Cu Chi Tunnels Small-Group Tour from Ho Chi Minh City

Underground tunnels, a documentary, crawling through wartime passages, and tapioca tea

A small-group tour of the Cu Chi Tunnels near Ho Chi Minh City takes you through a 200km underground network built during the Vietnam War, with hotel pickup, an English-speaking guide, entrance fees and a light snack included. The van holds 12 travelers maximum and departs early to beat the large tour groups. Crawling through a widened tunnel section is optional. Walking above ground is available instead.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Cu Chi Tunnels and War History

• Travel from Ho Chi Minh City countryside
• Watch Vietnam War introduction
• View war-era documentary
• Explore underground tunnel network
• See war traps and tunnel life
• Optional: Fire weapons at shooting range
• Taste boiled tapioca and pandan tea
• Return to hotel by van

The experience

How do you get to the Cu Chi Tunnels without spending half the day on a crowded bus? This small-group tour picks you up at your hotel in District 1 and drives you out in an air-conditioned van before the massive tour groups arrive. The route takes you past rice paddies and rubber plantations: the landscape shifts from city to countryside in the first hour. Your English-speaking guide sets the context for what you're about to see, walking through the history of the Vietnam War and how the tunnels were built with simple tools into a 200km underground network.

At the site, you watch a short documentary from the war era, then move into the jungle. The guide shows you the traps used during the conflict and explains how fighters lived underground. The centerpiece is crawling through a safe, widened section of the actual tunnel: claustrophobic and real, but optional. You can walk above ground instead if you prefer. For those interested in military history, there's a separate option to fire real weapons (AK-47 or M16) at the National Defense Sports Shooting Range, though ammunition costs extra. Before heading back, you sit down to taste boiled tapioca with sesame salt and hot pandan tea: the food that sustained the Viet Cong fighters in the tunnels.

The return drive is quiet and air-conditioned. Total time from pickup to drop-off is around 7 hours. The group stays under 12 people, which changes the pace and the guide's ability to answer questions without shouting over a crowd.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in District 1.
• English-speaking guide.
• air-conditioned van.
• entrance fees to the Cu Chi Tunnels.
• bottled mineral water.
• light snack of boiled tapioca with sesame salt and hot pandan tea.

Options for this experience

2 options

Group tour option where you join othersGuide in English · 08:00Small-group tour capped at 12 guests for individual attention and extra legroom. Lasts 7 hours. Air-conditioned minivan provides door-to-door transfers from hotels in District 1, excluding Tan Dinh Ward and Sai Gon Ward. Pickup is included.

Limousine and lunch in VIP styleGuide in English · 08:00Stress-free luxury experience with a maximum of 9 travelers in a premium limousine van. Lasts 8 hours. After visiting the tunnels, you head back to Ho Chi Minh City for lunch at a restaurant serving the famous beef noodle soup, pho. Door-to-door transfers from District 1 hotels, excluding Tan Dinh Ward and Sai Gon Ward, are provided in the luxury limousine van. Pickup is included.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00Last departure this season: 31 Dec

AgesAdult (10 to 70 years) · Child (4 to 9 years) · Infant (1 to 3 years): free

GroupUp to 12

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by TNK Travel

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to avoid the massive bus groups and get a guide who shares real wartime stories instead of a script. The small size and early departure mean you see the tunnels before the crowds arrive, and the van navigates traffic faster than a full-size coach.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 9 years); Infant (1 to 3 years): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

How long does the whole tour take from my hotel?

The tour runs about 7 hours total, including hotel pickup and drop-off, the drive to Cu Chi, time at the tunnels, and the return journey.

Can I skip the tunnel crawling if it's not for me?

Yes, crawling through the tunnel section is optional. You can walk above ground instead and still see the network, the traps, and the documentary.

What's included in the price?

Hotel pickup and drop-off in District 1, entrance fees to the tunnels, an English-speaking guide, bottled water, and a light snack of tapioca with sesame salt and pandan tea.

How many people are on this tour?

The small-group tour is limited to 12 travelers, which means faster van travel through Ho Chi Minh City traffic and a guide who can answer questions without managing a huge crowd.

What is the documentary about?

It's a short film from the war era that provides historical context before you enter the tunnels and see how the underground network was constructed and used.

Can I fire weapons at the shooting range?

Yes, there's an opportunity to fire real AK-47 or M16 rifles at the National Defense Sports Shooting Range on-site, but ammunition costs extra (not included in the tour price).