Sapa, Muong Hoa Valley - 3 Day Hiking & Cultural Experience

A lovely 3-day walk. Wonderful Ying guidance and warm hospitality in the local communities.

Ying is a perfect guide - intelligent, fun, adaptable to our vibe, thoughtful- simply perfect travel companion.

Where to start........at the beginning I guess. I don’t generally write many reviews but Ying deserves one. Steve and I were picked up in Hanoi and introduced to Ying and Ton. We had arranged a 4 night 5 day tour around the Ha Giang Loop.. I think having a private car was a game changer. Steve and I considered the motorbike option, but considering our age and level of wealth, we thought not. How many times passing those motorbike drivers, in increment weather, was I glad of that decision !! She arranged EVERYTHING. She obviously assessed our fitness level and adjusted the daily activities accordingly. NBot bad apparently for a couple of 50 year olds. We had the most amazing time. Too many memories flooding my mind right now. Would do it again in a heartbeat. Highly recommend Ying and her company. This is a lady that truly loves her job.

I loved our tour with Dragon Mountain Family. So professional and organized yet so kind and attentive. Mai was an excellent guide and helped us navigate her community sharing with all the magic these communities have to offer. A one of a kind experience that I will remember forever. Great hiking with challenging and not so challenging circuits that can be tailored to every need.

I just came back from a 3 day trekking with Sue, Zen's sister. I have had such a wonderful time i find it difficult to find the right words. The views were amazing, decent accommodations, tasty food and nice interactions with locals. What set Sue and Zen apart though is the following. I've been in touch with Zen voor de booking process. This went incredibly smooth. She answered every question i had almost immediately. Every request i had was met with a smile. I foe example asked for a private driver to take me from the airport to my hotel in Sapa. Or a more lively homestay. Also Sue adjusted the trekking routes and increased the intensity to my experience level. Sue shared so many insights about her culture and the other villages. She was very cheerful and has a great sense of humor. She took me to delicious restaurants as well. It felt like i had a friend instead of only a guide. I'm grateful for my time in Sapa and would love to come back. In that case I'll make sure to contact Sue and Zen again. Thanks for everything!

Energetic 3-day trekking tour - definitely not one for normal sneakers, especially not in the rain! Guide Xa threaded us through rice terraces, bamboo forests, and mountain views. Don't forget to get up early in the morning - the pics will be worth it. Both homestays were welcoming, friendly, clean, and comfortable. The first one had a private bathroom. The second one had a fan. Both had mosquito nets, so you can sleep undisturbed. Food was homestyle and shared with the homestay family. I also took some time to hang out with the homestay kids and participate in their chores - use this chance to live the local lifestyle! Two things to beware of: the vendors are quite persistent on the first day, first stretch of trekking into Ta Van. They do create most of their stuff, and it is quite beautiful, but beware that once you say yes to one, the rest will swarm you, especially the kids. I learned to say a polite "No thank you". Second, if you're looking for a deep dive exploration of the tribes, how they operate, what makes them different from each other, and how they all came to live here, I did not get that information during this tour. Maybe it was a bit lost in translation. I don't know if there's any tour that can clearly explain these things in Sapa. If this is what you're after, I'd recommend reading up on the different tribes first (the tribe names/itinerary/villages in the tour description are accurate), or maybe this tour isn't for you. Otherwise, an enjoyable experience all around!

It was initially the wife's idea - I wouldn't normally choose trekking as a trip However, I was fast converted by the incredibly beautiful scenery - not just the lush greenery, but the temples and village and people - amazing experience, We very much plan on doing it once more. The food was fantastic, the homestay very comfortable and the guide called Zen proved to be quite a character - perfect English, highly knowledgeable and capable and boundless enthusiasm. Considering the price - bargain!!