Only 1000 participants are allowed to join this tour per year, divided into 100 tours of 10 guests each. Most of the Son Doong tours per year are scheduled in advance. Guests traveling alone or with a group can visit Oxalis Adventure’s website to find a suitable departure and make a reservation. In addition, if there are separate groups of guests (with 10 people) or film crews with special needs, then please contact Oxalis team directly for further information. The tour season of Son Doong Expedition is from the end of January to the end of August every year. Other months of the year, this cave will be closed for weather and conservation reasons.
During the tour, guests will be expected to complete the trekking activities by themselves.
This tour requires a huge amount of logistics to ensure that guests will have a comfortable trip.
The Son Doong Expedition is full of activities and highly challenging experiences. In the 6 levels of tours operated by Oxalis, this tour is at 6 – Difficult, which includes: 17 km trekking on mountain trails on a rocky terrain; a lot of river crossings (inside and outside the cave); 800m of steep climbing; 3 nights camping in the cave; 8km of caving requires climbing and walking with ropes; and scrambling over large rocks; 80m climbing down from the cave entrance to the bottom of the cave; 90m climbing up from the bottom of the cave passage to the top of “The Great Wall of Vietnam” (a huge flowstone wall) with specialized equipment for caving imported from the UK and France… These are the reasons why the adventure level of Son Doong Expedition Tour is ranked at the highest. To successfully complete the conquest of Son Doong, guests need to have good physical and mental preparation.
In order to meet expectations and experience the tour to its fullest, all guests and Oxalis’ staff have to be aware of and strictly follow the rules and regulations of the Son Doong Cave Expedition tour.
This is an adventure tour to experience nature, the route of the trip is into the primary forest area, far away from human habitation. This is home to many rare species of animals listed in the Red Book of Vietnam such as: Chamois, HaTinh langur, 7-color langur, Great Hornbill and many others. Therefore Oxalis has some regulations for Son Doong guests; do not shout, laugh or scream loudly, play loud music, throw rocks or any other activities which will make the animals move away from their natural habitat. As well as making it more difficult for them to find suitable food and living conditions, they may be more susceptible to hunters.
Son Doong Expedition is considered as a world-class adventure tour. However, due to the nature of an adventure tour, guests are recommended to do most of the activities themselves throughout the trip with minimal assistance from Oxalis’ staff. The clean equipment for overnight camping such as tents, mattresses, sleeping bags, pillows will be provided throughout the trip. Bathing will be carried out in natural streams and lakes during the tour. Shampoo or soap is not to be used in any streams or lakes. Filtered water is only used for cooking, drinking, eating, or brushing teeth.
The main terrain of Son Doong Cave Expedition is under the forest canopy with a lot of walking, climbing rocky slopes, crossing streams and rivers. Especially on rainy days, the trail becomes slippery and muddy. Guests may see a few forest leeches appearing where the ground is damp (this creature just lives on damp ground, not in the water). The Son Doong route is one-way, which means guests will continue each day on a new route without repeating any part. So, if any visitor cannot easily complete the first day without assistance, they will be asked to return by the safety expert. The terrain and challenges of Son Doong Cave would be too great a risk for such a person.
There is no wifi or phone signal during the journey of 4 days and 3 nights because the Son Doong tour occurs in a very remote location. Guests need to inform relatives and friends that they will not be able to contact them, so they should not worry. There will be a satellite phone managed by the guide and only used in emergency situations. The Oxalis’ staff will communicate via the radio. Should any relative of a guest need to contact them in an emergency, they should contact Oxalis office, who will arrange for a message to be sent.
This tour is designed for tourists who love adventure and new challenges. Son Doong Expedition is a “must” to do in a lifetime.
There are people who rarely exercise, but once they decide to go to Son Doong, they exercise more often and participate in more outdoor activities to improve their health and physical fitness.
The itinerary of the Son Doong Expedition is designed so that each day has a similar duration and number of challenges so that all guests who are well prepared should complete the trek comfortably. With the temporary disconnection from computers, internet, smart phones or daily business, visitors will have more time to enjoy nature and harmony.
