We are 3 Spaniards, 2 guys and a woman in our mid twenties. We are fit, not from gym but we love trekking and we thought we could reach the Fansipan summit, and we did it! And what's best, Unguided! 🏔🔝
We started asking people, travel agencies, hostels, etc. in Sapa town about doing the trekking in our own. Everyone's answer was NO, even some said we needed to be registered in some sort of special tourist agency to do the trekking in the natural park.
We did some research and find out that very little people have done it solo, but even so, we decided to do it. We went down to the town and asked for a supermarket, nothing but a big shop with some food and tins, in one side of Sa Pa lake ( Ho Sa Pa), bought some bread, tuna, sweet corn and crackers. The name of the supermarket we don't remember but the street is Ngu Chi Son ( it was a hard task trying to find one 🤔)
We stopped a taxi and told the driver to pick up us next morning at 6am in our hostel ( GoSapa, beautiful views and nice common areas).
We were quite nervous about someone stopping us from doing the trekking alone, but we woke up early, had a shower and jumped in the taxi. The guy drove us to Tram Tom Pass (1940m)
We read there is a big entrance gate to the natural park and that the guards ask for money as soon as they see people with no guide. But as we arrived there ptretty early in the morning, there was no one. (6.20am, 20 minutes ride from the hostel and 200.000 dongs for the three of us)
We crossed the gate and we were incredibly excited about starting our trekking!!
As soon as we crossed the gate we turned left ( there is a big sign showing the way to Fansipan) and started following the path. The woods is amazing with the fog in the early morning, the path is impossible to miss it. We started thinking why local people say it's not possible to do it without guide!
And we reached a stream where we'd lost the path and went up a mountain. As soon as we realised we looked in Google maps and we found out we had to go east a bit. It was very easy to find de path. HOW NOT TO LOSS THE PATH: when you reach the stream you follow it, it's just aside the stream and you find a little brick's dam. You have to cross through it and you'll find the path!
From that point the path/trail is impossible to loss it.
It took us 1 hour and 20 min to get to the first camp, Diem An Trua at 2.250 metres. From the entrance gate to the first camp is an easy trek, but you will feel how exhausting it can get.
We left the camp and had our breakfast at 8am in a view window after hiking the first set of steep steps. The views are amazing, although you start noticing the wind and the cold ( We did our hiking trip on the 15th of March).
2 hours after leaving our breakfast spot, we reached the second camp, Diem Cam Trai at 2800 metres. This second phase was exhausting. The way up the mountains is very steep, sometimes you find steps out of bricks, and sometimes you have to climb stepping in natural rocks, or finding a way through the trees roots. You also find ladders that make the way up a bit easier in at least 4 difficult climbing spots.
We had a little snack in the second camp, sheltering from the cold winds in one of the huts. There was no one around.
We started the last stage from the second camp around 10.20 am. We found a small group of 3 who had has a sleep in the second camp but they were going down after seeing the sunset from the summit ( they said it's amazing despite the clouds and fog)
It gets a bit muddy from here on. You climb up a few hills, and then descend a very steep one.
Before going down the last time you can see the cable car and how thrashed the area is. You can also see a few camps in which the locals have their shelters.
And finally the last climb to get to the top! It's not an easy one, having gone through all the way it takes longer, even though it's not as sheer as the the rest of the way up from the second camp.
We set our feet in the platform at 11.45 am. Still we needed to go all the way to the summit, which can take easily 15 to 20 minutes.
6 hours later we're at Indochina's roof!! You can see how touristic this place has become. There is the cable car point, a funicular that takes the people from the cable car to the summit, couple of temples and another under construction. It's not the summit you would expect after going through the mountain, the woods from the Tram Tom Pass to the first camp, or the bambú woods climbing on the ridge of the mountains from the first camp to the second. It's a modern sanctuary developed for tourists. The summit in itself it's fenced, with a signed claiming for the tourists to respect the sacred spot.
Despite the sign, we thought we deserved to touch the piramid and waited until the guard went for his break and jumped the fence to feel proud of ourselves after hiking our first 3k.
The way down is not as hard as it's the way up, but still it took us a good 4 hours. We headed down at 1pm, and completed the last stage at 5 pm. We were expecting the guards at the bottom and we prepared some money to give them as an entrance fee to the natural park ( we read it's about 10$)
But anyone asked for money, we went through the gate and asked a very nice lady to call a taxi for us. We set the taxi fare in 200.000 dongs and it drove us back to our hostel!
Definitely is one of the best things we've done so far in our 3 months South Asian trip. We will never regret the decision we took and we celebrated our achievement with a fresh beer in the restaurant next door the hostel GoSapa for 15.000 dongs!
If you decide to do the trekking on your own, check the weather conditions and don't underestimate the mountains. It's a difficult hiking, therefore being brave is essential and, of course, have a good attitude towards the steep climb!
Good luck 😉
Jorge 🐐
PD. Perdón a nuestros lectores Españoles, decidimos que la entrada fuese en Inglés puesto que hay poquísima información sobre el recorrido que hicimos para llegar al Fansipan. Arriba esta el botón del traductor de Google para que os enteréis de todito! En definitiva, ya sabéis que lo pasamos en grande y que lo disfrutamos como enanos, aunque evidentemente echamos mil de menos a Paula y Alba.
We started asking people, travel agencies, hostels, etc. in Sapa town about doing the trekking in our own. Everyone's answer was NO, even some said we needed to be registered in some sort of special tourist agency to do the trekking in the natural park.
