Best season for climb up Fansipan, Sapa

March 30, 2009 - PRLog -- When is the best time for climb up Fansipan?

+ Where is Fanxipan mountain:

Fansipan or Fan Si Pan (Phan Xi Păng in Vietnamese ) is a mountain in Vietnam, the highest in Indochina, at 3 143 m. It is located in the Lào Cai province in Northwest Vietnam, 9 km southwest of Sa Pa Township in the Hoang Lien Son Mountain Range. Fansipan is dubbed "the Roof of Indochina";

The topography of Fansipan is varied. Muong Hoa Valley, at the lowest altitude (950 to 1 000m), is created by a narrow strip of land at the base on the east side of the mountain. It can be climbed in a steep and fairly strenuous hike.

Starting from Sa Pa Town in Sa Pa District, Lao Cai Province and going northwards for 15km in the direction of Bac Waterfall, you will arrive at the entrance of Tram Ton forest, which lies 1,700m above sea level. Start the trek to conquer the Fansipan Mountain. After going along a stream, you will be faced a steep slope – the beginning of   a difficult adventure. Fortunately, in the forests there are neither terrestrial leeches nor mosquitoes, which are abundant in low laying forests. After one hour of trekking under a low tree canopy then to enter a jungle of tall trees, so big that it took several people joining hands to completely embrace just one. It is a tropical primeval forest with two specific layers of age-old and low trees. According to Bui Ngoc Phu, a forester at HoangLien National Park, the forest is home to various species of Do quyen flowers (Rhododendron) which blossom throughout the year, with each species blossoming for several weeks, making the forest seem to be covered with a colourful silk.

The higher the area, the more diverse the ecological system was. There are nearly 3,000 species of trees and plants belonging to many families, including more than 2,000 species of high-grade plants belonging to 771 orders of 200 families, accounting for 20% of Vietnam’s flora. There are also 337 high-grade plants accounting for 44% of the species listed in Vietnam’s Red Book and 16 species of them have been listed in the world’s Red Book. Of these species, 50% are medicinal plants, timbers, ornamental plants, food crops, latex- and attar-bearing plants.

Hoang Lien National Park has 832 species of wildlife including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and insects. Due to its ecological diversity, Hoang Lien National Park has been recognised as an ASEAN HeritageGarden.

At the altitude of 2,200m and you will stop over at the Park’s Management Board and enjoy with the beautiful scene. The sky is cloudless and there will be beautiful Di thao flowers with its faint perfume pervading the air. After lunch, you will get on the trek again.

Night fell quickly and it become cooler. The difference in temperature on the mountain is great within a year, from 320C at maximum to 70C at minimum.

Early in the morning and full of excitement as you will look forward to continuing the four-hour trek to the summit. At last, you will set foot on the summit of Fansipan, the roof of Indochina after a day of climbing the mountain and a night of sleeping in the forest. While enjoying the scenery of blue sky and cloud above and ranges of mountains and forests below, you will be felt extremely happy and enjoyed for what you have done in couple days.

+ The Best climate/ weather in Sapa mountain for climbing up Fanxipan?

The climate of Hoang Lien Nature Reserve is unique to Vietnam. It is highly seasonal, with a subtropical climate in the summer and a temperate climate during the winter. Mean annual temperature for Sa Pa town is 15.4°C, with a maximum of 29.4°C and a minimum of 1°C. The warmest months are July and August, and the coldest months are December and January. Snow falls in some years on the highest peaks.

In common with the rest of northern Vietnam, Hoang Lien Nature Reserve experiences a marked wet season from May to September, with the heaviest rainfall occurring in July and August. Mean annual rainfall is 2,763 mm, with a high of 4,023mm and a low of 2,064mm. Humidity ranges from 75 to 91 percent with a yearly mean of 86 percent.

Climate varies considerably within the nature reserve. The prevalent wind direction for most of the year is west to east, leading to cloud formation on the upper slopes of the Fansipan massif. These high-altitude areas are covered by cloud most days of the year and have very high humidity. Cloud also penetrates into the valleys but these areas are usually less humid than the mountain slopes. In the extreme east of the nature reserve, around Ban Ho village, mean temperatures are considerably higher due to the lower altitude of these areas.