During the tour, guests will be expected to complete the trekking activities by themselves.
This tour requires a huge amount of logistics to ensure that guests will have a comfortable trip.
The basic physical fitness requirements for participating in the Son Doong Expedition tour include:
Trekking experience requirements: Within the last 12 months, it is required to have trekking experience, at least one overnight-trek, and 1-2 day-treks with the following tour elements: trekking routes through forest/mountain/rocky/steep terrains, covering a minimum distance of 8km per day (equivalent to 5 miles per day), with an elevation gain of at least 300m.
Fitness Preparation: Engage in strenuous sports such as football, skiing, or regularly participate in outdoor activities such as walking or running (3-4 times per week, covering 4-5km each time) to maintain physical fitness. This ensures that they are able to:
– Run continuously for 5 kilometres within 50 minutes.
– Climb 5 floors continuously without becoming out of breath or dizzy.
Guests aged 18 to 70 are permitted to join the Son Doong Expedition 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 Son Doong Expedition 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 guides to temporarily suspend the journey, and guide guests out of the forest if significant difficulties are encountered on Day 2 of the itinerary. Refunds or rescheduling are not applicable in such cases.
This is always Oxalis’ top priority in order to ensure the safety of both guests and staff during any trip. Oxalis only uses international standard equipment, mainly imported from France, UK and Switzerland, selected, inspected and maintained by cave experts from the British – Vietnamese Cave Association. Tour guides and safety assistants are responsible for operating these devices.
To qualify for using these devices, they have to pass professional training courses and pass the strict skills tests. Otherwise, they will not be allowed to lead the tour. .
This is always Oxalis’ top priority in order to ensure the safety of both guests and staff during any trip. Oxalis only uses international standard equipment, mainly imported from France, UK and Switzerland, selected, inspected and maintained by cave experts from the British – Vietnamese Cave Association. Tour guides and safety assistants are responsible for operating these devices.
To qualify for using these devices, they have to pass professional training courses and pass the strict skills tests. Otherwise, they will not be allowed to lead the tour. .
Son Doong Cave Expedition tour is set at the highest adventure level among the cave tours in Vietnam. The trip is to go into the core zone of the national park, far away from medical assistance, doctors and hospitals. The tour follows jungle trails, up and downhill many times with no path for bicycles, motorbikes or cars. The entire journey will have no phone signal, wifi and usual communications.
Each Oxalis adventure tour, including Son Doong Expedition, is equipped with a satellite phone to keep in touch with the Operation team in case of emergency. Guests can still use the internet and phone at the hotel before departure and after leaving the forest. During the tour, the safety staff will communicate by walkie-talkie (radio).
In order for the guest to safely explore the caves, Oxalis Adventure has developed an “emergency response procedure”, ready for: cave rescue, cave evacuation and first aid in case of emergency. Every year, we organize many training courses for first aid, rescue, evacuation etc. We have established rescue teams for each tour operating area. The equipment for rescue is chosen and imported from Britain and France, and designed for cave rescue and evacuation. Due to the remote location, the rescue team and medical assistance may take several hours to reach the casualty. Therefore, the safety of guests is Oxalis’ top priority. During the booking process, Guests are required to fill in details about health, physical fitness honestly on their own so that the cave experts and tour consultants can give useful advice. Guests are requested to update their health condition to our Adventure Consultant 45 days prior departure of the tour.
Any activity carries risks, but with adventure tours, these dangers and risks are even higher in comparison with other types of tourism. There could be: floods, insect bites, snake bites, accidents, illness or many others.
Any human activity has potential risks, which can turn into hazards without adequate preparation and preventive measures. Adventure tourism activities such as trekking in the jungle, exploring caves, river crossings, and swimming in dark caves…,will be much riskier than other activities. The risks and dangers that could be encountered are floods, insect bites, snake bites, unexpected accidents or illness, and so on. Therefore safety in adventure tourism has always been an issue to be concerned not only by the customers but also by the tourism company itself.
