This day tour of the DMZ can be started either from Hue or from Dong Ha. If you are heading south to Hue from Phong Nha or Dong Ho, we would pick you up from there and drop you off in Hue.
The DMZ lays at the 17th parallel and was created by an agreement known as the Geneva Agreement. In reality, the DMZ extended 10 km on either side of the Ben Hai River and ran west to east from the Laotian border to the South China Sea. The DMZ was breached by the North Vietnamese Army when they constructed the Ho Chi Minh Trail that allowed for the transport of troops and supplies to the National Liberation Front in the south. The U.S, in an attempt to stop the flow of troops and supplies, built a series of fire bases including Camp Carroll, Fuller, The Rockpile, Con Tien, Vandergrift, Khe Sanh Combat Base, Lang Vei Special Forces Camp…. along Route 9, about ten miles south of and parallel to the DMZ. That series of bases became known as the “McNamara Line,” so named for Robert S. McNamara”, then U.S. secretary of defence. Some of the war's fiercest fighting and bloodiest battles occurred along that line. Such areas as Khe Sanh, Con Tien, Hambuger Hill… are forever etched into the minds of the soldiers who fought there and survived.
Private DMZ - Khe Sanh tour from Hue
Private DMZ - Khe Sanh tour from HueDMZ area map
At 7.30 am we meet you up at your hotel in Hue and head north to Dong Ha. ( If we start the tour from Dong Ha, the deprture time is 8.30am )
From Dong Ha, head west on route 9 and pass a series of the old U.S Marines' military installations such as Camp Carroll, Fuller, Razorback ridge....The first stop is the Rockpile, an importan look-out and firebase of the Marines south of the DMZ. We will view the old tactical area where the Marines fought in the famous operations Hastings and Prairie during 1966-1967. The next stop is Dakrong bridge - the starting point one of the main branches of the legendry Ho Chi Minh Trail leading to the infamous Ashau Valley and the Hamburger Hill. Then, continue to Khe Sanh combat base - a large Marines base camp which was beseiged by a massive forces of the North Vietnamese Army in 77 days in early 1968, where we will spend ample time exploring the base and learning about the battle.Freedom bridge over Ben Hai river After that drive back to Dong Ha for lunch break. After lunch, head north to the former Demilitarized Zone ( the DMZ ). We briefly stop at the southern edge of the DMZ to visit Gio Linh ( Alpha 2) fire support base - an important military installation of the anti-infiltration Mc Namara Line. After this, we drive into the former DMZ to visit the former border crossing between North and South Vietnam from 1954 to 1972; the Freedom bridge or the so-called the Bridge of no Return over the river of Ben Hai - the former Military Demarcation Line between the 2 Vietnams. We will visit the DMZ museum and take a walk on this historic bridge. Then we head to the coast for the last stop of the day; Vinh Moc tunnels - an underground refuge of the fishing village of Vinh Moc, located above the DMZ. In early 1965, America began a massive bombing campain against North Vietnam with code name " Rolling Thunder ". The area above the DMZ became the most heavily bombed single piece of land on earth. Unable to live on the ground, the local inhabitants had to dig and move their homes into the ground. Vinh Moc tunnels is the best example of the tunnels system in the DMZ area. We visit the museum then walk underground, starting with an entrance on top of the clay cliff and finishing with an exit overlooking a wild beach. We will have a scenic drive along the coastline back to Quang Tri city before joining the Highway 1 to return to Hue.
Private DMZ - Khe Sanh tour from Hue
Price: $150
The price quoted is for 1-2 person(s). First extra person: $50, further extra person: $30
Included features:
• Private transfer ( 7 seater SUV cars or 15 seater minivans )
• English speaking guide.
• Entrance fee for all sites. Excluded features:
• Lunch
Please fill out the form below for the tour booking. Thank you!
You should use Dong Ha as the base for this long driving day tour. If you are heading south from Hanoi or Ninh Binh, get drop off in Dong Ha for the tour as we have more time for the tour and we would drop you off in Hue at the end of the tour.
This tour can be started from Hue, Phong Nha or Dong Hoi.
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