The Pu Luong Nature Reserve is an area of outstanding beauty, cultural interest and high biodiversity value. Leave the city behind and explore the beautiful nature of Vietnam. With its eclectic blend of cultures and beautiful landscapes, there is no better way to explore the Mai Chau Valley than a village to village walking journey. This Vietnam tour takes you through the heart of the Hoa Binh Province and Mai Chau Valley and includes unique homestays with the local hilltribe people. Leave the cityscape behind as you drive from Hanoi to Mai Chau for the start of your Vietnam tour. You'll be greeted by a local family, your hosts for the evening's homestay, and take a short walk around the village.

Moving further into the Mai Chau Valley, the next day of trekking on this Vietnam tour takes you to Nameo Village and then through terraced rice fields and lush forests to Buoc Village for another homestay with the Thai people. Along the way you will have ample opportunities to soak in the stunning views of the rugged outcroppings and surroundings with a relaxing boat trip on the Sa River. Hike quiet paths to the Xalinh village on your final day in the Mai Chau Valley. Home to the Hmong people, you will pass low wooden houses, meet with friendly locals and encounter elders dressed in traditional costumes. If you happen to be there on a Sunday, the morning market is a kaleidoscope of colors as people from around the valley convene to buy and sell their wares.

For this Vietnam tour we offer two options of accommodation. You can choose to stay in homestays each night or alternate between a two nights at Mai Chau Lodge with a village stay. The Lodge offers the modern amenities and rugged luxury of a mountain retreat without compromising the beauty of its natural surroundings.  Our teams have sought out the best walking trails through Mai Hich's most scenic areas, resulting in an immersive cultural experience that is easy enough for everyone to enjoy. Join us on this Village to Village Walking Tour through Mai Chau and discover the rugged beauty and timeless traditions of Northern Vietnam.

What You'll Do:
+Trekking to visit hilltribe villages in Mai Chau, Mai Hich and Pu Luong Reserve
+ Homestay in local houses on stilt
+ Enjoying a fresh swim at Ban Hieu waterfalls
+ Experience the everyday life and culture of Thai and Muong ethnic minorities

Day 01: Hanoi - Mai Chau Valley (L,D)
Set off after breakfast this morning for a four hour drive to Mai Chau. The drive takes you through beautiful Hoa Binh Province, located in the mountainous area southeast of Hanoi; the scenery is dotted with limestone karsts. Thai, Hmong and Dao people live in the area and you’ll pass several small villages along the way.  

Descend the last 14km along a steep mountain road into the stunning valley of Mai Chau where a hot lunch will be served by your trekking cook in one of the small villages. Your homestay this evening is in this quaint village and is a great way to experience the cultures and traditions of the Thai people.

After lunch and some time to relax, take a short 1-2 hour walk around the village and the valley. Depending on the day of the week, visit Mai Chau Market and Mai Hich Village. Overnight homestay in a Thai village

Distance and journey time:
Transfer: 3.5 hrs
Trekking around the village: 1-2hr
Difficulty: Easy

Day 02: Mai Chau - Hang village (B,L,D)
After breakfast, we drive 35 km further into the reserve where we begin our trek. We trek for approximately 3 hrs before arriving at Hang Village, which is home to Thai ethnic minority. We spend the night with a local Thai family who will be our hosts in a traditional house built on stilts. We can stroll around the village to observe daily life activities of the locals before dinner. Overnight homestay in a Thai village

Distance and journey time:
Transfer: 1 hr
Trekking: 3hrs
Difficulty: Easy

Day 03: Hang village - Kho Muong village (B,L,D)
If you can get up early in the morning, you can take part in the local life activities, or take a stroll around Hang village before having breakfast. Today is a harder day of hiking, 50% on village paths 50% on an old disused unpaved French road. There are some steep climbs and yet more stream crossings. The trekking becomes more remote but one is never far from a villager tending fields or walking back from early morning market.   Relax from the heat of the day in a local home at a village while lunch is cooked before continuing on along the old jeep road to a village nestled between steep karts mountains.  Arrive early with spare energy to hike a two hour round trip to a newly discovered and incredibly large cave, hidden on high ground surrounded by thickets and hanging vegetation. It is now protected by the Forest rangers, due to the delicate ecosystem and bat species inside.
Overnight homestay in a village

Distance and journey time:
Trekking: 5hrs
Difficulty: Medium

Day 04: Kho Muong - Pho Doan - Ban Hieu (B,L, D)
Wake up early to the sound of chickens and ducks and children preparing for school. Take an early morning walk through the village to experience morning life in a farming community. The hiking path runs uphill and downhill through forest, rice terraces and scenic villages. On the way we may see farmers working on rice paddies and children going to school. We will stop for a lunch break in a local village.. The trek is quite gentle since we descend a wide-open valley. After 4 hrs trek we will reach Hieu village surrounded by waterfalls and mountainsides. We spend the night in the village Hieu on house on stilt.

Day 05: Ban Hieu - Hanoi (B,L)
After 2 hours we will reach Pho Doan Town where we will visit to the local market. Afterwards we trek along Ma River. We will be picked up and taken to Hanoi

Pho Doan Town. If this falls into Sunday, you may want to visit the busy Pho Doan market. Followed by trekking to Ma River, we will see nice view of river, paddies and water wheel on the way. We will be picked up and transferred to Hanoi. Arriving back in Hanoi around late afternoon

Distance and journey time:
Transfer: 4 hrs
Trekking: 2 hrs
Difficulty: Medium

NOTE: An itinerary may at times be altered by our guides due to local conditions, the skill of participants and other unexpected circumstances. Our priority is always the experience and safety of our clients.

Creating Unique Touring Experiences with us
All the touring itineraries on this website have been carefully crafted by our in-country management teams and represent a series of experiences we can certainly recommend. However, we understand that every travel experience should be as unique and individual as each traveler. Our consultants are waiting to hear from you so that we can tailor or custom design a Vietnam Adventure Tour to your individual specifications.