According to mountaineers who "conquered" the mountains during the pandemic.

As usual, from the end of November to the end of December is the golden time for adventure enthusiasts and those who love new experiences to embark on their journeys to conquer high mountain peaks.

This is the time of year when many provinces enter early winter, so the weather is pleasantly cool, and the landscape seems to merge into one as clouds blanket the paths. Therefore, mountain climbing is often combined with cloud hunting so that tourists can enjoy the most spectacular natural beauty.

Hiking during the pandemic: Enjoy nature more fully!

“Work pressure and the pandemic have kept me confined to the city for months now. At the end of a suffocating workday within four walls, I realized what I needed right now was a trip, a day or just a small moment to breathe in nature – and I planned a trekking trip to Ta Xua peak,” shared Hai Le Cao, a freelance photographer.

According to Mr. Hai, Ta Xua is one of the safe choices for mountain climbers at this time, as it is a relatively safe area in terms of pandemic prevention and is still receiving tourists from other provinces. In addition, the 2,865-meter-high peak is also a stunning cloud-hunting paradise in Northwest Vietnam, promising visitors many unique experiences.

One of the biggest differences in trekking during the pandemic is that tourists need a green/yellow card, a certificate proving they have tested positive for Covid-19 via rapid test or PCR test. "Before the pandemic, all you needed was to prepare your gear and a positive attitude to hit the road, but now you need quite a lot more paperwork to ensure your own safety and the safety of others," said Hai Le Cao.

In addition, the route from the starting point to the trekking destination also involves passing through several checkpoints. For example, traveling from Hai Phong to Ta Xua requires registration at three checkpoints: The first checkpoint is under the provincial authority, where tourists need to provide complete and important information; the second checkpoint is under the district authority, where further information is required and body temperature is checked; and the final checkpoint is under the commune authority, where only a final declaration of information is needed before climbing the mountain.

The trekking route remains unchanged from before the pandemic. However, the biggest difference is the natural scenery, the majestic mountains, forests, and sky. Due to the pandemic, the number of trekkers has decreased significantly, so the route is less crowded and there are no longer long queues for photos.

Mountain climbers during this period can calmly enjoy the best of nature. The fresh air acts like a balm for the spirit after a long period of social distancing.

"Being a free spirit by nature, I feel like I'm just riding along a mountain trail."Release the tiger back into the wild."The trekking route is quite deserted and the natural scenery, along with constantly changing weather along each section, is what I like most about trekking during the pandemic and it's definitely the most reasonable choice, instead of going to crowded tourist spots where the risk of disease transmission is high," Hai happily shared.

Efforts by trekking tour operators to "live with the pandemic".

After four cycles of "on and off" corresponding to four major outbreaks of the pandemic, tourism business in general, and trekking and adventure tourism services in particular, have been almost completely paralyzed. Difficulties have permeated every aspect of the lives of individuals working in the tourism industry.

Immediately after the lifting of social distancing measures in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City from the end of September to the beginning of October, several types of tourism services quickly reactivated in the market. Among them, trekking-related services are said to have seen the most significant resurgence.

Because it coincided with the cloud-hunting season, many tourists wanted to experience physical activity combined with breathing in the fresh air of nature after a long period of "camping at home." Trekking became one of the top choices.

According to Mr. Tran Trung Kien, a representative of an adventure tourism service company in Hanoi, since welcoming customers back in early October, the company has maintained about 2-3 trekking tours per week. This number is down about 2 tours per week compared to the pre-pandemic period, but it is still a favorable start at this time.

Some trekking destinations that are frequently booked by tourists include: conquering Ta Xua peak (the natural boundary between Yen Bai and Son La); Ta Chi Nhu peak (Yen Bai); trekking in Cuc Phuong forest (Ninh Binh); trekking in Cat Ba forest (Hai Phong)...

Accordingly, each trekking tour will retain the same number of participants as before, approximately 10-15 people per tour. However, due to the need to maintain social distancing during travel, instead of the entire group traveling in one vehicle, they will now be split into two groups traveling in two separate vehicles from the starting point to the trekking destination.

According to Mr. Kien, this is also one of the biggest challenges when organizing tours during the pandemic, as passenger transportation costs have increased significantly, resulting in lower profit margins than before.

“Currently, there is a large demand for trekking trips, which can be divided into two groups: Group one has received both doses of the vaccine and can set off anytime; group two really wants to participate but hasn't received all the doses yet, or wishes to experience it with their multi-generational family, including the elderly and young children. Basically, many trekking destinations don't meet this demand because most require good health and a love of adventure from participants,” Mr. Kien explained.

During the pandemic, the demand for multi-generational families to travel together was relatively common, and they often could only travel to nearby locations. Many travel agencies flexibly organized additional trekking tours, camping right within the city.

For example, in Hanoi, a service combining coffee and camping at the Red River rocky beach has recently emerged, with costs ranging from approximately 500,000 to 700,000 VND per person. Similarly, Kien's company is also conducting trial trekking tours in Ba Vi, initially receiving many positive responses from tourists.

Adventure tourism, mountain climbing, and cloud hunting can be considered part of the closed-loop "Home - Green - Home" cycle. This program is built on the plan issued on September 7, 2021, by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, in collaboration with the Vietnam Tourism Association, launching the theme "Connecting Green Tourism in Vietnam".

Green tourism,This means ensuring the gradual reopening of tourism while prioritizing the safety of people and workers in the tourism industry. All aspects of service, reception, transportation, and sightseeing will be ensured to be safe, socially distanced, and close to the local nature and culture.

Thanh Thuy