Wild Tu Lan cave explorer – Phong Nha Homestay Community

This adventure tour offers the perfect balance between trekking, caving, climbing, squeezing and swimming, combined with enough time to enjoy two spectacular campsites over three-days and two-nights! Our three-day trekking and caving adventure includes the very best wild caves of the region including Hang Ken Cave, Hang Kim Cave, Secret Cave, Hung Ton Cave and Tu Lan Cave! It is a more in challenging experience compared to our Tu Lan Cave Encounter (2 days), as you’ll see more of the caves and go much further into the jungle! One of the highlights on the Wild Tu Lan Cave Explorer is our second campsite at To Mo Waterfall, where you’ll spend the night camping inside a small cave wedged within the limestone mountain and overlooking the beautiful natural swimming lagoon. It is really something special and a highlight for many of our guests. Get ready for the adventure of a lifetime and one of the most talked about adventure experiences in Vietnam!

Itinerary

Day 1: Phong Nha – Tan Hoa – Tu Lan

You will be picked up in Phong Nha between 8:00 am and 8:30 am at your hotel and driven to the

little village of Tan Hoa for your initial safety brieöng. You’ll then set off across sweeping öelds for 2.5

km to the Rao Nan River, where climbing ensues (50 m), up a rocky slope to önd the entrance of

Secret Cave for your örst cave discovery.

You’ll then trek through Hung Ton Valley and up Hung Ton Mountain. It’s 2 km more along the

mountain ridge until Mango Mountain, where the reward is a picnic lunch and from there, the trek

continues into and through Tu Lan Valley (2 km). You’ll önish your afternoon on a more relaxed note

with swimming around the waterfall, followed by a BBQ dinner, and singing around the campöre

until sleep overcomes you.

Day 2: Tu Lan – Hang Kim – To Mo

The morning arrives with another full day of adventure. Shortly following breakfast comes a 200 m

swim directly into Tu Lan Cave. Trek 2 km back through the valley to loop back to camp for more

waterfall swimming, a rest, and picnic lunch.

Post-lunch, it’s a 200 m swim into Ken Cave, followed by a 500 m trek to Hang Kim where swimming

(450 m) and exploration (500 m) continues before adventuring 500 m on through To Mo Valley to

the To Mo Cave campsite. Enjoy another beautifully prepared dinner, and the unique experience of

camping inside a cave set deep in the Vietnamese jungle.

Day 3: To Mo – Tan Hoa – Phong Nha

The last day continues to exude more adventure with breakfast and then a morning swim 200 m

upstream past the waterfall and through Hung Ton Cave via what is usually the exit of the cave.

Investigation of the dry passage leads to a 15 m ladder climb up to the entrance of Hung Ton. After

trekking across Hung Ton Valley and over the hill to La Ken Valley (2.5 km), enjoy lunch by the river

prior to visiting Hung Chuot (300 m).

Early afternoon holds the return trip across Rao Nan River, the beautiful öelds, and back to Tan Hoa

(2.5 km), where a cold drink will be calling your name. Showers are available for those who would

like to clean up and change. The tour returns to Phong Nha by 5:30 pm.

Adventure Level

Our Wild Tu Lan Cave Explorer is moderate for anyone who considers themselves physically

öt and participates in regular outdoor activities, but difficult for anyone with limited outdoor

experience. You will trek approximately 18 km via overgrown jungle paths and scramble over

many boulders within the caves. You should be able to swim as you’ll explore a number of

wet caves of varying lengths (100 m to 400 m each). You should also feel comfortable having

to climb through some small passages, and also up/down a 15 m ladder (with safety rope).

Never forget you are deep in the jungle and the difficulty of this tour is also very dependent

on the weather. It can get very cold during December to March (8 – 15 degrees Celsius) and

very hot during June to August (32 – 38 degrees Celsius), not to mention anytime it rains the

jungle becomes very slippery and muddy!

Safety is absolutely paramount on all trips operated by Oxalis Adventure Tours, and along

with having best caving equipment, you’ll be led by one of our expert adventure guides. Not

suitable for children under 16 years of age.

We will provide you with the following:

• Camping gear: hammock/tent, camp light, sleeping bag

• Caving & safety gear: caving helmet, caving headlight, life jacket, gloves

• Light PVC backpack (if you do not want to take your own, as it will get wet)

• Dry bag (for clothing and personal belongings excl. electronics)

• Basic canvas trekking boots (only if you do not have your own pair) sizes 38 – 46

•

• Meals: picnic lunches, breakfast (day 2 & 3), dinner (day 1 & 2)

• Professional English-speaking tour guide and guide safety assistant

• Porter team to carry all camping gear and prepare all meals

• Shared dry box for phones and small cameras (limited availability for larger cameras)

• Katadyn (Swiss-made) water puriöer (used only by guide and porters) and water bottle

• Basic camping facilities with eco-friendly compost toilet using western toilet seat

• First Aid Kit and Medical Rescue Equipment (application by guides and porters only

Please also bring with

Please also bring with you the following:

• 2 long (easy to dry) pants and 2 long sleeved shirt to wear during the trek (quick dry)

• 1 pair of shorts and t-shirt to wear at campsite and swim suit.

• 1 pair of trekking boots/shoes (if you prefer your own comfortable pair)

• 1 pair of øip øop (sandals) for campsite

• 1 medium size towel

• 2-3 pairs of calf length close weave socks (not ankle socks!)

•

• Personal items: mosquito repellent, sunglasses, hat, camera, underwear, toiletries

If you are trekking in the colder months (December – March) please bring additional warm

clothes for the evening and an extra change of long pants and shirt for swimming