Tu Lan Family Adventure Tour
This is a family adventure tour for children and parents to connect with and enjoy the wild Tu Lan landscape. Creating opportunities for children to gain confidence, and explore new challenges such as trekking through the jungle, wading streams, swimming (with life jackets), exploring caves and camping overnight in the middle of the mysterious jungle. A trip to the wild with your child will create lifelong memories.
The Tu Lan Cave Family Adventure 2-day tour, has been designed to provide an easy and safe introduction to trekking and caving. The route is safe and quite easy with activities such as: river crossing, climbing/scrambling a small hill, and crossing 2 scenic valleys of the Tu Lan area. Families are accompanied at all times by a Tour Guide and Safety Assistants.
- During this family camping tour you will explore two beautiful caves with diverse cave formations. Rat Cave and Little Rat Cave are caves with very unique cave formations that will interest everyone. This is also an opportunity for the adventurous family to learn about and explore million-year-old caves.
- Enjoy wild swimming in the clear river, which wells up out of the ground and flows across the valley. Enjoy the unspoiled nature of the valley and play some games as part of your adventure with family members.
- Enjoy a delicious picnic meal in the middle of the jungle, with the well-known spring roll barbecue prepared by local chefs.
- Unique camping experience:The riverside campsite will be an amazing experience, as you fall asleep to the murmuring of the stream, and the jungle sounds.
Note: Tour takes place in remote areas with complex terrains. Customers must be physically fit.
Please carefully read the tour itinerary and honestly fill out the booking information yourself, especially your experience and health condition.
To book a tour for a group, please send the tour information to them and instruct each member to complete the booking form on their own. Our booking system lets each person fill in their own information, avoiding errors or missing details when someone else does it for you. Read more about Oxalis Adventure Level.
Itinerary
Due to the weather conditions the itinerary may need to be changed at short notice. The paths can be muddy and slippery after rain. Lifejackets must be worn when swimming.
Tan Hoa – Little Rat Cave, Riverside Camp
From 07:30 to 08:00 am on the departure day, the bus will pick you up at your hotel in Phong Nha for the journey to Oxalis’ office in Tan Hoa Village, 70 km from Phong Nha. At the office, the guide will provide a safety briefing where you will hear about the rules and guidelines on trekking tours for children, and the tour schedule; sign the Release Form, pack your bags and receive safety equipment for the tour. (The transfer to Tan Hoa is included in the price of the Tu Lan Family Adventure Tour).
The first part of the Tu Lan family camping tour begins with a walk across green fields for about 2.5km to get to the bank of Rao Nan River. After crossing the river, the group will go up the “Cow Hill” about 60 m high and trek down to the Laken Valley. Guests will don lights and helmets and climb a short ladder with safety equipment and assisted by the safety team, to explore the mysterious world inside Little Rat Cave. Lunch will be served inside the cave. After lunch the group will continue through Little Rat Cave, assisted by the safety team, to the exit into the wide valley. Trek down for a swim in the river, and some entertaining games and competitions led by your guide.
The group then heads to the campsite on the river bank, to enjoy the wonderful dinner that had already been prepared by the local chef. Spend a peaceful night surrounded by nature, after a great family adventure day.
Riverside Camp - Rat Cave- Tan Hoa- Phong Nha
On the morning of the second day, the group will have breakfast together and continue their journey by trekking in Laken Valley and up to the Rat Cave. Explore nearly 300 m of Rat Cave, a cave with a beautiful view from the entrance of the cave. As you explore further your family will see countless magnificent stalactites. Your safety team will be with you at all times.
After exploring the cave, trek down to cross the Rao Nan River and return to Tan Hoa office. Take a shower and have lunch at the local restaurant.
The bus will take the group back to Phong Nha at about 17:30 - 18:00. Relax and enjoy your stay in Phong Nha after your family camping adventure tour.
Note
You need to be in Phong Nha before 07:00 am on the day of the tour and should not have any other plans to avoid being late for departure.
If you plan to get to Phong Nha by train on the morning of the tour, you should book the SE3 departing from Hanoi/Ninh Binh to Dong Hoi station; or the SE8 departing from Da Nang/Hue to Dong Hoi station (it is recommended to book an additional pick-up from Dong Hoi station to Phong Nha). After that, Oxalis' bus for the Tu Lan Family Adventure Tour will transfer everyone from Phong Nha to Tu Lan. Tu Lan is about 112 km from Dong Hoi, if you wish to travel there directly, please contact Oxalis for specific transfer advice.
