Ha Giang

Those who appreciate the mountain world and healthy air, far away from tourist metropolises, should allow themselves the luxury of living very simply for once: three nights in a simple homestay in Nam Dam in Ha Giang province. Here, at the northernmost point of Vietnam, there are no organized flows of people; this is where deceleration begins. The province is a very mountainous region, so large parts of the territory are unsuitable for agricultural use. Nevertheless, corn and dry rice cultivation is still wrested from the karstic soils at high altitudes. In the plateau, plums, peaches and persimmons are grown. Ha Giang is one of the poorest provinces in Vietnam. The infrastructure is very thin; roads, hospitals and schools are underdeveloped. Because villages are hours apart on foot and often consist of only a few houses, teachers trek to children to provide them with schooling. Many national minorities live in the province. In addition to the Viet, there are Tay, Dao and Hmong. The small local markets north of Ha Giang are supplied by China, except for rice, meat, vegetables and some low-grade alcohol.

First day: You will be picked up at your hotel at 6am. After a short break in Yen Bai Province, your tour guide will pick you up in Bac Quang District and join you in Ha Giang for lunch at Truong Xuan Resort around 1:30pm. After a little sightseeing in Ha Giang, you will continue to Nam Dam (55 km north of Ha Giang). This homestay is a meritorious project of Caritas, through which it supports three families of the Black Dao minority and contributes to increasing the quality of life with a copycat effect. Along the way, enjoy a view through the "Gate of Heaven", about 1,500 meters above sea level. With a bird's eye view across to the Chinese mountains, you will see into a large valley with endless terraced fields and small villages.
Day Two: You will hike from Nam Dam village to Kinder Waterfall, a thoroughly challenging route. Picnic After a picnic, you will walk through rice fields, over hills to the famous Dong Van Geopark with its karst rocks and a viewpoint overlooking the Lung Tam valley. In the evening, villagers put on a traditional performance in the courtyard of your homestay.
Third day: After breakfast, you will go by car to Lung Tam village to visit a traditional weaving village. There you will meet ''Mrs. Mai'' who not only runs the fabric production from hemp but also an organization against human trafficking. In this region, more than a hundred women disappear every year to be ''sold'' to China. You can also visit a herbal store that offers many local products and specialties. After lunch in Tam Son town, you will walk back to Nam Dam village. You will have a chance to learn about the Tay minority culture.
Fourth day: say goodbye to your host family. Afterwards, you will take a short hike to Truc Son village. There you will be picked up by car for the drive back to Ha Giang city. After lunch in Ha Giang city, you will continue to Hanoi.