May 5 to 16 / 2024 – VIETNAM EXPLORATORY PHOTO TOUR ( extension to Ninh Binh 16 to 19 / 2024 )

Led by Gavriel Jecan with Local guide Mu Giang

Tour fee: 4530.00 USD ( share accommodation )

Inquire with us if you prefer single supplement, additional single supplement is 320.00 USD.

Deposit of 1,000.00 USD up on registration is required to hold your  spot ( Deposit is non refundable )

All meals, lodging, and transportation specified on the itinerary are included. You are encouraged to arrive one day prior to the workshop so that there is no worry of flight delays causing any problems or jet leg. Our tour coordinator can assist you with any additional hotel nights needed on either end of the tour.

Discover the incredible landscapes, natural wonders, and fascinating ethnic communities of northern Vietnam.

Trip itinerary and dates: Shooting schedules have the ability to be altered to effectively cater to the photographic desires of the group, as well as to adapt to changeable weather conditions.

Day 01  May 05th. Arrive in Hanoi 

Hanoi – Founded over 1000 years ago and the capital city is rich in history and culture, the Old Quarter dating back to the 14th century and this days the ancient city is being invigorated with modern cafes, world-class restaurants, and cool art galleries. Hanoi’s Old Quarter streets are enveloped by the incense fragrance that drift out into the streets from ancient temples, while the clang of blacksmiths’ hammers mingles with mobile fruit sellers’ call. This busy old capital provides endless photo opportunities.

Day 02  May 06th.   Ha Noi to Bac Son – In the morning, we depart from Hanoi for Bac Son. The drive takes about 4 hours, through the fertile Red River Delta and onward into the hilly area after Thai Nguyen City. The scenery along the way is beautiful with rice terraces, dotted with stilt-house villages. Will stop along the way to photograph and enjoy the scenery. Will stop on the way in for lunch at one of the Vietnamese local restaurant. This is not only a chance to enjoy the local food but also a good time to interact with the local ethnic group around that area. It depends on the time , but if time allow as we will take a short stroll around the village to learn the daily life of the Tay ethnic minority and photograph their daily life. Bac Son is our final destination for today, will check in and get ready for dinner and next day excursion.

Meals: B, L, D.

Day 03  May 07th. Bac Son Valley  is a rural district of Lạng Sơn Province in the Northeast region of Vietnam.  One of the interesting aspects about this valley is its incredibly high mountains which are about 500-1200 meters high and the trails that takes you to amazing views of the valley’s paddy fields, with many mountains in the background. After we finish our hike and photograph in the morning will return for lunch and afternoon download and rest before we start our afternoon stroll through the valley’s pathways leading you to the paddy fields where you’ll get a chance to see the beautiful river that runs crossing the rice fields and the local ethnic group working in the field or taking care of the livestock. The valley is inhabited by the Tay ethnic people and their traditional stilt houses. After our evening photo session will return to the hotel and prepare for dinner.

Meals: B, L, D.

Day  04  May 08th. Bac Son to Ban Gioc, Tucked away in a remote area of Northern Vietnam, Cao Bang Province is bursting with beautiful geo-cultural sites. With five major river systems and 47 lakes, water plays a vital role in shaping the landscape and local life. The province’s extraordinary diversity makes it a spectacular place to explore, especially for adventure Photo traveller. Meals: B, L, D.

Day 05 May 09. Ban Gioc Will be visiting and photographing few of the main attractions in this region, first not to miss the Ban Gic waterfall, located on the border between China and Vietnam, Ban Gioc is the biggest waterfall in Asia. Measuring 300 meters wide, the falls are absolutely breathtaking in size. Beside the waterfall will visit and photograph the True Lam Phat Tech Pagoda. In the same area there is Nguom Ngao Cave with some of the most unique stalactite formations in Southeast Asia. As you step foot into the cave, the formations change with each new cavern, the local authorities have only opened 948 meters to visitors but the cave is much bigger.

Meals: B, L, D.

Day 06 May 10th – Ban Gioc to Mea Vac

Day 07  May 11th – Mea Vac to Dong Van. Dong Van Old Town – About 160 km from Ha Giang city, Dong Van ancient town is a lovely destination with charming houses and vibrant markets. Dong Van ancient town is located in the center of Dong Van valley, nestled between surrounding rocky mountains, with great old house architecture and few ethnic groups to photograph.

Meals: B, L, D.

Day 08  May 12th. – Dong Van – Located in the old quarter of Dong Van town, Dong Van fair market is held once a week on Sunday and is the largest exchange and trading place in Dong Van – Meo Vac plateau. Dong Van market is colorful with the costumes of the Mong,Tay, Dao, Nung, Lo Lo and Gray ethnic groups. The Sunday market is like a festival for people of the mountains in this region. In addition to trading and exchanging goods, people come to Dong Van market to exchange relations, meet people, gather friends, and not last this market it becomes a dating place for young Boys and Girls.

Meals: B, L, D.

Day 9 May 13th. – Dong Van to Ha Giang

Drive to Ha Giang, Stop by the Nam Dam Village ( 4+ Hour drive, plus lunch and photo opportunity stops.) Nam Dam is inhabited by Dao Ethnic People. The charming village is nestled peacefully in a valley surrounded by karst mountains, holds in it preserved habits, traditional customs and culture from ancient periods to now which is attracting to tourists. In Nam Dam, travelers could also enjoy meals including local dishes and specialties prepared by the local host from the cozy fire kitchen. For the Dao people, the fire kitchen is not just a place to cook food but also occupied an important role in their spiritual life. Nowardays, though the living standard has been changing, the Dao people still maintain the fire kitchen as a Dao cultural tradition.

Meals: B, L, D.

Ha Giang – offers fantastic sightseeing of the natural highlights, interesting ethnic culture, etc., and especially

Meals: B, L, D.

Day 10 May 14th – Ha Giang to Ha Noi

Meals: B, L, D.

Day 11 May 15th – Ha Noi

Meals: B, L, D.

Day 12 May 16th – Ha Noi to home

For your peace of mind, our tours are designed to include as much as possible in the price, but also to give you the freedom to find a special place to eat or to seek out an independent adventure that especially appeals to you.

Meals: B,

Included:

• Accommodation as mentioned in the itinerary.
• Meals as mentioned in the itinerary (B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner).
• Mineral water 2 bottles/person/day.
• Travel on private, modern & comfortable air-conditioned vehicles with a caring driver for all transfers and ground transportation
• Boat trip as mentioned in the itinerary.
• Entry fee for all mentioned sites for visit.
• Qualified local tour guides during the whole trip

Not Included:

• International flight tickets.
• Snacks not mentioned in the itinerary.
• Drinks except water, telephone, laundry and all that is not clearly mentioned in the “INCLUDED”.
• Tips and personal expenses.
• Travel Insurances.
• Peak season or Public holidays surcharge if any
• Visa Fee

Tour Payment:

We accept Bank transfer payment and Credit Card payment through Pay pal. To pay the deposit or other payments through Pay Pal, please click Buy Now button below, which will take you to our Pay Pal Website. We accept all major credit cards;  Paypal is an accepted method of payment processing for any of our tours.  You can pay by credit card this way without joining Paypal yourself, or you can open a Paypal account if you wish. Payments are made directly online (and any personal details are protected through our secure server) – we do not take or store any credit card information, this is done at Paypal’s site. We have a verified account with Paypal which means that we have provided proof of our personal details, bank account, and address.  Paypal price will show different than our site, do to 4% Paypal service charge.

If you prefer Bank Transfer payment, please let us know and will provide the necessary information to you via email ( internationalphototours@gmail.com )

TOUR TERMS OF CANCELATION

Further terms and conditions apply to International Photo Tours Field Tours. Those will be provided at time of sign up or at request. ( Tour Deposit is non refundable )

Should you need to cancel, you must do so no less than 160 business days prior to the course date to receive a refund, less deposit ( Deposit is non refundable )

If International Photo Tours receives written notification cancelling your Trip more than 90 days prior to the planned departure of your Trip, International Photo Tours will refund 75% of the remaining Trip cost after deposit ( Deposit is non refundable ) to you.

If International Photo Tours receives written notification cancelling your Trip at least 45 but no more than 90 days prior to the planned departure of your Trip, International Photo Tours. will refund 50% remaining after deposit( Deposit is non refundable ).

There will be no refund for trips cancelled by you 30 days or fewer days before the departure of your Trip.

NINH BINH EXTENSION ( HOA LU ) MAY 16TH – MAY 19TH

Extension Fee: 980.00$

Inquire with us if you prefer single supplement, additional single supplement is 140.00 USD.

Ninh Binh, a mesmerizing area known locally as inland Ha Long Bay, thanks to its magical landscape, with sheer limestone mountains rising up from the paddies, penetrated by caves carved in by many rivers flowing through the rice paddies. The best way to get a sense of this UNESCO-protected site is by taking a paddleboat tour along its shimmering rivers, and climbing to the top of its fabled peaks to have a bird’s eye view to the unique landscapes. Though the area is not massive but the scenery is vast. Situated on the edge of the Red River Delta Region, Ninh Binh is full of streams and rivers spilling out to unmoving pools and lakes that reflect the intimidating peaks and dazzling skies, this is a dream come true for landscape photographers. Ninh Binh is a serene place away from the hustle and bustle of the big city like Ha Noi. This is where the formal capital used to be, Hoa Lu was an economic, cultural, and political forum during the 10th and 11th centuries, at one point in time it housed a massive citadel encompassed by colossal mountains as a protective wall. Even though not much of it is there today, there are temples honoring the leaders of that era. Do to its popularity Hoa Lu start developing great accommodations and good restaurants presenting local food.

Day one / May 16th – Drive to Ninh Binh from Ha Noi

Meals: D.

Day two / May 17th – At the Tam Coc and Trang An boat docks, each sampan is guided by a boat person who rows with their feet, not their hands. You’ll be expertly guided along gentle waterways, past towering karsts, and into dripping grottoes, along the way you’ll have many opportunities to photograph and admire this amazing landscapes.

Meals: B, L, D.

Day three / May 18th – See the view from Hang Mua ( the dragon top ) – Get a bird’s-eye view of Ninh Binh at Hang Mua, where 500 steps have been dramatically carved into the steep face of a mountain. At the top, a lookout point offers a surreal vista of the river winding lazily among paddies and limestone outcrops.

Meals: B, L, D.

Day four / May 19 – Drive to Ha Noi and depart for home in the evening or spend another night in Ha Noi and depart for home the next day, it depends on your flight connection.

Meals: B, L.

Photo tour leader: Gavriel Jecan Local guide: Mu