Conquer Fansipan Mountain, Vietnam - The roof of Indochina Options

Source: http://www.trekfansipan.com
Support: http://www.activetravelvietnam.com
Mount Fansipan is Vietnam’s highest peak located in the far north
just
outside of Sapa. Mt. Fansipan a very steep mountain that gets a lot
of
moisture. Those looking to climb it should be in good shape and
prepared to to have muddy wet feet The scenery is incredible remember
to bring a camera. For most of Vietnam having a rain coat is a little
excessive because it is so warm. On the mountain having a rain coat
is
not a bad idea especially at night. The trails around Sapa are a lot
of fun. You will get the chance to go through some minority villages
if you have the time to explore. The people in Sapa are extremely
nice. Be aware of the children on the street, before you know it you
will have hats and bracelets and rugs all over you. Explore the
restaurants that are not on the main strip, you will get great food
at
a fraction of the cost. Hanoi beer is available in local restaurants
for around 30 cents a liter. Down from Hotel in Sapa there is a
little
old man that serves plum wine and plays board games, I suggest paying
him a visit. The food there is great!

GETTING THERE


To get to the mountain you need to take a train from Hanoi to Lao
Cai.
From there you will take a mini bus up in to the town of Sapa.
Transportation from Hanoi to Sapa can be arrange for a reasonable
price. I think you might also be able to take a bus but I know it
takes much longer. When you get into town, to make reservations for
transportation go to the Hotel in Sapa - 2-way transportation can be
hired, but I recommend you hire a guide. By hiring a guide (English
speaking?) you will get meals, a porter, 2-way transportation,
accommodations in a hut, and waived permit and entrance fees.


THE POPULAR TRAIL


Day 1: You start going through several different valleys with a lot
of
lush jungle. The first day entails 2-4 hours of hiking. There is
typically a lot of mud so come prepared. You might have the option of
moving up to a high camp but the camp right by the river is
beautiful.
Enjoy the river to clean off ( it is a bit nippy)


Day 2: From the camp you pretty much go straight up the mountain
side.
It is a mixture of light 3rd class rock, root and tree climbing. The
trail can be very slick and there are a lot of spots where the trail
drops off. If you have trouble with heights you might not want to
consider this hike. From the camp it takes 2-5 hours to reach the
summit. Going up is not to bad but if it rained recently the trial
can
be very slick. Coming down is where you want to be careful.


Day 3: From the camp it takes about 3 hours to get down, be careful
about grabbing on to the grass if the trail is slick it will tear up
you hands. When you reach the bottom you will end up in a beautiful
hill tribe village.


RED TAPE


There are permit and entrance fees, provided by local authority. Part
of the package deal if you hire a guide. Don’t be surprised to find
trash on the trail, guides have not heard of the Leave No Trace
Program I guess.


WHEN TO CLIMB


The prime time to climb the mountain is between October and April.
During the summer it is very rainy but is still climbable if the
weather holds.


TRAVEL GEARS


If you have your own tent and sleeping bags you can arrange to camp
on
the mountain. Tents and sleeping bags can be hired from Active Travel
Vietnam. If you can I recomend you bring a sleeping bag that is rated
to at least 40 degrees. It can get a bit cold at night.


Source: http://www.trekfansipan.com