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Fansipan Mountain – How to conquer the rooftop of Indochina

Location: Fansipan Mountain is located 9km south-west of Sapa Townlet in the Hoang Lien Mountain Range.

Characteristics: Fansipan is branded “the Roof of Indochina” at the height of 3,143m; Fansipan is to be approved as one of the very few eco-tourist spots of Vietnam, with about 2,024 floral varieties and 327 faunal species.

The topography of Fansipan is varied. Muong Hoa Valley, at the lowest altitude (950-1,000m), is created by a narrow strip of land at the base on the east side of the mountain.

Geologists say the Hoang Lien Mountain Range, with Fansipan as its highest peak, did not emerge in the mountainous North West of Vietnam until the neozoic period (circ. 100 million years ago). Fansipan, a rough pronunciation of the local name “Hua Xi Pan” means “the tottery giant rock”. The French came to Vietnam and in 1905 planted a landmark telling Fansipan’s height of 3,143m and branded it “the Roof of Indochina”. Very few people climbed to the top of Fansipan at the time. Then came the long years of war and Fansipan was left deserted for hunting and savaging. The trail blazed by the French was quickly overgrown by the underbrush.

It takes six or seven days to reach the 3,143m summit, the highest peak of the Indochina Peninsula.
In 1991, Nguyen Thien Hung, an army man returned to the district town and decided to conquer Fansipan. Only on the 13th attempt did Hung, with a H’Mong boy as his guide, conquer the high peak by following the foot steps of the mountain goats. Scaling the height was meant to satisfy his eager will and aspiration to conquer the mountain without expecting that his name would be put down in the travel guidebook. After that the Sapa Tourism Agency started a new package tour there. It seemed the Fansipan Tour was meant only for those who wished to test their muscular power.
The summit of Fansipan is accessible all year round, but the best time to make the ascent is from mid-October to mid-November, and again in March.

Foreigners like best to book Fansipan tours between October and December, as this period is more often than not free from the heavy rains that obstruct the jaunt. But the Vietnamese prefer their tours to the peak of the mountain from February to April, as it is not so cold then. However, the best time for the trek to the mountain is from the end of February to the start of March, when the flowers all flourish and the climbers may behold the carpets of brilliant blossoms, violets and orchids, rhododendrons and aglaias.

Fansipan Conquer 3 days 4 nights Tour by Go Asia Travel

Tour Programme:

Day 1: night train to Lao Cai Station

GAT'bus and guide will pick you up at your hotel and transfer you for the overnight train to Lao Cai Station. Enjoy the experience the

Romance of overnight train travel (SP3 21h50)

Private t ransfer hotel – railway station
Guide : english speaking
Accommodation : Oriental Express 4 Soft sleeper A/C cabin
Meal: Not applicable

Day 2: Lao Cai - Sapa, Fansipan peak conquering (B,L,D)
After breakfast, the bus will take you to Ton Station which belongs to Hoang Lien Son natural reservation center at the height of 1,800m above sea level. You

will follow the forest path with small bamboo trees along to start your conquering over Fansipan peak. Stop for a picnic lunch then continue your trip. At

17h00 you will stop for camping, firing and stay overnight in small tents at the height of 2,200m.

Private transfer: Lao Cai - Sapa
Trekking : 5-hrs trek
Guide : English speaking
Porter: provided
Meals : Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Accommodation : Camping

Day 3: Fansipan (B, L, D)
6h30 am: After breakfast, we will continue our trip to conquer Fansipan peak (3143m). 10h30: You will reach the top of Fansipan peak, taking photographs and celebrating your victory. After that, you will come back to the height of 2,800m for lunch.
Afternoon: We will follow the path down for camping, having dinner and stay overnight at the height of 2,200 m.

Trekking : 5-hrs trek
Guide : English speaking
Porter: provided
Meals : Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Accommodation : Camping

Day 4: Fansipan - Lao Cai - Hanoi (B, L, D)
After breakfast, you will come back to Sapa by Sin Chai road. The bus will take you from Sin Chai to Sapa at 13h00. Have lunch and take a rest, shower in Sapa and foot massage at the hotel. Have dinner. Our tourist guide will take you to the train back to Hanoi . (SP4 21h00)

Private transfer: Sin Chai - Lao Cai - Sapa
Trekking : 5-hrs trek
Guide : English speaking
Porter: provided
Meals : Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Freshen up service and foot massage : included
Accommodation : Oriental Express 4 Soft sleeper A/C cabin

Day 5: Hanoi arrival
Arrive in Hanoi Station at around 5h30. Be picked up and transfer to your hotel. Our tour ends

Private transfer: train station to hotel
Guide: English speaking

Notes to start:

Fansipan Climbs: Climb a 3413 ASL Mountain in just two days takes some effort, endurance and plenty of high spirit. The night will be spent in tent with toilet tent provided. The trip is not recommended in bad weather due to safety

The camping ground : Our camp for the evening will be in a very small clearing on the mountain enclosed by bamboo. You will be provided with twin shared tent, sleeping bag and air mattress.

Altitude: Fansipan is almost 3150 meter above sea level. The risk for altitude sickness is very low.

Trails conditions: One of the things which make Fansipan at challenging experience is the lack of prepared trails. The conditions of the trails very much depend on the weather conditions, and will be slippery in rainy weather.
Walking hours: Depending on your route the walking hours can vary from 6 – 11 hours per day. Normally the summit day is long, with start early and return to the camp late afternoon.

Camps: There is only 1 prepared camp at Fansipan. All other overnight places are small, without any facilities.

Sanitary conditions: In one camp simple toilet facilities has been made.

Equipment: We will provide you with the necessary camping equipment. To climb Fansipan we strongly recommend good walking boots or shoes. Furthermore a warm sweater and a rain jacket are necessary.

Food/water: Our guide and cook will prepare delicious food on the way. We use ceramic filters to purify our drinking water.

Weather: As mentioned the trail conditions will be difficult in rainy weather. It is not recommendable to climb Fansipan in heavy rain due to security. If

GAT believes that the fitness of the group do not meet the requirements of the weather situation, we do have the rights to cancel or re-schedule the trip.

The transfers In Hanoi , Our guide will accompany you to the train to show you your cabin and tell you how to deal with night train traveling in Vietnam .
In Lao Cai, our guide will meet you at Lao Cai Railway Station in the morning of the first day. He also sees you off at Lao Cai Railway Station on the third day . When you get back to Hanoi on day 4, you can easily find a taxi to get to your hotel

Note on client safety We reserve the right to deviate from this itinerary for any reasons, including road and weather conditions, frequency of visits to a village, or for any other factor which may influence client safety.

Price: contact: www.goasiatravel.com

Tour prices include:
Pick-ups and transfer by A/C vehicle as specified in the itinerary above
Permission
Return train ticket Hanoi – Lao Cai – Hanoi (Oriental Express 4 soft sleeper A/C cabin)
The service of experienced English speaking tour guide.
Entrance fees for all tourist sites and environment sanitation.
Sleeping bag and mattres in mountain, daily water
Meals (as specified in the itinerary).
Camping on the trek and light
Porters and cook
First-aid equipment, medicines, walkie-talkie.
Freshen up service and foot massage
Certificates for having conquered Fansipan peak.