Two days to the 2,402 m ridge above Hoang Su Phi — sleep at the mountain shelter, walk up in the cold dark, wait for the cloud sea at first light.
Duration
2 days · 1 night
Difficulty
Demanding
Distance
14 km total
Altitude
1,800 – 2,402 m
Best season
Oct – Apr · cold, clear
— Overview
Why this route.
Chieu Lau Thi — Kieu Lieu Ti on some maps — is the highest ground we reach at 2,402 m. You climb from Ta Su Choong, sleep at the mountain shelter near 2,000 m, and walk a short pre-dawn section to the summit ridge. Everything on the route serves that hour when cloud fills the valleys below. Choose this if a 02:30 departure from town is not for you but you still want the summit dawn. Choose the one-day sunrise ridge if your dates are tight and you can handle a single hard day without a shelter night.
— Trip highlights
Shelter night at 2,000 m — no 02:30 departure from Hoang Su Phi town
Short pre-dawn walk to the 2,402 m summit from high camp
Cloud sea on the eastern ridge when valley inversions align
Cardamom-forest descent with hot breakfast and picnic lunch
— Itinerary
Day by day.
Times and stops are indicative. Pace and arrival are set by the slowest walker, the weather, and the village.
"Drive into the Tay Con Linh foothills, then climb steadily through bamboo and rhododendron to a small wooden shelter just below the summit. Early dinner; warm layers on by dusk."
Day 2
Sunrise ridge → descent
7 km · 4 h walking
Meals · Breakfast · Lunch
"Pre-dawn walk to the 2,402 m peak for the cloud sea breaking against the ridge. Slow descent by the eastern path through cardamom forest, picnic lunch on the way down, road transfer back to town."
— Inclusions
What's included.
Included
Private transfers to and from the trailhead
English-speaking lead guide and local Dao porter
1 night in the mountain shelter
Sleeping bag rated to 0 °C, mat and pillow
All meals from Day 1 lunch to Day 2 lunch
Hot drinks at altitude
Permits and forest entry fees
Personal accident & trekking insurance
Not included
Transfers outside Hoang Su Phi district
Hotel before/after the trek
Alcoholic beverages
Tips for guides and porters
Personal trekking equipment beyond what is listed
— Pack list
What to bring.
01Warm hat, gloves, fleece, insulated jacket
02Thermal base layer for the night
03Sturdy waterproof trekking boots
04Daypack (25 – 30 L)
05Headlamp with spare batteries
06Trekking poles strongly recommended
07Personal water bottle (1.5 – 2 L)
— Good to know
Before you walk.
Shelter sits near 2,000 m on the Ta Su Choong approach — inside temperature often 2 – 5 °C from November to March.
Guide field note: pre-dawn walk from shelter to the 2,402 m crest is 20 – 30 minutes; if cloud fills the valleys, guides wait at the marked standing lines rather than the windiest summit knob.
Choose the one-day sunrise ridge if your dates allow only a single calendar day.
Main bag stays in Hoang Su Phi with our driver — daypack only to the shelter.
No departures June – September — storm season on Tay Con Linh.
— Field
Frames from the route.
The climb from foothill villages toward the Tay Con Linh shelter ridge.Cloud inversion filling the valleys below the 2,402 m summit approach.High shelter on the ridge — simple bunks, wood stove, shared meal.Dawn light on the summit crest above the cloud sea.
— FAQ
Common questions.
Q · 01
Is altitude a concern?
At 2,402 m, acute altitude sickness is unlikely for healthy adults. Drink steadily on Day 1 and dress for cold at the shelter.
Q · 02
How cold is the shelter?
Often 2–5 °C inside in shoulder season. Sleeping bag provided; bring thermals and wear them inside the bag if you run cold.
Q · 03
What if there is no cloud sea?
Still worth the walk — ridge views, alpenglow and westward terrace country reward the climb even when valleys stay clear.
Q · 04
How does this differ from the one-day sunrise route?
Same summit. This walk sleeps at the shelter and reaches the ridge after a short pre-dawn walk from high camp — no 02:30 departure from town.
Q · 05
Where does my main bag go?
It stays in Hoang Su Phi with our driver. You carry only a daypack to the shelter.
Q · 06
Is there phone signal at the shelter?
No reliable signal above 2,000 m. Your guide carries emergency contact protocol.
Q · 07
What is the shelter like?
Wooden bunks, shared room, sleeping bags and mats, squat toilet outside, wood stove in the evening.
Q · 08
Do you run this in summer?
No — June through September is storm season on Tay Con Linh.
— Paired programme
The same mountain, a different rhythm — our one-day sunrise ridge route on Tay Con Linh.
HSP · 011 day
HSP · 022 days · 1 night