Tourists "check in" before climbing the mountain.

The mountain climbing route leads from Nam Nghep village to the summit of Ta Chi Nhu.

To conquer Ta Chi Nhu peak, many tourists choose to travel from the center of Ngoc Chien commune to Nam Nghep village, Ngoc Chien commune, Muong La district. The advantage of this route is that tourists can go and return in a day and have wonderful experiences from a different, unique, and different perspective.

The Ta Chi Nhu mountain climbing route passes through a primeval forest.

As arranged with our guide, Luong Van Xien from Ngoc Chien commune, we arrived at Nam Nghep village at 9 am to join the group for the experience. Upon our arrival, Mr. Xien quickly assigned a team of motorbike drivers to transport our belongings and passengers to the meeting point. The first part of our motorbike journey was about 4 km long, a steep, winding road with thick, dusty soil. Afterward, we met the Mong ethnic porters at the meeting point. The porters from Ta Chi Nhu acted as guides, supported the group, carried food and backpacks, and cooked meals. On average, there was one porter for every three tourists. Each group had one porter leading and one porter at the rear.

Potter helped the team carry food, drinks, and backpacks for the tourists.

Mr. Khang A Denh, from Nam Nghep village, Ngoc Chien commune, is one of the skilled, healthy, hardworking, and friendly porters. Mr. Denh shared: "In recent years, Ta Chi Nhu mountain peak has attracted a large number of domestic and international tourists, helping us earn extra income. We hope that relevant authorities will pay attention and organize language training courses and tourism training to improve the quality of service for tourists, making it more professional and attentive."

The scenery is unique when trekking to the summit of Ta Chi Nhu.

Tourists experience trekking through the pristine forest.

The route to Ta Chi Nhu is not too difficult. Climbers with good physical fitness can easily conquer it. The total distance for the two-day, one-night trip is about 16 km round trip. The terrain mainly consists of trails, with no shortcuts, dense vegetation, or side paths, and few ravines or steep cliffs, making it quite safe for everyone if the weather is dry. On rainy days, the trails become more difficult to navigate. Therefore, the ideal time to visit Ta Chi Nhu is from November of the previous year to March or April of the following year.

Depending on the needs and physical condition of the tourists participating in the experience, the guides will divide the route into three stages: Stage 1 is at an altitude of about 1,200m, where groups stop at a stream in the forest for lunch, rest, and "check-in". Stage 2 starts from the stream up to the overnight campsite at an altitude of 2,400m; Stage 3 the next morning, from the campsite to the summit.

Tourists enjoy food at the campsite.

The route to the summit of Ta Chi Nhu is in stage 3.

Tourists experience the third leg of the trail to the summit of Ta Chi Nhu.

On weekends, Ta Chi Nhu is quite crowded with trekkers. The route attracts people of all ages, including children. The scenery of Ta Chi Nhu is very beautiful, constantly changing with altitude. We were amazed by the beauty of the old-growth primary forest, with its ancient trees and large tree hollows; the refreshing feeling of crossing streams and enjoying the cool water; and the dreamy beauty of trekking through ancient rhododendron forests with trees 5-10m tall covered in moss, bursting with vibrant red, pink, and purple flowers…

The rhododendron flowers on the summit of Ta Chi Nhu are displaying their vibrant colors.

Tourists "check in" with rhododendron flowers.

After about 3-4 hours of walking and resting, we finally reached the wooden campsite, which could accommodate about 40 people and had blankets, mattresses, a kitchen for cooking, and restrooms. There was no electricity at the campsite; the weather was quite cold at night, so we lit a fire, shared some music, and made plans to conquer Ta Chi Nhu peak early the next morning. Everyone was excited.

To reach the summit in time for the sunrise, our group set off at 4:30 AM. Carrying flashlights, we followed each other up the mountain to complete the third leg of the 2.5km trek. After about 40 minutes of moving through the forest, the trail along the majestic "dinosaur spines" of the Pú Luông mountain range gradually appeared, exciting us and prompting us to speed up so as not to miss the beautiful natural scenery as the sun rose. Surprisingly, the summit of Tà Chì Nhù had a flat and wide area, and we could smell the fragrant scent of plants in the mist, creating a truly refreshing feeling.

Tourists visit and experience the summit of Ta Chi Nhu.

Tourists take souvenir photos at the summit of Ta Chi Nhu, which is 2,979 meters above sea level.

Conquering Ta Chi Nhu peak, Mr. Tran Hong Nhi, a tourist from Hanoi, excitedly said: "Our group has 8 members, the youngest of whom is only 7 years old. This is my second time conquering Ta Chi Nhu peak, this time I chose to travel from Nam Nghep village, Ngoc Chien commune, Muong La district. This route is more beautiful and cooler than the route from Tram Tau, Yen Bai district. Participating in the mountain climbing experience helps me develop perseverance."

Laura Slooter, a tourist from the Netherlands, shared: "The climb was quite tiring, but I'm very proud that my friend and I made it to the summit. I find Vietnam very beautiful, and I want to travel and explore more places."

Tourists take souvenir photos in the ancient tea forest.

Speaking to us about the linkage and development of the Ta Chi Nhu tourist tour, Mr. Nguyen Van Tam, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Muong La District, said: To implement regional linkages in socio-economic development with neighboring districts, the District Party Committee has directed coordination with four districts of Mu Cang Chai, Tram Tau, and Van Chan in Yen Bai province, and Bac Yen district in Son La province. The Ta Chi Nhu experiential tour, although newly launched, has already attracted a large number of domestic and international tourists. The district has developed a plan to coordinate with Tram Tau district to facilitate hiking in the forest, mountain climbing, and other experiences for tourists. In Ngoc Chien commune, tourism cooperatives, motorbike taxi groups, and porter groups have been established to serve tourists. This creates jobs, increases income, and contributes to the development of tourism in the locality.

Conquering Ta Chi Nhu via the Ngoc Chien - Nam Nghep route allows travelers to discover the wild yet romantic beauty of the Northwestern highlands and experience the daily life of the local people. Those of us who have embarked on this journey still vividly remember the emotions we felt, and we believe that anyone who has, is, or will conquer Ta Chi Nhu via this route from Nam Nghep village, Ngoc Chien commune, will have an unforgettable experience.

Thu Thao

Conquering Ta Chi Nhu Peak (baosonla.org.vn)