Viet Bird Tours

The Itinerary:

Day 1 : Hanoi > Van Long Nature Reserved > Cuc Phuong

6.30 Pick up at hotel in Hanoi or meet at the Noi Bai Airport, then transfer 3 hours to Cuc Phuong NP. Take a stop off on the way at Van Long wetland protected area (2 hours, maybe more) then continue to Cuc Phuong National Park. Birding inside botanical garden in the afternoon. 

Meals : L / D

Overnight :  Guest House national park ( air-con, hot shower, free WIFI)

Day 2, 3 : Cuc Phuong

Two full days to do different trails in the park center. 

Meals : B / L / D

Overnight : Guest House national park 

Day 4 : Cuc Phuong > Tam Dao

An early morning birding and then transfer 4 hours to Tam Dao np., we will stop for lunch on the way and then drive though Ha Noi city. Birding in the afternoon. 

Meals : B / L / D

Overnight :  Good Hotel in Tam Dao town, 1000 m above sea level

Day 5 : Tam Dao

Birding all day inside park.

Meals : B / L / D

Overnight :  At the same hotel

Day 6 : Tam Dao > Ba Be

An early morning birding before breakfast then transfer 5 hours to Ba Be, Lunch on the way, arrive on afternoon and then take a boat trip for watching White-eared Night-Heron.

Meals : B / L / D

Overnight : Guest House national park ( air-con., hot shower)

Day 7 : Ba Be > Hanoi’s Noi Bai Airport > Da Lat

An very early morning for White-eared Night Heron and a few hours birding trip on boat before transfer 4.5 hours back to Noi Bai Airport for a domestic flight to Da Lat city.

Meals : B / L / D

Overnight : Dream II Hotel 

Day 8, 9, 10 : Da Lat and Bi Dup NP

Three full days searching for highlight species such as Grey-crowned Crocias, Orange-breasted Laughingthrush, Collared Laughingthrush, Hume’s Treecreeper, Yellow-billed Nuthatch, Gray-crowned Tit, Vietnamese Cutia, Black-crowned Fulvetta, Indochinese Cuckooshrike, Slender-billed Oriole, Burmese Shrike, Red Crossbill and Vietnamese Greenfinch, Da Lat Shrike Babbler, Annam Barbet, Black-hooded Laughingthrush, White-cheeked Laughingthrush.

Meals : B / L / D

Overnight : Dream II Hotel 

Day 11 : Da Lat > Di Linh

Birding till 10.00 am then leave Da Lat for Di Linh town, 20 km driving from Di Linh to Suoi Lanh pass is a excellence place Blue Pitta, Black-hooded and Orange-breasted Laughingthrush, Black-crowned Parrotbill, Red-billed Scimitar Babbler, Indochinese Cuckooshrike, Indochinese Barbet. 

Meals : B / L / D

Overnight : Bao Phu  Hotel 

Day 12 : Di Linh > Cat Tien 

Leave Di Linh after lunch for Cat Tien National Park contains the largest remaining area of lowland tropical forest in southern Vietnam and an incredible diversity of birds and mammals. Endangered birds found at Cat Tien include Germain’s Peacock-pheasant, Green Peafowl and the very elusive Orange-necked Partridge while the mammal list includes Leopard Cat, Lesser Mousedeer, Sambar, Gaur and two endangered primates, Black-shanked Douc Langur and Buff-cheeked Gibbon. Birding in the afternoon.

Meals : B / L / D

Overnight : Guest House national park ( air-con., hot shower)

Day 13, 14, 15 : Cat Tien

Three days birding in Cat Tien National Park. There are excellent trails starting right at the park headquarters and for areas further field such as Crocodile Lake by jeeps. The 5 km walk through semi-evergreen forest to Crocodile Lake is a great place to look for the near-endemic Germain’s Peacock-pheasant, Blue-rumped and Bar-bellied Pittas while Siamese Fireback can often be seen on an early morning drive through the park. Among the many other avian treats to be found at Cat Tien are Scaly-breasted Partridge, Woolly-necked Stork, Lesser Adjutant, White-bellied, Great Slaty, Pale-headed, Black-and-buff and Heart-spotted Woodpeckers, three species of broadbill and the Indochinese-endemic Grey-faced Tit-Babbler. 

