Commercial Flight

Depart USA for your journey to Asia.

Airport Transfer

Meet and transfer to your hotel.

Hotel

Stay at Eaton Hotel or similar (****).

Sightseeing

This dynamic city unfolds today in a half-day city tour to Aberdeen, Repulse Bay, Victoria Peak and Stanley Market.

Sightseeing

You will also have ample time to explore Hong Kong on your own.

Commercial Flight

After breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Lijiang (via Kunming).

Hotel

Transfer to your hotel and balance of the day is free at leisure. Stay at Wang Fu Hotel (****) or similar.

Sightseeing

Today you will stroll through the famous Black Dragon Pond Park with the Moon Embracing Pavilion. Enter through the main gate and exit north next to the museum.

Museums

Visit the Dongba Cultural Museum which will give you an insight into the unique Naxi ethnic minority culture and their religious beliefs.

Food and Dining

Lunch at local restaurant.

Sightseeing

In the afternoon stroll through Lijiang’s Old Town. The city was founded by the Ming Dynasty and up to today has remained a magical world of historical buildings, narrow cobblestone streets, picturesque canals and arched bridges. UNESCO named Lijiang a World Heritage site in 1997.

Performing Arts

Dinner at a local restaurant in the Old Town followed by a Naxi orchestra performance of classical Chinese music. (B/L/D).

Hotel

Stay at Wang Fu Hotel (****) or similar.

Sightseeing

After breakfast, drive 30 minutes to Yuhu Naxi Village a charming village at the foot of the Snow Mountains. See the former residence of Dr. Joseph Rock who had devoted a good part of his life studying the Naxi culture. Continue to Yufeng Monastery, a small Lamasery famous for its Carmelia Tree of 10.000 blossoms.

Sightseeing

Early afternoon, travel to Snow Mountain Valley to see the open air Impression Lijiang show orchestrated by the famous Hollywood move director Zhong Yimou and performed by more than 700 actors.

Food and Dining

Travel to Shuhe for lunch at local restaurant.

Sightseeing

The afternoon is devoted to the historical town of Shuhe with its lovely atmosphere of tea houses, art galleries and traditional Chinese houses. A horse cart will take you around the old town followed by time at leisure for your own explorations. If you would like to visit a further Naxi village after Shuhe your guide will be happy to take you to the area of Lashi Lake.

Hotel

Stay at Wang Fu Hotel (****) or similar. (B/L/D).

Commercial Flight

Breakfast at the hotel. Early morning transfer to airport for flight to Kunming.

Sightseeing

Visit to Zhuang Tong Food Market and Yuan Tong Temple.

Food and Dining

Lunch at local restaurant.

Sightseeing

In the afternoon, discover the Bamboo Temple with its famous finely crafted 500 Luohan statues.

Performing Arts

Dinner of Yunnanese specialties followed by a minority folk dance show.

Hotel

Stay at the Harbour Plaza or similar hotel. (B/L/D).

Sightseeing

Breakfast at the hotel. Drive to the Stone Forest. On the way, you will visit the Golden Temple, a unique Taoist temple. Lunch en route.

Sightseeing

In the afternoon, discover one of China’s most remarkable phenomena. The Stone Forest consists of innumerable bizarre-shaped ancient limestone cliffs and peaks created by wind and water erosion some 200 million years ago.

Food and Dining

Dinner at local restaurant.

Hotel

Stay at the Stone Forest Hotel or similar. (B/L/D).

Sightseeing

Breakfast at the hotel. Long drive to Hekou through beautiful subtropical landscape with great views of deep ravines, banana and pineapple groves, terraced rice paddies.
Lunch en route.

Country Inn

Stay at the Hekou Comfort Inn or similar. (B/L/D).

Sightseeing

Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning, cross the border at Hekou.

Sightseeing

The Chinese guide will leave you at the border on the Chinese side (Hekou) and you will cross by foot to the Vietnamese side (Lao Cai). After the formalities, you will enter Vietnam where your Vietnamese guide will wait for you and transfer to the Victoria Sapa Hotel in Sapa (45 minutes/38 km). Stunning trip up a winding road surrounded by steep mountains and terraced rice fields.

Food and Dining

Lunch at local restaurant.

Sightseeing

Leisure day to explore the rural hill tribe villages of the Hmong, Dzao and Dzay minorities in the spectacular landscape around Sapa.

Food and Dining

Dinner at local restaurant.

Hotel

Stay at the Victoria Sapa Hotel (superior room). (B/L/D).

Hiking

Buffet breakfast. Enjoy the superb facilities (heated indoor/outdoor swimming pool, sauna, massage) and be ready for trekking in the afternoon.

Food and Dining

Lunch at local restaurant.

Private Car Service

A 4-km drive by Russian jeep to the rim of a deep valley.

Sightseeing

Along the road you will see Hmong, Dzay and Dzao minority people dressed in their traditional costumes. A 30-minute walk takes you over a rattan bridge to picturesque Ta Van village, home to all three minorities. Share their daily lives for a rare glimpse into their culture and customs.

Hotel

Return for a four-course dinner at the Victoria Sapa Hotel. Stay at the Victoria Sapa Hotel (superior room). (B/L/D).

Food and Dining

Breakfast at the hotel. Morning walk to Cat Cat Village, lunch at local restaurant.

Sightseeing

Hotel check-out then drive down hill to Lao Cai with stopover to visit Ta Phin village, lying in a hillside meadow, it is home to Red Dzao and Hmong people.

Train

Catch the night train Tulico at 21.15 to Hanoi. Overnight on Tulico Train, 4-berth superior cabin. (B/L).

Sightseeing

Arrive Hanoi early in the morning (5.30), transfer to Sunway hotel for breakfast and leave the luggage then visit Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum (closed on Monday, Friday and the whole months of October & November) and Residence, One-Pillar Pagoda, Temple of Literature and Army Museum.

Food and Dining

Lunch at local restaurant in Hanoi,

Sightseeing

Drive to Hai Phong, visit to the Cathedral, Garden theater, Hang Kenh tapestry, Du Hang Pagoda and Kenh temple and then check-in at the Harbour View Hotel.

Stay at the Harbour View Hotel (standard room). (B/L/D).

Sightseeing

Breakfast at the hotel then take a hydrofoil to Cat Ba Island. On arrival, move to a wooden boat to cruise the best part of Cat Ba Island and Halong Bay through the limestone islets. Seafood lunch on board. Continue to visit Thien Cung (Celestial) & Dau Go (Wooden skates) grottoes.

Private Car Service

Drop off in Halong town. Transfer back to Hanoi.

Hotel

Stay at the Sunway Hotel or similar. (B/L/D).

Airport Transfer

Breakfast at the hotel. At leisure until transfer to airport and departure flight or continuation of your Vietnam. (B).