To explore Son Doong Cave for 7 days. The tour is getting started Dong Hoi, then moving to Phong Nha Ke national park where firstl place to explore Ban Doog Village & Hang En cave. The third day of tour is leaving Hang En cave to Son Doong entrance to explore Soon Dong cave for 3 days / 2 night camping to explore Son Doong's religion cave.

DAY 1: WELCOME TO DONG HOI TOUR

Departure from Danang or Hue city to Dong Hoi Town

Upon Dong Hoi arrival

Tour guide & our experts will introduce & guide about the tour, take note a lession from our experts

Prepareing the gears for the tour

Overnight in Dong Hoi Town &  Saigon Phong Nha Hotel

DAY 2: PHONG NHA – BAN DOONG VILLAGE – HANG EN CAVE
 
Have breakfast at 8:00 am with your guide before departing at 9:00 am for the first leg of the expedition.

After a 45 minute drive along Road 20 of the Ho Chi Minh Highway you’ll reach the trailhead, where you’ll start trekking for approximately 1 hour downhill through the forest, which is quite steep at times.

Walk for half an hour along a small stream to the minority village of Ban Doong, which is a real highlight for many on this expedition. Learn more about this unique ethnic group of people and enjoy lunch beside a small river. Spend  2 hours on walking along a river, with very little shade.

Upon arrival of  the entrance to Hang En Cave, then you will trek/boulder approximately 20-30 minutes to your campsite inside the cave.Arrival in the campsite where you can enjoy swimming and washing within the underground river.

Dinner will be served at the spectacular campsite with numerous photographic opportunities.

DAY 3: HANG EN CAVE – SON DOONG ENTRANCE – HAND OF DOG – SD CAMP 1

Have a breakfast at around 8:00 am.

Geeting started your trek at 9:00 am through Hang En Cave for about 30 mins to reach the magnificent exit, made famous by many photographers over the past few years. You’ll scramble down to the river valley and then it’s an hour walk through the river, so your boots are going to be wet for most of the day; it is unavoidable, yet part of the fun!

Climbing a steep hill for about 45 minutes with some rocky sections to start.

Have a lunch on the top of the hill and a safety briefing and fit your safety harness and prepare for your big journey underground! A steep descent with a couple of short rope climbs brings you at last to Son Doong entrance.

With your safety harnesses, you’ll then start the 80 m descent into the cave by making a number of short climbs, using ropes and safety lines with your guides’ assistance. There is no rappelling or abseiling at any point during the expedition. You’ll then enjoy a few more climbs and bouldering to reach the first and second river crossings inside the cave, which are no more than knee-to-thigh deep depending on the water levels. You should have a wash here, as it will be the last washing place for the day.

On your way to the first campsite in the first large passage of the cave, you’ll have to be extra careful as there are a number of big drops and scrambling over boulders along a rocky path before reaching one of the most spectacular views: Hand of Dog and daylight streaming through the cave thanks to the first doline! You will then scramble down to the first campsite of Son Doong around 3 – 4 pm and have the afternoon to soak up the views and rest your weary bodies.

Have a dinner

Overnight in Camp

DAY 4:  SD CAMP1 – WATCH OUT FOR DINOSAURS – GREAT WALL OF VIETNAM

9:00 am departure towards your second campsite in Son Doong Cave.

You’ll start with some rocky climbs, which are quite steep in some places, as you reach the first jungle within the cave at Watch Out for Dinosaurs. It will take about 1.5 hrs to travel within the cave from Camp 1 to Watch Out for Dinosaurs. After a short break you’ll be trotting down the rocky path to reach the enormous Green Gours, one of the most magnificent and famous photography spots on the tour!

Have a  lunch,  then an easy walk through the cave past gigantic formations and plenty of cave pearls towards the light of the second doline and main jungle within the cave. Follow the path past the beautiful foliage reaching towards the light, to reach the underground jungle, unlike anything you could experience on the planet! Cross the jungle for around 45 minutes to reach the steep and sometimes slippery path down to your second campsite within Son Doong Cave. You will reach camp around 2 – 3 pm.

After a short rest at your campsite, you are back on your feet and heading deeper within the cave towards the Great Wall of Vietnam. You’ll pass through a very large dry passage with huge stalagmites and great views back to the second doline. Many new creepy crawlies have been discovered within this passage including white spiders, fish, woodlouse and shrimp species, so be sure to keep your eyes open.

You will reach at this point either a very large beautiful underground lake (where you’ll then paddle to reach the Great Wall of Vietnam) or you will find a fantastically adventurous muddy pit (at which you will need to trudge your way through for a few hundred meters to reach the wall). It is entirely optional if you wish to go further and reach the actual wall, as you will get very dirty in the mud and there are no bathing facilities on this day at camp (pack plenty of wet wipes if you decide on the plunge!).

You’ll be back at camp again around 6 pm to enjoy a sensational dinner with your team and delight yourself with an evening of games and entertainment, or simply relax and soak up the views at what is quite possibly the very best campsite in the world.

Have a dinner

Overnight in Camp

DAY 5: SD CAMP 2 - FOSSIL PASSAGE – NAT GEO VIEW POINT - HANG EN CAVE

After refueling with another hot breakfast you’ll pack up camp and start heading back to the first doline, with a slightly different route through a small oxbow passage above the underground river with a very steep drop, where you will need to use a rope and safety line.

Once you have reached the first campsite around 11 am, you’ll have time for a short break before climbing down to the ancient fossil passage, where you will witness 350 million year old coral fossils! Enjoy    a small wash in the pools and a hearty lunch before descending back to the main passage, crossing the river twice and proceeding to climb up to the entrance, again strapped in with your harness and safety lines.

Your group will appear out from the entrance of Son Doong around 2 – 3 pm, at which point you’ll have a chance to enjoy a small break and some snacks. Then head back towards the river valley, where you can enjoy a well-deserved and refreshing wash. Walk along the river back to Hang En for your final evening and celebration with porter team at this underground campsite.

DAY 6: HANG EN CAVE – BAN DOONG VILLAGE – PHONG NHA  - DONG HOI

Wake up early and start your 10 km trek back to Road 20 after breakfast. You’ll follow the river along the valley and back through Ban Doong Village. You will enjoy snacks and fruit along the way before starting on what is quite a difficult climb back up the mountain for the last hour of your big adventure. Cold drinks await you at the top of the hill before a 45 minute drive back to Phong Nha. You will have a brief stop at the office to collect your luggage and valuables as well as pick up a small thank you gift from Oxalis, before a final 45 minute drive to Sun Spa Resort in Dong Hoi.

You can then enjoy the bath you’ve been awaiting for so long, a refreshing swim in the pool or a dip in the ocean. There is also a good spa at the hotel. In the evening, you can enjoy a group dinner with your fellow expedition team members.

Please advise the hotel of your departure time upon check-in so they can arrange your transfer back to the airport or train station on the following day.

DAY 7 : SUN SPA RESORT - DEPARTURE

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel (voucher provided) and your transfer to the airport will be arranged by the hotel reception. Be sure to confirm with them your departure information upon your arrival

Please let us know in advance if you would like any additional night(s) at the hotel and we can arrange that for you. There are some great seafood options we can suggest in Dong Hoi if you plan on staying an additional night or two.