Vietnam - The North Photo Tour.

Take exquisite portraits in the Land of the Blue Dragon.

The Tour.

Are you ready for an incredible photography tour of Northern Vietnam? Our carefully crafted journey provides a vibrant mix of cultural, landscape, and portrait photography opportunities, focusing on three main components: the dynamic streets of Hanoi, the breathtaking rice terraces, and the fascinating ethnic minorities of Ha Giang.

We begin our adventure in the heart of Old Hanoi, where you'll immerse yourself in the city's pulsating rhythm. Explore the bustling streets like a local, capturing the essence of daily life through your lens. From street vendors balancing their wares on traditional shoulder poles to the lively atmosphere of roadside eateries, every corner offers a new photographic opportunity.

From the urban excitement, we transition to the awe-inspiring landscapes of Ha Giang, a stunning region near the Chinese border that is a dream come true for landscape photographers. Here, you'll witness some of Vietnam's most spectacular scenery, with dramatic mountains, winding roads, and the iconic rice terraces that seem to defy gravity as they cascade down steep hillsides. We've thoughtfully timed our tours to coincide with the annual rice harvest, ensuring you can capture the rice terraces at their most colorful and photogenic. Imagine golden fields stretching as far as the eye can see, punctuated by the vibrant traditional dress of local farmers working the land.

Ha Giang isn't just about landscapes. This region is home to numerous ethnic minority groups, each with their unique customs and traditional attire. We've designed our itinerary to follow the local market circuit, providing you with authentic interactions and portrait opportunities. You'll meet hill-tribe people living their traditional lifestyles, from the flower Hmong with their vivid outfits to the Dao with their distinctive red headdresses.

During the tour, we'll visit ethnic minority villages, allowing you to capture intimate moments of daily life. We'll also explore flower fields, photograph the unique karst mountains, and visit an exquisite lake that offers perfect reflections for your landscape shots. With 54 ethnic minorities in Vietnam, cultural diversity is at the heart of our tour. We’ll have plentiful opportunities to interact with local people, whether in bustling marketplaces, quiet village streets, or terraced fields.

Led by Nathan, and accompanied by our trusted local guide who provides invaluable cultural insights, this tour is designed to help you capture the very essence of Northern Vietnam through your lens. Don't miss this opportunity to elevate your photography while experiencing the beauty and diversity of the country.

Photo Highlights.

  • Ethnic minority hilltribe lady, Ha Giang, North Vietnam.

    Hill tribes

    54 recognised ethnic groups

  • Single house amongst fertile green rice terraces Ha Giang, North Vietnam.

    Rice terraces

    Beautiful seasonal colours

  • Atmosheric Mountains in Ha Giang region of North Vietnam.

    Mountains

    Spectacular scenery

  • Local hill-tribe people enjoying steamy breakfast at market in Dong Van, Ha Giang, North Vietnam.

    Local markets

    Carefully timed to include weekend markets

  • Local girl walking through seasonal flower fields of Ha Giang region, North Vietnam.

    Flower fields

    In season

  • Young hill tribe girl, Ha Giang North Vietnam

    Portraits

    Friendly locals

  • Early morning ballroom dancers , Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi, Vietnam.

    Hoan Kiem lake

    Early morning ballroom dancing

  • Female-farmer-in-Ha-Giang-region- North Vietnam.

    Harvest season

    Plenty of action in the fields

  • Lady in red window at temple of literature.

    Temple of Literature

    Main tourist attraction

  • Dong Van Karst Plateau Geo Park, Ha Giang Loop, North Vietnam.

    Dong Van

    Karst plateau geopark

  • Old man with bird cages in ancient village, Ha Giang, Vietnam.

    Ancient Villages

    Interesting characters

  • Hill tribe model shot in rice terrace, north Vietnam

    Organized shoots

    Trusted connections

Check out our photo book below:

Here’s a photo book we made from the tours in 2022/23. We’ll provide you with templates (including suggested text) and help you to upload your own images, so that you can make your own on the tour and print it when you get home.

Tour Details.

Est. 2016

Duration: 13 days, 12 nights, 11 days of shooting

Dates and Prices

2025

September 24 - October 6

US$6450

Past participants will get a special discount.

Our fee includes hotels, breakfast, bottled water throughout the tour, as well as all transport including airport transfers. We base our fee on accommodation in a single room, (always A/C with private bathroom) though we offer discounts for couples sharing rooms, as well as for non-photographers. If you need help with insurance for this tour, please let us know and we can put you in touch with a broker that should be able to help you.

Our Itinerary.

  • Students in traditional hats walking through the Temple of Literature, Hanoi, Vietnam.

    Day 1

    Arrive any time: Enjoy free transfer to your hotel

    PM: Optional technical and aesthetic travel photography workshop for those who need it

    Sunset: Meet Nathan and the group

    Sleep: Hanoi luxury hotel

  • Busy, chaotic, contrasting streets of Hanoi, North Vietnam.

    Day 2

    Sunrise: Hoan Kiem Lake

    AM: Explore Hanoi like a local

    PM: Temple of Literature

    Sunset: Hanoi's railway tracks

    Sleep: Hanoi luxury hotel.

  • Photographer taking pictures of dramatic rice terraces in Ha Giang, North Vietnam.

    Day 3

    Sunrise: Hoan Kiem Lake (Tai chi)

    AM: Bac Ha drive

    PM: Head for the hills

    Sunset: Hmong Palace with models

    Sleep: Sao Mai hotel

  • Local hill- tribe couple in traditional kitchen Ha Giang North Vietnam, Asia.

