Number one top rated ethical cultural trekking and homestay by ETHOS
Overview
We are an award winning Social impact organisation with a long track record of supporting ethnic minority communities by empowerment through sustainable, ethical tourism. We are proud to feature in the TripAdvisor Hall of Fame after maintaining our position as the top tour provider in our region for over five years. Our aims and objectives are to provide experiential, cultural opportunities for visitors to Sapa, but we also care for the natural environment, our growing guide team, and the local communities in which we work. ETHOS constantly strive to improve our operations and services through self-evaluation, innovation & creativity. As well as tours, our community leadership team run regular human trafficking awareness and prevention workshops. Our guides are also pivotal in a wide range of dynamic community education, healthcare, hygiene & sanitation projects. Our tours are now supporting 49 families across 19 villages in four provinces. We also have 26 ongoing development projects
Inclusions
- Private transportation
- Water and refreshments
- Homestay accomodation
- 2x Lunch
- Accommodation included: 1 night
- 1x Dinner
- 1x Breakfast
What to expect
Itinerary
Day 1: The Spirit Tree
Pass By: Sapa, Sapa, Lao Cai Province
The first day trek is approximately 14km, with the first six kilometres over relatively easy, but undulating terrain. This route passes through rice terraces and traditional villages. There is a steep climb of around 2km before stopping to cook lunch and share together with your host family. There is then a downhill walk down to your homestay.
Meals included:
• Lunch: Share a feast with your Hmong host family. Share stories and learn about culture over fresh, local food.
• Dinner: Dinner is together with your host family in your homestay.
Accommodation included: Homestays offer access to real village life. Hmong homes are set within the rice paddies & have incredible views.
Day 2: Rice terraces and bamboo forests
Pass By: Sapa, Sapa, Lao Cai Province
Continue your trek with lots of flexibility in both distance and challenge. Taxi pick up in the afternoon will bring you back to Sapa.
Meals included:
• Breakfast: Try a local breakfast with your homestay host family.
•
No accommodation included on this day.
Day 1: The Spirit Tree
Pass By: Sapa, Sapa, Lao Cai Province
The first day trek is approximately 14km, with the first six kilometres over relatively easy, but undulating terrain. This route passes through rice terraces and traditional villages. There is a steep climb of around 2km before stopping to cook lunch and share together with your host family. There is then a downhill walk down to your homestay.
Meals included:
• Lunch: Share a feast with your Hmong host family. Share stories and learn about culture over fresh, local food.
• Dinner: Dinner is together with your host family in your homestay.
Accommodation included: Homestays offer access to real village life. Hmong homes are set within the rice paddies & have incredible views.
Day 2: Rice terraces and bamboo forests
Pass By: Sapa, Sapa, Lao Cai Province
Continue your trek with lots of flexibility in both distance and challenge. Taxi pick up in the afternoon will bring you back to Sapa.
Meals included:
• Breakfast: Try a local breakfast with your homestay host family.
•
No accommodation included on this day.
Additional information
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- Minimum group size of two required for this booking
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Ticket delivery
You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.
Cancellation
If you cancel at least 4 day(s) in advance of the scheduled departure, there is no cancellation fee.
If you cancel within 3 day(s) of the scheduled departure, there is a 100 percent cancellation fee.
If you cancel within 3 day(s) of the scheduled departure, there is a 100 percent cancellation fee.
Discover25571519605
April 2022
As someone who’s lived in vietnam for quite a few years, I am lucky enough to have visited Sapa a few times and have enjoyed every trip. I have visited a few of the tourist spots like Cat Cat village (avoid) and Fansipan and was left a little underwhelmed. By far, my most enjoyable experienc...
As someone who’s lived in vietnam for quite a few years, I am lucky enough to have visited Sapa a few times and have enjoyed every trip. I have visited a few of the tourist spots like Cat Cat village (avoid) and Fansipan and was left a little underwhelmed. By far, my most enjoyable experiences have been with ethos. I had previously done a few excursions with other guides, but nothing even comes close to be as authentic, eye opening and enjoyable as when I was with in the villages with ethos. My guide was a 40 something year old Black Hmong lady called Cha. As a farmer and mother, Cha lives in a small hamlet with her extended family and her livestock, nestled in a bamboo grove amongst the rice terraces. She is kind, knowledgeable and an absolute joy to spend time with. We clicked almost immediately and walking with her was like spending time with an old friend. I’m a retiree with some mobility issues, but Ethos and Cha worked well to find a little walk that was ideally suited to my abilities. I do know that many other ethos treks can be quite challenging, so choose the right one for you. Communicating with ethos is perhaps one of the most pleasant booking experiences I have ever had in Vietnam. Hoa is responsive, meticulous and very understanding in everything she writes. The team gave me some wonderful background information and this totally changed my perspective of the area, even having visited before. Both my two previous trips (with an organisation led by some sisters and a lovely local lady working independently) were good, but actually followed the same route. Food was in local restaurants and while delicious, this didn’t compare with the experience I had with Cha. She took me to a family home and we cooked amazing food together with the village shaman and three generations of the same family. The home was tucked behind some little limestone cliffs and surrounded by fields of hemp and indigo. I felt privileged to have been able to spend quality time with these wonderful people. Cha expertly translated all of my questions and I felt that I was able to learn so much. I appreciate that this level of immersion might not be for everyone, but for me, it is unlike anything I’d experienced in Vietnam up until that and exactly the kind of thing I seek when travelling. It is very real and very humbling. Ethos also do some wonderful community projects. I spent a little time chatting with an inspirational 17 year old (also called Cha) who does some remarkable things for her Hmong villagers in the area. If you’re unsure, pop into their community centre (it actually appears like a mini museum) and have a chat to the team there. You won’t regret it.ScottHarbin
April 2022
I could not recommend ETHOS more highly. The experiences they provide are unlike what anyone else offers, and are based on years of building genuine, reciprocal relationships with the many ethnic minority groups in northern Vietnam. After living in Vietnam for 8 months I was craving something dif...
