Mount Ta Lien Son also called Co Trau Mountain is in Ta Leng, Tam Duong District, Lai Chau Province. Mount Ta Lien Son is right on the border between Lai Chau and Lao Cai, next to Mount Pu Ta Leng. The mountain is 2,996m above sea level and is among the highest mountain peaks in Vietnam.
Travel Guide to Mount Ta Lien Son in Lai Chau and Lao Cai
The Ta Lien Son is less visited compared to other mountains in Vietnam. The vegetation in the forest at Ta Lien Son is like no others, just unreal like in a fairy tale. The huge timber trees in the forest are covered in moss making the forest looks mysterious.
Best time to visit
The good time to take an adventure to Mount Ta Lien Son is during the dry season from late November through April. The best time is probaly between February and March when the temperatures are pleasant and there are rhododendron blossoms.
In autumn (September – early December) maple tree leaves in the forest at 2,000-2,500m in elevation on Mount Ta Lien Son turn colorful which makes it a great time too, except for when there is a typhoon in northern Vieetnam.
What the trek is like
The Ta Leng Village (Ta Leng Commune) is 13km from Lai Chau provincial capital. The village is on elevation of 1,000m above sea level with cool temperatures all year. The trek to the mountain peak can be done in 2 days or 3 days depending on how fit you are.
1/ Day 1 from Ta Leng Village (10-11 hours)
Motorbike ride from the village to the mountain base (8km), this leg of the adventure is extremely difficult when it rains as the small path is slippery and steep. The trek is for 10 hours or more from the Ta Leng Village to 2,400m where the hut is located.
The trail is through a dense primeval forest with several maple trees which yields amazing colors in autumn.
2/ From Hut to the Summit ( 3 hours) and from Summit back to the hut (2-3 hours) and get to the mountain base ( 3 hours) and 30-minutes or 1-hour motorbike ride back to the Ta Leng Village.
Today would be easier if it does not rain. You trek up the mountain amid a rhododendron forest which offers full blossoms in February-March. Once on the top you can have great views of the wild nature all around and Lai Chau City.
Then descend to the hut and the mountain base by the same trail. The final motorbike ride to the village should not be too difficult if it is dry.
How to get there
The mountain is in Ta Leng Commune, Tam Duong District, Lai Chau Province. The mountain is 30km northwest of Lai Chau provincial capital city and 17km from the Ta Leng Commune.
Lai Chau Average Monthly Rainfalls and Temperatures
