Son La
3 days 2 nights
SUP, camp
7/10
5 (0 Customer rating)
Tour overview

Have you ever imagined yourself embarking on an adventurous journey full of exploration, going down the river or exploring a new land, like what you saw in the movie Wild (2014) or A Walk in the Woods (2015)? Umove Adventure invites you to join the Black River Expedition on Da River, where you will become the main character in a vivid and exciting adventure story. As the main character of the trip, you will learn essential skills, from SUP paddling, setting up tents, cooking by the fire, to making coffee, catching fish,... and immersing yourself in the wild nature. With Black River Expedition, the greatest reward of the trip is not the destination, but the wonderful moments, the energetic emotions you experience on the journey.

Black River Expedition is not too harsh, but challenging enough to bring exciting surprises. This is your chance to live fully with nature, in an original way that is completely different from your usual trips.

Highlight

  • Experiencing the most beautiful and pristine river SUP touring route in the North
  • Having a trip full of adventure and rare conquest
  • Being thoroughly trained before the trip by Umove Adventure's leading adventure travel experts
  • Having a commemorative medal for the trip

 

Summary
  • Departure from: Ha Noi

  • Min: 10 people

  • Destination: Son La

  • Max: 20 people

  • Duration: 3 days 2 nights

  • Best season: Sep - Jun

  • Activities: SUP, camp

  • Level: 7/10

Itinerary
1st day: Ha Noi - Van Yen (Son La) - Tuong Village

05:00 - Arriving at the pickup point. Departing for Van Yen, Son La. Along the way, we will stop for breakfast in Thu Cuc.

10:00 - Arriving at Van Yen ferry terminal. Inflating SUP boards, transferring gear to the escort boat, and preparing personal items for today’s journey.

11:00 - Paddling downstream on the Da River toward Hoa Binh.

12:00 - Having lunch on the boat.

13:30 - Continue paddling downstream. Along this stretch, we will pass by several villages of the Muong and Thai ethnic groups along the Da River.

16:00 - Stopping at Tuong Village, a Thai ethnic village in Da Bac District, Hoa Binh. Tonight, we will camp and have dinner at this campsite. All members of the group will participate in setting up tents and cooking. You may also enjoy swimming in the river and casting nets to catch fish.

18:00 - Having dinner at the campsite. Relaxing and unwinding by the campfire. Having a team meeting to discuss the next day’s plan.

22:00 - Bedtime.

Note:

* Distance: 20 km (goal: 7 km in the morning, 13 km in the afternoon)
* Meals included: breakfast, lunch, and dinner

 

2nd day: Tuong village - Da Bia commune

07:00 - Having breakfast along with tea and coffee at the campsite.

08:30 - Packing up tents and cleaning the campsite.

09:00 - Paddling towards Hoa Binh Lake. Along today’s route, we will stop to visit Hang Mieng Temple, a sacred temple located at the gateway of the reservoir area.

12:00 - Having lunch on the boat.

13:30 - Continue paddling to our overnight stop at Da Bia Commune.

16:30 - Arriving at Da Bia, a small commune by the Da River in Da Bac District, Hoa Binh. This peaceful and unspoiled Thai ethnic village has been practicing community-based tourism under the guidance of the Da Bac CBT project for many years and has consistently received praise from both domestic and international visitors. We will have dinner and spend the night at a Thai family’s homestay.

18:30 - Having dinner at the homestay. Having rest, relaxing, and discussing the plan for the following day.

22:00 - Bedtime.

Note:

* Distance: 30 km (goal: 15 km in the morning, 15 km in the afternoon)
* Meals included: breakfast, lunch, and dinner

 

3rd day: Da Bia Commune - Ngoi Hoa - Ha Noi

07:00 - Having breakfast and coffee or tea at the homestay.

08:00 - Packing up belongings and transferring to the boat.

09:00 - Paddling toward Ngoi Hoa. Unlike the previous two days of paddling through narrow river sections, today we’ll enter the vast and majestic Hoa Binh reservoir. Paddling along the cliffs toward Ngoi Hoa Bay.

12:00 - Transferring to a floating house in Ngoi Hoa Bay. Having lunch here. After lunch, take time  to rest and relax.

14:00 - Packing up and boarding the boat to depart to Ngoi Hoa Port.

16:00 - Departing by car back to Hanoi.

18:00 - Arriving in Hanoi. End of the tour.

Note:

* Distance: 10 km (goal: 10 km in the morning)
* Meals included: breakfast and lunch

Inclusion & Exclusion

Inclusion

  • Supporting boat for whole trip
  • Round-trip bus: Ha Noi – Van Yen & Ngoi Hoa – Ha Noi 
  • SUP & equipments
  • Tents & Camping equipments 
  • Homestay at Da Bia commune
  • Fee for entrance tickets 
  • Meals as the schedule on the itinerary
  • Tour guides & supporters
  • Daily drinking water
  • Fee for entrance tickets
  • Travel insurance

Exclusion

  • Personal expenses
  • Transportation fee before and after the trip
  • Other kinds of beverage unlist in the tour program

 

Departure schedule
Departure day Finish day   Tour cost
Difficulty of the activity

Pre-trip Preparation: This is not a light-hearted trip for everyone. To join this tour, you will need to have some basic outdoor skills such as camping, swimming, SUP paddling, etc. Additionally, you should have above-average physical fitness. When you inquire about this trip, UA will require you to complete a pre-screening questionnaire. After that, UA will have individual discussions with each participant to assess their skills and fitness level to determine whether they are suitable for the journey. If you're not quite ready, we’ll suggest a personalized training plan to help you prepare. For participants living in Hanoi, UA will provide in-person training. For those living farther away, UA will offer online guidance and supervision to ensure that each participant is fully equipped with the necessary skills for the trip.

