Bach Moc Luong Tu, or Ky Quan San as its new name, is a 3046m high mountain with steep terrain and diverse vegetation. Indeed, it’s the 4th highest mountain in Vietnam. Therefore, many people love to reach its peak as an achievement of their adventurous life. Also, cloud hunting at the 2100m Muoi Mountain, which is on the way to the peak, is a once-in-a-lifetime activity. So, let’s follow me on my 3 days of trekking Bach Moc Luong Tu and see what’s there waiting for me!
Things to Know Before the Go!
How Do You Go to Bach Moc Luong Tu Mountain?
I took the evening flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Noi Bai before 11 pm. From this point, you can walk 100m or take a shuttle bus to Sao Viet car, the ticket price is VND 240,000 to go to Sapa market.
After that, you may find a motorbike or transport to go to Sang Ma Sao. Your trip will then start from here.
What Season Should You Go?
Due to the steep terrain, many streams, and slippery rocks, the dry season is the most convenient.
In November, there is reed grass, maple leaves, and luckily, there is frost, which is rare in Vietnam.
In February or March, there are azaleas blooming. Yes, near the peak of Bach Moc Luong Tu mountain, there is a forest of azaleas.
How Long Does It Take to Go to Finish the Trip?
It’s about 3 days 2 nights. Generally, on the first day, you will climb Muoi Mountain at 2100m. On the 2nd day, you will reach the top 3046m for lunch and then go back to the 2100m point. Finally, going down the mountain from the 2100m point on the third day.
Actually, the last day is quite leisurely. I can take pictures, take a bath, and massage when I return to Sapa in the afternoon.
What to Bring When Climbing the Mountain?
- Bring stuff as few as possible, and must have warm clothes.
- You only need 1.5l of water per day, so don’t try to bring so much. At Muoi Mountain, the locals sell water.
- Avoid carrying the DSLR camera, or drone if possible because the way is very steep and sloping.
Extra Note for You
The mountains in North Vietnam are very different from those in the South. Hence, know about trekking in Sapa, be prepared in advance, and limit things carried to comfortably climb. This is the mountain that I felt the worst ever. There were no clouds too.
Ok, let’s reach Bach Moc Luong Tu peak!
3 Days Trekking Bach Moc Luong Tu
Yes, it was one of my most memorable mountain treks. Here’s the detail.
Day 1 – To Muoi Mountain at 2100m Point
From 10 – 12 am
At 10 o’clock, I and my group put our first steps to the bottom of the majestic mountains with full energy. The road is winding, the blue sky is clear with a few clouds, and the mountains are green. In general, a boy in South Vietnam like me was pretty interested seeing this scene for the first time and kept shooting all kinds of things.
We were heading to the first buffalo slope after taking a rest at a local’s house. The villagers there call it buffalo slope because it’s actually the way that buffaloes go to eat grass. Hence, to pass the way, you have to have the strength of the buffalo! Anyway, the landscape viewed at this point was really beautiful. Perhaps it’s even prettier in the rice season.
At 12 o’clock, we stopped at A Tua guest house for lunch. The menu had Vietnamese pork sausage and Chung cake. Those are really delicious and full for our preparation before an important road ahead.
From 12 am to 17:30 pm
The whole group then continued the trek after lunch. Yes, we were still strong after the full meal, and the beautiful nature surrounding us supported us to keep up the way. However, after an hour of trekking, I started to get tired because I kept going on the slopes without any flat parts.
Plants on the roadside have also begun to change according to the height. There was moss growing on rocks, big woody forests, maple leaves, etc. Honestly, I was quite tired and had no strength to take pictures at the moment. I had to hurry to reach the target or I had to walk in the forest at night. The team is also split into many different groups, some are exhausted by the difficulty of the mountain in the North. Indeed, the closer to the target, the more exhausted.
The First Night at Muoi Mountain
The area of Muoi Mountain was separated into 2 zones by the locals living there. I stayed in a house in the upper zone which was near the cloud hunting spot. On the other hand, the zone below, which is 500m away, had a more beautiful landscape of many maple leaves and reeds.
I reached the area of Muoi Mountain at around 5:30 pm. The weather started to be colder. I instantly bought a bag of apples and a carbonated bottle to recharge myself while waiting for everyone to come for dinner. A while later, a group of members came at 6 pm, and the rest arrived at nearly 8 pm. My first dinner there was fulfilled with boiled chicken, stir-fried pork, kale, and kohlrabi. It was super cold at night too.
Day 2 – Reaching the Peak of Bach Moc Luong Tu Mountain
I intended to wake up early for cloud hunting. Unfortunately, there was no moisture so the sky was clear with no clouds that day. Instead, the sun slowly appeared behind the mountains, making it a miraculous scene. The view at that moment was so impressed with the image of mountains taking turns showing up under the sunlight. Evenly, I could see the Fansipan peak.
The more the sun rose, the more beautiful nature was. Alongside, it meant I had to come back to the house for breakfast and prepare for the trek today.
The plan was to reach the 2800m point first, then the peak at more than 3000m, then go back to the resting house at Muoi Mountain. We didn’t have to bring all the stuff today, and some necessary ones were carried by the porter. Hence, it was quite comfortable to trek even it was a hard day with difficult and dangerous slopes on the way. Honestly, I had to use my hands to climb up the slopes in some parts.
To the Peak of Bach Moc Luong Tu
There were many beautiful things from nature to see on the way. I can see Lao Than mountain, which is an easier destination to trek or to practice before taking this Ky Quan San path. In addition, there was the Hoang Lien Son mountain range. The plants were also becoming interesting with hard-wooded trees and moss on the rocks.
The way was becoming harder in the last part, especially from the 2800m point to the peak. I took a rest for every 50m walking, then repeated that about 20 times until reaching the top.
Finally, I reached the top of the mountain.
Finally, our team found a stainless steel triangle, which marked our target of the whole trekking journey – the peak of Bach Moc Luong Tu. I can even see China from this point. Then, we celebrated our achievement in lunch with smoked pork, bamboo-cooked rice, and apple.
On the Way Back to Muoi Mountain
Probably it could be faster on the way back but that didn’t mean it was easier. If you are careless, you might fall off the cliff. Anyway, I came back to resting quite fast at around 3:30 pm. Therefore, I had so much time to take photographs, bathe in a hot tub which cost me VND 30,000, and play with the swing.
The weather turned colder at 5 pm. It was also time to check my dinner at the fire camp. That night, I had grilled pork and chicken, such great!
Day 3 – Going Back to Sapa
Of course, I tried to wake up early for cloud hunting. And again, my expectation was broken down. Nonetheless, at 6 o’clock, mother nature compensated for me with a view of sunlight that shined on the lake’s face. It looked special and felt like it in Nepal too.
After all, I hate to say this, but there is no great trip that lasts forever nor beautiful moments. My journey trekking Bach Moc Luong Tu ended when I got back to Sapa city, enjoying the special massage, hot tub with herbal, and a delicious sturgeon hot pot for dinner.
Khai Le
Contributor
An adventurer who loves to save and share his trip to the world.
PIN NOW TO SAVE THE TREKKING STORY AND INFO, WHY NOT?
