Highlights
- Explore the lush beauty of Pù Luông on foot
- Enjoy the rich biodiversity of the tropical forests and mountain landscapes
- Get an inside look at rural village life
- Meet the locals and dine on home-cooked meals on homestays
Brief Itinerary
| Day | Highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Hanoi to Pù Luông Nature Reserve | Don Village |
| Day 2 | Trek from Don Village to Hieu Village | Hieu Village |
| Day 3 | The Hidden Trails of Pu Luong | Nua Village |
| Day 4 | Hike from Nua Village to Son Village | Son Village |
| Day 5 | Return to Hanoi |
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Hanoi to Pù Luông Nature Reserve
You'll leave Hanoi this morning and embark on a four-hour scenic drive west to the valley of Mai Chau. You'll stop in the village of Pom Coong, where you'll visit the ethnic Thai people before tucking into lunch.
Then take a short one-hour drive to get to the starting point of your three-hour trek in the Pù Luông Nature Reserve. As you walk through the beautiful lush landscape, you'll need to scale some hills but will be rewarded with lovely views of villages and terraced fields.
You'll arrive at your homestay in the late afternoon. Enjoy a traditional dinner with your Thai host family in their stilt house for a glimpse of rural life.
Distance: about 5.5 miles (9 km)
Trail difficulty: 3/5
Day 2: Trekking from Don Village to Hieu Village
Wake up early today and get to know the locals as they go about their daily activities. You'll say goodbye to your host family and head further into the reserve. You'll see valleys, more terraces, and tranquil villages on your five to six-hour hike. After a picnic lunch, continue on to the village of Hieu in the afternoon.
Take the rest of the day to relax and explore. Perhaps take a stroll to a nearby waterfall, admire the pretty bamboo waterwheels dotted throughout the streams, or get to know the locals. You'll have the choice of having a home-cooked meal at another homestay tonight or sleeping at a small hotel in the village.
Distance: about 7.5 miles (12 km)
Trail difficulty: 3/5
Chat with a local specialist who can help organize your trip.
Day 3: The Hidden Trails of Pu Luong
After breakfast, continue trekking from village to village, stopping to cool off in refreshing streams along the way. You'll break for lunch before taking a local path through the rice paddies to reach your homestay in the village of Nua for the night. Admire the vast rice fields that surround the village and get to know your hosts over dinner.
Distance: 6-7.5 miles in 5-6 hours (10-12 km)
Trail difficulty: 4/5
Day 4: Nua Village to Son Village
On your full-day hike today, you'll walk deeper into Pu Luong. This is the longest leg of the trek and you'll pass through several ethnic villages along the way. After a picnic lunch, make your way to the village of Son, where you'll be treated to a spectacular sunset. Enjoy dinner with your last host family of the trip.
Distance: about 9.5 miles (15 km)
Trail difficulty: 3/5
Day 5: Return to Hanoi
The last hike of the trip will be an easy 2.5-hour walk with gentle uphills and downhills through the rice paddies. From the rice fields, you'll trek through the jungle to reach Ton village. There, a driver will be waiting to transfer you to the town of Muong Khen for lunch. Return to Hanoi in the late afternoon.
Distance: 4.5 miles (7km)
Trail difficulty: 2/5
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