Jungle Trekking Adventure in Ba Be National Park: Explore Ethnic Villages

Ba Be Lake is situated in Bac Kan province which is 240 km northeast of the capital, Hanoi. On the way to Ba Be, you will visit The Museum of the Cultures of Vietnam's Ethnic Groups where you can learn about the culture and traditions of the different minority groups in Vietnam. This will be followed by lunch will be at a local restaurant and then the final stretch of the journey to Ba Be National Park. Onwards to Ba Be Lake. You will arrive early in the afternoon, take a rest, have dinner and stay overnight in a local Tay minority family in their traditional wooden stilt house.
Highlights and activities: Thai Museum of the Cultures of Vietnam's Ethnic group, Ba Be Lake, a 2 - 4 km trekAccommodation: Mr Linh's HomestayMeals: Lunch, dinner

This is set to be a wonderful day of trekking! Your tour guide will take you to Coc Toc Village where you can meet the Tay community. They have become very skilled at fishing in the lake and live on a diet that is very much centred around fish. After you have seen the lovely stilt houses and seen this idyllic way of life, you will set out to cross the Pe Lu Stream, before hitting some rough, steep terrain that will give you a little bit of a workout.  As you gain height, though, you will be rewarded for your efforts with spectacular views of the verdant rolling countryside. Pressing on to the uplands we will stop for a picnic lunch in a H'mong ethnic village, and your guide may introduce you to some of the local H’mong people. During the afternoon, your guide will take you through mountains and valleys and to see the stilt houses and school of the Dzao ethnic people, before moving on again to visit another H'mong ethnic village, where you will stay to have a tasty dinner in local homestay and spend the night at a gorgeous and comfortable Dzao house. But watch out, as they can be generous with their corn wine!
Highlights and activities: H'mong ethnic village, Dzao ethnic people, a 18 - 20 km trekAccommodation: Mr Hung's HomestayMeals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

You will have a tasty breakfast at the homestay, and the opportunity to try on some traditional Dzao ethnic clothing for some memorable photos before saying your farewells and setting out for another fulfilling day of trekking. You will take some slightly gentler trails compared to the previous day, visiting a black H'mông ethnic village before descending through the thick and beautiful forest with some spectacular views to visit Dau Dang Waterfall which lies on the border of the two provinces of Bac Kan and Tuyen Quang. After viewing the waterfall, your guide will take you to have lunch with 'Mr Pirate' who was the main actor in “Ba Be Lake Pirate Movie”. After this, you will take a relaxing motorboat trip up the river to visit the breathtaking Puong Cave, a huge limestone structure that spans the river and is home to thousands of bats (of 18 different species) which flit between the many stalactites and stalagmites. You will then pass by and visit An Ma temple in the boat, before heading to Mr Linh's homestay for dinner and a restful night's sleep.
Highlights and activities: Black H'mong ethnic village, Boat trip, a 8 - 10 km trekAccommodation: Mr Linh's HomestayMeals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

After having breakfast at the homestay, you will head back to Hanoi, but not without first paying a visit to Hua Ma cave on the way.  The cave has only recently been made accessible, as few locals would enter due to ancient beliefs.  Legend has it that it is the resting place of many soldiers from previous wars in the region, but their spirits have been set free from the cave. You can descend into the cave via an impressively built concrete staircase to view the thousands of stalactites and stalagmites - a very atmospheric experience. You can take the chance to rest on the drive back to Hanoi, stopping briefly for lunch at a local restaurant on the way. We arrive in Hanoi at about 17:30 where you will be let off at your hotel.
Highlights and activities: Hua Ma Cave, Ba Be National Park, a 2 - 4 km trekAccommodation: Not includedMeals: Breakfast, lunch