Ho Chi Minh Trail to Da Lat – 5 days

This tour  guide is Son, he is one of the most experienced, knowledgeable and safest driver and guide you can choose.

Son has 7 years’ experience leading tours to Da Lat, Saigon and other long distance trips, he has worked hard to develop this tour into an unforgettable experience for you and this is definitely his signature tour.

The increase in tourism over the last few years has seen tour operators spring up like mushrooms, many have little knowledge of the country between here and Da Lat and this reflects in the quality and lack of imagination in their itineraries and routes.

Hoi An to Kham Duc

• 8.00am: Depart: Pick up at your hotel

  We will meet you in the foyer to start our tour. Our first stop is a visit to a local Hoi An fishing village located on the beautiful Thu Bon river. You can see the fishing fleet and observe ladies selling todays catch.

• 2. The Art of Rice Paper Making

  Leaving the fishing village and at an easy pace we take quiet rural roads past picturesque rice paddies visiting local village workshops to see some amazing handcrafts. You can watch traditional rice paper making and visit local markets before we move on to My Son holy land.

• 11.30am: Arrive at My Son Sanctuary

  We arrive at My Son sanctuary but first lunch, then we start our tour of the Sanctuary. Most visitors take about an hour or so to wander through, we provide a complimentary experienced sanctuary guide to explain the cultural significance of many of the ruins. The name My Son means “beautiful mountain” and the Hindu ruins are dated to between the 4th and 13th centuries, these ancient towers and temples sit upon emerald hills in the Duy Xuyen District of Quang Nam in central Vietnam. This is a UNESCO World Heritage site and you are free to explore the 71 structures in 8 groupings making up the sanctuary. This is a wonderful example of Vietnam’s rich indigenous culture.

• 4. Follow the Ho Chi Minh Trail

  Leaving My Son holy land we pick up the Ho Chi Minh Trail. As we go you can see many local farmers tending their crops using timeless traditional farming methods. We stop at a pineapple plantation to learn how pineapples are grown and sample the delicious pineapples. As we travel you will be treated to some wonderful rural views, with plenty of time to take memorable photos.

• 3.15: Our first waterfall

  It’s mid afternoon so certainly time for a stop at a mountain waterfalls with crystal clear cool water. Another great photo opportunity, there is time for a swim or a walk to explore the mountain views or just some quiet relax time.

• 5.00pm: Arrive at Kham Duc town for the night.

  After relaxing at the waterfall we head on to the small but very old town of Kham Duc, our first night stop. There is plenty of time to explore, relax and talk about the day’s experiences. We will have dinner at the hotel when you are ready.

  Day 2- Kham Duc to Kon Tum.

• 7.30am: Lets meet for breakfast!

  Our day starts with breakfast before we continue our HCMT journey at 8.00am. We are still heading up the mountain to the Lo Xo Pass. Along the way we will see many interesting minority villages where life hasn’t changed much in for generations. Just ask the guide to stop anytime if you see something interesting or want to take a photo.

• 8. Forest adventure.

  A bit after 9.00am we take relaxing stop in a beautiful forest at our second waterfall for a morning swim. You will appreciate the peace and serenity of an untouched natural wonderland free from the bustle of commercial tourist attractions.

• 9. Let’s enjoy coffee and step back in Time.

  Our journey is paused for a coffee stop before we go on to see the long communal house of the Xo Dang and Ba Na people, a minority mountain group. You will be surprised by the complex architecture of this ancient traditional house. Take the time to walk through and marvel at its elaborate decorations and the friendliness of the local people.

• 10. Take a walk on the suspension bridge.

  For those in need of an adrenaline rush, a walk across the wooden Suspension bridge above the river is great fun. Listen to the music of the bridge as you take each step (it’s music not creaking wood). We can also take some time to rest and add to your increasing portfolio of memorable photos, enjoy the breathtaking natural scenery and our next minority village stop.

• 12.30pm: Time for Lunch and a cool drink.

  Lunch along the road at an excellent local restaurant will give you a chance to sample more great local dishes.

• 12. Rubber plantations, how do you harvest rubber?

  After lunch we visit a rubber plantation, where you can learn about the traditional method of rubber harvesting.

• 5.00pm: Kon Tum wooden Church.

  When we arrive at our evening stop, Kon Tum and before we check in at our hotel we will spend a little time visiting a very old, historic and beautiful wooden Church After checkin it’s time for a cold beer and a chat about our days adventure before dinner at a local restaurant, where the food is great. Vietnamese pancake is especially good.

  Day 3- Kon Tum to Buon Me Thuot

• 7.30am: Breakfast day 3.

  After breakfast we leave Kon Tum about 8.00am. We resume our climb to the mountains plateau, our remaining trip to Da Lat will be along this stunningly beautiful plateau. We make plenty of stops for rest and so you can take in the natural beauty, you will see why we are passionate about giving you the chance to Explore My Vietnam. Our pace is leisurely, so you can take in the breathtaking scenery and capture more photo memories.

