1 day Fansipan Trekking

If you are looking for a serious physical challenge, this excursion is for you. It is not for the faint of heart! I consider myself to be a physically fit person (regularly train for marathons, strength train at the gym), but I struggled with this one (although I did make it to the summit!). It really is best for someone who has some basic experience mountain hiking. Although you are trekking, not climbing, up the mountain, there are a lot of points where you are scaling rocks and boulders and need to use your hands as well as your feet to keep moving. If you do it in the summer like I did, be prepared to get wet. It rains most days on the mountain even if it’s sunny in Sapa, and so you will trek through a lot of water, and the rocks and boulders you scale will be very slippery. I wore trail runners, and the grip was good enough, so I would say trail runners at minimum for footwear. Hiking shoes or boots might be even better, especially if they are waterproof. Also, bring hiking poles — I regretted not having them. In the summer, there’s no view at the summit due to clouds and fog, but it’s still incredible to get there. Lastly, be aware that once you reach the Fansipan site, there still are hundreds of steps you have to climb to get to the summit. None of this is meant to turn anyone off to this excursion, but it’s helpful to know what you’re actually getting into. My guide, Chai, was absolutely amazing — he was patient and kind, never rushed me, and he made a tasty lunch (banh mi sandwich, fruit, veggies, coffee) for us which I greatly appreciated. I would be happy to have him again for any trek or tour in Sapa!

We had a great experience completing the hike! Our guide, Mr Chay, was fantastic as he was very knowledgeable of the walk and also patient. The hike is super challenging (we were not experienced hikers) being predominantly steep incline but it was so rewarding completing it. The views and scenery is exceptional and the environment is so surreal and peaceful. It may seem expensive ($70 USD pp) but when you factor in the time to complete (6+ hours), food, hike permits, insurances, pick up and drop off to hotel, and of course, the medal upon completion, it is a very worth while experience that I strongly recommend.

We happened to walk by Sapa Original Trek’s office in Sapa and went in to book our One Day Fansipan Trekking for the next day with Ms. Huong. We were lucky that they had last minute availability and we appreciate how accommodating they were. Pick up and drop off was smooth and on time. The climb was challenging—lots of steep inclines and descents, and you literally have to climb across ladders in some parts—but safe and fun. There’s also the altitude factor which may or may not affect some people, regardless of fitness level. We were fortunate with the weather as it was warm to cool in some parts and not rainy, which is perfect for hiking Fansipan. (Bring a hat and layers as it does get windy and coolish closer to the peak). Our guide, Tong (spelling?) was very knowledgeable, helpful and supportive, especially when my friend was experiencing nausea from the high altitude. One of the best things that he did was to make us bamboo walking sticks, which helped immensely during our hike. He also prepared us a generous lunch, carried one of our water bottles when it was too heavy for us, and took many beautiful pictures for my partner and I, and we didn’t even have to ask. Thank you Tong (apologies I don’t know the appropriate spelling of his name). We made it to the summit several hours later, and it was totally worth it!

We booked our one-day Fansipan trek very last minute, and really appreciated how accommodating the team was. They prepared all the necessary paperwork, picked us up from the hotel, and brought us back after the hike. First and foremost: when they say the trek is hard, they truly mean it. If you are anything less than fit and healthy, you will struggle. The constant ascents and descents, combined with the altitude and its unpredictable effects on the body, make this an extremely challenging experience. I consider myself quite fit and experienced with hiking, but after lunch there were moments when I felt quite nauseous because of the altitude. Big kudos to our guide, Trong. He was incredibly experienced and knowledgeable. He adjusted to our pace, stayed close behind me during the more difficult sections, and helped a lot when I was feeling nauseous. He also organised a very generous lunch, carried our water when my backpack became too heavy, and took a whole bunch of amazing photos for my partner and me. We made it to the summit and received our beautiful, well-earned medals and certificates. All in all, although it was extremely challenging, it was an unforgettable experience, and we’re very grateful to Sapa Original Trek for making it happen.

Our guide was excellent. It was a tough climb up but he was very patient with us and didn't push us to go quicker at any time, we took approx 6 hours including stopping for lunch. We decided to get the cable car down (only approx 10-15% of people have the energy to walk down as well, though the cable car costs approx $45 AUD per person so make sure you take a way to pay with you). Our guide spoke excellent English and we had chats throughout the day. Hotel pickup was smooth and the lunch (bahn mi or noodles) provided by our guide and eaten towards the top of the mountain was delicious and plentiful. Highly recommend but you must have a good level of fitness of tackle it, bearing in mind you climb from approx 2000m above sea level to over 3000m so the altitude can also effect your capacity. Highly recommend.

Our guide was excellent. It was a tough climb up but he was very patient with us and didn't push us to go quicker at any time. We decided to get the cable car down (only approx 10-15% of people have the energy to walk down as well, though the cable car costs approx $45 AUD per person so make sure you take a way to pay with you). Our guide spoke excellent English and we had chats throughout the day. Hotel pickup was smooth and the lunch (bahn mi or noodles) provided by our guide and eaten towards the top of the mountain was delicious and plentiful. Highly recommend but you must have a good level of fitness of tackle it, bearing in mind you climb from approx 2000m above sea level to over 3000m so the altitude can also effect your capacity. Highly recommend.

Sinh was an amazing guide. I really had a nice time on the mountain learning about its story and making my way to the top. The medal and certificate are a nice attention. The booking and organization went smoothly, Mr Tinh replies quick on whatsapp. For a day hike, you have to be prepared for a long and exhausting day on the mountain, but really worth it. I recommend this company to anyone.

This was definitely a massive highlight of visiting Sapa/Vietnam in general. The views were absolutely breathtaking. For a better experience it is worth having physical fitness/generally being active but our guide, Chay was very patient with our pace and never felt rushed.

The communication was excellent! I was arriving by sleeper bus that was a bit late and they did everything to make sure I was taken care of. My guide was amazing, told me about local plants, took photos, and let me enjoy the view. He was also a very capable mountain goat. :). Oh and the lunch provided…..insane proportions and delicious!!

All in all a great experience. We booked the One Day tour. Very well organized by Mr Tinh who did the communication and planning. Our guide was very friendly and attentive. He is from Sa Pa and knows the area very well. We were lucky and had sunshine and great views most of the day!