Son Doong Cave Expedition 4 Day Tour

Description

Son Doong Cave Expedition 4 Day Tour is one of the top adventurous tours in the list of the hottest tours in the world. So book the Son Dong Cave Tour, you will cross fabulous underground rivers to explore two gigantic cave ceiling collapses; trek through the pristine underground rainforests; and overnight in some of the world’s most beautiful campsites. This tour is limited and only for adventurous people who would like to get a unique lifetime experience.

Son Doong Cave Map

SON DOONG CAVE EXPEDITION TOUR

Travel Briefing: Dong Hoi- Phong Nha- Oxalis office.

Important: Please be ready in Dong Hoi city at 14:00 in the afternoon of the briefing day to get transferred to Son Doong hotel in Phong Nha. This day is important so please be on time!

At 17:30 We will pick you up at your hotel and transfer to Oxalis Headquarters. You will meet your cave experts and guides for your safety briefing and equipment check. Please note that this is a must-do check, anyone who misses this day CAN NOT join the tour without a refund.

Please be well prepared for your belongings before the briefing and our porters will collect them after the briefing meeting, they will give them back to you each evening when we get to the campsite every day. Just take with you the things you need in a small backpack such as cameras, tripods, sun cream, etc. For your safety, please always wear your helmets and you have to sign the “Release Form” in the safety briefing.

At 19:30 have some welcomed drinks with our team on the tour and then you will get a transfer back to your hotel.

Day 1: Phong Nha- Ban Doong Village- Hang En Cave

Please note that at 8:00 am, when you have breakfast at the hotel, our porters will come to collect your luggage and belongings for the tour and will return them to your hotel when the tour finished.

At 9:00 am, we pick you up at your hotel lobby and we start the Son Doong Cave Expedition 4 Day Tour. After 45 minutes will get to the Ho Chi Minh trailhead and we start trekking for about an hour downhill through the forest. After that, we will walk 1/2 hour to reach the Ban Doong minority village. We will learn about this unique ethnic group and enjoy a local lunch in this village.

From the village, we will walk along the river under the sun for around 2 hours and we will cross the river many times so please note that our feet will be wet the whole day. (the water level will be over your knees).

Our destination for this day is the Hang En Cave, the house of thousands of swifts. From here, we will use the headlight to climb/ trek for about 30 minutes to reach our campsite in this beautiful cave.

 

At around 4 pm, you can swim in the fabulous underground river and then have a lovely dinner in the wonderful cave camp, capture some unique photos.

Important note:  If you are unable to complete any stage of the first day comfortably will be turned back to Phong Nha and could not continue this expedition. So the safety team on your tour will decide depends on your health status on the 1st day. If you are turned back to Phong Nha, there is no refund in this case.

Day 2: Hang En Cave – Son Doong Cave Entrance – Hand Of Dog – Sd Camp 1 – Fossil Passage

The second day will be a tough day, so at 8:00 am, we will have a big and nice breakfast to get strong energy. At 9:00 am, we will trek about 30 minutes to reach to Hang En Cave exist. This is a great place to take unique photos. Then, we will trek down to the river valley and then walk through the river for about an hour. After that is a 45minutes climb up with some rocky sections and have lunch on the top hill. After lunch, safety briefing,  and fit your safety harness to prepare for a big journey to the underground cave. Overcome a steep descent with some of the short rope climbs will bring you at last to Son Doong cave entrance.

With your safety harnesses, your ropes, and your guide assistance, you will start the 80m descent into the cave by making a number of short descents. Please note that there is no rappelling or abseiling at any point during this expedition. After a few more climbs to reach the first and second river crossings inside the cave, the water level is around knee-to-thigh depending on the season. This is the only place where you can swim and wash your stuff.

Another extra safety note is a number of big drops and scrambling over boulders along a rocky path on the way to the 1st campsite. Our safety team will be always by your side to help you to reach one of the most fabulous views in the largest part of the cave.
Around 16:00, we will arrive at the Son Doong campsite, have some hot drinks then you can have a short swim, or head down to see the ancient fossils. Have dinner before the sunshine is off.

Important note: There are no washing facilities at camp on this day.

Day 3: SD Camp 1 – Watch Out For Dinosaurs – Garden Of Edam – SD Camp 2

At 8:00 am, we will have breakfast at the campsite and to get energy for the Son Doong Cave Tour. Your 3rd day will start with some rocky climbs to reach the first jungle within the cave at Watch Out for Dinosaurs. It will take about 1.5 hours and some places are quite steep. After taking some photos, we will go down the rocky path to reach the enormous Green Gours, one of the most beautiful and famous photography spots on the tour.