• 9.45am: Stop at Bien Ho Lake and visit a Coffee Plantation.

  We stop at Bien Ho lake, the view from here is indeed awesome, including some beautiful tea plantations. We can take a short rest, reflect on the simplicity but beauty of life here and how different it is to your home country. Riding on through coffee plantations, home to some of the most famous Vietnamese coffee’s we will visit a plantation to see how coffee is grown. depending on the season, we may be able to view the harvest or roasting. Then on to lunch and yes, more fantastic local specialties to try. We even get to sample some exceptional Vietnamese coffee.

• 1.15pm: A leisurely drive to Buon Me Thuot

  This afternoon we have a wonderful trip through the mountain region on the HCMT. The trip is 127km but the scenery is diverse but always beautiful. We will go at an easy pace, stopping whenever you want to view the magnificent gorges and different vegetation. There is always so much to see on the Ho Chi Minh trail.

• 4.00pm: Stop for a visit to Ancient Pagoda before our evening stop.

  On our afternoon drive we will take a break at the site of an ancient pagoda that has been beautifully restored before reaching today’s evening stop at Buon Me Thuot city. We arrive at about 5.00pm and after checkin its time for a few refreshments. Tonight’s dinner is at a local restaurant, you can select from many of their excellent local dishes. As all the restaurants in the city do not have menus in English our guide will accompany you to dinner to assist you in ordering food.

  Day 4

• 7.30am: Breakfast to start the day

  We will meet for breakfast at 7.30 before we depart about 8.00am. Each day it seems the country through which we travel becomes even more beautiful, this is certainly true of day 4. After breakfast we start an exciting day of discovery and scenic beauty on our way to evening destination of Lak Lake.

• 9.00am: Hidden Waterfall and forest walk.

  After a short trip of 35km’s we can take a short 10-minute forest walk to discover the hidden waterfall of D’ray Nu. We can spend about an hour exploring this area where you have many photo opportunities to remember the beauty of this forest, take a refreshing swim in crystal clear mountain water. From past guests comments, this is a tour highlight.

• 11.00am: Visit the Pepper Plantation

  After the waterfall we will visit a pepper plantation to see how pepper is grown, harvested and processed. From the pepper plantation we head to lunch we head to today’s destination, Lak Lake about 60km’s. Just before we get to the lake we will stop for lunch at about 1.00pm.

• 2.00pm: Visit the ethnic minority village of Yun Village

  After lunch and just a short drive we have plenty of time to visit Yun village, one of the 54 ethnic minorities in Vietnam. You can walk at your leisure through the village observing the traditional way of life which hasn’t changed much over the last 100 years. For a small fee you can take an unforgettable ride around the large lake on an elephant, a great experience particularly if you have never riden an elephant before.

• 4:00pm: Check in to your hotel

  When you are ready we will go the short distance to our hotel for the night. A relaxing days travel but filled with natural beauty and very interesting sights. You are free to walk around the lake or visit the local market. Your guide is happy to come with you or you can walk by yourself. Tonight we will visit a local restaurant for dinner.

  Day 5

• 7.30: Breakfast then continue on to Da Lat

  Today we will arrive at our final destination of Da Lat but maybe we have kept the best till last. After the beauty of the Lak Lake it only gets better, unbelievable but true. Be ready for a day of extreme beauty and amazing exploring.

• 11.30am: Mountain top visit and lunch

  Travelling to the top of the mountain you will see many rural villages and local villagers. You can observe the simplicity and tranquility of village life, a life far different from the frantic pace of HCMC or Hanoi and your home country. We can enjoy a local lunch at the top of the mountain.

• 1.30pm: visit the 15mt tall marble Buddha and Elephant waterfall

  After lunch we continue on to Da Lat, stopping along the way at a very old temple where you will marvel at the marble (well actually sand and cement that looks like marble), but still a 15mt tall statue of buddha is impressive. A short walk and we arrive at the breathtaking elephant waterfall for photos, exploring and a relax. We don’t recommend swimming here.

• 3.15pm: A quick visit to the Silk Worm Farm

  After the waterfall we continue on to a silk worm farm. You can see the whole silk manufacturing process from growing the worms, harvesting, and weaving, dyeing and finally into beautiful silk garments. You can even buy some silk products which were made on the farm.

• 4.15pm: Check Out The Coffee Weasel, And Coffee Plantation

  If watching silk making isn’t enough, we now move to the coffee plantation. You can see how the famous coffee weasels enhance the taste of this exquisite and exotic coffee. Drinking weasel coffee is a must do activity.

