Son Doong Cave Expedition 4D3N
Son Doong Cave Expedition 4D3N - More than 25 support staff, security experts and guides will take you deep into the jungle, starting the journey to conquer the Son Doong Cave. You will have the opportunity to fully explore Son Doong Hang, En cave and visit villages of ethnic minorities - Son Doong village. En cave is the third largest in the world after Son Doong and Deer Cave in Malaysia. There is a total length of 1.6 kilometers including 3 gates. In the heart of the cave is a stream leads to Son Doong. From En cave, visitors go about 2 kilometers more to get to Son Doong cave.
Son Doong Exploration
• Duration: 4 days / 3 nights (2 more nights at the hotel)
• Level of risk: Difficult (30 km +) and only for qualified guests
• Number of tours: Departure weekly
• Number of guests: maximum 10 persons / trip
• Mininum Age : 18 years
Price: VND 75,000,000/person
Son Doong Exploration is regarded as the difficult thing to do even with people who have good health and experience in outdoor activities. Assure that you have experience in trekking and your health is good enough for these activities:
4 days 3 nights in the jungle & caves
Go through jungle and mountain trekking with distance over 25km
9 km caving including rope climbing, rocky terrain and scrambling (including 90m ascent of the "Great Wall of Vietnam"
Elevation change up to 400m
Crossing river both surface and underground: multiple times (knee deep, 10-50m wide river)
Operating: January to August
Duration: 4 Days / 3 Nights
Adventure Level: Difficult; for physically active guests (30 km+)
Availability: Regular Departures
Small Group Tours: 10 Guests per Tour
Minimum Age: 18 years
Dong Hoi – Safety Briefing – Phong Nha
Reach Dong Hoi by 2 pm where our driver will pick you up and take you to Son Doong Bungalow in Phong Nha for exploration.
Once you reach, your extra time will be suggest to plan suitably by hospitality services there. You will have time to take a rest, relax and visit the village of Phong Nha. And your own breakfast and lunch on this day will be on your own cost.
You will have time from 5:30 to 6:00pm for gathering in the hotel restaurant before being taken to Oxalis Headquarters, where you can meet your cave expert and guide team for your safety briefing and equipment checking. This stuff is compulsory. That’s why anyone doesn’t to cooperate will be eliminated from the tour without refund.
All our belongings will have to be brought along during your trekking to assure safety for yourself. The operation team will collect all your belongings in individual large plastic bags and send them to our porters to prepare for the following day.
During the tour, you will get your belongings back every evening once you reach the campsite. Some other things you can bring along you should put in you personal backpack such as cameras, tripods, … Hamlets will be sent to you before dinner for the trip. And you will be responsible for the hamlet throughout the trip. Around 7:30pm, enjoy dinner at Phong Nha headquarters, then you will be back to your hotel for good night.
DAY 1 :Phong Nha - Ban Doong Village - Hang En Cave
8:00am: Enjoy breakfast and then get ready for expedition around 9:00am
Leave extra belongings or valueables at Phong Nha headquarters before departure.
Driving along Road 20 of the Ho Chi Minh Highway about 45 minutes, then we reach the trailhead, where you’ll start trekking for approximately 1 hour downhill through the forest. Walking along a small stream about 30 minutes to reach the minority village of Ban Doong. Join with this unique ethnic group of people and enjoy lunch in the village.
After that, you will have two-hour walking along a river with little shadows around. There will be many time crossing the river, so dried feet is surely impossible. Gore-Tex boots will be not suitable with this adventure with its features.
And then, you will reach the entrance of Hang En Cave. Headlight will be prepared for trekking about 20- 30 minutes to your campsite inside the cave. Suitable time for arriving is about 3:00- 4:00pm for swimming and washing in the underground river. Dinner is also prepared at the campsite and this is the time for taking pictures as well.
Anyone who can not finish the first day of tour will be back to Phong Nha and will not be allowed to continue the tour in the next day for safety case. Tour cost will be not refunded.
DAY 2: Hang En Cave - Son Doong Entrance - Hand of Dog - SD Camp 1 - Fossil Passage
8:00am : Enjoy breakfast
9:00 am: Get ready for trekking through Hang En Cave about 30 minutes to get access the magnificent exit. Scramble down to the river valley and walking through the river about an hour. This experience will be great for your tour.
After that, climbing a steep hill for about 45 minutes to reach the top of the hill where you will have time to enjoy lunch, join a safety briefing for safety harness which is necessary for big discovery underground. Continue to climb a steep descent to reach the last Son Doong entrance.
To get inside the cave, continue to make some short climbs about 80 meters using ropes and safety line prepared with your guides’ assistance. Continue to make some more short climbs to get access to the first and second river crossings which are no more than knee-to-thigh deep depending on the water levels. This is the last time you can wash within today.
On the way to reach the first campsite, please be focus on a number of big drops crambling over boulders along a rocky path before getting access to the most beautiful scenes: Hand of Dog and daylight streaming through the cave, thanks to the first doline! After that, we will reach the first campsite about 3- 4 pm. You will have time to drink tea, coffee during enjoying the ancient fossils. And you will have chance for cool swimming before having dinner prepared already.
