Our ETHOS philosophy is that whether a guest wants to walk 1 or 100 miles, we have an option for them. ETHOS guides will personalise each experience to your abilities and desires by offering support and flexibility. Please note that the information below is therefore meant as a guide.
For additional details about each of our experiences, please click on the headings or images below.
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Discover the heart and soul of North West Vietnam in one of the most ethnically diverse parts of the world. Encounter history, both ancient and modern, and witness the unbelievable splendour of the famed rice terraces.
Our team of advisers are made up of British and Vietnamese nationals with over 35 years of combined experience of sustainable tourism in Sapa. We would be delighted to assist you with planning your itinerary whilst in the area and look forward to introducing you to our excellent group of English-speaking Hmong and Red Dao minority guides who have a great deal of local knowledge. They take pride in sharing their beautiful landscape with visitors and are ready to lead you through the incredible mountains of northern Vietnam and inform you about the traditions an culture of the hilltribe communities in the region.
Our team of advisers are made up of British and Vietnamese nationals with over 35 years of combined experience of sustainable tourism in Sapa. We would be delighted to assist you with planning your itinerary whilst in the area and look forward to introducing you to our excellent group of English-speaking Hmong and Red Dao minority guides who have a great deal of local knowledge. They take pride in sharing their beautiful landscape with visitors and are ready to lead you through the incredible mountains of northern Vietnam and inform you about the traditions an culture of the hilltribe communities in the region.
"We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open."
Simply Hmong (*recommended)This is undoubtedly one of the most unique and ethical experiences available in Sapa and is exclusive to ETHOS. Walk or ride to a minority home, cook and eat together with a local family. Share stories around the fire and simply get lost in the tradition and culture that surrounds you. If you would like to read more about the experiences had by other travellers, view here.
Buffalo Valley Trek (*recommended)
Buffalo Valley is a brand new, post pandemic trek for us. It’s in a fantastic area around an hours drive from Sapa. We particularly enjoy treks that incorporate routes through bamboo forests and across streams. This is a truly fantastic trek that showcases the absolute best of Sapa's scenery.
Muong Hoa ValleyThis is a unique walking experience and incorporates some of the most remote and untouched villages in Sapa District.The trek winds through a cluster of Hmong and Dao Villages nestled amongst some of the most spectacular rice terraces in all of Vietnam.
The Great North LoopWith years of experience riding around the highlands of Vietnam, we’ve had plenty of chance to visit some of the most incredible locations, many of them still well and truly off the beaten track. Expect hundreds of hairpin turns, mountain scenery and quality time local hill tribes who inhabit this area. The seven day trip will involve approximately 630km of riding, but also leave time for ethnic minority markets as well as jungle treks and camping in abandoned villages. We will also organise caving, kayaking, wild swimming, and foraging.
Photography ExperienceNo art has a more immediate connection than that of photography. The
landscapes and people of northern Vietnam are amongst the most photogenic of
anywhere in South East Asia, so why not join us exploring the Sapa area and capture some shots that you can treasure forever.
Sapa Mountain RidersThe real Vietnam is a hidden secret waiting to be discovered. To find it you need to be intrepid and have a strong desire to explore. No doubt that the best way to see Vietnam is off the beaten track and by motorbike. Sometimes it’s great just to sit back and enjoy the amazing views and that is where Sapa Mountain Riders is here to help. We drive, you ride and North West Vietnam comes alive.
Little SapaInspire Your Child to Learn About the World. Little Sapa is your child's ticket to an exciting mountain adventure. Inspire a love and understanding of the world as your kids learn about the way the ethnic minority kids live, play and survive in the mountains of Northern Vietnam.
Special Interest Tours - Textiles ToursVietnam offers a world of amazing culture and textile traditions ranging from villages still weaving and dyeing textiles using traditional methods to colourful ethnic minority groups creating unique beautiful textiles, embellished in rich embroideries and batik.
Red Dao Sewing WorkshopIf you are interested in textiles and creative design, look no further than the Rad Dao of Ta Phin. The women wear some of the most colourful and diverse costumes of all ethnic groups but can be identified by their black trousers richly embroidered with flower or small star patterns. Our classes investigate everything from materials to symbology.
