Sa Pa (Sapa) - Mao Lenh Family Homestay - Sử Pán
Trail photos
Author
Trail stats
- Distance
- 7.15 mi
- Elevation gain
- 1,814 ft
- Technical difficulty
- Moderate
- Elevation loss
- 3,041 ft
- Max elevation
- 6,248 ft
- TrailRank
- 63
- Min elevation
- 3,709 ft
- Trail type
- One Way
- Time
- 7 hours 9 minutes
- Coordinates
- 998
- Uploaded
- August 29, 2018
- Recorded
- August 2018
near Xóm Hai, Lào Cai (Vietnam)
Viewed 2583 times, downloaded 79 times
Trail photos
Itinerary description
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First of the two days of trekking that our beautiful stay in Sa Pa would bring us. Without a doubt, one of the most anticipated days of our trip to Vietnam. Valleys and mountains, rice fields, views and panoramic views that promised in photography. It looks like a painting... we thought! Will it all be real? Let's check it out! We begin the excursion!
START:
We arrived in Sa Pa, from Hanoi, on a sleeping bus, enough to sleep badly for one night. It is a bus in which the seats are almost horizontal, in order to be able to travel while sleeping. It was 5:30 and we had just arrived in Sa Pa, where we left the bus to wait for the Hmong women who would come to pick us up. With us, more people in a similar situation! After a long time of waiting, they come to look for us to take us to breakfast, where we begin to start a conversation with the companions with whom we would share the trek: Álvaro, Andrea, Carlos, Amparo, Raúl and Irene. We would have a great time with the latter during our stay in Sa Pa! The Hmong women were already there, ready to teach us all the secrets of the valley, its people and a way of life that gives us a lot to think about, especially how lucky we are to be able to enjoy almost anything. A very special greeting to Mao, "chief" of the expedition and Mu, our guide through the valley.
DESCRIPTION:
After a good breakfast, we began the route, leaving the town of Sa Pa, all behind Mu, a Hmong woman who would be in charge of showing us the area. Mu, in flip flops, and the rest, dressed as best we could to face two days of intense hiking.
We follow a couple of detours to leave the town of Sa Pa. The second detour will leave us on the starting path, a path that already seems demanding from the first steps!
The first part of the route goes uphill, quite demanding, but which we overcome without too many problems. The path narrows and there are completely muddy areas, the result of the recent rains. All in single file, including Mu, another woman who was carrying a basket as a backpack and two more girls who did not hesitate to accompany us during the route, making various crafts with all kinds of nature. Without a doubt, some artists!
As we gain altitude, we cross several crop fields. The first thing we will see will be a green tea field, very beautiful! We paid attention not to slip, since the path was quite muddy.
We continue the route following one more detour, at which point several more people join the trek: a couple from Ireland and two girls from Egypt. A multicultural trekking!
We continued climbing, managing to have a good perspective of Sa Pa, between clouds, since the day was quite cloudy. We cross a small bridge to cross the path of one of the many streams that can be seen at this time.
After crossing the bridge, we arrived at an area of corn fields. The trail is opening up and the views are getting better. The day clears at times and the breadth of the valley begins to be noticed. We keep going up!
We have already been almost 3 kilometers along the route and we have reached the highest point of the route. The trail is always without loss and very easy to follow. It's a pity that the day was overcast and that we barely had any gap between the clouds to see something of the valley. However, could be better, the views are fantastic! Several photos from a perfect natural viewpoint!
After stopping at the highest point of the route, we began to descend. Most of the remaining route would be downhill, so it would not be too physically demanding.
We begin to descend towards the valley and the day is clearing, allowing us to obtain a beautiful panoramic view. The path is very beautiful, although we must pay special attention not to slip in wet areas.
Soon we arrived near a small green lagoon, very beautiful. We continue enjoying a beautiful day of trekking, while we chat with Álvaro and Andrea, Chilean travelers willing to travel the world for a year and a half!
The rain is respecting us and we continue descending until we reach the detour through which we will continue along a wider and clearer path, also more comfortable to follow.
After 6 and a half kilometers, we reach the detour that goes to a kind of viewpoint. A natural projection over the valley. Advised by Mu, we did not hesitate to take this detour and access the natural viewpoint over the valley. The day had cleared enough to begin to contemplate the valley in all its magnitude. Rice fields, valleys, rivers and mountains! Sa Pa in its purest form!