We will walk through the cave past gigantic formations and numerous of cave pearls towards the light of the second doline and main jungle within the cave. Along the path past the fabulous foliage reaching towards the light to reach the underground jungle. These are unique and unlike anything else on the planet! After that, It will take about 30 minutes to cross the jungle to reach the steep and sometimes in our journey, slippery path down to your second campsite in the Son Doong Cave. Around 14:00, we will reach campsite.

After a short break at the campsite, we will keep on your feet to head deeper within the cave. we will go past through a very big dry passage with huge stalagmites and wonderful views back to the 2nd doline. Many new creepy crawlies have been discovered within this passage including woodlouse, and shrimp species, white spiders, fish, so make sure to keep your eyes open. You will have a lot of great photos here

At about 17:00, we will get back to the world’s best comapsite to have a lovely dinner with our team.

Day 4: SD Camp 2 – Wall Of Vietnam – Son Doong Cave Exit – Chay Lap Farmstay

After having a hot breakfast we start the Son Doong Cave Tour. We will pack up camp and head towards the “Great Wall of Vietnam.” To conquer this grand wall, we have to use ladders and ropes in three sections, but there are always safety lines and a support team to help you. After this strenuous ascent, we will see the light from the exit. At the top of the Wall, we will enjoy a picnic lunch before passing more flowstones and cave pearls. We also will see the calcite covered animal skeleton and then emerge into the jungle.

 

To finish our Son Doong Cave Expedition Tour, we have to overcome a short but pretty steep and rocky path leads down to the bottom of the hill, after that is a short hike to the road. On the top of the hill, we will enjoy some cold drinks before having a 45-minute drive back to Chay Lap Farmstay & Resort. Nice food, beautiful swimming pool are waiting for you. We also will have a farewell dinner with the group members and expedition team.

Important notes: Please let us know in advance your departure time to leave Phong Nha/ Dong Hoi so we will transfer you to the airport/ train station.

Important information about Son Doong Cave Expedition Tour

• We will have 4 days exploring, 3 nights cave- camping.
• It is only available from January to August due to annual flooding.
• Group size is from 01 to 10 people maximum.
• Age Limit: only for adults from 18 years old.
• The tour distance: 8km caving, 800m elevation change, 17km trekking, and 90m climb of the “Great Wall of Vietnam”.
• Level of difficulty: Level 6 – hard.
• The Itinerary (above) could be changed depends on the weather. the trekking paths can be slippery and muddy after rain.

What should you prepare?

• The trekking shoes – difficult terrain, good footwear necessary.
• 05 pairs of calf length close weave socks.
• Flip flops/sandals, towel, wet wipes, water bottle, small head torch for camp.
•  Anti-fungal foot powder, mosquito repellent, sunscreen, re-hydration tablets, any required medication, and hat.
• Medium-sized rucksack/backpack for daily belongings.
• Trekking clothes for 4 days.
• 02 pairs of shorts and a t-shirt to wear at the campsite.
• 1 Fleece and 1 lightweight windproof/jacket (February – April only).
• Personal items (Toiletries should also include feminine hygiene products for ladies, toiletries, underwear, medication,)
• Phone, camera, etc.

We will prepare for you and these are included in the tour.

• Water filters (application by guide and porters)
• Basic camping facilities with eco-friendly compost toilet using the western toilet seat
• First Aid Kit, Rescue Equipment & Satellite Phone (application by safety advisor and tour guides only)
• A safety consultant (a member of the British Cave Research Association)
• A rofessional English-speaking tour guide, 05 safety assistants, and 02 chefs.
• The porter team to carry all gears and prepare the meals.
• Accommodations (single or twin-shared) at Son Doong Bungalow before the tour and at Chay Lap Farmstay & Resort after the tour
• Round-trip transfer Dong Hoi – Phong Nha before and after the tour
• Use of 3 x 43,000 lumen LED filming lights
• Camping gear: tent, sleeping mat, pillow, and sleeping bag
• Caving & safety gear: caving helmet, caving headlight, harness, and gloves
• Breakfast for the day 1, 2, 3, 4, departure day, lunch on the day 1, 2, 3, 4, and dinners on the briefing day, day 1, 2, 3, 4.

Important Notes: The porter team will carry any of your gear that you will not require during each day such as camera equipment/clothes you do not need during the day can be taken ahead to the campsite for you.

The maximum luggage for them to carry (7 kg/ person) so please do not bring too many things. No outdoor equipment is available in Phong Nha and only limited items in Hanoi or Saigon.

From 2019, all tours will benefit from extra photographic opportunities and equipment. Using our 38,000-lumen lights, we will enable you to take photographs only available previously on designated photography tours. We will light up the darkest parts of the cave to enable everyone, even iPhone users to create awesome images.

If you could not do the Son Doong Cave Expedition Tour, you can choose our Tu Lan Cave Expedition. It is also a fabulous tour at an affordable price and the level of difficulty is lower!

Price

3,400 USD/Pax.

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