Son Doong Expedition Tour

The 6 days and 5 nights journey to conquer the world's largest cave with spectacular sceneries and terrains change everyday.

The Son Doong Expedition tour started in Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park, Vietnam in August, 2013. It has become very popular and attracted people around the world who love adventure tours. The adventures that explore caves have become highlights tours in Vietnam since then. In 2014, UK National Geographic named the Son Doong Expedition as the best adventure tour among other expedition and adventure tours. In 2019, the British TV channel, Dave Television also ranked Son Doong Cave Tour as 5th out of the 20 greatest adventure trips on the planet. In 2017, the British Daily Mail voted Son Doong Cave Expedition as having the most impressive campsite in the world.

Son Doong Expedition is a cave trekking tour into the underground world to discover and explore the largest cave in Vietnam, see the beauty of cave formations such as huge stalactites, stalagmites, cave pearls, underground rivers, dolines and a forest growing right inside the cave. Guests will also have opportunities to contemplate the giant sunbeams through the cave, encounter unique creatures and conquer the Great Wall of Vietnam up to 90 meters high.

Son Doong Cave was found in 1990 by Mr. Ho Khanh (a local jungleman in Phong Nha), and surveyed in 2009-2010 by the British-Vietnamese Cave Expedition Team, Son Doong Cave was announced as the largest natural limestone cave in the world in 2009 by the expedition team and confirmed by the National Geographic Magazine in 2011. National Geographic TV also reaffirmed Son Doong as the largest cave in the world by volume of 38.5 million cubic meters. On November 26, 2023, Hang Son Doong, Hang En and Hang Va were featured on Episode 6 - EXTREMES of the famous documentary series Planet Earth III made by BBC.

• World's largest natural cave: As the world's largest known cave passage by volume, Hang Son Doong is so staggeringly vast that any of the world's previously largest caves could be entirely contained within its walls. To illustrate its scale, it is large enough to house an entire Manhattan city block of skyscrapers.
• The cave has an entire jungle inside and its own weather system: The colossal Hang Son Doong Cave, with its two giant dolines (sinkholes), creates a unique and separate weather system. Visitors can observe a dense jungle located 252 meters deep inside. The temperature inside the cave typically ranges from 18 to 24°C (64 to 75°F), a complete contrast to the outside temperature of 38°C (100°F) in the summer.
• There are many new species only found in Son Doong: Visitors may have the chance to see the world's most unique species found only in Son Doong Cave such as blind fish and transparent shrimp. There are also white scorpions and other species that are among the 7 new species found in Son Doong Cave.
• Learn about the indigenous Bru-Van Kieu culture: Visitors will have the opportunity to experience life in Ban Doong, a small village belonging to the Bru-Van Kieu ethnic minority. The village is situated deep within the strictly protected core zone of Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park, remaining completely isolated from modern urban civilization and other settlements.
• Unique campsites deep inside the colossal cave: The absolute highlight of the Son Doong expedition is the three unforgettable nights spent camping deep inside the world's largest cave. Following days of challenging jungle trekking, explorers settle down on pristine "sandy beaches". Here, natural light and moonlight stream through the massive sinkholes (dolines), transforming the cavern ceiling into a breathtaking, sparkling starry sky. This unique experience of sleeping overnight in a huge cave, subterranean is truly one-of-a-kind experiences.
• Conservation-focused tourism: Due to a commitment to conservation, the number of permits for the Son Doong expedition is capped at just 1,000 visitors annually. The demanding 6-day, 5-night adventure is designed for deep immersion: participants will spend 4 days and 3 nights trekking through the primeval forest and exploring the cave, experiencing a total disconnect from civilization.
• World-class adventure tour: To ensure a once-in-a-lifetime and unparalleled experience, Oxalis strictly limits each Son Doong expedition to just 10 guests, supported by a massive and highly professional team of 30 staff. This dedicated service crew, including safety experts, guides, rangers, chefs, and porters.

Itinerary

The Son Doong Expedition is Oxalis Adventure’s ultimate challenge. Prepare for strenuous jungle treks (150m–800m gain), knee-deep river crossings, and technical cave navigation using ladders and ropes. This is a strictly off-grid experience; however, guides carry satellite phones for emergencies.

The itinerary of the Son Doong Expedition tour may be changed due to weather conditions.