Viet Bird Tours

The Itinerary:

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

6.30 pick you up at hotel in Hanoi or meet you at the Noi Bai Airport then transfer 3 hours to Cuc Phuong NP. Take a stopping off on the way for Van Long wetland protected area (2 hour 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 > Xuan Thuy

An early morning birding and then transfer 2,5 hours to Xuan Thuy, check in. Birding in the afternoon for Black-faced Spoonbill.

Meals : B / L / D

Overnight :  Guest House national park

Day 5: Xuan Thuy

A full day watching for shorebirds, ducks and other birds in wood.

Meals : B / L / D

Overnight :  Guest House national park

Day 6: Xuan Thuy > Tam Dao

An early birding before breakfast, check out leaving for Tam Dao (4 hours). Birding in the afternoon.

Meals : B / L / D

Overnight :  Good hotel at Tam Dao town

Day 7: Tam Dao

A full day birding inside the park for targets.

Meals : B / L / D

Overnight :  Good hotel at Tam Dao town

Day 8: Tam Dao > Da Nang

Birding till lunch time, check out then going to Noi Bai airport for a domestic flight to Da Nang city. Arrive on afternoon, transfer directly to Son Tra Peninsular for Red-shanked Douc Langur and some other birds before going to hotel and beach.

Meals : B / L / D

Overnight :  Good hotel at Da Nang city

Day 9: Da Nang > Tu Mo Rong

Leave Da nang in early morning for Tu Mo Rong (5 hours), and birding along the way for Golden-winged and Red-tailed Laughingthrush, Black-crowned Bar-wing.

Meals : B / L / D

Overnight :  Standard hotel at Tu Mo Rong

Day 10: Tu Mo Rong

A full day searching for targets.

Meals : B / L / D

Overnight :  Standard hotel at Tu Mo Rong

Day 11: Tu Mo Rong > Mang Den

Some final birding at Tu Mo Rong then leave for Mang Den at noon time. Check in then birding in the afternoon.

Meals : B / L / D

Overnight :  Standard hotel at Mang Den

Day 12, 13: Mang Den

Two full days birding at different sites around Mang Den for Chestnut-eared and Black-hooded LT and Indochinese Wren Babbler.

Meals : B / L / D

Overnight :  Standard hotel at Mang Den

Day 14: Mang Den – Da Lat

Some final birding at Mang Den before leaving for Da Lat (7 hours). Some birding along the way.

Meals : B / L / D

Overnight :  Dream hotel at Da Lat city

Day 15, 16, 17: Da Lat and Bi Dup NP

Three full days searching for high light 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 18: 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 19: 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 20, 21: Cat Tien

Two full days birding at 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 22: 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., Shoreline, 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:

- Bird guide with equipments

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

- Domestic Flight from Ha Noi to Da Nang 

- Boat trip at Xuan Thuy NP

- 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, 

Xuan Thuy > Black-faced Spoonbill, Ducks and shorebirds 

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

Da Nang > Red-shanked Douc Langur and Grey-headed Fish Eagle

Tu Mo Rong >  Golden-winged Luaghingthrush, Red-tailed Laughingthrush, Black-crowned Bar-wing, Green-tailed Sunbird

Mang Den > Black-hooded Laughingthrush, Chestnut-eared Laughingthrush, Ratchet-tailed Treepie, Indochinese Wren Babbler (Short-tailed Scimitar Babbler), Coral-billed Scimitar Babbler, Yellow-billed Nuthatch, Velvet-fronted Nuthatch, Chestnut-crowned Warbler, Rufous-faced Warbler, Back-eared Shrike-Babbler, Chestnut-fronted Shrike-Babbler,  Speckle Piculet, White-browed Piculet, Gey Treepie, Golden-throated Barbet, Fire-breasted Flowerpecker, Blue-throated Flycatcher, Spot-throated Babbler, Northern Brown Hornbill, Grey-headed Parrotbill.

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.