Trekking & Homestay in beautiful Sapa

Actually, I'm not a big fan of pre-made group tours (too touristy, too big groups...), but after the recommendation of a trusted travel buddy, I decided to do a three-day tour with trekking and homestay in the Sapa Valley with the agency Friends Travel. And that was a very good decision. Our travel group consisted of only 2 people: Lisa from Belgium and me. In the evening, we took the overnight train from Hanoi to Lao Cai in the north, which took about 8 hours. In the relatively cozy compartment with 4 beds and the food wagon in the hallway, it felt a bit like the Hogwarts Express in Harry Potter. In Lao Cai, we were picked up by a private shuttle and taken to a hotel in Sapa to shower and have breakfast. Then finally, the trekking started. Our guide, a young woman from one of the 6 ethnic minorities living in the Sapa Valley, spoke good English and could explain a lot to us about life in this region. With radiant sunshine and great visibility, we hiked through the valley and up the steep mountains, always with a view of the fascinating rice terraces, the surrounding mountains, and the many water buffalos. In the village of Lao Chai, we stayed at Su's Homestay. Together with the family there, we cooked and ate a very delicious dinner. Before going to sleep, we enjoyed a relaxing foot massage and a refreshing herbal foot bath. The next day, we hiked up and down the steep mountains and through the many rice terraces for several hours in the heat, with great views and insights into the life of the ethnic minorities and rice cultivation, and not a single other tourist in sight. In the evening, we took the overnight train back to bustling Hanoi.