Many people are wondering, questioning and even believe that it is a dangerous journey to go on an adventure tour. They also care about safety when traveling with Oxalis Adventure. It is a proper caving tour indeed, however, if the guests are prepared ahead both mentally and physically, these adventure tours will be a safe and unforgettable journey. The preparation also includes an acknowledgment of the dangers or risks that may occur on the tour. Good preparation is the key to a successful and enjoyable tour among the travel safety tips in general.
Potential risks jungle activities include:
Oxalis is the only company that has the authority to organize tours to the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park and to Tan Hoa – Cao Quang (Tu Lan – Hang Tien) area. After many years of adventure tourism activities, Oxalis Adventure has created a Level of Adventure system. These levels are based on several years of collecting information from guests, cave experts and Oxalis management staff. This scale is not to be applied to other companies or tours with different conditions and terrains. The easiest level (level 1) anyone can join, and the most difficult level – 6 requires regular exercise and some trekking experience. The adventure Level system is to help guests to visualize and choose the adventure tour most suitable for their fitness and health.
An overview of the physical requirements of the adventure tours, customers need to be aware of and acknowledge the potential risks and hazards of any adventure activity.
It is a combination of many activities such as jungle trekking, river crossing, swimming in the caves, rocky terrain, steep trails up and down, rocky scrambling, rope climbing, ladder climbing, and so on…. Therefore, during the consultation and tour registration process, Oxalis strictly asks the customers to be honest when filling out the fitness declaration on the booking form. This is not only to make sure all customers have the best preparation for the tour, and experience the expedition to the fullest but also to help Oxalis properly assess their physical fitness and advise on appropriate exercise programs. Customers must be honest about any medical conditions. It is very unlikely that any condition would prevent a customer joining the tour, but again Oxalis can advise safety tips for travelers and the customer on how to prepare to have the best and safest experience.
If the application form is not truthfully filled or the customers are not physically fit, it could cause exhaustion during the tour. In these cases, guests would be forced to stop the tour. They not only will not be refunded but may also have to pay the incurred expenses to take them out of the jungle. Better preparation means more enjoyment on the tour.
In order for you to have a great trip, Oxalis recommends you to take appropriate exercise to have good physical fitness. Furthermore, take time to prepare the items you need to bring for the Son Doong expedition including: trekking clothing, sun protections, trekking shoes and backpack. Anything extra can be stored in Oxalis’ Phong Nha Office.
Son Doong Expedition is a long trekking tour in Vietnam with various terrains. Items to bring on tour:
ESSENTIAL CLOTHING
Trekking clothes:
– 3-4 quick-dry, bright, long-sleeved shirts
– 2-3 pairs of long trekking pants (quick-dry)
– 1 waterproof jacket (winter months January to March)
Campsite clothing sets:
– Warm clothes for winter from January to March
– Shorts and T-shirts for summer from April to August
1 medium size backpack (20L) to carry stuff that you need while trekking
1 pair of good gripping trekking shoes (drainable); *Waterproof/Gore Tex shoes are not recommended.
4 pairs of calf-length, thick socks
1 pair of sandals/slides for campsite
Personal dry bag/box for electronic devices
Swimwear using at Hang En Campsite
PERSONAL ITEMS
Mosquito repellent
Sunglasses, sun hat, sunscreen
Hand fan for summer (April to August)
1-2 medium towels
Underwear
Personal hygiene items (toothbrush, toothpaste, nature-friendly shampoo & soap, …)
Power banks
Personal medication
Antifungal foot powder
Passport
Camping equipment: tent, mattresses, pillow, sleeping bags
Caving and safety gears: helmet, headlight, gloves, …
Basic jungle boots (size 36-46 EU)
Water bottle (1L)
Water purifier
Compost toilet, toilet paper, hand cleaner
Semi-dry bag (15L) for campsite clothing sets
First-aid kit and medical rescue equipment
Satellite phone
Optional items
Arm cover if wearing short-sleeved T-shirts
Camera & Tripod
Ear plugs
Bandana or headband
Rehydration tablets
Blister prevention tape
Apart from the above subjective risks, there are some other manageable risks such as: poison ivy/itchy plants (Nang Hai); insect, snake and centipede bites and incidents of heavy rain or floods. Accidents or illnesses can also be considered a risk of joining any adventure activities in the jungle.
