General Introduction: Mount Fansipan (3,143m asl) is the highest peak in Vietnam, located within the Hoang Lien mountains and Hoang Lien-Sapa national park. Fansipan supports a wide variety of habitat types: elevations below 1,800m support lower montane evergreen forest; elevations between 1,800 and 2,500m support upper montane evergreen forest; elevations between 2,500 and 2,800m support sub-alpine forest, while the vegetation above 2,800m is dominated by stands of dwarf bamboo with scattered, stunted trees. Over 300 bird species have been recorded in Sapa, including 49 species that are restricted in Vietnam to north-west Tonkin. Sapa supports a number of restricted-range and globally threatened bird species including the Beautiful Nuthatch and is designated as an important bird area.

 Itinerary

 Day 1. Hanoi – Sapa.

Take the night train to Sapa from Hanoi train station at 9pm. If you arrive in Hanoi in the early morning or at lunch time, we offer you a short birding trip to the Red River, right in the middle of Hanoi to see some resident and migrant species such as the Black-shouldered Kite, Pied Kingfisher, Spotted Dove, Grey Heron, Scaly-breasted Munia, White-jumped Munia, and Light-vented Bulbul.

 Day 2. Sapa (B/L/D).

Arrive in Lao Cai town around 6 am, have breakfast and take the bus up to Sapa town, check in and have lunch. Afternoon birding at Ham Rong mountain.

 Lunch, dinner and overnight at Green Bamboo Hotel.

 Day 3. Fansipan (B/L/D).

Full day birdwatching along the trail up to Mount Fansipan.

 Breakfast at hotel, packed lunch, dinner and overnight at the campsite.

Day 4. Fansipan (B/L/D).

Full day birding up to Fansipan peak. After reaching the summit, return to the campsite at the end of the day.

 Packed lunch, breakfast, dinner and overnight at campsite.

 Day 5. Fansipan – Sapa (B/L/D).

Full day birding on the way back to Sapa town. Get to the hotel in the late afternoon.

Breakfast at campsite and packed lunch. Dinner and overnight at Green Bamboo Hotel.

 Day 6. Sapa – Lao Cai (B/L/D).

Morning and early afternoon birding at Tram Ton and O Quy Ho areas. Return to Lao Cai town in the late afternoon, take the night train back to Hanoi.

Breakfast and lunch at the hotel, dinner in Lao Cai town.

 Day 7. Hanoi

 Arrive Hanoi train station around 5am.

Highlight species: Scaly Laughingthrush, Red-winged Laughingthrush, Black-faced Laughingthrush, Long-tailed Wren Babbler, Long-billed Wren Babbler, Scaly-breasted Wren Babbler, Slender-billed Scimitar Babbler, Broad-billed Warbler, Golden-breasted Fulvetta, Rusty-capped Fulvetta, Red-billed Leiothrix, Golden Parrotbill, Ashy-throated Parrotbill, White-collared Yuhina and Green-tailed Sunbird.

 Price

 Included: Private car, train tickets, all meals, drinking water, sight-seeing fee and permit, accommodation, experienced English speaking bird-guide, binoculars and guide book.

Please note:

The single supplement for this tour is $105. You will be charged a single supplement if you desire single accommodation, or if you prefer to share but have no roommate and we cannot provide one for you.

Birdlist: