Vietnam Tour 24 days: Grand Journey from North to South

We meet you at Noi Bai airport and transfer you to your hotel in central Hanoi. The rest of the day is free to recover from the flight, and your guide is available on request.

We start with the Ho Chi Minh Complex, which includes the mausoleum, the Presidential Palace and the house on stilts. The day continues with the One Pillar Pagoda and the Temple of Literature, followed by a walking street food tour.

We drive via Hoa Binh into the Mai Chau valley and visit Thai villages where families live in stilt houses. After a homestay lunch with a local family, we explore the villages of Van, Poomcong and Lat on foot or by bike.

We drive to the Pu Luong retreat, reach a suspension bridge over the Cham River and walk to see the water wheels. We also see how water is moved from the river to handmade bamboo aqueducts.

We travel to Ninh Binh along the Ho Chi Minh trail, about three hours by road. In the countryside we visit Hoa Lu, the capital of Vietnam in the 10th century, where two temples honour King Dinh and King Le.

We cycle through local villages and farms to Tam Coc. There we are rowed along a gentle river between paddy fields and through caves, in a landscape known as "Halong Bay on land".

We drive about three hours through the Red River Delta to Ha Long City, with a comfort stop on the way. We then board our cruise among the limestone islands of this UNESCO World Heritage bay; this is a join-in cruise with no guide on this day.

We wake to the bay at dawn, with time for a morning swim, followed by breakfast. Around midday we return to the harbour, drive to Hanoi and fly to Hue.

We take a boat on the Perfume River to Thien Mu Pagoda, built in 1601. We then visit the mausoleum of Emperor Tu Duc and the other highlights of Hue.

We take a dragon boat on the Perfume River to Thuy Bieu village and cycle along green paths to its temples and local homes. We also see "Nha Ruong" ancient houses over 100 years old, then continue to Hoi An.

We cycle about 10 km through the countryside to Cam Thanh, with a basket boat trip, fishing, a herbal foot massage, a cooking class and lunch at a local family house. Later we walk through the old town of Hoi An.

Our guide and car take us to Ba Na Hills by cable car. We see the Le Jardin D'Amour gardens, Ling Ung Pagoda, the Golden Bridge and the French Village.

Free time in Hoi An until we transfer you to the airport for the flight to Buon Ma Thuot; no guide is included on this day. On arrival we continue to an M'nong hill-tribe village by Lak Lake.

We drive up to the villa of former Emperor Bao Dai for views over the lake, the town and the fishing village. We walk through the village, visit the elephants and take a dug-out canoe trip on the lake.

We visit Draysap waterfall, about 30 km from Buon Ma Thuot, where the water falls about 30 m and creates a veil of mist. We continue to Don Village on the Srepok river, 55 km north-west of Buon Ma Thuot.

We drive to Pleiku and visit T'Nung lake, with lunch at a local restaurant. We visit the tea plantations and the Yaly hydro-electric power plant, then arrive in the town of Kontum on the Dakbla river.

We begin with the Kon Klor Suspension Bridge and the nearby rong house of the Ba Na people. We then see the Wooden Church of Kon Tum, built between 1913 and 1918, and continue from Kontum to Saigon.

In the morning we visit the Cu Chi Tunnels, an underground network built by Vietnamese soldiers during the American war, 70 km north-west of Saigon. In the afternoon a half-day city tour begins at the Reunification Palace.

We start with a short visit to Cai Be, walk through a local orchard to taste fruit and hear traditional music, then row on small canals. A boat crosses the Mekong River to An Binh Island, and we end the day in Can Tho.

We transfer to the pier early and take a boat on the Mekong River to Cai Rang floating market, best seen from sunrise. Larger boats anchor in lanes while smaller boats trade fruit among them, and we then return to Saigon.

Free time until we transfer you to the airport for the flight to Con Dao; no guide is included on this day. Our driver meets you on arrival and takes you to your hotel, and you are free to relax.

The day is at your own pace, with time to swim or dive. No guide and no driver are included on this day.

After breakfast we transfer you to the airport for the flight to Saigon; no guide is included on this day. You spend the night in a hotel in Saigon.

We transfer you to Tan Son Nhat airport for your onward flight, with a late afternoon or evening departure suggested. Our services end at the airport.