Oxalis offers a free dorm room with 14 comfortable bunk beds at Oxalis Home (at Oxalis Phong Nha Office) for guests arriving in Phong Nha early in the morning on the day of the tour. Please inform us in advance if you would like to use the free dorm room. Scroll down to Prices and availability to see the schedule for the Tu Lan Family Adventure Tour 2 days 1 night.
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Weather and Climate in Tan Hoa - Tu Lan
The Tan Hoa - Tu Lan area has 4 seasons in a year (spring, summer, autumn, and winter) like many northern provinces of Vietnam. Due to the weather and for conservation, Tu Lan Family Adventure Tours are only operated from December to the middle of September. From December to March the weather will sometimes be cold interspersed with sunny days. April and May are spring months with cool air. From June to August, are the warm months of summer. However, most of the time visitors trek under the forest canopy or inside the cave with a temperature of 22 to 25 degree Celsius.
Each season will have its own unique features for visitors to explore. In addition, visitors can check the weather in Tu Lan- Tan Hoa through Accuweather before joining the Vietnam caving tour.
Adventure level
After many years of operating adventure tours, Oxalis has created an adventure scale to help tourists visualize and choose the right trip. This scale is not to be applied to other companies with different conditions and terrains. The easiest level anyone can join and the most difficult level 6 requires regular exercise and some trekking experience. A high level of fitness is not required for the Tu Lan Family Adventure Tour but guests should enjoy physical activity, and be prepared for two days in the wild.
Adventure Level 2 · Easy
The Tu Lan Family Adventure Tour is rated as Easy (Level 2) on the Oxalis Adventure level system. The difficulty of the tour is based on the physical fitness and health of average active people, not runners, athletes, or intensely active individuals.
Number of guests per tour: Maximum of 12; age 8-70 years old. (Children must be accompanied by a parent).
Expect: Easy trails, some rocky sections, short ladder climb & optional swim
- 2 days 1 night
- Easy to moderate trekking
- 8km of trekking including up to 500m of caving
- Swims and river crossings
- Terrain on tour: Soft trekking experience, 6m ladder in cave, safe for children.
Physical fitness requirements for Tu Lan Family Adventure Tour
The basic physical fitness requirements for participating in the Tu Lan Family Adventure Tour include:
- Trekking experience requirements: Having experience in trekking and camping in the forest is an advantage.
- Fitness Preparation: Regularly participating in physical activities (such as yoga, swimming, hiking, running, stair climbing, gym, and some other sports)to maintain physical fitness. This ensures that they are able to:
- Run continuously for 3 kilometres within 30 minutes or walk for 45 minutes.
- Climb 5 floors continuously without experiencing shortness of breath or dizziness.
The physical requirements mentioned above are not mandatory for children. However, they are expected to engage in sports and maintain a healthy weight.
Guests aged 8 to 70 are permitted to join the Tu Lan Family Adventure Tour, which demands good physical fitness and prior trekking experience. Those with experience in mountain trekking and good physical health, as well as those who engage in regular sports training, could easily complete this tour.
Some guests on the Tu Lan Family Adventure Tour may find it not particularly challenging, while others may encounter difficulties and require assistance from many safety assistants to complete the tour. The tour regulations allow safety experts and/or guides to temporarily suspend the journey, and escort guests out of the forest if significant difficulties are encountered on the itinerary. Refunds or rescheduling are not applicable in such cases.
For more information on the necessary physical activities for a successful trip, please refer to: https://oxalisadventure.com/getting-ready-oxalis-tour/.
Safety when joining the tour
This is always the top priority of all Oxalis Adventure tours to ensure the safety of both visitors and Oxalis’ staff on any trip. We only use high-quality equipment meeting international standards, mainly imported from France, the UK, and Switzerland. The guide team must undergo professional training and be tested for skills regularly. Only qualified Oxalis guides are allowed to lead Oxalis tours. Visitors can learn about the "safety management" and " safety equipmen" that Oxalis uses here.