Cloud RidersThe ethnic diversity of Sapa is incredible. If cycling is your things, let us develop a route that suits your needs and includes the highlights that the area has to offer. We have downhill only rides for beginners and longer trails over a range of terrains for the more experienced rider.
Muong Hum MarketMuong Hum is small, yet active hill tribe market, that typically attracts five ethnic groups. Taking place each Sunday morning, visitors can expect to see Hmong, Dao, Ha Nhi and Giay people trading their local wares in a very traditional and intimate village setting.
Stunning Sin HoSin Ho is one of the highest settlements in all of Vietnam. The district is home to Hmong and Dao people.Whilst Sapa is a famous mountain retreat, enormously popular with Vietnamese and foreign tourists. Sin Ho, on the other hand, is hardly ever visited by travellers. These two highland towns are connected by lofty mountain passes which afford spectacular views, on a scale not found anywhere else in Vietnam.
Ha Giang / Tuyen Quang SpecialThis four day loop takes in the changing scenery of Lao Cai, Ha Giang and the extremely remote Tuyen Quang Province.
From cinnamon forests to tea plantations and rice terraces, this loop has it all. We ride along mountain passes and through vast plains and ancient forests. This four day loop is a great way of discovering some of Vietnams greatest secrets. 
Orchid Trek
Ham Rong (Dragon's Jaw) Mountain towers above Sapa. Shaped like a dragon’s head in the clouds, Ham Rong Mountain is approximately 2000m tall with trees and colourful flowers almost all year round. The path leading to the summit consists of many stone steps and crosses small streams that lazily run through beautiful foliage. About midway, travellers will find themselves in an orchid -garden with over 400 species of colourful blooms. Standing on the highest point of Ham Rong Mountain, visitors will have breathtaking views over Sapa town.
Mountain View ExperienceStart the day driving over one of the most stunning mountain passes in all of Vietnam. Visit unspoilt villages and spend time with some of the least visited ethnic minority groups in all of Vietnam.
Ta Phin Trek
Ta Phin is a picturesque village North of Sapa. Set within a valley with a towering mountain peak at one end, this village is alive with the daily life of the Kinh, Red Dao and Black Hmong people.
Forest TreksWhat better way to really explore the unknown than venturing into the dense cloud forests that flank Mt Fansipan. From the unique black bamboo groves to the rare and incredibly valuable Pomu tree, the forest around Sapa are full of wonderful plants and animals that you might glimpse if you're quiet and patient enough.
Rice Terraces & Waterfalls (half day)This walk of 5-6km is a great way to get a feel for the area. This walking experience incorporates a beautiful Red Dao village, untouched by tourism. With quintessential Sapa rice terraces, bamboo forests, and a lovely waterfall, this is a lovely short walk of discovery. On a hot day, there is an opportunity to take a dip in a cool mountain stream.
TrashTrekkersOn the first day of every month, we offer a unique, yet special experience. Available for up to 10 people, we provide a trek with a difference and the opportunity to both learn and educate. Walk with our ETHOS ethnic minority guides through the famous rice terraces and bamboo forests, collect plastic waste along the way, stop off for some traditional food in a a local family home and all for only $20 per person.
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Hmong Batik ClassThe Hmong Batik Class is an introduction to Hmong culture. Each student will create a wax resist, Hmong style design on hand loomed hemp.
ETHOS Living - Rice Farm ExperienceWhen was the last time you did something for the first time? ETHOS believe that travelling is learning. What better way to learn about a culture than to be part of it.
Sapa Speciality Food TourWith a complex geopolitical history, the people of the northern Vietnamese highlands have shown great resilience and creativity to overcome hardship. This is evident in day to day life and reflected in the food which is both exotic and highly varied. Out street food tour takes in some of the more unusual Sapa foods, many of which are foraged from the forest or collected in and around the rice paddies.
Butterfly Valley BBQ ExperienceNature is a tool to get children to experience not just the wider world, but themselves. Located just a stones throw from Sapa town, this hidden valley is lined with peach trees and intersected with a babbling stream. This experience is designed as a way to create opportunities for kids to play with similarly aged Hmong or Dao minority children in a safe and friendly environment.
