Ha Giang Loop 4-Day Tour from Hanoi & Sapa

Four Days on Vietnam's Mountain Loop: Ma Pi Leng Pass & Hmong Villages

You ride the Ha Giang Loop over four days with a small group and a local English-speaking guide, staying in ethnic minority homestays and eating with the families. The route covers Ma Pi Leng pass, Nho Que river by boat, Lung Cu flag tower, and Hmong King Palace, with all meals, accommodation, motorbike transport, and entry fees included. Return transport to Hanoi or Sapa is by comfortable limousine or sleeper bus.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Ha Giang to Du Gia village

• Drive to 4C highway and photo at Km0
• Climb Quan Ba mountain pass
• Visit Heaven’s Gate and Fairy Hills
• Lunch in Tam Son town
• Visit Lung Tam linen weaving village
• Arrive Du Gia village and check in homestay
• Dinner with ethnic minority family

Day 2: Du Gia to Dong Van town

• Thank homestay family and depart north
• Pass mountain passes to Meo Vac town
• Lunch in Meo Vac
• Boat trip on Nho Que river
• Drive Ma Pi Leng mountain pass
• Check in Dong Van homestay
• Walk in Dong Van Ancient town
• Enjoy traditional music and culture
• Dinner and overnight in Dong Van

Day 3: Dong Van to Yen Minh town

• Visit Lung Cu flag tower
• Visit Hmong King Palace in Sa Phin
• Arrive Yen Minh town
• Overnight at homestay in Yen Minh

Day 4: Yen Minh to Ha Giang city

• Walk around village and visit local waterfall
• Explore Lung Khuy cave
• Lunch in Tam Son
• Explore side-loop to Road of Happiness
• Return to Ha Giang city
• End tour and board bus to Hanoi

The experience

The motorbike is already running when you arrive at the pickup point in Hanoi or Sapa: your driver waiting with a helmet and a route map that covers 440 kilometers of the Ha Giang Loop. You're part of a small group, six to ten people maximum, which means the stops feel less like a convoy and more like a handful of travelers who happen to be going the same way. The first day climbs the Quan Ba mountain pass on Highway 4C, nicknamed the Road of Happiness, and you'll stop at Km0 for photos before heading north into the Dong Van Geopark. By lunch you're in Tam Son, and by evening you're staying with an ethnic minority family in Du Gia village: a place most tourists never reach because it's only on the longer loops. Dinner and breakfast happen at their table, not at a restaurant.

Day two is the one people remember. You leave Du Gia after breakfast and ride toward Meo Vac, passing some of the steepest mountain passes in Vietnam. Then comes the boat trip on the Nho Que river, threading through Tu San Abyss Alley with cliffs rising on both sides, before you climb the Ma Pi Leng pass itself: 1,500 meters high, with hairpin bends that make the road feel like it's been carved into the mountainside. The pass took eleven years to build in the 1960s, mostly by hand, and it still feels like something between a feat of engineering and a fairy tale. You overnight in Dong Van ancient town, where there's time to walk around and meet local Hmong people in the evening. The third day takes you to Lung Cu flag tower at the northernmost point of Vietnam, then to the hundred-year-old Hmong King Palace at Sa Phin, and you sleep in Yen Minh. On the final morning you explore a local waterfall, visit Lung Khuy cave, and head back down the loop toward Ha Giang city, where you board the return bus or sleeper bus to Hanoi.

What makes this different from a shorter Ha Giang trip is the time spent in villages and the homestays. You're not rushing through in two days. Your guide speaks English, all entrance fees are covered (including the Nho Que river boat), and every meal is included, so you're not hunting for lunch or negotiating prices at roadside stops. The motorbike-with-driver setup means you can focus on the road and the landscape instead of managing the bike yourself, and the group size keeps things intimate enough that the guide can actually talk to you, not just herd you.

What’s included

Your four days include all meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner each day), accommodation in ethnic minority family homestays, an English-speaking guide, motorbike transport with driver, all entrance fees and the Nho Que river boat trip, and return transport to Hanoi or Sapa by comfortable limousine or sleeper bus.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 07:00, 16:00 and 21:00

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (18 to 70 years) · Under 18: can't be booked

GroupUp to 10

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Paid on siteUS$ 20

Prices and times updated 9 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Ha Giang Loop Trip

Is this one for you?This tour suits travelers who want to see the Ha Giang Loop without arranging their own transport, navigating mountain roads, or figuring out where to eat and sleep: the small group size and homestay stays mean you get both the landscape and the human side of the region without the logistics.

Traveler reviews

4.98★★★★★★★★★★

202 verified traveler reviews

5 ★198

4 ★3

3 ★1

2 ★0

1 ★0

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

How many people are in a typical group?

Groups are kept to 6–10 people maximum, so it stays small and manageable.

Do I need to ride my own motorbike?

No. You ride as a passenger with a driver on the motorbike. You don't need a license or riding experience.

What's included in the price?

All meals, accommodation in homestays, English-speaking guide, motorbike with driver, all entrance fees including the Nho Que river boat trip, and return transport to Hanoi or Sapa by limousine or sleeper bus.

Where do you stay at night?

You stay in ethnic minority family homestays in Du Gia, Dong Van ancient town, and Yen Minh. Breakfast and dinner are with the families.

How long is the motorbike riding each day?

Day 1 is 100km, Day 2 is 120km, Day 3 is 120km, and Day 4 is 100km. Riding time varies depending on stops and road conditions, but it's spread across the full day, not continuous.

Is this suitable for beginners or people who haven't traveled this way before?

Yes. You're a passenger, not a rider. The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels, though it's not recommended for people with spinal injuries, pregnancy, or serious cardiovascular conditions.

Can I book this from Sapa instead of Hanoi?

Yes. Transfer from Sapa is included as an option. Confirm your starting point when you book.