Tu Lan Family Adventure Tour 2 days 1 night

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.

Day 1: 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.

Day 2: 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 us for specific transfer advice.

Tu Lan Family Adventure tour price includes

The price of Tu Lan Family Adventure Tour is including VAT (10%), 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: Tour operator 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: Tour operator will provide safety equipment such as helmets, harnesses, headlights, gloves etc.
• Travel insurance: Tour operator 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.

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.

Preparation for the Tu Lan Family Adventure Tour

Even though this is just a short overnight tour, in order for the family, especially the children, should still be prepared, to experience the tour to its fullest.

Fitness preparation for Tu Lan Family Adventure Tour

The Tu Lan Family Adventure Tour is ranked as level 2 (Easy) in Oxalis Adventure’s level. The tour is designed for all families who enjoy being active and like to experience nature. The tour is designed to be suitable for family trekking and is suitable for guests 8 years old and above (children must be accompanied by a parent). Families should be prepared for camping overnight. Please refer to the “Physical Activities” that Oxalis Adventure advises visitors to practice for a successful trip.

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 tour operator 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 Tour Opertor

• 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

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
Requires: Basic fitness, some sports activities
Number of guests per tour: Maximum of 12; 8 years and above (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.

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.