3-day Ha Giang Loop tour: Dong Van Karst, Ma Pi Leng Pass

The deepest canyon in Southeast Asia sits below Ma Pi Leng Pass, one of Vietnam's four most beautiful mountain passes.

A 3-day private car tour of Ha Giang Province in Northern Vietnam with an English-speaking driver, moving through the Dong Van Karst Plateau, five mountain passes, and villages of Hmong, Tay and Red Dao people. The tour includes hotel pickup, all entrance fees, two nights' accommodation (one in a Dong Van hotel, one in a Tay homestay), and visits to the Hmong King Palace, local markets, hemp-weaving workshops and the Tu San canyon. Minimum two travelers per booking. Groups larger than five should contact the operator.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Ha Giang to Dong Van town

• 8:30am pick up from hotel in Ha Giang
• 9:00am start tour from office
• 10:00am visit Bac Sum pass and Heaven Gate
• 11:00am coffee break with mountain view
• 11:30am drive to Yen Minh town
• 1:30pm lunch break in Yen Minh
• 2:30pm visit Hmong King Palace in Sa Phin village
• 4:30pm drive to Dong Van town
• 5:00pm check in hotel and free walk in ancient town
• 7:00pm enjoy local dinner

Day 2: Dong Van to Du Gia village

• 8:30am breakfast in Dong Van town
• 9:00am drive to Ma Pi Leng pass
• 10:30am short hike on Sky pass
• 12:00pm stop at Ma Pi Leng pass viewpoint
• 1:15pm lunch in Meo Vac town
• 2:30pm drive to Du Gia village with stop at Sa Li pass
• 5:00pm check in Tay homestay and family dinner

Day 3: Du Gia village to Ha Giang city

• 8:30am breakfast with rice field view
• 9:00am drive through Hmong villages
• 11:30am visit Hemp weaving in Lung Tam village
• 1:30pm lunch in Tam Son town
• 2:30pm drive to Ha Giang city viewpoint
• 5:30pm finish tour at hotel

The experience

The route covers 345 kilometers over three days, starting with an 8:30am pickup from your Ha Giang hotel and moving south through the Dong Van Global Karst Plateau Geopark. You pass the Bac Sum and Quan Ba passes before reaching Yen Minh, then continue to Sa Phin village to visit the Hmong King Palace, arriving in Dong Van by evening. The first night is in a hotel in the ancient town. The second day pushes deeper into the mountains.

Day two is the mountain core: breakfast overlooking the town, then the drive to Ma Pi Leng Pass, where a short hike on the Sky Pass gives views toward the Chinese border. At the pass summit you stand above the Nho Que River and Tu San canyon, the deepest in Southeast Asia. After lunch in Meo Vac, the route climbs Sa Li Pass to see Dao villages and rice terraces from above, then descends into Du Gia village for the night in a Tay family homestay with dinner included. Day three returns north through Hmong villages, stops at Lung Tam to watch hemp weaving, breaks for lunch in Tam Son, and ends at a Ha Giang city viewpoint before dropping you at your hotel by 5:30pm.

Your driver speaks English throughout and knows the roads. All entrance fees to the Dong Van Karst Plateau and other sites are included. The homestay on night two is a working family home, not a tourist facility. Accommodation and meals are basic: the tour prioritizes the landscape and the people, not comfort.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup from Ha Giang city.
• all entrance fees to the Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark and individual sites.
• two nights' accommodation (one hotel night in Dong Van, one homestay night in Du Gia).
• dinner on night two with the Tay family.
• English-speaking driver for the full three days.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (20 to 49 years) · Senior (51 to 85 years) · Youth (16 to 19 years) · Child (6 to 15 years) · Infant (2 to 5 years)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 3 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Ha Giang Road Trip

Is this one for you?Choose this private car tour if your group is 2–5 people and you want to set your own pace through the mountain passes. A shared minibus locks you into fixed stops and departure times.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (16 to 19 years); Child (6 to 15 years); Infant (2 to 5 years).

What is the Dong Van Karst Plateau and why is it on this tour?

The Dong Van Karst Plateau is a UNESCO-recognized geopark of limestone mountains and deep valleys in northern Ha Giang. It is the geographic spine of the entire loop: you enter it on day one at the Bac Sum pass, stay within it for all three days, and the major passes (Quan Ba, Ma Pi Leng, Sa Li) all cross through it. The plateau's landscape is what makes the route distinct from other Vietnam tours.

Do I stay in hotels both nights or is one night in a homestay?

Night one is in a hotel in Dong Van town. Night two is in a Tay family homestay in Du Gia village, where you eat dinner with the family. This is not a tourist guesthouse but an actual home. It gives direct contact with local life but fewer amenities than a hotel.

How much driving happens each day and what are the stops like?

Day one is 135 kilometers with stops at two passes and the Hmong King Palace. You arrive in Dong Van by 5pm. Day two is 90 kilometers but includes the most time on foot: a short hike at Ma Pi Leng Pass and views from Sa Li Pass. You reach Du Gia by 5pm. Day three is 120 kilometers with stops at a hemp-weaving workshop and a city viewpoint, finishing by 5:30pm. Most stops are 30 minutes to an hour. The pass viewpoints are the longest.

What cultures and villages will I actually visit?

You pass through or stop in villages of Hmong, Tay and Red Dao people. Specific visits include the Hmong King Palace at Sa Phin, a Tay family homestay in Du Gia, and a hemp-weaving workshop in Lung Tam run by Hmong weavers. The local markets in Dong Van (largest on Sundays) and Yen Minh are open-air stops where you see daily life, not staged attractions.

Is this tour physically demanding?

The tour is suitable for all fitness levels according to the operator. Most time is spent in the car. The main physical activity is a short hike at Ma Pi Leng Pass on day two. You walk at your own pace and can rest at viewpoints. Steep mountain roads mean some travelers feel carsickness. The driver takes breaks regularly.

What is included and what do I need to bring?

Included are hotel pickup, all entrance fees to attractions and the geopark, two nights' accommodation, and meals at the homestay. Not included are gratuities, soft drinks, personal insurance and meals not mentioned in the itinerary (breakfast and lunch on days one and three are your own cost). Bring sunscreen, a hat, comfortable walking shoes and a light jacket for mountain mornings.