Tay Con Linh Mountain

2,427 m (7,963 ft)

There are many different routes to Tay Con Linh Mountain. Most routes take between two and four days but can be extended if desired.

Day 1:

Day 1 usually starts by hiking from somewhere within Thong Nguyen, in Hoang Su Phi District following a cement road in the direction of Nhung Village to the base of the mountain. Your start point will depend on which tour guide operator you go with.

Some hikers start walking from towns further away, which would extend the total trek by a day or more.

Depending on where you start, your route may consist of a rocky, muddy path before finding your way to the road. There are terraced rice fields, and little villages hiding amongst them and streams along the way.

One can stop at Tung San Village for lunch and continue the ascent afterwards. As the trek continues it gets steeper, and the path starts to twist and wind.

There are sections where the hikers follow a stream that has slippery rocks. You will go past a bamboo forest, and there is also lots of other vegetation around the trail.

Most hikers will hike until reaching H’mong Village where they spend the night. (at about 1,600-1,800m/ 5,249 ft – 5,905 ft).

Day 2:

Leave H’Mong village to reach the summit within 2-3 hours. The trail goes over a wide, flat area shaped by erosion at about 1,750m (5,741.47 ft). You will see a traditional graveyard, herb fields, and tea plants and pass through an oak forest. From about 2,000m (6561.7 ft) you will start to see a rare species of mushroom, reddish in colour. There are sections on this part of the trek where the roots of the trees make it difficult to navigate.

As you near the top, (around 2,400m/ 7,874 ft) the air temperature and pressure drop significantly before reaching the summit at about lunchtime.

Have lunch at the summit and descend either the same way or via another route if your guide offers this.

If descending the same way, you’ll spend the night at H’Mong village again before descending to the base of the mountain the next day.

Day 3:

Hike from H’Mong village down to the base of the mountain where you can either hike back to your accommodation or arrange for transportation from the base of the mountain straight back to your accommodation.

The best time of year to hike Tay Con Linh is during the dry season, because there is less rain, and the temperatures are milder. The dry season is from October to April; however, the driest months are December, January, and February.

May to September is the flood season. In these months, the province of Ha Giang (where Tay Con Linh is located) is very rainy. During this period, the area experiences rain for the majority of the month, much of the time in high volumes. This is not an ideal time to do the hike as the flooding can make it extra challenging and snakes can be a problem.

Temperature highs range from 15°C to 26°C (59°F to 78.8°F)  in a year and lows range from 6.6°C to 17°C(43.88 °F to 62.6 °F ). The hottest months are from April/May to September and the cooler months are from October to March.

As the trail can be rocky and slippery, hiking poles as well as hiking boots are recommended. It’s also important to pack warm clothes for when it gets cold at night and for the higher altitudes.

Depending on the route you take you may or may not pass through villages where you can purchase food and water. The trail itself up the mountain crosses streams, but there are no man-made structures for rests. If with a tour operator, you will be fed at the overnight stop in H’mong Village. It would be wise to make sure you know what is included in your fee before leaving.

It is necessary to have a guide if you’d like to summit Tay Con Linh. There are so many different routes that it can be confusing to do it yourself, especially because this is not a frequently visited mountain and the path is not very clear. Going with a tour guide operator also ensures that you will have accommodation and food taken care of (depending on the tour you purchase) as this mountain is in quite a rural place, far from the city.

Guides will also take care of snakes (which can be quite a problem in this area), and porters will help you carry all your gear for the long trek.

We would recommend taking a few weeks to plan this endeavour, as the trip to even get to the starting point takes multiple days of transit.

Tay Con Linh is part of the Chay River mountain range and is situated in North-eastern Vietnam, Vị Xuyên District, Ha Giang province. It is 303km (188 mi) from Hanoi (7-8 hours away by car), and the peak is 46km (28.5 mi) from Ha Giang Town (which is the capital of the province).

Most people usually start by hiking from Thong Nguyen.

To get to Thong Nguyen from Hanoi you can use a bus service to get to Tan Quang intersection in Ha Giang Province, and from there catch another ride to Thong Nguyen.

You can also book a trip where your transportation is prearranged. This would be recommended, as transportation can be tricky as you get closer to the rural area where the mountain is situated.

This trail is not frequented by tourists, so it is not easy to follow and can be dangerous due to the terrain and snakes. It is also a multiple-day hike in an area that is not close to emergency services, therefore we recommend going in a group and/or arranging a tour agency or a guide.