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Thank you for visiting my LONG TAN TREK web site.
I'm Dave Sabben, former 12 Platoon Commander, 6RAR, at the Battle of Long Tan.
Please click on a link below to view the details you're seeking.
(Last updated 26 August 2017)
www.longtantrek.com  

q Battlefield Tours
- Long Tan Trek Tours
- VN Decisive Battles Tours
- Europe Battlefield Tours

q Site
- Long Tan Cross Page
- Nui Dat Kindy Page
- Long Tan Trek Name Page
- For Books on Long Tan
- Dave Sabben's Home Page
- Feedback/Contact Dave

q Dave's WebSite
http://sabben.com

q National Network Travel's WebSite
http://nntravel.com.au

q AVVRG WebSite
http://avvrg.org.au

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trek Home Page

 

FOR PREVIOUS TOURS...

 (For the Europe Battlefield Tours, please click here.)

(For the History of the Long Tan Cross, please click here.)

(For the History of the Long Tan Trek name, please click here.)



For pictures of the 2009 LONG TAN TREK TOUR, please click here.   

For the 2010 LONG TAN TREK TOUR REPORT, please click here.

  For the 2011 LONG TAN TREK TOUR DETAILS, please click here.

 For the 2011 LONG TAN TREK TOUR REPORT, please click here.

  For the 2012 LONG TAN TREK TOUR DETAILS, please click here.

For the 2012 LONG TAN TREK TOUR REPORT, please click here.

  For the 2013 LONG TAN TREK TOUR DETAILS, please click here.

For the 2013 LONG TAN TREK TOUR REPORT, please click here.

For the 2013 310 Cadet Unit Tour REPORT, please click here.

For the 2014 LONG TAN TREK TOUR DETAILS, please click here.

For the 2014 LONG TAN TREK TOUR REPORT, please click here.

The 2015 LONG TAN TREK was cancelled because 2015 was the
100th anniversary of the Gallipoli landings and most battlefield
travel interest was to Gallipoli and the Western Front.

For the 2016 50th Anniversary Long Tan Trek Tour details click here.
The 2016 Tour Report is currently being compiled but
there is the progress report - the South Tour is done
and I'm collecting photos for the North Tour... to come.
For the 2016 LONG TAN TREK TOUR (progress) REPORT, please click here.
 

The 2017 LONG TAN TREK has been cancelled due to insufficient
numbers booking.  The main reason given by those who expressed
interest but failed to book was the Vietnamese government's
cancellation of visits to the cross site in August 2016.
Indeed, touring to the cross site since August 2016
is currently some 50% down on the average number
of visits prior to August 2016.
 


 CURRENT: 2018 TREK TOURs

The full itineraries and costings for both the Long Tan Trek Tour
(of the South) and the Decisive Battlefields Tour (of the North)
for October 2018 are now complete and are ready for download.

 

 

 

The Long Tan Trek Tours - Oct each year: Click on links above

 

 

 

BESPOKE TOURS
&
the Long Tan Trek Tour for special-interest groups

 In 2009, Dave hosted an AVVRG Tour (see their website http://avvrg.org.au ) to the area of Australian operations during the Viet Nam War. It proved so successful that those on it demanded it happen again. It went in Oct 2010 and again in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014.  The 2015 and 2017 Tours were cancelled but the 50th Anniversary Trek went in August 2016 - a great group and a great Tour, marred only by the refusal of permission to visit the Long Tan cross site on 18 August... so the group visited the cross site on the 19th instead!!!   :)

The Trek can also be arranged for groups, schools etc (see below).

The Long Tan Trek Tour is now 8 Days and 7 nights, visiting HCMC (Saigon), Cu Chi, Balmoral, Coral, Dong Hai Museum, 1ALSG, Vung Tau, Nui Dat, the minefield, the Long Hai's and more, with a highlight 4-hour "real time" walkthrough of the Long Tan battlefield with "sitreps" every 10 minutes. Can be coupled with the Decisive Battlefields Tour (see below).

Please click on the links above for more details.
 

In the first week in December, 2013, the first group of Australian Army Cadets did the Long Tan Trek Tour.  We hope this will be the first of many Cadet and Special-Interest group Tours as there is much to be learned of military and other history in undertaking a tour such as this by the younger generation, not to mention the exposure to another culture.

Thinking of arranging a Bespoke Tour?  Please contact Dave using the Feedback/Contact Dave facility in the column at left of page to discuss.

 
The Decisive Battlefields Tours - Oct each Year
As an optional extension to the Long Tan Trek Tour or able to be be booked separately, the Decisive Battlefields Tour visits seven more "turning points" of the three Indo-China Wars. Visit Da Nang, Hoi An, Hue, the DMZ, Vinh Moc tunnels, Khe Sanh, the Da Krong and A Shau Valleys, Hanoi (including a free day), Dien Bien Phu and more before taking a 2-night R&R at Ha Long Bay.

Please click here ...for more details.
European
Battlefields of WW1 & 2 Tours
We've got some excellent contacts if you're thinking of a Europe Battlefield Tour.  Thinking of visiting Villers Bretonneux for ANZAC Day? And visiting all the WW1 Western Front names familiar to Australians, plus the main names from the WW2 Normandy landings, plus Paris and extension to London. Plenty of "extras" can be covered.  Please contact us for more details.
THE AVVRG NUI DAT KINDY PROJECT
The charity component of the Long Tan Treks goes to the AVVRG (click on their website link in the left column), which is a registered charity as well as being the custodian of the Long Tan Cross.  In the years 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2016, the Treks contributed to the maintenance & refurbishment of the Cross but also to their Nui Dat Kindy Project, the Baria Orphanage and the Long Tan Dental Clinic project.

Please click here for more details of the project
THE ORIGINAL "LONG TAN TREK" NAME
The name "Long Tan Trek" was created by Charles Shaw and Kerry Phelan in 2006 to describe the then unique activity of walking from Nui Dat to the Long Tan battlefield.  Further, this 'Long Tan Trek Tour' is the only group with official permission to walk the whole battlefield (which is currently a working rubber plantation) - other Tours are not supposed to wander beyond 100 metres from the Cross.  And this Trek Tour is the only one taken and hosted by a former Long Tan battlefield commander.
For more information on the name, please click here... This page also displays photos of the 2009 Trek.
A PICTORIAL HISTORY of the LONG TAN CROSS
In 1969, 6RAR Second Tour, placed a concrete Cross in the Long Tan rubber plantation on the 11 Platoon position.  For a history - mainly in pictures - of the original and replica Crosses, please click here...

If you're at this website because of your interest in the Battle of Long Tan, but do not want to travel there, then you may be interested in my website which covers two books and a PowerPoint presentation on the Battle, plus updates on a proposed film of the battle...

If this is the case, please click here: http://sabben.com to go to my web page.

There, you will find details of "The Battle of Long Tan by The Commanders" (see pic),  "Through Enemy Eyes" (see pic) and a 50-slide animated PPT presentation for free download, and lots more...
FEEDBACK
&
CONTACT
To contact Dave, please click here ...