We retraced our steps to the original path and continued the route. We are in more populated areas and we see all types of buildings. We continue one more detour.
During the route, we witness several waterfalls, some more beautiful and larger than others! Without a doubt, water flows, and that is nature!
We continue the route and come across another ledge again. It doesn't offer great views of the valley, but it is surrounded by rice fields. The large amount of green tones that the valley acquires when the rice fields are in good season is spectacular!
We continue along a comfortable path and arrive at one of the moments of the day, without a doubt. Knowing and visiting the house where Mu lives was something that, unintentionally, makes you reconsider and value what we really have. They are really tough conditions, very different and without any comfort, not at all. These are moments when you really travel, and it was a moment in which we all stopped to think that we are very lucky... I'm sure!
After visiting Mu's house, we continued the route spotting another waterfall. We continue along a comfortable path and with a spectacular day, ideal for walking!
There is less left and we continue descending, now along several curves on the path itself. Motorcycles circulate freely here, so we take special care when crossing paths with them. We saw another waterfall!
Another waterfall we found, in an area full of guest houses. The area is more populated and there is a greater atmosphere.
We have already lost most of the slope and come to one more detour. We are in the middle of the town and our Homestay is already visible in the distance, where we will spend the night. The views are still beautiful and the day is good!
We have already abandoned the main path and are once again traveling along a narrower path. There is only a little less than a kilometer left and we are advancing between rice fields and crop fields.
After more than 11 kilometers, we arrive at Mao Lenh Family Homestay, located in Sử Pán, the place where we will spend the night and where we conclude the first day of trekking.
Our stay at Mao Lenh Family Homestay was fantastic! We didn't go with any idea, not knowing what we were going to find, and even more so after visiting Mu's house. And the truth is that, when we arrived, we realized that we were going to sleep great, even if there were moments of panic in some of the members of the expedition. We were able to shower, we had a very good dinner, we enjoyed and laughed at a unique after-dinner meal with Raúl and Irene, we slept under a mosquito net and a roof and we woke up without any kind of shock. For more details, you have to go and experience it. A different, fun stay that we will always remember.
CONCLUSION:
A great day for walking. A first day of trekking with a little of everything! Height, unevenness and incredible views to savor throughout the day. We had perfect company and realized how lucky we are. A day experiencing up close the customs and way of life of the Hmong ethnic group. One of the days that we will remember the most and best of our trip to Vietnam! Highly recommended!
MORE INFORMATION:
Sa Pa - Mao Lenh Family Homestay - Sử Pán
ROUTE Index
Map of ROUTES and SUMMITS
Rubén Wanderlust (www.rubenwanderlust.com)
START:
We arrived in Sa Pa, from Hanoi, on a sleeping bus, enough to sleep badly for one night. It is a bus in which the seats are almost horizontal, in order to be able to travel while sleeping. It was 5:30 and we had just arrived in Sa Pa, where we left the bus to wait for the Hmong women who would come to pick us up. With us, more people in a similar situation! After a long time of waiting, they come to look for us to take us to breakfast, where we begin to start a conversation with the companions with whom we would share the trek: Álvaro, Andrea, Carlos, Amparo, Raúl and Irene. We would have a great time with the latter during our stay in Sa Pa! The Hmong women were already there, ready to teach us all the secrets of the valley, its people and a way of life that gives us a lot to think about, especially how lucky we are to be able to enjoy almost anything. A very special greeting to Mao, "chief" of the expedition and Mu, our guide through the valley.
DESCRIPTION:
After a good breakfast, we began the route, leaving the town of Sa Pa, all behind Mu, a Hmong woman who would be in charge of showing us the area. Mu, in flip flops, and the rest, dressed as best we could to face two days of intense hiking.
We follow a couple of detours to leave the town of Sa Pa. The second detour will leave us on the starting path, a path that already seems demanding from the first steps!
The first part of the route goes uphill, quite demanding, but which we overcome without too many problems. The path narrows and there are completely muddy areas, the result of the recent rains. All in single file, including Mu, another woman who was carrying a basket as a backpack and two more girls who did not hesitate to accompany us during the route, making various crafts with all kinds of nature. Without a doubt, some artists!
As we gain altitude, we cross several crop fields. The first thing we will see will be a green tea field, very beautiful! We paid attention not to slip, since the path was quite muddy.
We continue the route following one more detour, at which point several more people join the trek: a couple from Ireland and two girls from Egypt. A multicultural trekking!