This plant normally grows along the banks of the river, it has very tiny hairs on its leaves. If you accidentally touch the leaves it would cause itchiness and burning for 5 days to a week. In order to limit the risks, one of the outdoor adventure safety regulations of Oxalis are: regularly clears the path and cuts down any overgrowth. Additionally, Oxalis’ tour guides and safety assistants (mainly local people who are extremely knowledgeable about the jungle) will be leading the way, and warning the customers if walking near these plants. Besides, customers will be asked to wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants during the trek. If the customers touch this leaf by accident, the guide can give first-aid treatment to relieve itching and burning.
Even though this situation rarely happens, it must be understood that this is one of the potential risks on the adventure tour. Following safety rules and trekking rules, Oxalis’ staff always lead: will be at the front and stay at the back of the group, this will avoid the group from being separated or getting lost. Should anyone spot any hazard, they will immediately warn the rest of the team. Guests are required to wear proper closed shoes, long and thick socks, long pants, and long-sleeved shirts to avoid such hazards. If you accidentally step on a snake or are attacked by a snake, layers of long pants and thick socks will prevent and reduce the amount of venom transferring into the body.
Guests are also required to wear gloves (provided by Oxalis) to prevent their hands from touching branches, bushes, or rock holes in which snakes potentially live and there is a risk of being attacked. If one of the group is bitten by an insect, a snake, or a centipede, the guide will immediately act. This might mean they activate the emergency response protocol, this procedure includes first-aid, a satellite phone to call for help from the office, organizing an ambulance, the doctor will quickly be moved into the location of the accident to give the first aid. Depending on the situation, the rescue team can evacuate the casualty on a specialized stretcher (available at Oxalis’ camps and offices) to move the casualty out while waiting for the emergency team to come.
All of Oxalis’ staff including guides, cave safety experts, and safety assistants are well-trained in first aid, rescue techniques, and hauling systems. Guides and safety assistants will be trained and evaluated every year by British Cave safety experts. If there is an accident/incident requiring medical or hospital treatment, the guide will activate the emergency response procedures and call for a rescue team including doctor, first aid equipment, and ambulance to be available, whilst evacuating the casualty out of the cave or jungle to the road.
In order to have a backup plan/backup route/safety route, Oxalis has always taken into account unexpected floods and considered this when designing the tours. For example, Son Doong campsites are located on high ground to avoid flooding or can be easily evacuated when flooded (Hang En campsite is one example). Or back-up campsites and alternative paths for tours in Tu Lan and Hang Tien area. Emergency food is stored at campsites in case guests have to stay a few more days to wait for the water to go down. Oxalis always monitors weather forecasts in order to prepare for any rise in water levels.
Adventure activities always have potential risks, drinking too much alcohol, or beer or using stimulants/drugs will affect the safety of the customers themselves and the other team members. This could be considered as one of the hidden risks. As safety is one of the first priority factors in adventure travel, Oxalis has a strict regulation that using stimulants/drugs and bringing alcohol is forbidden. If a guide, cave expert or safety assistant detects that a guest has brought alcohol or recreational drugs, the guest will be required to end the tour without receiving a refund for the amount paid.
Oxalis Adventure has established procedures to avoid risks and to ensure safety on adventure tours as well as limit the risks in our tours. This includes “safety rules” that apply to all customers and employees. In order to meet the Safety Statements above, all visitors and Oxalis staff are required to comply with these safety rules and regulations. These rules, if followed strictly, are also considered as adventure safety tips for customers to enjoy the trip to the fullest. Additionally, guests will be required to sign a “Release Form” which contains strict safety terms and conditions.
Some of the Oxalis’s adventure tour is not considered to be easy for all, however, if customers are committed to following the rules and regulations, being honest about their physical fitness declaration, ensuring they have good physical preparation and take responsibility for their own safety as well as the safety of their companions, the difficulties of the adventure tour in general would be greatly reduced and make the expedition much more enjoyable.