    Day 4

    Sunrise: Market drive

    AM: Can Cau market

    PM: Ban Pho village walk

    Sunset: Local fields

    Sleep: Sao Mai hotel

  • Flower H'mong at Bac Ha Sunday market, North Vietnam.

    Day 5

    Sunrise: Bac Ha Sunday market

    AM: Coc Pai Market

    PM: Pan Hou drive

    Sunset: Rice terraces

    Sleep: Pan Hou eco lodge

  • Local hill-tribe lady in Ha Giang region, North Vietnam.

    Day 6

    Sunrise: Local terraces with models

    AM: Drive to Hoang Su Phi

    PM: Walk to local Red Dao village

    Sunset: Rice terrace vantage point

    Sleep: Hoang Su Phi bungalow

  • Local Red Dao couple in Hoang Su Phi rice terrace, North Vietnam.

    Day 7

    Sunrise: Local terraces with Dzao tribes

    AM: Quan Ba drive

    PM: Heaven’s Gate

    Sunset: Dao cultural show

    Sleep: Dao Lodge homestay

  • Hill-tribe couple walking through flower fields hand in hand, Ha Giang, North vietnam.

    Day 8

    Sunrise: Dao Lodge village walk

    AM: Flower fields

    PM: Lung Cam village

    Sunset: Walk to H'mong village

    Sleep: Dong Van hotel

  • Local ladies talk together at Dong Van market, North Vietnam.

    Day 9

    Sunrise: At rest

    AM: Dong Van market

    PM: Meo Vac via Ma Pi Leng Pass

    Sunset: Boat ride Nho Que river

    Sleep: Meo Vac Clay House

  • Happiness road on Ha Giang loop, North Vietnam.

    Day 10

    Sunrise: Meo Vac

    AM: Bao Lac drive

    PM: Tay, Nung, Man people

    Sunset: Ba Be lake

    Sleep: Ba Be luxury hotel

  • Lady throwing fishing net in Ba Be lake, North Vietnam.

    Day 11

    Sunrise: Ba Be Lake

    AM: Organized shoot on Ba Be Lake

    PM: Puong Grotto and the Dau Dang waterfall

    Sunset: Post production workshop

    Sleep: Ba Be luxury hotel

  • Red bridge to small island on Hoan Kiem  lake,   Hanoi, North Vietnam.

    Day 12

    Sunrise: Free time

    AM: Hanoi drive

    PM: Hanoi street walk

    Sunset: Hoan Kiem Lake

    Sleep: Hanoi luxury hotel

  • Private charter boat in Lan Ha Bay, North Vietnam.

    Day 13

    Depart any time and enjoy our airport transfer

    or consider spending a few more days in the city or perhaps even a cruise around Halong Bay which we can help you to arrange.

    We know you will have had a fabulous time!

    Bon Voyage

Make the dream a reality.

Tuition.

On any of our tours, stunning photography is the name of the game, and our objective is for you to leave with a collection of images that you'll be proud to show off. Indeed, many of our past participants have gone on to win awards and competitions with photographs taken on our tours.

Nathan’s teaching approach is very hands-on, as he believes in learning by doing. He will guide you through technical challenges, provide artistic inspiration, and lead by example in approaching locals for great portraits. You'll be amazed at the striking and authentic images you'll be able to capture.

We also offer Lightroom workshops during our tours, where we cover workflow management and picture processing. We'll show you the tools to take your travel photography to the next level and provide tips on saving your pictures for various outputs like social media, e-books, and printing.

If this is your first tour with us, you can also join Nathan’s pre-tour workshop, designed to equip you with essential skills for travel photography. Covering technical competence, creative observation, and ethical responsibility with a focus on people and culture, this workshop is perfect if you’re new to travel photography or need a refresher. The workshop runs on the first day of the tour from around 1-5pm. Enhance your photography skills and capture breathtaking moments to treasure forever. Apply via our tour request form and prepare to take your photography skills to the next level.

Hotels and transport.

  • Typical bedroom on North Vietnam Photography tour

    Charming hotels

    Accommodation is of course an essential element of any tour, and we have gone to great lengths to secure the best available hotels throughout the journey, to make your nights as comfortable as possible. You will enjoy a luxury hotel each time you are in Hanoi and a private Junk boat in Halong Bay.

  • Eco lodges

    We can reasonably describe some parts of the tour as 'off the beaten track', where our usual high standard of accommodation simply isn’t available. Here we use charismatic home-stays and eco-lodges with natural spas or lake views, all of which of course have great photo opportunities right on their doorsteps.

  • Typical minibus on Vietnam photography tour

    Spacious minibuses

    Transport is a key consideration of a photography tour. We recognise your unique needs as a photographer and know you will always want to travel with the camera bag conveniently and safely close to hand. In this respect, we typically travel in a bus big enough to give you seats for both you and your bag.

TripAdvisor.

Unnar Magna - February 2019

Well, I must sit down for a moment, take a break as a busy photographer for a few minutes and write this review because it is absolutely mandatory to inform everyone of the awesomeness they will experience after signing up for a tour with Nathan. If you are just thinking about it, not truly sure if it will be worth the money or the experience, think no more because the trip, whatever one you take will blow your mind. Well worth the investment - so just go for it, you will not regret it for a second, I just wished it never ended and would give it hands down a 10-star rating if possible!

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