Since the day of the cable car, it has become extremely easy to set foot on Fansipan with about 20 minutes from the starting station, so many people go this way. As for me, the first time I went to the roof of Indochina, I chose the traditional way of trekking. I have long wished to go to the top of the highest mountain in Vietnam with my feet. After going to 4 lands of the 4 poles of the country, namely Dat Mui, Mui Doi, A Pa Chai and Lung Cu, that desire haunted me even more to complete the goal of conquering the 4 poles – 1 peak of Vietnam.
The road to the top of the highest mountain in Vietnam through Hoang Lien National Park is time-consuming and energy-consuming, but it gives me a special sense of experience.
Located about 9 km from Sapa town, Fansipan is located in the center of the Hoang Lien Son Mountains. With an altitude of 3,143m, this is the highest peak in Vietnam and also the roof of Indochina.
It was a Saturday morning, after the night bus from Hanoi. I met my fellow travelers, a total of 8 people and 4 Hmong porters. We move to the starting point.
There are 3 roads to the top, starting from Ton Station, Sin Chai or Cat Cat village. The direction from Tram Ton (located at an altitude of 1900m) is the easiest route to walk, suitable for people of average physical condition and the scenery is not diverse. On the way, there are 2 stops, a lunch break at an altitude of 2,200 m and an overnight shack at an altitude of 2,800m – the destination of the first day.
Photo: Travel Sapa
The terrain of the road to Fansipan is mainly dense primeval forests with all kinds of trees: from coniferous trees, bamboo forests, rhododendrons to perennial woody trees... When stepping into the trail up the mountain, steps, cliffs, and vertical slopes constantly appear, making the more your legs disintegrate, the more rapid your breathing becomes. When the road is slippery, sometimes rough, sometimes just a stone rolling down makes everyone's heart beat. There were stages, we had to crawl, we had to sit down, we had to cling to rocks or branches with our hands to go up.
At the end of the first 6 hours, the group arrived at the shack for lunch at an altitude of 2,200m. After lunch, we continued on and arrived at the 2,800m altitude shack at 3pm. Arriving at the stop on the first day, it was also cold and the space was covered in so dense fog that we could no longer see each other's faces clearly.
Photo: DLTPHCM
One night without electricity in the middle of the mountains and forests, looking out the doorway, he only saw a creepy black space, and the wind hissed every time. All that night, I couldn't sleep for a minute because each cold air cut through the skin and flesh and drove it into my sleeping bag every moment.
At 3 a.m., waking up and eating a bowl of hot egg noodles, the group set off on the last leg to catch the sunrise on the top of Fansipan. The last part of the road meets all the challenges: the sky is pitch black, the fog is soaked and the cold is 5 degrees Celsius, the higher you go, the steeper the rocky slope becomes. Unable to stop, unable to turn around in the night, there was no choice but to keep going. The wind blew strongly, just standing and resting a little tired, the person froze because of the cold. I said to myself, come on! Just by passing through that dark journey, you will see the brilliant golden sun in the sea of clouds above. So I walked in the flickering flashlight with the help of the porters and my companions.
Photo: tuvandulich
At 6 a.m., everyone was cowering and soaking wet, taking the last steps without feeling anything. Finally, the summit of 3,143m appeared, there was a little regret when we could not catch the moment when the sun rose because the fog was too thick, but after all it was happiness when we completed the journey. Smiles sparkle behind the white mist.
Photo: Mytour
On the way down when it was already morning, we had the opportunity to take a closer look at the majestic landscape of the Northwest mountains and forests.
Climbing gives me the opportunity to get back to nature. I like the feeling of taking one step at a time, one step at a time to get to where I want to go, I like the feeling when my legs want to stop, but the voice inside tells me to continue. I like to walk through the gloomy bamboo groves and suddenly a sky with identical mountains, a sea of clouds full of light. I like the feeling of walking among the forests to listen to the rustling melody of the wind, of the forest leaves hugging around me.
Although he ended the trip with tired legs, the experiences he had were extremely rewarding.
A few notes when trekking Fansipan
● For those who are new to climbing, with moderate physical fitness, you should choose to climb the route from Ton Station to ensure your health.
● You should hire a support porter. They are the locals who will help you carry your things. In addition, the porter is very well-versed in the terrain to help you avoid getting lost and unfortunate incidents.
● Before leaving, it is recommended to prepare clothes and necessary items: T-shirt, windjacket, thick warm coat (because it is extremely cold in the shack), trekking shoes, high socks, waterproof backpack, flashlight, hat, raincoat, insect repellent, painkiller.
● Carry luggage as lightly as possible because the climbing trail is strenuous.
● You need to bring water, energy drinks, and chocolate candies to fuel up along the way.
Synthetic Migo