We did some research and find out that very little people have done it solo, but even so, we decided to do it. We went down to the town and asked for a supermarket, nothing but a big shop with some food and tins, in one side of Sa Pa lake ( Ho Sa Pa), bought some bread, tuna, sweet corn and crackers. The name of the supermarket we don't remember but the street is Ngu Chi Son ( it was a hard task trying to find one 🤔)
We stopped a taxi and told the driver to pick up us next morning at 6am in our hostel ( GoSapa, beautiful views and nice common areas).
We were quite nervous about someone stopping us from doing the trekking alone, but we woke up early, had a shower and jumped in the taxi. The guy drove us to Tram Tom Pass (1940m)
We read there is a big entrance gate to the natural park and that the guards ask for money as soon as they see people with no guide. But as we arrived there ptretty early in the morning, there was no one. (6.20am, 20 minutes ride from the hostel and 200.000 dongs for the three of us)
We crossed the gate and we were incredibly excited about starting our trekking!!
As soon as we crossed the gate we turned left ( there is a big sign showing the way to Fansipan) and started following the path. The woods is amazing with the fog in the early morning, the path is impossible to miss it. We started thinking why local people say it's not possible to do it without guide!
And we reached a stream where we'd lost the path and went up a mountain. As soon as we realised we looked in Google maps and we found out we had to go east a bit. It was very easy to find de path. HOW NOT TO LOSS THE PATH: when you reach the stream you follow it, it's just aside the stream and you find a little brick's dam. You have to cross through it and you'll find the path!
From that point the path/trail is impossible to loss it.
It took us 1 hour and 20 min to get to the first camp, Diem An Trua at 2.250 metres. From the entrance gate to the first camp is an easy trek, but you will feel how exhausting it can get.
We left the camp and had our breakfast at 8am in a view window after hiking the first set of steep steps. The views are amazing, although you start noticing the wind and the cold ( We did our hiking trip on the 15th of March).
2 hours after leaving our breakfast spot, we reached the second camp, Diem Cam Trai at 2800 metres. This second phase was exhausting. The way up the mountains is very steep, sometimes you find steps out of bricks, and sometimes you have to climb stepping in natural rocks, or finding a way through the trees roots. You also find ladders that make the way up a bit easier in at least 4 difficult climbing spots.
We had a little snack in the second camp, sheltering from the cold winds in one of the huts. There was no one around.
We started the last stage from the second camp around 10.20 am. We found a small group of 3 who had has a sleep in the second camp but they were going down after seeing the sunset from the summit ( they said it's amazing despite the clouds and fog)
It gets a bit muddy from here on. You climb up a few hills, and then descend a very steep one.
Before going down the last time you can see the cable car and how thrashed the area is. You can also see a few camps in which the locals have their shelters.
And finally the last climb to get to the top! It's not an easy one, having gone through all the way it takes longer, even though it's not as sheer as the the rest of the way up from the second camp.
We set our feet in the platform at 11.45 am. Still we needed to go all the way to the summit, which can take easily 15 to 20 minutes.
6 hours later we're at Indochina's roof!! You can see how touristic this place has become. There is the cable car point, a funicular that takes the people from the cable car to the summit, couple of temples and another under construction. It's not the summit you would expect after going through the mountain, the woods from the Tram Tom Pass to the first camp, or the bambú woods climbing on the ridge of the mountains from the first camp to the second. It's a modern sanctuary developed for tourists. The summit in itself it's fenced, with a signed claiming for the tourists to respect the sacred spot.
Despite the sign, we thought we deserved to touch the piramid and waited until the guard went for his break and jumped the fence to feel proud of ourselves after hiking our first 3k.
The way down is not as hard as it's the way up, but still it took us a good 4 hours. We headed down at 1pm, and completed the last stage at 5 pm. We were expecting the guards at the bottom and we prepared some money to give them as an entrance fee to the natural park ( we read it's about 10$)
But anyone asked for money, we went through the gate and asked a very nice lady to call a taxi for us. We set the taxi fare in 200.000 dongs and it drove us back to our hostel!
Definitely is one of the best things we've done so far in our 3 months South Asian trip. We will never regret the decision we took and we celebrated our achievement with a fresh beer in the restaurant next door the hostel GoSapa for 15.000 dongs!
If you decide to do the trekking on your own, check the weather conditions and don't underestimate the mountains. It's a difficult hiking, therefore being brave is essential and, of course, have a good attitude towards the steep climb!
Good luck 😉
Jorge 🐐
PD. Perdón a nuestros lectores Españoles, decidimos que la entrada fuese en Inglés puesto que hay poquísima información sobre el recorrido que hicimos para llegar al Fansipan. Arriba esta el botón del traductor de Google para que os enteréis de todito! En definitiva, ya sabéis que lo pasamos en grande y que lo disfrutamos como enanos, aunque evidentemente echamos mil de menos a Paula y Alba.
¡Qué bonito lugar!
ResponderEliminarSois unos campeones. Me imagino que notaréis algunos músculos que teníais dormidos.
El peor día será mañana.
Buena experiencia.
A descansar. 🏆🏆🏆
Campeones y unos valientes, me alegro de que todo os haya ido bien y hayáis conseguido llegar a la cima vosotros solitos
ResponderEliminar👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👐👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
Preciosas las vistas, desde luego un día inolvidable.