Risk prevention and management
Any adventure activities will always contain risks and these must be carefully managed. Oxalis tours take place in remote locations without easy access to medical care. Hence a lot of work goes into managing and reducing risks to the lowest level possible. Please always follow the instructions of the tour guide and safety assistants.
You can learn more about "Adventure Safety Tips" here.
Communication on tour
Tu Lan Family Adventure Tour is an adventure tour with some difficulties, this tour is operated in a fairly remote location. There is no phone signal, no wifi, and no charging facilities. Some basic phones (but not smartphones) can pick up a signal, and staff would use these in the event of an emergency. The location of the family tour is not so remote, and evacuation to the road head would not be an issue.
Emergency Response Process
Oxalis Adventure has an established "Emergency Response Protocol" that includes on-site first aid and rescue if an accident occurs during trekking or cave exploration. We organize many training courses for first aid, rescue, and evacuation, and have rescue teams for each tour operation area. The specialized equipment is imported from abroad and complies with European standards. Due to the remote location, rescue teams and medical assistants may take from 30 minutes to 2 hours to reach the location. Therefore, the safety of visitors is the top priority of Oxalis in any activities related to caving in Vietnam. For Experts and Sales consultants to give suitable advice, guests are required to fill in their fitness and health information in the Booking form honestly. They are also required to update the information to the Oxalis consultant 45 days before the tour departure.
Items to bring on tour
The Tu Lan Family Adventure Tour involves different terrains and weather conditions, so guests need to be well prepared. They will be asked to have appropriate clothing for safety reasons, good for moving in the jungle, river crossing, or exploring the cave as well as avoiding dangers and risks from sharp rocks, snakes, insects, or poison ivy. Long trousers and long sleeved shirts should be worn for trekking. Trekking shoes play a very important role in trekking tours with your family. Visitors must choose a good and well fitting pair of shoes for rocky paths and should NOT buy waterproof footwear for river crossings as they will retain water. Please test your shoes before the trek. The Oxalis tour consultant will give you helpful advice before joining the Tu Lan Family Adventure Tour.
Provided by you (required)
Essential clothing
- 1-2 quick-dry, bright, long-sleeved T-shirts
- 1-2 quick-dry trekking pant
- 1 waterproof jacket (in winter)
- 1 pair of trekking shoes with good drainage
- 1-2 pairs of calf-length, densely-woven socks
- 1 campsite clothing set
- 1 pair of sandals/slides for campsite
- Swimwear
Accessories
- Mosquito repellent
- Sunglasses, sun hat, sunscreen
- Mini fan
Personal items
- Towel
- Underwear
- Nature-friendly shampoo & soap
- Personal hygiene items
- Power banks
- Passport
Provided by Oxalis
- Essential gear: camping, caving, and safety
- PVC backpack
- Basic trekking shoes (size 36-46)
- Meals included
- Water bottle (1L) and filter
- Compost toilet, toilet paper, hand cleaner
- Guided tour with chef and porter team
- Shared dry box and semi-dry bag (15L)
- First aid and medical rescue equipment
- Portable fan (in summer)
- Secure storage at office
Optional
- Arm cover if wearing short-sleeved T-shirts
- Camera & Tripod
- Reusable bags for dirty clothes
Campsite on the tour
The campsite for the Tu Lan Family Adventure is located on the river bank, so customers can have a swim in the river. All swimming activities are supervised by safety assistants. Soap and shampoo cannot be used in rivers and pools. For conservation reasons, visitors are encouraged to use bio-shampoos and soaps. Washing should be done at the campsite and not in the river.
The tour occurs in a remote jungle with no power or infrastructure and for conservation and hygiene Oxalis has created environmentally friendly toilets, called "Oxalis Composting Toilets".
The toilet is inside a tent, and consists of a normal toilet seat on top of a box. Inside the box, is a bucket and waste bag to collect all waste and toilet paper which is provided. Nearby is a container of rice husks. After finishing, cover the waste with a generous scoop of rice husks. This ensures a dry composting process, which does not smell, and covers the waste from insects.
When the buckets are full, the porters will change them and bury the waste in a designated location in the jungle. This will biodegrade and turn into fertilizer.
Visitors are required to use the composting toilets for both urination and defecation. Urination outside the toilet or inside the cave is not allowed because of the smell and impact on cave formations and the cave ecosystem.
Hand washing facilities are provided.
