8:30 AM: Our driver will pick you up from your hotel in Hanoi. We will then head to Thong Nguyen, one of the 23 communes in the Hoang Su Phi district, Ha Giang province. It's approximately a 6-7 hour journey from Hanoi. Upon reaching Thong Nguyen around 3:00 PM, you will check in at your accommodation and take some time to familiarize yourself with the surroundings.

Your trek starts just after your arrival at Thong Nguyen in the mid-afternoon, with a two-hour walk to a Red Dao village. You are in the heart of the Song Chay Mountains, bordering Yunnan. This natural fortress has long been home to many ethnic groups who escaped the Middle Kingdom, its persecution, and famines. A Red Dao family is waiting for you for dinner. This evening will be a great opportunity to learn more about the customs and lifestyle of this ethnic group.  

You will ascend the mountain to reach the Gate of Heaven, a pass surrounded by a forest boasting rare tropical and temperate plant species, including chestnut trees and orchids. This pass serves as a gateway to the other side of the mountain. Upon arrival, a welcoming local family from the village will host you for lunch. After this break, you'll resume your walk towards Nam Ai, a Yao village distinguished by its residents wearing long tunics, situated at the mountain's summit.

This morning, continue your trek by walking deeper into Nam Son Valley, crossing over the mountain to reach the 38th kilometer. Following lunch at a Red Dao family's house, make your way to the summit of the mountain towards Ho Pien, passing through tea plantations and bamboo forests. In the late afternoon, you'll reach a Hmong house, where you'll spend the evening with the local family. Enjoy dinner with them and stay overnight.

You can relish the tranquility of the high mountains in the morning and the warmth of the family gathered around the fireplace. After breakfast, continue your stroll through bamboo forests and rice terraces to Yen Son Valley, where the red Yao community resides. A welcoming family in the village will host you for lunch. In the afternoon, you'll follow the river to reach Thong Nguyen by mid-afternoon.  

Our driver will pick you up from your accommodation in Thong Nguyen and bring you back to Hanoi. The journey takes approximately 6-7 hours, and you are expected to arrive in Hanoi in the late afternoon.