Difficulty Level (7/10): Good physical skills are a requirement, as well as experience in outdoor activities. This level is not for children. The duration of each trip is from 2  - 4 days with a basic of eating, and sleeping condition. Accommodation is camping. Trekking time might take 5 – 6 hours/day to do the trek with the difficult terrain, slopes, and high elevation. The kayaking and SUP tours might take from 6 – 7 hours/day of paddling.

  • Experience/ skills requirement: High
  • Physical requirement: High
  • Duration: 2 – 4 days
  • Outdoor activity duration: 5 – 7 hours/day
  • Children: No recommended 

 

 

Suggested physical training: Practice running or kayaking/SUP 2 weeks in advance. Run 2 - 3 times a week, each session 5km. Or paddling from 2- 3 times, each time is 5 - 7 km.

 

Equipment

Equipment provided by UA:

  • SUP & gear
  • Life jacket
  • Tent & gear
  • Dry bag
  • Tables, chairs, cooking utensils
  • Campsite lighting equipment 
  • First aid bag  

Essential stuff you need to bring: 

  • 1L water bottle
  • Walking shoes/sandals
  • Winter: warm clothes, windbreaker, thermal jacket, wetsuit 
  • Summer: long-sleeved swimsuit (rash guard), hat, sunglasses, gloves, sunscreen... 
  • Waterproof bag for phone
  • Insect repellent
  • Personal hygiene items 
  • Phone, camera, power bank, suitable waterproof case...
  • ID card or Passport

Other items you may consider to bring:

  • Spare clothes
  • Personal medicines
  • Flashlight
  • Folding knife or multi-tool
  • Towels, hand sanitizers, toothpaste, toothbrush, toilet paper  
Essential info

1. Travel insurance

● Umove Adventure uses service from Bảo Việt Insurance with a maximum insurance payout of 100 million VND/person/case.

●  See the Bao Viet policy of insurance Quy tắc bảo hiểm Bảo Việt.        

2. Referring to the postpose policy, and cancel the tour in the requirement and instructions here

3. Reading and signing the exclude all liability before departing

● The customers who buy adventure tours from Umove Adventure have enough awareness about the level of challenge as well as other physical challenges and other potential dangers during the tour. Hence the customer is asked to read and sign the Exclude all Liability form before departing. Find the form below and read it carefully.

                 Release of Liability Form.

4. Notes on the trekking route

● While paddling on the river or lake, please be mindful to avoid obstacles such as branches, rocks, etc. Paddle close to the shore as directed by the guide and watch out for motorboats operating on the lake.

● We will have a motorboat escort throughout the entire paddling journey. If at any point you wish to continue by boat instead of paddling, please inform the guide.

● Note: If you know how to swim and have ample paddling experience, you may remove your life jacket and secure it on the SUP—but under no circumstances should you remove the leash.

5. Camping

● UA’s campsite is located on the banks of the Da River, offering a stunning view of the river. We use 4-person tents for 2 people. If you prefer a single-person tent, please let us know when registering for the trip.

● At the campsite, there is a toilet tent, and sanitation will follow the dig-and-bury method.

6. Food & drinks

● Meals on the tour are quite diverse and feature a strong touch of local flavor. If you have dietary restrictions or follow a vegetarian diet, please inform UA’s coordinator in advance so we can prepare suitable meals for you. In cases where you have special dietary needs that we are unable to accommodate (due to health, medical, or religious reasons, etc.), we recommend that you bring your own food.

● Drinking water will be provided both on the vehicle and during paddling. Umove Adventure encourages guests to minimize the use of single-use plastic and nylon products, so we kindly ask you to bring a reusable water bottle to refill from the large water containers we provide.

● Alcoholic beverages are not permitted while paddling SUP. Alcohol and soft drinks are not included in the meals.

7. Protecting the environment together

● Umove Adventure supports and practices Leave No Trace principles in each program and outdoor activities itself. We also encourage our customers and partners to apply to Leave No Trace principles when traveling in the outdoor environment. See details about the Leave No Trace tại đây

● In order to limit the use of single-use plastic, Umove Adventure encourages each of us to prepare for ourselves a bottle of water with a 1L capacity for daily water refilling.

● On the tour, tourists comply with the instructions and regulations on environmental protection at the destination. 

8. Medical assistance

● If you have cardiovascular disease or bone and joint diseases (knees, ankles, shoulder joints, etc.), you should consult your doctor before deciding to join the trip. 

● The tour guide will carry a basic first aid kit. If you have any medical problems that require medication, you should bring your own medication.

 

Hỏi & đáp về tour
1. Does this program depart monthly?

This special program is held from September to June every year and there is only 1 departure per month when there are at least 10 people registered and registration closes when reaching 20 people.

2. If I don't have much experience and skills in SUP paddling, can I join this program?

Absolutely. To join this tour, you will need to have some basic outdoor skills such as camping, swimming, SUP, ... in addition, you also need to have above average physical strength. When you learn about this trip, UA will ask you to answer an entry questionnaire and then UA will discuss with each person to determine whether each person's skills and physical strength are suitable for the trip. If not, we will suggest a suitable training plan for each individual. For participants in Hanoi, UA will train directly. For those who live far away, the training will be monitored and accompanied online by UA to ensure that participants are fully equipped with the necessary skills for the trip.

 

3. What is the safety plan on the tour if I get tired and cannot continue paddling?

The tour will be accompanied by a motorboat for all 3 days. The motorboat will do logistics, transport equipment and transport people when needed. If you feel tired and cannot continue rowing or want to take a break, you can get on the boat at any time.

 

Down load PDF file

Rate our service
5

Theo 0 đánh giá

  • 5
    0
  • 4
    0
  • 3
    0
  • 2
    0
  • 1
    0