5 Northern Vietnam Trekking Routes to Try in Early Winter
Vietnam is blessed with many high mountains, especially those in the Hoang Lien Son range of the Northwest. Early winter is also a favorite season for mountain lovers. Join To Ong to explore Northern Vietnam trekking routes such as Nhiu Co San, Lao Than, Ky Quan San, and more that are well worth trying this winter.
1. Lao Than
Known as the roof of Y Ty, Lao Than rises to 2,860m in Bat Xat District, Lao Cai Province. The 16km trekking route is mostly gentle slopes, making it quite approachable for first-time trekkers. The journey takes 2 days: the first day is for ascending, and the second day is for descending. This open, spacious summit is a famous cloud-hunting destination. From November to December each year, high humidity combined with cold air creates thick seas of clouds around the peak. Sunrise above soft white clouds is a golden moment everyone wants to capture.
This route feels different thanks to its grasslands, shrubs, and mysterious dry forests. Lao Than is photogenic from every angle: even a dead tree stump or a rocky ledge can become a beautiful frame. It is definitely a place photography lovers should not miss.
Lao Than – a trekking route for photographers
2. Nhiu Co San
Nhiu Co San is also known as Buffalo Horn because of its distinctive shape with two pointed summits. The most beautiful route to trek this 2,965m mountain is to go up via To Ong Waterfall and descend toward the goat grazing field.
To Ong Waterfall has its own distinct beauty. It is a nearly hundred-meter-high vertical rock face with a column of water pouring down. Many protruding rock slabs split the stream and send it spraying into fine mist. Around the waterfall, locals have built wooden bridges and cement steps to make it easier for visitors to move around.
From the waterfall to the summit, the steepness of the trail will likely leave you wide-eyed. Not only is it steep, the path is also rocky and blocked by dense tree cover. In some sections, you must cross exposed mountain ledges.
Meanwhile, the goat grazing field feels like stepping into an entirely different place, with open grassland and wandering goats. Bright sunlight makes the route back feel even more uplifting.
Another special feature that defines Nhiu Co San is the glass forest. Each winter, ice and frost cover the trees and grasses, creating an irresistible charm across this mountain landscape.
The descent from Nhiu Co San is covered in green grass
3. Ta Lien Son
In Ta Leng Commune, Tam Duong District, Lai Chau Province, there is a high mountain called Ta Lien Son. Locals often call it Co Trau Mountain because its shape resembles the strong back of a gentle buffalo. At 2,996m, Ta Lien Son remains a wild and unspoiled destination. Co Trau Mountain has many forest types distributed by elevation. Primary evergreen forest covers a large area, with twisted tree trunks and green moss clinging to trunks and rocks, giving the forest a fairytale-like atmosphere. Ancient maple trees appear among the evergreen forest. When the leaves change color in autumn, Ta Lien Son becomes more poetic than ever.
Lush terraced fields add vitality to Ta Lien Son
Higher up, between 1,700m and 2,900m, ancient tea forests grow vigorously. Some trees reach 20m tall, with hollow trunks large enough for 3 to 4 people to stand inside. Ta Lien Son is also a paradise for rhododendrons. The closer you get to the summit, the more rhododendrons appear. Their purple, pink, red, white, and yellow blooms grow in clusters, lighting up the mountainside. Conquering this mountain takes 2 days of trekking. Although the distance is not long, the route is quite challenging.
4. Ky Quan San
Ky Quan San is the fourth-highest mountain in Vietnam and forms a natural boundary between Lao Cai and Lai Chau provinces. It is also an extremely famous trekking destination. The route to the summit is 26km long and takes 3 days and 2 nights to complete. There are two trekking approaches: one from Lai Chau and one from Lao Cai. The Lao Cai route is generally easier because the terrain is less complex.
Trekkers start from Sang Ma Sao Commune and rest at Nui Muoi on the first day. The second day takes you from Nui Muoi to the summit of Ky Quan San via the dinosaur spine ridge. It is a memorable experience to walk high above the landscape, with open sky and earth on both sides. At 3,049m, with many exposed rocky viewpoints, Ky Quan San is also a spectacular cloud-hunting paradise. Trekking after rainy days late in the year is recommended because higher humidity helps clouds form more easily.
The dinosaur spine ridge leads you to the summit of Ky Quan San
5. Putaleng
The route to Vietnam’s third-highest summit stretches up to 36km and is considered difficult. Even so, the experiences here leave a lasting impression. Putaleng is located in Ho Thau Commune, Tam Duong District, Lai Chau Province. The common route is to ascend from Ho Thau and descend toward Ta Leng.
Putaleng welcomes you with an ancient forest covered in green moss. The trail follows streams and winds beneath tree canopies bending into all kinds of shapes. Putaleng has a dense network of streams and waterfalls. After just a few steps, you may come across another small stream.
The higher you climb, the steeper the trail becomes, so it can drain your energy quickly. Because Putaleng remains wild and has not been heavily developed, there are not many rest huts. Only a few huts sit on both slopes at elevations of 2,400m and 1,800m. For that reason, you should prepare your fitness carefully before the trip.
Most of these Northern routes are fairly close to Sapa. If you travel with To Ong, you can enjoy Northwest cuisine with local specialties, visit the night market, buy souvenirs, and soak in Dao herbal bathwater to recover your energy. So why wait? Go trekking in Northern Vietnam with To Ong.
Suggested reading:
Explore the Ky Quan San Trekking Tour at To Ong Adventure
Explore the Fascinating Vegetation of Putaleng’s Ancient Forest
Trek With To Ong and Enjoy Northwest Cuisine