Mu Cang Chai SpecialA three day loop South of Sapa via the high mountainous peaks to the dramatic landscapes and magnificent rice terraces of Mù Cang Chải. The special topography, with steep hills and deep valleys have led to local ethnic minority residents such as the Hmong, Thai, Dao creating master-pieces of land manipulation.
Special interest - Anthropological ExperiencesVietnam is a multi-ethnic country with over fifty distinct groups (54 are recognised by the Vietnamese government), each with its own language, lifestyle, and cultural heritage. Because of its wide variety of peoples, religions, and languages, especially for its size, Vietnam is a wonderful place to explore.
Multi-day motorbike ridesWhatever your biking experience, North Vietnam has something for you. We offer riding experiences that integrate trekking, homestays, mountains, forests and rice terraces.
Lu Weaving and DyeingThe Lao Lu people of Lai Chau are amongst the mote private and traditional of all ethnic minority groups. This is experiential travel for those interested cultural costume and fashionable adventures.
Black Hmong Hemp & Embroidery WorkshopA textiles enthusiasts dream. The Black Hmong of Sapa hand make their clothes using natural fabrics and dyes. If you are interested in their methods and the secret meanings behind their many patterns and symbols, this is the day for you
Sapa Homestay ExperienceETHOS work in association with a number of host families throughout the Hoang Lien Son Mountain range and each village has something different to offer. Our homestay partnerships grew out of ETHOS’s mission to promote and support responsible travel. From the popular Lao Chai and Ta Van homestays to the quiet and remote village of Lao Chai San, each homestay has a different feel, but all offer the traveller a rare glimpse into the way of life that has all but vanished from the rest of Asia. Here you will find no welcome mats or rehearsed “cultural” parades, just real people living real lives who greet visitors with genuine warmth and real smiles.
Bac Ha MarketNestled in the northern hills of Vietnam exists one of the most bustling ethnic markets in all of Southeast Asia! On Sundays, the ethnic minorities from the surrounding villages and hills come by foot, motorsbike, by horse, and by buffalo for their chance to socialize, eat, drink, trade and get a haircut. It is a blur of colourful plaids and stripes. Bac Ha market is about 3 hours from Sapa.
Mt Fansipan - The Roof of IndochinaWe have a range of trekking tours available for you to choose from that have been specifically designed to enable you to experience some of the very best landscape and scenery Sapa has to offer. Ascending to the summit of mount Fansipan is one such challenge and can take between one and three days depending on your choice of ascent routes. This experience is ideal looking for an extreme challenge.
Ta Giang PhinTa Giang Phin is a 36km drive from Sapa and passes through some incredible landscape. On route you will see a stunning waterfall, and pass by some of the most ancient and magnificent forests in all of Vietnam.
Binh Lu - Tam DuongTam Đường is a rural district of Lai Châu Province in the Northwest region of Vietnam. The journey from Sapa is approximately 70km on one of the greatest driving roads in all of Vietnam. On a clear day, the views of Mount Fansipan are simply incredible.
Twin Waterfalls (half day)Visit the Love Waterfall and much less visited Swallow Falls found along a hidden valley with great trees and Rhododendron flowers. With part of the route paved, other sections require crossing streams and scrambling. At certain times of year, it may be possible to forage for edible fruits, shoots and berries together with your local guide.
Thanh Phu HomestayThanh Phu is a small Tay Minority Village in the foothills of the Hoang Lien Son Mountain range. The Tay are expert weavers of cotton and hemp and the area is home to beautiful rice terraces and extensive forest. There are also some beautiful treks and waterfalls in which to swim in this region.
Taste of Muong Hoa (Half day)On arrival in Sapa, we can highly recommend getting a taster of what the area has to offer. We offer a special half day walking option that covers a distance of approximately 4.5km to 5.5km.
Ha Giang Loop?Vietnam is blessed with having some of the most incredible mountain passes and beautiful driving roads in all of Asia.
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"A good traveller has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving."
