hum commune of Bat Xat district, Lao Cai province. It is about 46 km from Sapa town and is only open on Sundays market.

You will have the opportunity to pass through O Quy Ho Pass, which is 10 km away from Sapa town. You will travel to Khoang village from the right hand and then continue to Ta Giang Phinh village. From here it offers you the scenic views of its terraced rice fields. Backdrop is Five Finger Mountain (Ngũ Chỉ Sơn) where offers you the wonderful views and scenery.

Have lunch with local food.

Afternoon & Evening Activities:

Afternoon is the time for you travel to Y Ty Commune centre. Here is the chance for you to shoot beautiful photo surrounding at Lu rice field, Den Sang cardamom forest and Nhi Cu San mountain where is between border of Vietnam and China and more chance to see fabulous scenery at Ngai Thau and also here is one of the nicest to enjoy the cloudy and shoot photos.

You leave Y Ty and return Sapa town and once again pass through O Quy Ho Pass and reach back Sapa late afternoon. Once again you can stop and take beautiful photo and views of mountain scenery. Free to have your own dinner. Overnight at hotel.

Special note: Today is on Sunday you can visit Muong Hum Sundays market and discover the diversity of minority people groups here: Giay, Flower Dao, Green Hmong, Ha Nhi and Tay as well as learn more of their culture.

Day 6: More trek Lao Chai & Ta Van village 8km - car transfer back Hanoi (B/L)

Day 6: More trek Lao Chai & Ta Van village 8km - car transfer back Hanoi (B/L)

Morning Activities:

Have breakfast at hotel. At 8.00, pick up at hotel to have a trek Lao Chai and Ta Van village.

You will have the walking trip to along Muong Hoa valley to travel to Lao Chai village to visit more the home of Black Hmong people as well as enjoy one of the beautiful route of terrace fields.

Especially trek on a dirty trail through rice paddy terraces and have the opportunity to enjoy spectacular scenery while walking along a narrow river.
Proceed Go on the trekking through Lao Chai village to reach Ta Van village – home of Giay people and admire the most beautiful route for terrace fields in Sapa.

Have lunch at local family.

Afternoon & Evening Activities:

You leave Ta Van village and our guide with driver transfer you to back Hanoi city.

You will spend 4,5 hours on car to reach back Hanoi city. Wishing you a great time to discover Mu Cang Chai and Sapa with an unforgettable Sapa Tour with Origin Travel & see you in the next time!

Special note: Have about 10 km of trekking within 6 hours and it is rainy on July & August.

Inclusions

  • PRIVATE door to door transport (new vehicle) with air-conditioned
  • Experience English speaking guide
  • Meals as mentioned above (B= Breakfast, L= Lunch, D = Dinner)
  • Homestay/Hotel
  • Motorbike support
  • Entrance fees
  • Mineral water daily 2 bottle 500ml/per day
  • Permission
  • 24/7 hotline support guaranteed
  • Bank fees if payment by credit card
  • Gov tax and service charge
  • No extra charge after final confirmation

Exclusions

  • International flight in & out Vietnam
  • Meals not mentioned in program
  • Drinks (coca cola, soft drinks, wine…)
  • Tips for guide, driver, porter
  • Travel Insurance
  • Other expenses not mentioned in program

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Meet Our Local Experts

Ms Angela - Vietnam Travel Expert

Ms Angela

Ms Lucy - Vietnam Travel Consultant

Ms Lucy

Ms. Angela & Ms. Lucy are our experts for this itinerary and as seasoned travellers they have the inside track on the most memorable adventures.

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This itinerary is designed to give you the best local experience we can create in Vietnam!

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