TRỊNH ĐÌNH THẢO · LICENSED GUIDE, NORTH VIETNAM

Into the North, off every map you've seen.

Private hiking, trekking and bike journeys through the highland villages most visitors never reach.

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WHY I GUIDE

I grew up in these mountains, and I want you to see them the way I do — not from a tour bus window, but from the trail, the village kitchen, and the people who call this place home.

— THẢO, YOUR GUIDE
A MESSAGE FROM THẢO

Hear it from Thảo himself

A short welcome, straight from the trail — who he is, and what a trip with him actually feels like.

HOW WE TRAVEL

Four ways into the highlands

"Thảo was amazing, knowledgable in history, geography, the various plants and peoples of North Vietnam. We are so grateful to have experienced this place with him. Very recommended."
Alon, Trekking Customer
"Hands down the best way to see North Vietnam — Thảo planned a route way beyond what I could have found myself, and rode right alongside us the whole way. Every stop felt personal, not staged. If you're even considering a biking trip here, book with Thảo — you won't regret it."
James, Biking Customer
HOW I TRAVEL RESPONSIBLY

As a guide, I try to bring travelers and local communities together — to protect the environment, preserve traditional culture and craft, and make sure tourism brings income home to these villages, not just passes through them.

STORIES FROM THE TRAIL

A trip that stayed with me

Highland Culture

The village that taught us its remedies

One group wanted to understand the folk remedies of the mountain ethnic communities. We went and learned alongside the local people themselves — now it's part of every trek.

Highland Craft

The last papermakers of the hills

In one village, families still make paper the old way — hemp bark soaked, boiled and pounded by hand into pulp, then pressed thin and dried in the sun. It's a craft passed down for generations, once used for ceremonies and sacred texts, and now rarely seen. We stop, watch the whole process, and guests often leave with a sheet they pressed themselves.

History & Geology

The mountains they came to mine

These hills sit on real riches — marble quarried since French colonial days, and ruby deposits that later drew Japanese buyers during the war. Old quarry cuts and mine trails are still visible along some of our routes. I like showing guests the marks left behind — proof people have been drawn to these mountains for centuries, long before travelers ever were.

GET IN TOUCH

Let's plan your route north.

A few taps tells Thảo enough to come to your first conversation with real trip ideas — not a generic pitch.

01Tap through the trip basics — takes under a minute.
02I take what you tell me and build something that actually fits you.
03I get back to you and we shape the details together.