As soon as you set foot on Sapa, you’ll be bombarded on all sides by trekking opportunities. So there’s no need to book a trek in advance because resources abound.
In this guide, we will delve into the whole Sapa trekking tour process:
• How to book it
• Treks to choose from
• Prices
• Equipment
• Our experience at it
Booking a trek in person or by phone
Two months before arriving in Sapa, we were recommended a local guide by a Portuguese backpacker we met in Kampot. We followed her suggestion and called Mama Mae — the local Hmong guide she told us about.
The booking process was simple: you can do it directly with the local guides as they approach you in the street, or by phone since they’ll hand out their numbers if you’re not ready to commit on the spot. You can also do it through your hotel, the Sapa tourism office or any tour operator around town.
You can book one of the following options:
• Half day trek
• Full day trek: includes one meal
• 2-day trek with homestay: includes two meals and a few drinks, a bath, and a bed for the night (usually at the guide’s family house)
• Some tour operators like Buffalo Tours or Sapa Sisters offer up to 5-day trek options
Then you’ll set up the day, time and spot where the trek starts.
The payment is usually done at the end of the trek.
Price tables
Booking directly through a local guide will cost a fraction of what you’ll pay to a tour operator. Still, every guide has her own fee and these are some of the offers we got:
Mama Bau: 14€ for one day trek and 28€ for 2 days + homestay.
Mama Susu: 11,50€ for one day and 28€ for the 2 days + homestay.
Mama Mae: 11€ for one full day
Tour operator fees start at 35€ for one day
If you’re an experienced hiker you could do the trek on your own, but by hiring an experienced guide you’ll be helping the local communities and learning about them. Besides, no one knows the hillside as they do.
Let’s do this!
Nuno and I met Mama Mae at 9 in the morning, near the Gothic church in the city center. The two of us joined a group of four American girls and three other Hmong women that walked alongside us the entire trek.
Mama Mae spoke very good English but the other Hmong women did not. We figured that they must accompany tourists as a way to practice their English, so eventually, they can become guides themselves.
Take plenty of water
It was a beautiful warm and sunny day in opposition to the stormy days before. We were super excited to be out and about exploring nature, and having a genuine taste of the Vietnamese rural life.
However, two hours in, we realized that 1,5L water bottle wouldn’t last long for two grown men hiking a mountain and descending through muddy rice terraces. Not to mention that Mama Mae got thirsty too, so we ended up sharing our water with her—because we’re gentlemen.
Take plenty of water, you’ll need it. There aren’t any shops in the hills, only in the villages.
Soul cleansing views
The scenery was breathtaking—everywhere we looked was like a panoramic screensaver!
Not only Mama Mae took us to the best lookout spots in the mountains, but we also saw water buffaloes, piglets, tea and cannabis plantations. We talked for hours about Vietnam, her family and ours. She was like an open book.
Meanwhile, the other 3 Hmong women kept walking by our side asking time and again:
– Where are you from?
At noon, we stopped for lunch at a humble restaurant where other hikers were. Mama Mae provided us with a noodle soup and some pieces of fruit, but the drinks we paid ourselves. After lunch, we walked a few more hours to her house, where the first day of trekking ended. We met the husband and granddaughters as she prepared some tea for us: Lipton, believe it or not.
After tea, she explained how she makes indigo blue dye from plants.
True colors
The other 3 Hmong women that followed us around came with a goal in mind: to sell. To sell as much as possible.
After a subtle sign from Mama Mae, they pulled out all sorts of knick-knacks from their wicker baskets: bracelets, wallets, shawls, and whistles, along with an aggressive selling tactic. They turned into unfazed vending machines that didn’t take “no” for an answer.
Back to Sapa on a motorbike
Having finished our full day trek, Mama Mae took us to the center of her village, calling two motorbike taxis to take us back to Sapa: 2.00€ each, paid by ourselves.
The ride back to Sapa alone was amazing. It’s not every day that someone can ride through valleys in Vietnam, with the sun setting behind the mountains and the last sunbeams reflecting on the rice paddies. That’s something we’ll never forget.
Trekking equipment
Keep it light and simple.
All you’ll need is a comfortable pair of sturdy shoes, light clothing, and a camera. Remember to take plenty of water, snacks, sunblock and you’ll be good to go.
As a side note, Sapa has plenty of shops that both rent and sell trekking gear.
Full day trek expenses
Full day trek: 11€
Motorbike taxi: 2€
Water bottle: 0.60€
If you’re planning a trekking tour on Sapa we still have Mama Mae’s, Mama Bau’s and Mama Susu’s phone numbers and will gladly share them with you. Leave a reply down here or at any of our social media outlets and we’ll send it to you via email or PM.
Here’s a photo of Mama Mae taken in September 2018 by Cristelle — one of our readers. Cristelle reached out to us and asked for Mama Mae’s phone number. Two days later she was trekking with her in Sapa!