• 5:00pm: Head To Da lat

  We now sadly head for Da Lat and the end of our journey arriving at your hotel about 5.30pm. As we continue travelling along the mountain road, the scenery and views will continue to provide magnificent memories all the way to Da Lat and your hotel.

Hoi An to Kham Duc

• 8.00am: Depart: Pick up at your hotel

  We will meet you in the foyer to start our tour. Our first stop is a visit to a local Hoi An fishing village located on the beautiful Thu Bon river. You can see the fishing fleet and observe ladies selling todays catch.

• 2. The Art of Rice Paper Making

  Leaving the fishing village and at an easy pace we take quiet rural roads past picturesque rice paddies visiting local village workshops to see some amazing handcrafts. You can watch traditional rice paper making and visit local markets before we move on to My Son holy land.

• 11.30am: Arrive at My Son Sanctuary

  We arrive at My Son sanctuary but first lunch, then we start our tour of the Sanctuary. Most visitors take about an hour or so to wander through, we provide a complimentary experienced sanctuary guide to explain the cultural significance of many of the ruins. The name My Son means “beautiful mountain” and the Hindu ruins are dated to between the 4th and 13th centuries, these ancient towers and temples sit upon emerald hills in the Duy Xuyen District of Quang Nam in central Vietnam. This is a UNESCO World Heritage site and you are free to explore the 71 structures in 8 groupings making up the sanctuary. This is a wonderful example of Vietnam’s rich indigenous culture.

• 4. Follow the Ho Chi Minh Trail

  Leaving My Son holy land we pick up the Ho Chi Minh Trail. As we go you can see many local farmers tending their crops using timeless traditional farming methods. We stop at a pineapple plantation to learn how pineapples are grown and sample the delicious pineapples. As we travel you will be treated to some wonderful rural views, with plenty of time to take memorable photos.

• 3.15: Our first waterfall

  It’s mid afternoon so certainly time for a stop at a mountain waterfalls with crystal clear cool water. Another great photo opportunity, there is time for a swim or a walk to explore the mountain views or just some quiet relax time.

• 5.00pm: Arrive at Kham Duc town for the night.

  After relaxing at the waterfall we head on to the small but very old town of Kham Duc, our first night stop. There is plenty of time to explore, relax and talk about the day’s experiences. We will have dinner at the hotel when you are ready.

  Day 2- Kham Duc to Kon Tum.

• 7.30am: Lets meet for breakfast!

  Our day starts with breakfast before we continue our HCMT journey at 8.00am. We are still heading up the mountain to the Lo Xo Pass. Along the way we will see many interesting minority villages where life hasn’t changed much in for generations. Just ask the guide to stop anytime if you see something interesting or want to take a photo.

• 8. Forest adventure.

  A bit after 9.00am we take relaxing stop in a beautiful forest at our second waterfall for a morning swim. You will appreciate the peace and serenity of an untouched natural wonderland free from the bustle of commercial tourist attractions.

• 9. Let’s enjoy coffee and step back in Time.

  Our journey is paused for a coffee stop before we go on to see the long communal house of the Xo Dang and Ba Na people, a minority mountain group. You will be surprised by the complex architecture of this ancient traditional house. Take the time to walk through and marvel at its elaborate decorations and the friendliness of the local people.

• 10. Take a walk on the suspension bridge.

  For those in need of an adrenaline rush, a walk across the wooden Suspension bridge above the river is great fun. Listen to the music of the bridge as you take each step (it’s music not creaking wood). We can also take some time to rest and add to your increasing portfolio of memorable photos, enjoy the breathtaking natural scenery and our next minority village stop.

• 12.30pm: Time for Lunch and a cool drink.

  Lunch along the road at an excellent local restaurant will give you a chance to sample more great local dishes.

• 12. Rubber plantations, how do you harvest rubber?

  After lunch we visit a rubber plantation, where you can learn about the traditional method of rubber harvesting.

• 5.00pm: Kon Tum wooden Church.

  When we arrive at our evening stop, Kon Tum and before we check in at our hotel we will spend a little time visiting a very old, historic and beautiful wooden Church After checkin it’s time for a cold beer and a chat about our days adventure before dinner at a local restaurant, where the food is great. Vietnamese pancake is especially good.

  Day 3- Kon Tum to Buon Me Thuot

• 7.30am: Breakfast day 3.

  After breakfast we leave Kon Tum about 8.00am. We resume our climb to the mountains plateau, our remaining trip to Da Lat will be along this stunningly beautiful plateau. We make plenty of stops for rest and so you can take in the natural beauty, you will see why we are passionate about giving you the chance to Explore My Vietnam. Our pace is leisurely, so you can take in the breathtaking scenery and capture more photo memories.

• 9.45am: Stop at Bien Ho Lake and visit a Coffee Plantation.

