Mai Chau – Pu Luong Trek

Great Tours’ bus and guide pick you up and then transfer to Mai Chau valley, leaving behind the buzz of the city for the peace of the mountains. On the way, you will visit a local market of the Muong Ethnic Minority to learn about their daily life and customs; enjoy the beautiful scenery of Thung Khe Pass (One of the 10 most beautiful passes in Vietnam).

After lunch, we will have an interesting biking trip along the valley, viewing different local villages along the journey, experiencing their farming activities, their house styles or interacting with friendly locals for knowledgeable insight of native cultures.

In the late afternoon, board the van to go to Hidden Buoc Village (20km away from main tourist Lac Village). Check-in local homestay & free at leisure. You can join in local host’s dinner preparation & get to know how to cook some typical local dishes.

After breakfast with your host family, you will enjoy a leisurely two-hour trek around the village. Weather permitting, at the end of the day, you can cool off in the stream near the homestay. You will take 2 hour car transfer to off-beaten-path Pu Luong nature reserve which is situated along two parallel ranges of mountains running from the north-west to south-west, with its lush central valley scattered with many traditional villages of Thai & Muong ethnic groups and the vast area of farming land. The landscape is truly beautiful & impressive. Stop at the giant waterwheels, ducks farm to learn about the agriculture before transfer to Kho Muong village.

This morning we trek following the small roads through the terrace rice fields and cross the stream to visit remote hidden village of Kho Muong to learn about the local people in Pu Luong. Explore Doi Cave (Bat cave), this is the largest cave in Pu Luong.

After lunch, board the van to Pho Doan to continue your trek. From there , follow the small road, trail through the terrace rice fields, jungle to reach Hieu Waterfall. You will continue trekking up along the captivating waterfall to come to a stilt house for overnight homestay. On the trekking way, the mysterious land lying dangerously on the back of the mountain with rice-terraced paddies tottering horizontally to the sky will capture your heart and imagination at first sight. You’ll enjoy your dinner with local specialties and let’s stay overnight in a traditional stilt-house of Black Thai with wonderful view from windows.

After breakfast with locals, you will say good-bye to the poetic Hieu village. We will try an experience of local “Xe Om” (riding motorbike) from the Hamlet to the meeting point then our car will transfer you to pass through the peaceful and tranquil path of water-wheels. We’ll stop by Pho Doan Market (only on Thursday and Sunday morning) taking the chance to capture the hustle of the Northwest upland fair, then transfer back to Hanoi.