Travel is one of those things that naturally gives rise to queries, concerns and doubts, so we’re here to put your mind at ease. For questions frequent and otherwise, this is the spot.
Q. How many people will be on my trip?
All ETHOS trips are private. We design each experience for solo travellers, couples, families, or groups of friends. We do not combine strangers into mixed groups. This lets us tailor every journey to your interests, fitness level, and pace.
Q. What kind of people join your trips?
Our travellers come from all over the world and share a love for cultural immersion, ethical travel, and nature. Whether you’re coming alone, as a couple, or with family or friends, we craft your experience just for you.
Q. What should I bring?
We recommend you bring:
• Good walking shoes or hiking boots
• Light rain jacket (weather can change quickly)
• Reusable water bottle
• Small backpack for day use
• Camera or phone for photos
• Warm layers (especially in cooler months)
We’ll provide detailed packing tips based on your chosen experience.
Q. When is the best time to visit Sapa?
Sapa offers beautiful experiences year-round, but each season has its own character. To help you decide, we’ve created 12 short videos — one for each month — covering Sapa’s weather and conditions. Watch them here:
YouTube Weather Playlist
Q. How difficult are the treks?
We tailor treks to match your fitness and comfort. You can choose from gentle village walks, moderate trails, or challenging multi-day hikes. Let us know what feels right for you, and we’ll recommend the best routes.
Q. What is the accommodation like?
Most of our tours include homestays in local villages, offering a unique chance to experience daily life with Hmong or Dao families Homestays are simple but comfortable, with basic bedding and shared family meals.
Q. What about food?
We use locally sourced, seasonal ingredients, often grown or raised by the families we work with. Vegetarian and special dietary requests can usually be accommodated — please let us know in advance.
Q. How do I book?
You can book your trek by filling in our contact form, or by email [email protected]. You can also book directly at our office at 79 đường Nguyễn Chí Thanh, Sa Pa. Our Community Centre is located in a quiet suburban street approximately 1.1 km from the centre of Sapa town. More information can be found by clicking here. Once we understand your interests, we will recommend personalised experiences just for you.
Q. How does ETHOS support the community?
Every ETHOS booking directly funds:
• Fair wages for local guides, homestay families, and artisans
• Educational programmes for ethnic minority youth
• Human trafficking awareness workshops
• Health and hygiene seminars
• Critical healthcare support
By travelling with ETHOS, you help sustain local livelihoods and community development. Please visit our Facebook page for updates.
Q. What about sustainability?
We are committed to low-impact, responsible tourism. This means:
• Minimising plastic use
• Sourcing local, seasonal foods
• Supporting traditional knowledge and cultural preservation
• Respecting nature and local customs on all trips
Q. Do you have an office in Hanoi?
No. The Hanoi locality is purely for administration and not staffed by English speaking staff.
Q. Where can I store my luggage when I leave for a trek?
We offer a secure lockers and a storage room to leave your luggage while you are out on any ETHOS experience.
Where do tours start from?
Tours are bespoke. In order to tailor experiences to your needs, we take time to introduce the area, its history and culture during a pre-trek briefing. This takes place in our community centre - 79 Nguyen Chi Thanh, Sapa.
Q. Is there somewhere to freshen up?
Yes, we offer a shower and bathroom within our community centre in Sapa. Whether you have just arrived off the over-night train/bus or coming back from a trek, there is a bathroom for you to freshen up. We also provide towels, plenty of hot tea and breakfasts if required.
Free wifi is also available.
Q. Do I need a sleeping bag?
All homestays have warm blankets. A sleeping bag is not required. For your own comfort, a sleeping bag liner is recommended, although we provide these if required.
Q. Can you make the transport arrangements from Hanoi to Sapa for us?
Yes, we are happy to arrange trains and transfers, buses, or private transport for you.
Q. Can you make accommodation bookings for us?
Yes, we can help you arrange accommodation. Let us know your budget and we can plan accordingly.
Q. Is it okay to take photographs of people?
Our advice is to use your camera in a way that is sensitive to the peoples and cultures around you. Never take a picture of someone without politely asking first.