Meals : B / L / D

Overnight : Guest House national park 

Day 16 : Cat Tien – Ho Chi Minh City

There is time for some final birding at Cat Tien National Park before driving to Ho Chi Minh City or to Tan Son Nhat International Airport for departure flight.

Meals : B / L 

Overnight : None

Note: Almost hotels and guesthouses have free WIFI.

Habitats Covered: Broadleaved evergreen forest, Wet Land, Rice field, Mountain Forest, Pine Forest, Bamboo Forest., Lake, Evergreen forest.

Accommodation: Comfortable hotel and Guesthouse at the Parks.

Photographic Opportunities: October – April is excellent.

Excellent Months & Climate: October – April / 15-25 C. 

Included:

- Local Bird Leader speak English with Telescope 

- Vehicle with fuel, Local Truck in side park at Da Lat np., Cat Tien np. 

- Boat trip at Ba Be 

- Domestic Flight from Ha Noi to Da Lat 

- Park entrance fees

- Travel insurance (Domestic travel insurance by Petro Vietnam Insurance company for during 16 days you stay in Vietnam)

- Accommodations base share twin bed room

- Food and unlimited water for drink

Excluded:

Drinks, sightseeing, Souvenirs, other personal need, tips for local services.

Sites and Highlights:

Cuc Phuong > Bar-bellied Pitta, Blue-rumped pitta, Ratchet-tailed Treepie,  White-winged Magpie, Pied Falconet, Red-Collared Woodpecker, White-tailed Flycatcher, Limestone Wren Babbler, Silver-breasted Broadbill, Red-vented Barbet, Rufous-throated Fulvetta, Black-browed Fulvetta, Eared Pitta, Fork-tailed Sunbird and Thrushes as winter visitors.

Van Long >  Delacour langur or White-shorts langur (depend time), Pheasant-tailed Jacana, White-browed Crake, Asian Openbill, Yellow Bittern, Cinnamon Bittern, White-throated Kingfisher, 

Tam Dao > Blue-naped Pitta, Chestnut Bulbul, Coral – billed Scimitar Babbler, Grey Laughingthrush, Streak-breasted Scimitar-babblers, Short-tailed Parrotbills, Purple Cochoa, Blyth’s Shrike Babbler, Streak Wren Babbler, Eye-browed Wren Babbler, Spot-necked Babbler, Schaeffer’s Fulveta, Chestnut-collared Yuhina

Ba Be > White-eared Night Heron, Streaked Wren Babbler, Pied Falconet, White-winged Magpie, Red-vented Barbet.

Da Lat  and Bi Dup NP > Vietnamese Cutia, Vietnamese Greenfinch, Vietnamese Shrike-babbler, Grey-crowned Crocias, Orange-breasted Laughingthrush, Black-hooded Laughingthrush, Collared Laughingthrush, Hume’s Treecreeper, Yellow-billed Nuthatch, Grey-crowned Tit, Black-crowned Fulvetta, Black-crowned Parrotbill, Indochinese Cuckooshrike, Slender-billed Oriole, Burmese Shrike, Red Crossbill, Indochinese Barbet, White-cheeked Laughingthrush. Spotted and Slaty-backed Forktail, Blue Pitta

Di Linh > Blue Pitta, Rufous-browed Flycatcher, Black-hooded and Orange-breasted Laughingthrush, Black-crowned Parrotbill, Red-billed Scimitar Babbler, Black-chinned Yuhina, Indochinese Barbet.

Cat Tien > Germain’s Peacock-pheasant, Green Peafowl, Orange-necked Partridge, Blue-rumped Pitta, Bar-bellied Pitta, Siamese Fireback, Scaly-breasted Partridge, Woolly-necked Stork, Lesser Adjutant; Black and red, Banded and Dusky Broadbill; White-bellied, Great Slaty, Pale-headed, Black-and-buff and Heart-spotted Woodpeckers, Great Hornbill, Wreathed Hornbill, Banded Kingfisher and Grey-faced Tit-Babbler.