VietNamNet Bridge – Ngoc Linh Mountain is the peak of Truong Son Nam Mountain Range, the southern part of Truong Son Mountain Range. At 2,605 meters above sea level, the mountain is located in the north of the Central Highlands between Kon Tum and Quang Nam provinces.

A view is seen from Mang Roi Pass

From HCMC, it takes around 10 hours to travel by coach to Kon Tum City. Upon arrival in Kon Tum City in the Central Highlands province of the same name, tourists can hire a motorbike for a trip up to Ngoc Linh Mountain.

From the city’s center, tourists should take Provincial Road 672 to get to Dak Ha, Dak To and Tu Mo Rong districts before reaching Mang Ri Commune and moving on to Dak Glei Town before arriving in Ngoc Linh Commune.

On the way, tourists will have to negotiate the steep slopes and hairpin turns on Mang Roi Pass. In return, they will see a breathtaking natural landscape.

The terraced rice fields on the sides of hills and mountains are covered by clouds. Standing on top of Mang Roi Pass, one can take a good view of Tu Mo Rong Valley below and Ngoc Linh Mountain from afar.

The journey from Kon Tum City to Ngoc Linh Commune takes almost half a day. In the commune, tourists will have to travel around two more hours to Long Nang Village, which is home to Xe Dang ethnic people, to find a local man to guide the trip to Ngoc Linh Mountain.

Long Nang is a poor village where people build their stilt houses on the mountain side and use undergroundwater running down from the mountain. Cultivating rice on terraced fields is a major job of villagers.

After staying for a night in the village, tourists can start the trip to the mountain the next morning.

The journey should start early so that tourists can enjoy the beauty and comfortable atmosphere in the morning. After passing through grasslands, they will enter a forest and see imposingly big trees, wild orchids, streams, a high waterfall and mosses covering pine trees, and large rocks.

Conquering Ngoc Linh Mountain is quite challenging due to steep slopes, slippery paths and big trees blocking the way.

At the height of 2,060 meters, tourists can find an area where climbers often choose to take a rest or stay overnight.

The rest is needed for tourists to recover their energy to keep climbing to 2,605 meters above sea level to see a metal stele marking the summit of Ngoc Linh Mountain.

Those interested in climbing Ngoc Linh Mountain should seek a license from authorities and rangers of Ngoc Linh Commune 15 days before the journey. Hiring a motorbike in Kon Tum City is highly recommended as it is the best means of transport to travel to Ngoc Linh Commune.

The tour guide should be a local man who knows the area well. The most experienced tour guide in Long Nang Village is A Mat. Tourists can call 0169 825 8971 to contact him

Tourists on the way to Ngoc Linh Mountain         A man passes through a stream during the journey to Ngoc Linh Mountain – Photos: Linh Nguyen

SGT