Central Highlands  TOURS

THE ITINERARY:

Day 1: (_/L /_) HOI AN – KONTUM 

Your guide and driver will meet you at the hotel at 0800. Today we will travel along the Ho Chi Minh Road, not to be confused with the Ho Chi Minh Trail that runs through Laos. We drive along highway no.1 until we turn right into the Truong Son Mountains. We pass villages and typical beautiful Vietnamese landscape with rice fields. Views are amazing. There is enough time for photo stops and chat with local people working in the fields. Lunch with Vietnamese specialties will be in Kham Duc. After lunch in Kham Duc we stop at a small waterfall just beside the road.

The landscape gets more beautiful along the way: thickly forested mountains as far as the eye can see. We will stop at a beautiful Rong House at the village Dak Kroong. The Rong House is a communal place where village ceremonies and festivals take place. It serves as a court of justice and as a meeting place where important decisions are being made. This house is really the heart of the village and is visible from far away. At DakSeang, a former US Special Forces base, we stop to make a walk through rubber plantations and see the Rong House of the Gie- Trieng minority. You will hear the story of this base and will meet some of the local people. Our next destination today is the town Dak To. This area was the scene of many battles during the Vietnam War between US forces and North Vietnamese troops. Before we arrive in Dak To we pass an abandoned airstrip that was used by US forces during the war. We stop in Dak To at the impressive war memorial commemorating the capture of Dak To by North Vietnamese forces in April 1972. Late in the afternoon we arrive in Kon Tum, the capital of Kon Tum province and a very pleasant town. 

Overnight at Hotel, Deluxe  

[Meal: Lunch is mentioned]

DAY 2: (B/L/D) KONTUM  TREKKING (12 -14 KM)

Morning: 9.00 from hotels in Kontum begin walking through the Wooden church, villages of native peoples to the villages Ko Nam, Ko Pang, crossing the suspension bridge Konkolor, rice fields… picnic lunch in the nature. Keep walking to the village of Bahbar people. Dinner and stay overnight in the village of Bahnar. Homestay.

Evening: They will show you their gongs used at ceremonies. You will learn about the “Space of the Gongs” which has been declared an “intangible” UNESCO World Heritage. You will learn how they make their rice wine, which is being consumed through long bamboo straws out of jars. You will participate in an agricultural activity, depending on the season. Homestay in Bahnar village. 

Overnight at Homestay in Bahnar village 

[Meals: Breakfast + Lunch, Dinner in village is mentioned]

Overnight homestay in village.

DAY 3:(B/L/_)  CULTURE SODRA /JOLONG/ MO NAM

We will head in easterly direction to the Kon Ray area, visit Kon Bil villages (Sodra people) cross The suspension bridge to the Kon Du village (Jolong people) then continues drive up Mang Den pass to see the “amazing” landscape from the mountain, to the Konplong ecological tourism area. Have a lunch in local restaurant. Then visit Pa Sy waterfalls & statues garden created by woods. Then drive to KonBring village (Mo Mam people) to see the “Rong” house, learn the lifestyle & customs of the hill tribe here. we will return to Kon Tum. The rest of the afternoon is free at leisure. Kontum is a very friendly town and it is very easy to make contact with local people. The terraces along the Dakbla are a delightful place to enjoy sunset with a cold drink. 

Overnight at hotel

[Meal: Breakfast & lunch  is mentioned]

Overnight in hotel.

DAY 4: (B/L/_) CULTURE JA RAI / AIRPORT 

Your guide will meet you at the hotel at 0830. Today we will explore this quiet, friendly town. First we will head in westerly direction to Ja Rai villages. The Jarai are the largest ethnic minority in the Central Highlands. The majority of Ja Rai are animists. They believe that demons inhabit all of creation. Sacrifices of pigs, cows, and buffalo are periodically made to the spirits to appease them. Many Jarai in Kon Tum province have become Christian. We visit a typical Jarai cemetery and your guide will explain about their customs and traditions. The Rong houses of the Jarai look slightly different than those of the Bahnar. We visit a large Ja Rai village. We will walk through the village and meet the villagers. Have a lunch in local restaurant.

Afternoon: Kon Tum Museum is a cultural architectural work, a convergence of cultural and historical heritage, and an attractive destination for domestic and foreign tourists to visit, travel, study, and do scientific research. The museum is a living history book of Kon Tum province from prehistoric times about 2.5 - 40,000 years ago. Kon Tum Museum's exhibition space is arranged on the 2nd and 3rd floors. The 1st floor is often used to organize seminars, documentary film screenings, etc. Kon Tum Museum currently stores more than 20,000 exhibits. objects and materials. Among them, there are rare artifacts and collections such as: collection of Lung Leng archaeological artifacts, collection of tea leaves, collection of gongs, collection of costumes, collection of ethnographic artifacts (woodenware, rattan wares). bamboo, cork leaves...) along with collections of images and artifacts of the resistance revolution through historical periods... We will visit several Bahnar villages that are located on the fringe of Kon Tum. The Bahnar are an ethnic minority. They have their own language, traditions and customs. You will meet villagers and learn about Bahnar culture. Transfer to the airport for your flight to Saigon.

 Flight: VN1424 : Pleiku Tan Son Nhat 18:55  -20:15 

[Meal: Breakfast & lunch is mentioned] 

TOUR PRICE: USD/person                                                                                     

Groups size:                1           2         3-4      5-8         9-12        Single supplement

Hotel:       2 stars    843     505      436     391        349                  45

Hotel:       3 stars     897    521      457      424       401                  65            

Services included:

• Transport : A/c Car/bus with drinking water.

• ESG or FSG: Experienced tour guide.

• Homestay in village: (1 night) Hotel (2 nights)

• Gong show & rice wine

• Meals: 3 Breakfast, 4 lunches + 1 Dinner as mentioned in itinerary.             

Excluded:    

• Travel insurance

• Other services than mentioned : Air tickits to Sai gon or Ha Noi

• Personal expenses (laundry, telephone calls, tips, etc.)

• Supplement charges during peak season: Lunar New Year