We will meet our group and Action Challenge staff at the airport and check in together before boarding our overnight flight to Hanoi in northeast Vietnam.

Meals: D inflight Accom: Hotel

On arrival in Vietnam, we will transfer to our hotel in the centre of Hanoi. Once checked in, we will have a guided walk through the old quarter followed by a welcome meal and briefing by our guides who will be with us during our challenge. We will then get an early night before our trek begins tomorrow.

Meals: B, L, D Accom: Hotel

This morning following breakfast, we will leave early and transfer 4½ hrs to the Mai Chau area in the southwest of Hanoi. We will enjoy a packed lunch along the way. On arrival at Xa Linh, one of the most remote villages in the Hoa Binh province, we will start a 3-hour trek on great jungle paths to our accommodation at the village of Hang Kia. Our accommodation will be traditional family homestays where we sleep on comfortable mattresses together in shared rooms. The evening will conclude with an evening meal prepared by Action Challenge cooks in the home kitchen before the group gets some needed rest.

Meals: B, L, D Accom: TBC

Our day will begin with another fuelling breakfast before we embark on today’s trek. From the village of Hang Kia, we will trek along a mixture of paths, streambeds, and jungle hillsides before eventually arriving at Cun Pheo, a village of the White Thai minority. At this point, we will stop to enjoy lunch as a group and admire the stunning scenery. As we enter the afternoon, our trek will resume as we follow trek paths that wind through Van Villages and cultivated fields, with beautiful views of the Mai Chau valley. Here, small ethnic minority villages sit among a patchwork of paddy fields surrounded by green mountains. It is truly stunning and extremely serene. At around midday, we will stop to enjoy a packed lunch whilst soaking up the scenery. This afternoon, we will finally arrive at Buoc Village, where we settle at our family homestay and enjoy a traditional rice wine!

Meals: B, L, D Accom: TBC

Today will be a very exciting day which will commence after we enjoy a group breakfast. The day will start with a trek to the village of Xam Khoe followed by trails and rice paddies to Van Mai, the area’s main town. We will stop here to have lunch and then board a small longboat for a 4km journey along the old Vietnam War supply routes, down the fast-flowing river. We will pass green-topped limestone cliffs, the odd stilt house, and gardens, with the distant Laos mountains fading into blue. As the sun sets, we will disembark and continue through Sai and onto Hang Villages, an oasis in the middle of the Pu Luong Nature Reserve. Our route was part of the Ho Chi Minh trail during the Vietnam War to supply the resistance. As evening approaches, we will arrive at our accommodation for the night. Here, we will enjoy an evening meal before getting some much-needed rest.

Following breakfast, trek day 4 will begin as we start our hike through the tranquil valley. Today will be tough, with some steep climbs, although it will be extremely rewarding. At midday, we will rest and find shade from the heat as we enjoy some lunch as a group. As we enter the afternoon, our trek will continue onto Kho Muong village nestled between the mountains. This is arguably one of the prettiest settings we come across in our challenge. For those with enough energy, there will be an additional trek to an incredible jaw-dropping cave, before finally enjoying an evening meal and getting some much-needed sleep at our homestay.

Meals: B, L, D Accom: TBC

Today will be another strenuous day, but the views will certainly be worth it. After breakfast, we will set out trekking uphill for three hours through a picturesque forest passing several villages along the way. We will stop and rest at an appropriate time to recuperate and enjoy some lunch in Pho Doan village. Our trek will recommence in the afternoon, and we will continue for another 2½ hours, predominately downhill to our final destination of Don village. This is another Thai community, and we can explore the fascinating architecture and the beauty of the surrounding area. Alternatively, if you just want to relax, there will be ample opportunity to simply rest in a hammock at our comfortable Pu Luong Retreat. As the sun sets, we will be treated to an authentic Vietnamese delight with a traditional dance and song performed by local hill tribe people as well as a delicious Vietnamese meal.

Meals: B, L                 Accom: TBC

Following our last trekking breakfast, we will leave Don village and trek 2 hours to Tan Lap suspension bridge over the Cham River, where we see the stunning water wheels. It’s fascinating to get up close to each wheel and discover how water is moved from river to handmade bamboo aqueducts via simple constructions. After a short break, we continue trekking for 3 hours on the other side of the Ma river past local Muong villages. At midday, we depart for Hanoi (5hrs transfer) along the old Ho Chi Minh Trail. We stop for lunch in a local restaurant and arrive in Hanoi late afternoon. Once back in Hanoi, we will have the evening as free time to visit this incredible and vibrant city.

Meals: B, L                   Accom: TBC

Today we have the full day free to discover the city, to eat in the markets, to see the incredible crafts that are being produced there or maybe you just want to grab yourselves a bargain of branded outdoor equipment much of which is produced in Vietnam. After an exhausting day walking the streets and jumping into rickshaws, this evening we get together once again and make our way to a restaurant, to celebrate our achievements on the Vietnam Challenge. The celebrations should go on well into the night.

Meals: B, D                     Accom: TBC

Subject to the time of our flights we will transfer to Hanoi Airport for our return flight leaves in the early hours of the morning and ensures that we are back in the UK with plenty of time to get home.

Meals: B