We continued climbing, managing to have a good perspective of Sa Pa, between clouds, since the day was quite cloudy. We cross a small bridge to cross the path of one of the many streams that can be seen at this time.
After crossing the bridge, we arrived at an area of corn fields. The trail is opening up and the views are getting better. The day clears at times and the breadth of the valley begins to be noticed. We keep going up!
We have already been almost 3 kilometers along the route and we have reached the highest point of the route. The trail is always without loss and very easy to follow. It's a pity that the day was overcast and that we barely had any gap between the clouds to see something of the valley. However, could be better, the views are fantastic! Several photos from a perfect natural viewpoint!
After stopping at the highest point of the route, we began to descend. Most of the remaining route would be downhill, so it would not be too physically demanding.
We begin to descend towards the valley and the day is clearing, allowing us to obtain a beautiful panoramic view. The path is very beautiful, although we must pay special attention not to slip in wet areas.
Soon we arrived near a small green lagoon, very beautiful. We continue enjoying a beautiful day of trekking, while we chat with Álvaro and Andrea, Chilean travelers willing to travel the world for a year and a half!
The rain is respecting us and we continue descending until we reach the detour through which we will continue along a wider and clearer path, also more comfortable to follow.
After 6 and a half kilometers, we reach the detour that goes to a kind of viewpoint. A natural projection over the valley. Advised by Mu, we did not hesitate to take this detour and access the natural viewpoint over the valley. The day had cleared enough to begin to contemplate the valley in all its magnitude. Rice fields, valleys, rivers and mountains! Sa Pa in its purest form!
We retraced our steps to the original path and continued the route. We are in more populated areas and we see all types of buildings. We continue one more detour.
During the route, we witness several waterfalls, some more beautiful and larger than others! Without a doubt, water flows, and that is nature!
We continue the route and come across another ledge again. It doesn't offer great views of the valley, but it is surrounded by rice fields. The large amount of green tones that the valley acquires when the rice fields are in good season is spectacular!
We continue along a comfortable path and arrive at one of the moments of the day, without a doubt. Knowing and visiting the house where Mu lives was something that, unintentionally, makes you reconsider and value what we really have. They are really tough conditions, very different and without any comfort, not at all. These are moments when you really travel, and it was a moment in which we all stopped to think that we are very lucky... I'm sure!
After visiting Mu's house, we continued the route spotting another waterfall. We continue along a comfortable path and with a spectacular day, ideal for walking!
There is less left and we continue descending, now along several curves on the path itself. Motorcycles circulate freely here, so we take special care when crossing paths with them. We saw another waterfall!
Another waterfall we found, in an area full of guest houses. The area is more populated and there is a greater atmosphere.
We have already lost most of the slope and come to one more detour. We are in the middle of the town and our Homestay is already visible in the distance, where we will spend the night. The views are still beautiful and the day is good!
We have already abandoned the main path and are once again traveling along a narrower path. There is only a little less than a kilometer left and we are advancing between rice fields and crop fields.
After more than 11 kilometers, we arrive at Mao Lenh Family Homestay, located in Sử Pán, the place where we will spend the night and where we conclude the first day of trekking.
Our stay at Mao Lenh Family Homestay was fantastic! We didn't go with any idea, not knowing what we were going to find, and even more so after visiting Mu's house. And the truth is that, when we arrived, we realized that we were going to sleep great, even if there were moments of panic in some of the members of the expedition. We were able to shower, we had a very good dinner, we enjoyed and laughed at a unique after-dinner meal with Raúl and Irene, we slept under a mosquito net and a roof and we woke up without any kind of shock. For more details, you have to go and experience it. A different, fun stay that we will always remember.
CONCLUSION:
A great day for walking. A first day of trekking with a little of everything! Height, unevenness and incredible views to savor throughout the day. We had perfect company and realized how lucky we are. A day experiencing up close the customs and way of life of the Hmong ethnic group. One of the days that we will remember the most and best of our trip to Vietnam! Highly recommended!
MORE INFORMATION:
Sa Pa - Mao Lenh Family Homestay - Sử Pán
ROUTE Index
Map of ROUTES and SUMMITS
Rubén Wanderlust (www.rubenwanderlust.com)
Waypoints
Waypoint
4,818 ft
Intersection
Bridge
Panorama
Lake
Waterfall
Comments (2)
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Thank you! Was nice
steven sinnaeve, thank you for your comment! Regards!