DAY 3: SD Camp 1 - Watch Out for Dinosaurs – Garden of Edam – SD Camp 2
Having breakfast with your team before departuring for the second compsite in Son Doong Cave at 9:00am. Starting the journey with some first steep rocky climbs to reach the first jungle within the cave at Watch Out for Dinosaurs. From the first campsite to Watch Out for Dinosaurs, it will take about 1.5 hours. You will have a little time to take some photos and then continue to get access to the enormous Green Gour which is regarded as one of the most magnificent and famous photography spots on the adventure!
Continue the adventure by walking through the cave with gigantic formations and plenty of cave pearls. Walking along the path to get access to the underground jungle which is truly the best wonderful experience for you. Going through the jungle about 30 minutes to get access to the steep and slippery path down to your second campsite within Son Doong Cave. You should arrive the campsite about 2-3 pm.
You will have time to take a rest and then continue the adventure by going inside the cave. You will pass through a very large dry passage with huge stalagmites and great views back to the second doline. Be careful with many new creepy crawlies discovered such as white spiders, fish, woodlouse and shrimp species.
After that, you will turn back to the campsite at 5:00pm to enjoy dinner with you team.
Meanwhile, you can play games with friends or just take a rest, relax and enjoy the beauty of the nature.
DAY 4: SD Camp 2 - Wall of Vietnam - Son Doong Exit - Chay Lap Farmstay
Have breakfast. After that, you’ll pack up camp and going towards the Wall of Vietnam. This wall is full of combination of ladders and ropes, and your safe is assured. Passing through this, you will see the light at the end of the exit. Once you get on the top, you will have time for lunch before passing more flowstones and cave pearls.
A short steep road with rock will take you to the bottom of the hill. Cold drinks will be prepared for you. After that, driving about 45 minutes to Chay Lap Farmstay where you can swim to refresh yourself. And then, you will relax after a long adventure.
Please inform your departure time in advance, so that we can arrange to vehicles for picking you up. If you want to expand your journey, please inform us to book extra nights at Chay Lap Farmstay.
DEPARTURE
Extend staying or transfer to train station/airport
Having breakfast at hotel and check out at 12:00pm.
Our driver will manage to pick you up following your departure time. And make sure to inform us if you have plan for longer journey in Phong Nha Cave, so that we can serve better.
Tour includes:
• Camping equipment: tents, rugs, pillows and sleeping bags
• Protective gear for caving: helmets, headlamps, safety belts and gloves
• Meals: breakfast (day 1, 2, 3, 4, last day), lunch (day 1, 2, 3, 4), dinner (day of introduction, day 1, 2, 3, 4)
• A 1.5 liter water bottle (from the starting point)
• 1 British cave security expert (member of the Royal Caves Association of England)
• 1 professional instructor, 5 safety assistant and 2 chefs.
• The team supports the transport of cave exploration equipment and prepares all meals and tents
• Water Filter and Water Pump (Base Camp) (used by tour guides and service teams)
• Simple campsite facilities with an environmentally friendly toilet using a toilet seat
• First aid kit, medical first aid kit and satellite phone (used by Safety Specialist and Guide)
Notes when taking a tour of the adventure
• 2-3 trousers and 4-5 T-shirts or shirts made of lightweight material and easy to dry for walking. If you choose leggings / jogging pants / yoga pants, please choose pants and discreet. Jeans are not accepted in the tour. You can prepare a set of clothes every day, but most people wear trekking clothes for several days.
• 1-2 shorts and a T-shirt to wear at the campsite (you can bring a swimsuit to bathe at Hang En). You should also bring warm clothing in the cold months.
• A warm sweater and a light wind jacket (from February to April)
• Good quality climbing shoes for rugged terrain. Five-Ten Canyoneer 3 shoes or Salomon XA Enduro shoes are the shoes we recommend. DO NOT wear waterproof shoes because of poor drainage. You should bring a spare pair of shoes.
• Underwear
• A pair of flip-flops / sandals used at the campsite
• 1 medium size bath towel
• 4-5 long, thick socks (no neck socks or waterproof socks)
Anti-fungal cream / lotion for feet (your legs will stay wet during the trip)
• Dry shampoo & wet towel (limited bathing shampoo condition)
• Backpack for personal use on the road (size 20-25L because you have to put a helmet in the backpack, not worn outside). If you carry a tripod, you must carry it yourself in your backpack. (Camel pack will not be seen as your backpacker)
• Water tank at least 1.5 liters
• Personal items: toiletries, personal pills, cameras, tripods, extra batteries (women should wear extra feminine toiletries, even in case of redundancy)
• Sunscreen and hat
• mosquito repellants, mosquito repellants
Small starter flashlight used around the campsite
• Rehydration tablets.
• Foot patch tape
• Drugs: Please bring essential drugs or medicines that you must use regularly as a sedative. We only provide medicines for first aid and emergencies
• AA / AAA batteries if needed (batteries available in Phong Nha)
