Four Day Northwest Loop (by car)

"Culture is a thousand things, a thousand times. It makes us understand each other better, and if we understand each other better in our souls, it is easier to overcome barriers. But first we have to understand that despite differences, others around the world share similaries that bring us all together".
ROAD TRIP DETAILS:
  • Total Distance: 360km approx. (route may alter based on the weather)
  • Duration: Four day loop (only availble by car).  
  • Route​: a mountainous loop through Lao Cai, Lai Chau and Dien Bien Phu Provinces.
  • Road Conditions: paved back-roads, light traffic, ferry crossings
  • Travel Style: Cultural immersion and active adventure.
  • Accomodation: Homestays 
  • Scenery: Mountain passes, green tea plantations, rivers, rice terraces, minority villages, remote mountain lakes.
​Background:
This four day loop is rich in culture an ideal for those who want to immerse into local, ethnic minority village life.  Accomodation involves three nights in local homestays.

This epic road trip is one of the most enriching cultural experiences in Vietnam. Our journey meanders through rice terraces, along the shores of great lakes, through green tea fields as well as rubber and cinnamon woodland. Beginning in Lao Cai, the loop passes through Lai Chau and into Dien Bien Phu Province and into some of the most remote villages in the northern highlands. We will spend time with the Black Thai, Hmong, Lan Tien and Lu ethnic minority groups.

​The loop is a great way of discovering some of Vietnam's greatest secrets. Weather is always difficult to predict in this region, but spring (March - May) and autumn (September - October) are probably the best months for warmth, light, and colour. The lakes are at their most beautiful between October and March while June to August see the rice terraces at their most beautiful. These months are also typically warmer and wetter. 

Our recommended months for this loop would be October, Novermber, January, February and March. 

Culture and Landscape:
The three Northern provinces are known for their beautiful natural landscapes, including mountains, forests, and great lakes. The area is also home to diverse ethnic communities, each with its own unique cultural traditions. 

About this route:
If you’re lucky and the weather is good, then the scenery on the loop is fabulous. The grandeur and scale of the mountains and valleys of the north is unmatched anywhere in Vietnam. 
Community based tourism is tourism in which local residents (often rural, poor and economically marginalised) invite tourists to visit their communities with the provision of overnight accommodation.
Tour Prices: ​​
Includes:
  • English Speaking local guide
  • Homestay accomodation
  • All meals, snacks and refreshments
  • Car and driver 
  • Fuel​
  • Entry fees and ferries 

Excludes:
  • Personal Health / Travel Insurance