How to get to Phong Nha - Tu Lan
Phong Nha is located 45 km from Dong Hoi City, the capital of Quang Binh Province (about 40 minutes by car). You just need to get to Dong Hoi. You can book a carpool/private car service from Oxalis to pick you up at the airport or train station, or you can hire a taxi. There are many ways to get to Dong Hoi such as a plane, train or sleeper bus.
* Visa: Vietnam provides visa exemption for citizens of ASEAN countries (30 days), and 45 days for citizens of (United Kingdom, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Belarus, Russia).
* International airports: There are 3 main international airports for international flights: Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN), Noi Bai International airport (HAN) and Da Nang International Airport (DAD). From Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) or Ha Noi, travellers can book domestic flights to Dong Hoi Airport (VDH). From Da Nang, traveler can catch a train or bus to Dong Hoi/Phong Nha.
- Airplanes: There are many flights with Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet, Pacific Airlines, and Bamboo Airways, daily from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh to Dong Hoi.
- Trains: Many SE trains run daily from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City stopping at Dong Hoi Station.
- Bus: There are many day or night buses from Hanoi, Da Nang, and Hue to Dong Hoi or Phong Nha daily.
You can see more details of “transportation to Phong Nha" here.
Tour booking process
This is an adventure tour in Vietnam and requires a lot of logistic support. To avoid disappointment and complications, guests should choose the best tour for their fitness, abilities and interests. Reading the tour information carefully will help visitors make the right choice for their trips. The booking process includes the following steps:
- Visitors carefully read the tour program and self-assess their health and physical fitness. Appropriate training and preparation may be necessary.
- Guests carefully read the tour highlights and activities to ensure they choose the tour that most interests them.
- Guests fill in their personal information on the booking form themselves. They are asked to give honest answers about their fitness and health.
- After the reservation is made, the Oxalis consultant will contact you within 48 hours to review the information and give guidance for the next steps. If you have not received any news from Oxalis’ within 48 hours, please give us a direct call or check the spam box in case Oxalis’ emails are in there.
- After approval, guests will be asked to pay 100% of the tour cost to confirm the booking.
- Leading up to the departure, your Oxalis consultant will regularly contact you to support you with the preparation of items as well as physical fitness. Or you can contact us for questions.
- 45 days before departure, guests are asked to update their health and fitness to Oxalis.
Tour prices and availability
For conservation and safety at Tu Lan - Hang Tien, the tour has a limited annual number of visitors. The tours are operated from December to September (closed from September to December.) Tours depart on a fixed schedule and each individual can book and join with others. Children must be 8 years or older and must be accompanied by a parent. In addition, Oxalis also has a small number of tours for special groups or filming crews. Please see the tour departure schedule in the calendar below, the dates in bold are available. If you don't see the calendar appear, please wait a few seconds or press F5. The date in bold is the first date of the tour schedule.
Terms of tour cancellation
After completing the reservation, visitors will be required to pay 100% of the tour cost to confirm the booking. Guests can receive a full refund if the cancellation is 7 days before departure. Any cancellations less than 7 days before the departure date are non-refundable. Please see the cancellation terms here for more information.
Tu Lan Family Adventure tour price includes
The price of Tu Lan Family Adventure Tour is 6,500,000 VND (US$280) per guest including VAT, sightseeing fee, and environmental service fee along with the following services:
- Logistics: Each 12-guest tour will have 1 tour guide, 4 safety assistants, 1 chef, and 1 porter.
- Food and Drink: Oxalis provides food, water, tea, and coffee during the journey (not including extra requirements). Dishes are based on fixed menus, vegetarian and vegan will be provided if ordered.
- Safety equipment: Oxalis will provide safety equipment such as helmets, harnesses, headlights, gloves etc.
- Travel insurance: Oxalis buys travel insurance for all guests participating in the tours with a maximum compensation of VND 10,000,000. Visitors are asked to buy comprehensive travel insurance for themselves before joining the tour.
Tu Lan Family Adventure Tour • TF2
Adventure Level: Easy • Age 8-70 years old
USD 280 • VND 6,500,000/pax
Book nowWhether you prefer long treks, camping in a cave, sleeping under the stars in the jungle, swimming underground in river caves, explore the huge dry caves or just taking an exploratory day trip, Oxalis Adventure Tours can provide the right amount of adventure just for you.
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