  We stop at Bien Ho lake, the view from here is indeed awesome, including some beautiful tea plantations. We can take a short rest, reflect on the simplicity but beauty of life here and how different it is to your home country. Riding on through coffee plantations, home to some of the most famous Vietnamese coffee’s we will visit a plantation to see how coffee is grown. depending on the season, we may be able to view the harvest or roasting. Then on to lunch and yes, more fantastic local specialties to try. We even get to sample some exceptional Vietnamese coffee.

• 1.15pm: A leisurely drive to Buon Me Thuot

  This afternoon we have a wonderful trip through the mountain region on the HCMT. The trip is 127km but the scenery is diverse but always beautiful. We will go at an easy pace, stopping whenever you want to view the magnificent gorges and different vegetation. There is always so much to see on the Ho Chi Minh trail.

• 4.00pm: Stop for a visit to Ancient Pagoda before our evening stop.

  On our afternoon drive we will take a break at the site of an ancient pagoda that has been beautifully restored before reaching today’s evening stop at Buon Me Thuot city. We arrive at about 5.00pm and after checkin its time for a few refreshments. Tonight’s dinner is at a local restaurant, you can select from many of their excellent local dishes. As all the restaurants in the city do not have menus in English our guide will accompany you to dinner to assist you in ordering food.

  Day 4

• 7.30am: Breakfast to start the day

  We will meet for breakfast at 7.30 before we depart about 8.00am. Each day it seems the country through which we travel becomes even more beautiful, this is certainly true of day 4. After breakfast we start an exciting day of discovery and scenic beauty on our way to evening destination of Lak Lake.

• 9.00am: Hidden Waterfall and forest walk.

  After a short trip of 35km’s we can take a short 10-minute forest walk to discover the hidden waterfall of D’ray Nu. We can spend about an hour exploring this area where you have many photo opportunities to remember the beauty of this forest, take a refreshing swim in crystal clear mountain water. From past guests comments, this is a tour highlight.

• 11.00am: Visit the Pepper Plantation

  After the waterfall we will visit a pepper plantation to see how pepper is grown, harvested and processed. From the pepper plantation we head to lunch we head to today’s destination, Lak Lake about 60km’s. Just before we get to the lake we will stop for lunch at about 1.00pm.

• 2.00pm: Visit the ethnic minority village of Yun Village

  After lunch and just a short drive we have plenty of time to visit Yun village, one of the 54 ethnic minorities in Vietnam. You can walk at your leisure through the village observing the traditional way of life which hasn’t changed much over the last 100 years. For a small fee you can take an unforgettable ride around the large lake on an elephant, a great experience particularly if you have never riden an elephant before.

• 4:00pm: Check in to your hotel

  When you are ready we will go the short distance to our hotel for the night. A relaxing days travel but filled with natural beauty and very interesting sights. You are free to walk around the lake or visit the local market. Your guide is happy to come with you or you can walk by yourself. Tonight we will visit a local restaurant for dinner.

  Day 5

• 7.30: Breakfast then continue on to Da Lat

  Today we will arrive at our final destination of Da Lat but maybe we have kept the best till last. After the beauty of the Lak Lake it only gets better, unbelievable but true. Be ready for a day of extreme beauty and amazing exploring.

• 11.30am: Mountain top visit and lunch

  Travelling to the top of the mountain you will see many rural villages and local villagers. You can observe the simplicity and tranquility of village life, a life far different from the frantic pace of HCMC or Hanoi and your home country. We can enjoy a local lunch at the top of the mountain.

• 1.30pm: visit the 15mt tall marble Buddha and Elephant waterfall

  After lunch we continue on to Da Lat, stopping along the way at a very old temple where you will marvel at the marble (well actually sand and cement that looks like marble), but still a 15mt tall statue of buddha is impressive. A short walk and we arrive at the breathtaking elephant waterfall for photos, exploring and a relax. We don’t recommend swimming here.

• 3.15pm: A quick visit to the Silk Worm Farm

  After the waterfall we continue on to a silk worm farm. You can see the whole silk manufacturing process from growing the worms, harvesting, and weaving, dyeing and finally into beautiful silk garments. You can even buy some silk products which were made on the farm.

• 4.15pm: Check Out The Coffee Weasel, And Coffee Plantation

  If watching silk making isn’t enough, we now move to the coffee plantation. You can see how the famous coffee weasels enhance the taste of this exquisite and exotic coffee. Drinking weasel coffee is a must do activity.

• 5:00pm: Head To Da lat

  We now sadly head for Da Lat and the end of our journey arriving at your hotel about 5.30pm. As we continue travelling along the mountain road, the scenery and views will continue to provide magnificent memories all the way to Da Lat and your hotel.

Drinks ordered by guests.

• Car : $525 cost per person (min 2 pax)
• Jeep : $650 cost per person (min 2 pax)
• Easyrider : $550 per person

Prices quoted are for the full 5 days tour.