Nhiu Co San Mountain is located in Sang Ma Sao Commune, Bat Xat District, Lao Cai Province.
Nhiu Co San stands 2,966m above sea level and is located in the Hoang Lien Son Mountain Range, which that runs from Lai Chau Province to Lao Cai Province. The peaks of the mountains in the range are in Lao Cai’s Bat Xat District and Lai Chau’s Phong Tho District.
Although it is not the highest mountain peak in Vietnam, Nhiu Co San still draws interest from many trekking enthusiasts because of its wild beauty and diverse vegetation.
With mountains tops bending towards each other like a pair of horns, the H'Mong people named it Nhiu Co San, meaning “buffalo horn” in their ethnic language.
In Ha Nhi ethnic language, “Nhiu Co San” also means “three big mountains”, referring to the shape of this place.
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A sea of clouds on the top of Nhiu Co San (VNS/ Photo: Dinh Xuan Dai) |
To reach the summit, trekkers should take a bus to Sa Pa, then continue to Den Sang Commune and register their travel at Bat Xat District People's Committee, then take a local motorbike taxi to Nhiu Co San.
Conquering Nhiu Co San is not only an exciting adventure, but also an opportunity to connect with nature and challenge oneself.
The foot of the mountain are bushes, grasslands and cliffs; a little higher up is covered with cardamom forests, primeval forests, and tall trees.
On the top of the mountain are coniferous trees and mixed forests.
The landscape of Nhiu Co San is distinguished from other mountains thanks to the colour of wildflowers along the road, which are covered in ice-like glass flowers.
The mysterious forests that appear and disappear among the sea of clouds give Nhiu Co San a somewhat magical feel, brimming with charm to win the hearts of those who are passionate about cloud hunting.
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Ong Chua Waterfall (Photo: baolaocai.vn) |
The sea of clouds in the area is always moving and hazy, sometimes floating in layers and sometimes flowing like a waterfall.
Going through the steep, jagged rocky paths, trekkers will reach Ong Chua Waterfall, which is rolling down from the high cliff.
In the middle of the majestic natural picture, all the tiredness after the long journey seems to be rewarded.
The best time to conquer Nhiu Co San is from October to March when the dew falls on the petals and bushes and the leaves are frozen.
Late winter and early spring are when the sea of clouds in Nhiu Co San are most beautiful. However, this is also a rather dangerous time to experience trekking. Therefore, those travelling to Nhiu Co San during this period of time should be fully equipped with essential luggage and accompanied by an experienced guide.