+ Best itinerary for climb up adventure Fanxipan / Fansipan mountain?


Day1: Hanoi- Sapa (Night Train)
Free at leisure and have your own transfer to the Tran Quy Cap railway station for your overnight train to Sapa Mountain, the train leave at 9.45 PM tonight.

Day 2: Lao cai -Sapa ( 1600m ) - Camp 1 ( 2200m )
Pick up at Lao cai train station this early morning and transfer by bus to Sapa (round 8.30 AM).
Have breakfast and refresh at the local hotel before starting our trip for conquering the roof of Vietnam and Indochina - Fansipan peak.
Transfer by bus some 17km away from Sapa town to the Tram Ton Pass at altitude of 2100m above the sea level. Visit Silver waterfall before reaching the pass. Spend your time enjoying marvelous nature and then start the strenuous trek to the peak. After roughly 6 hours through the primitive rain jungles, many small streams and bamboo forests… You will have managed to reach a top of 2200m and at this point, make tents, prepare for dinner and spend the first night in the mountain.

Day 3: Camp 1 to the Summit of Fansipan (3143m )
Breakfast at the camp and then continue climbing to the summit by way of pine and yellow bamboo forests. After 4 hours, you will successfully conquer the roof of Vietnam. Spend 1/2 or 1 hour enjoying the splendid landscapes from around the mountain, at this virginal roof of Vietnam and Indochina is a specious chance for you to enjoy watching the surroundings: to the North-West is small village areas belonging to Laichau province, the splendid rolling mountains; to the North East is the overall picture of Sapa town which is only seen from here. Have lunch and then return down to the same point for 2nd night in the mountain. Dinner will be served later.

Day 4: Camp 1 ( 2200m) to Sapa
After breakfast, start our climb down to the Fansipan mountain, our destination will be a village of the Black H'mong called Sin Chai,  from here the bus will transfer back to Sapa town (some 18 km long).
On arrival, check in hotel and free on your own of relaxing, Overnight in hotel in Sapa.

Day 5: Sapa - Laocai – Hanoi (Night Train)  
Free to explore Sapa town. Till the car will transfer back to the Laocai train station for the night train to Hanoi, the train leaves at 9.15Pm.

Day 6: Arrival Hanoi  
On arrival Hanoi Leduan Train station this early this morning, you have your own transfer to your hotel, tour ends.

Tour price include: Food (All meals on the tour). - French or English-speaking guide. - Entrance fees , Tents - Porters
- Security permits. - Accommodation (Hotel and home-stay), - Train tickets 2 ways Hanoi-Laocai -Hanoi (soft sleeper with air-conditioning), - Transport by private jeep or minibus as tour program. - Excludes: - Insurance, - Drinks, - Phone calls and other private expenses,
Notes: Advised to take good walking shoes, raincoats, jackets, torch, insect repellent and Sunscreen...

+ Best price for this adventure Fansipan trip:


Tour costs Per person in USD/Group Of

No of Pax   1   2   3   4   5 up

Prices   439   287   270   248   240

+ Hotel: 3 star standard hotel:

contact us: info@vietnampathfinder.com
http://www.vietnampathfinder.com

# # #

Vietnampathfinder is a private company founded
by Phuc Pham. Phuc began working in the tourism industry in 1996 where he has been a Guide, Leader and Organizer for many different travel companies in Hanoi.
Phuc was one of the first to organize tours to the mountains to the northeast and northwest, along the Chinese border, when the area was first open to tourism in 1996. Phuc has also organized many adventure holidays such as biking trips throughout Vietnam, trekking and homestay in the mountains to the north and kayaking in Halong bay.
Phuc’s happy clients have come from many different countries worldwide and many of them have used the travel services with Vietnam pathfinder again and again, each year Vietnam Pathfinder serves for over 3.000 clients and there will be many more in the years to come.
Vietnampathfinder is a highly reputable local tourist operation offering tours to Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. website: www.vietnampathfinder.com