Q. What is not included in the price?
• Insurance. The customer is required to have full travel insurance.
• Soft drinks, beer and beverages.
Q. What extra clothing should I bring?
Please see our guide to the different seasons and weather patterns. This will give you a guide to the different seasons and weather patterns Sapa can present. This will also provide you with an idea on what clothing to bring for the different times of the year.
Q. Can I cancel my trek if it is raining or misty?
At ETHOS we do our best to minimise cancellation penalties for our guests. ETHOS is a social enterprise and like normal businesses it has to cover its operational expenses. Please review our terms and conditions for more information.
Terms and conditions
Q. Do you provide water?
We work in association with "Refill My Bottle" and provide 1.5 litres of filtered water for all guests. There is also the option to refil using boiled rain water during the trek.
Q. Do you have French speaking guides besides English speaking ones?
At this time, our guides speak English, Vietnamese, Hmong and Dao.
Q. What do you do when villagers tag-along your trek?
Most villager's need to find ways to survive and feed their families. They can only grow one cycle of rice in the year instead of two at sea-level. Most of them do not have much education thus it is difficult for them to seek formal, paid employment. This means that some local people have taken to selling goods to travellers during their treks. This can be uncomfortable for some travellers but does not mean tourists should feel obliged to buy souvenirs. The best course of action in dealing with them is to politely but firmly decline to purchase goods if you are not interested. If you are a textiles fan, look for items that are hand crafted, well made and naturally dyed. It is quite difficult for our guides to ask them to leave as these women are often from the same villages or are directly related to them, and asking them to leave could (and has in the past) cause conflicts for them once they return to their village. These sellers are in no way affiliated with /employed or encouraged by ETHOS.
ETHOS actively discourages buying from children or giving out sweets or souvenirs. This creates a culture of expectation, contributes to the litter problem and may lead to children not attending school.
Q. How much is an ETHOS experience?
Prices vary from experience to experience and prices change based on the duration of your trip and how many people you are travelling with. Visiting our Create your Experience page and then choosing the tour you wish partake in will allow you to see up to date prices.
All ETHOS trips are private. We design each experience for solo travellers, couples, families, or groups of friends. We do not combine strangers into mixed groups. This lets us tailor every journey to your interests, fitness level, and pace.
Q. What kind of people join your trips?
Our travellers come from all over the world and share a love for cultural immersion, ethical travel, and nature. Whether you’re coming alone, as a couple, or with family or friends, we craft your experience just for you.
Q. What should I bring?
We recommend you bring:
• Good walking shoes or hiking boots
• Light rain jacket (weather can change quickly)
• Reusable water bottle
• Small backpack for day use
• Camera or phone for photos
• Warm layers (especially in cooler months)
We’ll provide detailed packing tips based on your chosen experience.
Q. When is the best time to visit Sapa?
Sapa offers beautiful experiences year-round, but each season has its own character. To help you decide, we’ve created 12 short videos — one for each month — covering Sapa’s weather and conditions. Watch them here:
YouTube Weather Playlist
Q. How difficult are the treks?
We tailor treks to match your fitness and comfort. You can choose from gentle village walks, moderate trails, or challenging multi-day hikes. Let us know what feels right for you, and we’ll recommend the best routes.
Q. What is the accommodation like?
Most of our tours include homestays in local villages, offering a unique chance to experience daily life with Hmong or Dao families Homestays are simple but comfortable, with basic bedding and shared family meals.
Q. What about food?
We use locally sourced, seasonal ingredients, often grown or raised by the families we work with. Vegetarian and special dietary requests can usually be accommodated — please let us know in advance.
Q. How do I book?
You can book your trek by filling in our contact form, or by email [email protected]. You can also book directly at our office at 79 đường Nguyễn Chí Thanh, Sa Pa. Our Community Centre is located in a quiet suburban street approximately 1.1 km from the centre of Sapa town. More information can be found by clicking here. Once we understand your interests, we will recommend personalised experiences just for you.
