Wild Tu Lan Cave Explorer Tour

From January to March, there are some cold days, especially on rainy days but there are also many warm sunny days. April and May are the warmer months, and this is the time when wildflowers are blooming. From June to August are the hot summer months, but most of the time visitors are in the cave with the temperature from 22 to 25 degrees, or forest, so it should not feel too hot. In the summer months, visitors can comfortably swim in the streams and underground lakes inside Vietnam caves, so exploring Tu Lan is the ideal suggestion for you if you don't know where to go for 3 days and 4 nights.

Each season will have its own unique features for visitors to explore, and find out more about the uniqueness of nature. In addition, visitors can check the weather in Tu Lan - Tan Hoa through Accuweather before joining the tour.

Adventure level 3 · Moderate
The Wild Tu Lan Cave Explorer tour is rated as Moderate (Level 3) 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.
Activities: Rocky terrain, steep hills, long trek or multiple swims
The number of guests per tour: Maximum 10 customers; Age 16-70 years old.

• Moderate trekking
• 18km of trekking including 4km of caving
• 435m elevation gain
• 1km swimming (50-200m) with a life vest provided by Oxalis
• There will be some rocky terrain, long and steep hills, underground swims and river crossings and a 15m ladder climb with a safety rope, operated by the safety team.

Only qualified guides may lead an Oxalis tour. Visitors can learn about the "safety management" and "safety equipmen" that Oxalis uses here.

Dangers, risks and how to avoid them on tour

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.

Each Oxalis cave tour is equipped with 1 satellite phone for the guide to contact the office in case of emergency. Guests can only use the internet and phone at the hotel before and after the Oxalis tours. While trekking in the mountains and exploring the caves, the safety team will communicate with each other by walkie-talkie if necessary.

Oxalis Adventure has an established "Emergency Response Procedure" 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 will 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.

The campsite for the second day is in the To Mo Valley. The campsite is located next to the stream and a large lake fed by the waterfall pouring out of Hung Ton Cave. This is also where director Victor Vu filmed scenes for the 2018 movie The Immortal. Note: The water may not be clear on rainy days.

The average temperature in winter is around 15 to 28 degrees, and in summer 30 to 38 degrees Celsius. Guests are provided with a warm sleeping bag in winter or a battery fan in the tent during the summer months. More information about the "unique campsites in Wild Tu Lan Cave Explorer tour" - camping inside Quang Binh forest is available here.

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.

* 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.

• Flight: Daily flights from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are operated by Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet. To Dong Hoi from Ho Chi Minh.
• Train: From Hanoi to and from Ho Chi Minh City, there are numerous SE trains that travel every day. Dong Hoi station is where Ho Chi Minh has a stop.
• Bus: Buses from Hanoi to Phong Nha, Dong Hoi, or from Da Nang, Hue to Phong Nha run often during the day or at night.

You can check out the means of transportation to Phong Nha here. “How to get to Phong Nha?". All participants of Oxalis Adventure tours will be picked up at their designated hotel around Phong Nha town on the morning of the departure day.

• 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.

• Food and beverage: Oxalis provides meals, tea, and coffee for guests during the trip (excluding any extra requests). Dinner with a local family after the tour. Dishes follow a fixed menu and vegetarian or vegan dishes are also provided at the request of the guest.
• Accommodation: Oxalis offer two nights in the tent during the jungle trek and 1 night at Tu Lan Lodge after the trek.
• Safety equipment: Oxalis will provide safety equipment such as helmets, safety harnesses, caving headlamps, gloves and other safety equipment.
• Traveling insurance: Oxalis buys travel insurance for all tourists participating in the tour with a maximum compensation of VND 10,000,000. Visitors are advised to purchase their own comprehensive travel insurance prior to joining the tour.