I could not recommend ETHOS more highly. The experiences they provide are unlike what anyone else offers, and are based on years of building genuine, reciprocal relationships with the many ethnic minority groups in northern Vietnam. After living in Vietnam for 8 months I was craving something different from the usual tourist fare, and this was easily the best experience I’ve had so far in the country. Phil and Hoa are “the real deal” - they talk the talk and walk the walk, and will really get to know you and work with you to create the experiences you want. There are lots of options, so just send them a message to get started. I felt like Hoa really took the time to get to know me and my interests while we were creating a plan, and Phil got together with me after each of my experiences to debrief, get my feedback, and provide much-needed historical, cultural, social, environmental, and political context. I chose to do a 1 day motorbike tour with lunch in a Lao Lu village and a 2D/1N walking trek with stops in three Blue Hmong villages (Buffalo Valley trek). On both treks I did not see a single other tourist, and it was quite clear that villagers were not used to seeing people who looked like me. We also saw beautiful waterfalls known only to locals on both routes, and a nearly empty cave. Pretty much as authentic an experience as it gets! My guides (My, Ker, and Pang) were excellent, the sights truly spectacular, and the four different host families so friendly and welcoming despite us sharing no common language. The homestay was incredibly authentic (not too many “Western comforts”) and such a unique experience. I was actually the first guest ETHOS had sent to stay with my family which was pretty cool. I feel as though I’ve learned so much through these experiences and genuinely grown as a person. I’ve struggled to put into words (and capture in photographs) what the experience meant to me and how significant it felt. It helped me gain a deeper understanding of the cultural, historical, and political complexity of Northern Vietnam, meet really amazing people, have a glimpse into unique cultures that have maintained their integrity through rapid industrial development, and think carefully about what ethical tourism looks like both here in Vietnam and around the world. As I returned to work last week, I couldn’t stop thinking about the Sapa region and my experiences with ETHOS. I am sure I will be back for more. ETHOS also has wonderful initiatives in place to support many of the ethnic minority groups. I am really impressed with everything about this organisation.BengiOzboyaci
April 2022
We felt that we were in right hands the moment we started exchanging e-mails with the ETHOS staff. They made clear and sincere suggestions about the tour we could choose among the listed tours and we selected the 1 night 2 days Ta Phin village tour. ETHOS also helped with arranging a transportati...
We felt that we were in right hands the moment we started exchanging e-mails with the ETHOS staff. They made clear and sincere suggestions about the tour we could choose among the listed tours and we selected the 1 night 2 days Ta Phin village tour. ETHOS also helped with arranging a transportation from Hanoi and picking a hotel in Sapa. The conversation we had with them about the local minority tribal people in Sapa before the tour was very enlightining and helped us make sense of all the things we experienced later on. May Lai of the Red Dao Community, our guide and host was a real gem. She made sure we enjoyed our tour at every step. We had a great time on the mountains and at her home with her lovely family. Thank you ETHOS for your support to these wonderful people and making us a part of it.galaxie91
March 2021
We had a great 2-day trip following May Lai to hike through the beautiful villages and mountains of the Ta Phin area. She has a great home with beautiful children. We had a lot of fun with them in the evening. We went during a foggy time so the view was not so clear at times, but May Lai has hel...
We had a great 2-day trip following May Lai to hike through the beautiful villages and mountains of the Ta Phin area. She has a great home with beautiful children. We had a lot of fun with them in the evening. We went during a foggy time so the view was not so clear at times, but May Lai has helped us to enjoy our hike whatsoever due to her wealth of knowledge on the different species of herbs and trees. We also followed her into the garden to pick up Dao leaves and herbs for our herbal bath in the evening. Our chat with ETHOS staff prior and after the trip has also been a highlight because it gives us a glimpse into how much the people behind the scene are trying their best everyday to revive and bring the culture of ethnic people closer to outsiders. This trip has been a comfort to us as it shows that an authentic Sapa still exists behind the curtain, that what is happening in Sapa town will not change the authenticity of Vietnamese ethnics.467chin
March 2021
We already talk about another trip to Sapa with Ethos in another type of weather. May Lai, our tour guide was incredibly welcoming, kind and insightful. I learnt a lot about plants and her community. But the most fun part was playing with her kids and nephews. Who doesn't want to get back to the ...
We already talk about another trip to Sapa with Ethos in another type of weather. May Lai, our tour guide was incredibly welcoming, kind and insightful. I learnt a lot about plants and her community. But the most fun part was playing with her kids and nephews. Who doesn't want to get back to the childhood and play games.linhnkng
January 2021
I would highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Sa Pa! This is a great opportunity to look at Sa Pa from a whole different perspective. We had an amazing time with our tour guides Ker and My - they helped us through the difficult points in the trekking route and provided great insights abou...
I would highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Sa Pa! This is a great opportunity to look at Sa Pa from a whole different perspective. We had an amazing time with our tour guides Ker and My - they helped us through the difficult points in the trekking route and provided great insights about the region and the people. The local people were absolutely friendly as well; we had a wonderful time having lunch with the tour guides' families. Overall, the trip was an unforgettable experience!