Q. How does ETHOS support the community?
Every ETHOS booking directly funds:
• Fair wages for local guides, homestay families, and artisans
• Educational programmes for ethnic minority youth
• Human trafficking awareness workshops
• Health and hygiene seminars
• Critical healthcare support
By travelling with ETHOS, you help sustain local livelihoods and community development. Please visit our Facebook page for updates.
Q. What about sustainability?
We are committed to low-impact, responsible tourism. This means:
• Minimising plastic use
• Sourcing local, seasonal foods
• Supporting traditional knowledge and cultural preservation
• Respecting nature and local customs on all trips
Q. Do you have an office in Hanoi?
No. The Hanoi locality is purely for administration and not staffed by English speaking staff.
Q. Where can I store my luggage when I leave for a trek?
We offer a secure lockers and a storage room to leave your luggage while you are out on any ETHOS experience.
Where do tours start from?
Tours are bespoke. In order to tailor experiences to your needs, we take time to introduce the area, its history and culture during a pre-trek briefing. This takes place in our community centre - 79 Nguyen Chi Thanh, Sapa.
Q. Is there somewhere to freshen up?
Yes, we offer a shower and bathroom within our community centre in Sapa. Whether you have just arrived off the over-night train/bus or coming back from a trek, there is a bathroom for you to freshen up. We also provide towels, plenty of hot tea and breakfasts if required.
Free wifi is also available.
Q. Do I need a sleeping bag?
All homestays have warm blankets. A sleeping bag is not required. For your own comfort, a sleeping bag liner is recommended, although we provide these if required.
Q. Can you make the transport arrangements from Hanoi to Sapa for us?
Yes, we are happy to arrange trains and transfers, buses, or private transport for you.
Q. Can you make accommodation bookings for us?
Yes, we can help you arrange accommodation. Let us know your budget and we can plan accordingly.
Q. Is it okay to take photographs of people?
Our advice is to use your camera in a way that is sensitive to the peoples and cultures around you. Never take a picture of someone without politely asking first.
Q. What is not included in the price?
• Insurance. The customer is required to have full travel insurance.
• Soft drinks, beer and beverages.
Q. What extra clothing should I bring?
Please see our guide to the different seasons and weather patterns. This will give you a guide to the different seasons and weather patterns Sapa can present. This will also provide you with an idea on what clothing to bring for the different times of the year.
Q. Can I cancel my trek if it is raining or misty?
At ETHOS we do our best to minimise cancellation penalties for our guests. ETHOS is a social enterprise and like normal businesses it has to cover its operational expenses. Please review our terms and conditions for more information.
Terms and conditions
Q. Do you provide water?
We work in association with "Refill My Bottle" and provide 1.5 litres of filtered water for all guests. There is also the option to refil using boiled rain water during the trek.
Q. Do you have French speaking guides besides English speaking ones?
At this time, our guides speak English, Vietnamese, Hmong and Dao.
Q. What do you do when villagers tag-along your trek?
Most villager's need to find ways to survive and feed their families. They can only grow one cycle of rice in the year instead of two at sea-level. Most of them do not have much education thus it is difficult for them to seek formal, paid employment. This means that some local people have taken to selling goods to travellers during their treks. This can be uncomfortable for some travellers but does not mean tourists should feel obliged to buy souvenirs. The best course of action in dealing with them is to politely but firmly decline to purchase goods if you are not interested. If you are a textiles fan, look for items that are hand crafted, well made and naturally dyed. It is quite difficult for our guides to ask them to leave as these women are often from the same villages or are directly related to them, and asking them to leave could (and has in the past) cause conflicts for them once they return to their village. These sellers are in no way affiliated with /employed or encouraged by ETHOS.
ETHOS actively discourages buying from children or giving out sweets or souvenirs. This creates a culture of expectation, contributes to the litter problem and may lead to children not attending school.
Q. How much is an ETHOS experience?
Prices vary from experience to experience and prices change based on the duration of your trip and how many people you are travelling with. Visiting our Create your Experience page and then choosing the tour you wish partake in will allow you to see up to date prices.
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