We’re super glad to contribute (even if in a small way) to your adventures, and by doing so helping Mama Mae on the other side of the world.
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Hello!
I’m planning to trek in Sapa and would love to have the contact for Mama Susu
Thank you!
Hi Joanne!
You can check your email inbox for the phone number.
Have a great time in Sapa!
Hey Guy,
Congrats…your story is amazing!
Heading to Sapa soon 🙂
Can I also please get the numbers ?
Thank you 🙂
Thanks, Kadi! ?
Check your email inbox for the phone numbers. Have fun is Sapa!
High Nuno and Mario,
Congrats for the blog!!!!
We are a family of 5 with 3 childs, we like to visit Sapa this summer. Could you send us the phone numbers?
Bet Regards,
Thanks, Carles! 🙂
The phone numbers are in your email inbox.
Hope you and your family have a good time in Sapa. ?
Hello Nuno and Mario,
Me and my girlfriend will be in Sapa on the 1st of March. Would it be possible to grab those numbers?
Great blog and love how recent it is. Might have to look into renting some trekking gear also
Thank you
Billy
Hi Billy!
Check your email inbox for the numbers.
And thanks! Glad you found it helpful.
There are plenty of trekking gear shops in Sapa, but you guys won’t need much.
Have fun over there! ?
Hi Guys,
Love your blog! You take some really great pix – what kind of camera do you use? I’m thinking maybe I need something better than my iPhone 6 to capture all that beautiful scenery.
My son and I are going to be visiting Sapa for a few days in April and I think that a full or half day tour with Mama Mae would be perfect for us to get to know the lay of the land. Can you share her phone ## with us?
Thanks! – Don and Noah from Concord, Massachusetts.
Hi Don!
We used a Nikon D5100 which helped a whole lot, but also we were lucky to do the trekking on a beautiful sunny day.
Still, you can do a lot with an iPhone camera and it’s less bulky to carry around.
Check your email inbox for the phone numbers.?
Love the blog! Amazing story!!
Planning to go to sapa. Could you send me the contacts?
Hi Maartje,
Thank you for your feedback!
Check your email inbox for the contacts. Have a great trip. ?
Nice blog man! Im planning to go solo there. Mind sharing the numbers? Thank you!
Sure!
Check your email inbox.
Enjoy your trekking! ?
HI there ! Love your blog ! So useful ! I would really like the numbers of the mama, that would be really useful . THanks a lot in advance !
Hi, Marie 🙂
Thanks for your feedback! Glad you find the blog useful.
Check your email inbox for the phone numbers, we sent you the numbers of Mama Mae, Bau, and Susu.
Have fun in Sapa!
Hi my Friend and I will be visiting soon in mid February. Can we have their contact number plz??
Hi, Hemant
Sure you can! ?
Check your email inbox for the phone numbers. Have a great trip!
Hi,
We enjoyed reading your blog! We are planning on visiting Papa in February. Could you send us the numbers of Mama Bau, Mama Susu and Mama Mae?
Kind regards,
Veerle and Oscar
Hi guys!
Thanks for your feedback, we really appreciate it. ?
Check your email inbox for the phone numbers. Have a great trip!
Hello! Could you please send us the phone numbers of the guides? We would love to give one a shot, as we will be going to Sapa in the coming week. Thank you!
-Krista
Hi Krista,
The numbers are in your email inbox.?
Have a great trip!
Hi
I’m going to Sapa tomorrow or after tomorrow, depending on the weather. Could I please have Mama Mae number?
Hi Marcos,
Hope it’s not too late… Check your email inbox for the phone number. ?
Hi Nuno and Mario,
Your blog has been really helpful!
I’m going to be in Sapa in about a week and would love to get the contact information of the 3 women to organize a trek.
Thanks,
Ciela
Hi Ciela,
Thank you! We’re glad you found it helpful. ?
Check your email inbox for the phone numbers and have a blast in Sapa!
What a wondefull wxperience. We would love to do the trekking with mama mae in two days. Would you like to share the contacts with me? Thanks a lot!
It was great indeed!?
Check your email inbox for Mama Mae phone number.
Have fun in Sapa!
Hi Nuno & Mario. Thank you for your blog, definitely informative so that now I can decide among the vast option of tours available in Sapa.
On a side note, could you please share the contacts so I can book a tour with one of the ladies?
Thank you.
Hi Hana,
Thanks for your feedback!
We just send the phone numbers to you, check your email inbox.
Have fun on in Sapa. ?
Hi!
We are thinking of heading to Sapa in the next week or two, please can you send me the numbers of Mama Mae, Bau and Susu? Thank you!
Anna-Mart
Hi Anna,
Check your email inbox.?
Have fun in Sapa!
Hi,
Could you send me a contact to Mama Mae on my email? Thanks!
Regards,
Sharon
Hi Sharon!
We just send it to you, check your email inbox.
Have fun on your trip! ?