Share this tour
Offered languages
- English
Hue's royal tombs sit several kilometres outside the city, scattered along the Perfume River. That is why most travellers see the Imperial City first, then look for a way to reach the tombs. This private half-day tour is that way. On the guided options, a licensed local guide, not an English-speaking driver, travels with you in a private air-conditioned car, and you choose the tombs: Minh Mang, Khai Dinh, Tu Duc or Gia Long. Options add a Hue garden house where a family still lives, a dragon boat along the Perfume River to Thien Mu Pagoda, or a third tomb. Most options include all entrance tickets, so there is nothing to pay at the gate. If you already hold the Hue combo ticket, choose the option without tickets and pay less. Morning and afternoon departures, hotel pick-up in the city centre, cold water and towels on board. Prefer to explore on your own? The Private Car & Driver option comes with a basic-English driver, not a guide.
What's Included
Meeting and pickup
Hotel pick-up anywhere within Hue city centre. Please enter your hotel name and full address when booking; if you are staying in a homestay or apartment, add the exact address in the booking notes. Your guide, or your driver on the Private Car & Driver option, will message you on WhatsApp beforehand to confirm the time and meeting point, then wait for you in the lobby at the start time. If you are staying outside the pick-up area shown on the map, tell us when you book and we will confirm a meeting point or a small transfer charge.
Itinerary
-
1Mausoleum of Emperor Minh Mang
Minh Mang's tomb is laid out as a single axis through pine woods and lotus ponds, the most formal of the royal tombs and the one that best shows how the Nguyen court read landscape. Ticket included on most options; on the no-ticket and driver-only options, pay at the gate.
1 hour • Admission ticket included -
2Mausoleum of Emperor Khai Dinh
Built in concrete and finished in porcelain and glass mosaic, Khai Dinh's tomb is where French and Vietnamese design collide. Steep steps lead to the mosaic chamber at the top. Ticket included on most options; on the no-ticket and driver-only options, pay at the gate.
45 minutes • Admission ticket included -
3Tomb of Tu Duc
Tu Duc built this as a retreat before it became his tomb: a lake, a boating pavilion and a stone tablet he wrote himself. The most lived-in of the tombs. Ticket included on most options; on the no-ticket and driver-only options, pay at the gate.
1 hour • Admission ticket included -
4Mausoleum of Emperor Gia Long
The founder of the Nguyen dynasty lies furthest from the city, in open country across the river. Few travellers make it here, which is exactly the point. Ticket included on most options; on the no-ticket and driver-only options, pay at the gate.
1 hour • Admission ticket included -
5Thien Mu Pagoda
Hue's oldest pagoda, on a rise above the Perfume River. On the dragon boat option you arrive by water, the way the court once did.
30 minutes • Admission ticket free -
6
A village of incense makers on the road to the royal tombs, where families still roll and dye incense sticks by hand. The driver-only option stops here.
30 minutes • Admission ticket free
Additional info
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Walking involved at tombs and pagoda – please wear comfortable shoes.
Tags
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Cancellation Policy
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
Rating
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Your guide to the flawless travel experience
Popular Countries
Get our app
