[18 Days] The Best Birding Tour Around Vietnam

BIRDS HIGHLIGHT FOR [18 Days] The Best Birding Tour Around Vietnam

Read more about Vietnam E-bird’s recent checklist  & Vietnam Birds Overview

Cuc Phuong Np: Malay Night-heron (present during the summer months), Red-collared Woodpecker, Pied Falconet, Eared Pitta, and Greyish Limestone-babbler. Other species of interest include Tonkin Partridge, Silver Pheasant, Austen’s Brown Hornbill, Red-vented Barbet, Blue-rumped and Bar-bellied Pittas, Silver-breasted Broadbill, Ratchet-tailed Treepie, White-winged Magpie, Indochinese Green Magpie, Limestone Leaf-warbler and Rufous-throated and Black-browed Fulvettas

Mu Cang Chai: Crimson-breasted, Darjeeling and Chinese Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Black-headed Shrike-babbler, Crested, and Collared Finchbills, Buff-barred and Broad-billed Warblers, Tonkin and Manipur Fulvettas, Spot-breasted, Golden, Vinous-throated and Ashy-throated Parrobills, White-collared Yuhina, White-throated and Pale-throated Wren-babblers, Slender-billed Scimitar-babbler, Scaly, Black-faced, Red-winged and Silver-eared Laughingthrushes, White-tailed and Beautiful Nuthatches, Rufous-bellied Niltava, Gould’s Shortwing, White-browed Bush-robin, Blue-fronted Redstart, Yellow-bellied Flowerpecker, and Black-headed Greenfinch.

Ngoc Linh Np.: Ashy Wood-pigeon, Eye-ringed Shrike-babbler, Annam Golden-breasted and Indochinese Fulvettas, Black-eared Parrotbill, Golden-winged Laughingthrush, Red-tailed Laughingthrush, Brownish-backed Sibia, Red-tailed, Blue-winged and Bar-throated Minlas, Black-crowned Barwing, Yellow-billed Nuthatch and both Purple and Green Cochoa.

Mang Den: Indochinese Wren-babbler, Black-hooded Laughingthrush, Grey-crowned Crocias, and Yellow-billed Nuthatch. Other interesting species encountered in the Mang Den area include the Pale-capped Pigeon, Austen’s Brown Hornbill, Stripe-breasted Woodpecker, Rusty-naped Pitta, Ratchet-tailed Treepie, White-winged Magpie, Rufous-faced Warbler, Grey-crowned Tit, Grey-headed Parrotbill, and Pale Blue-flycatcher.

Yokdon National Park: Yellow-footed Green-pigeon, Black-headed, Yellow-crowned and Rufous-bellied Woodpeckers, White-rumped Pygmy-falcon, Blossom-headed and Alexandrine Parakeets, Small Minivet, Rufous Treepie, Burmese Nuthatch, Purple Sunbird, and Mekong Wagtail

Di Linh – Dat Lat: Bar-backed Partridge, Silver Pheasant, Red-vented Barbet, Black-browed Barbet, Red-headed Trogon, Long-tailed Broadbill, Wedge-tailed Green Pigeon, Mountain Imperial Pigeon, Black Eagle, Rufous-bellied Eagle, Jerdon’s Baza, Rusty-naped Pitta, Blue Pitta, Burmese Shrike, Indochinese Green Magpie, Eurasian Jay, Slender-billed Oriole, Maroon Oriole, White-throated Rock Thrush, Green Cochoa, Rufous-browed Flycatcher, Blue-and-White Flycatcher, Mugimaki Flycatcher, Snowy-browed Flycatcher, Little Pied Flycatcher, Large Niltava, Lesser Shortwing, White-tailed Robin, Spotted Forktail, Yellow-billed Nuthatch, Yellow-cheeked Tit, Grey-crowned Tit, Grey-bellied Tesia, White-spectacled Warbler, Chestnut-crowned Warbler, Black-hooded Laughingthrush, White-cheeked Laughingthrush, Orange-breasted Laughingthrush, Collared Laughingthrush, White-browed Scimitar Babbler, Streaked Wren Babbler, Eyebrowed Wren Babbler, Pygmy Wren Babbler, Rufous-capped Babbler, Vietnamese Cutia, Chestnut-fronted Shrike-Babbler, Blue-winged Minla, Black-crowned Fulvetta, Indochinese Fulvetta, Grey-crowned Crocias, Rufous-backed Sibia, Black-headed Sibia, Black-headed Parrotbill, Mrs Gould’s Sunbird, Streaked Spiderhunter, Vietnamese Greenfinch, Red Crossbill.

Cat Tien: Orange-necked Partridge, Germain’s Peacock Pheasant, Siamese Fireback, Green Peafowl, Wreathed Hornbill, Lesser Adjutant, Woolly-necked Stork, Blue-rumped and Bar-bellied Pittas, Pale-headed and Black-and-buff Woodpeckers, Black-and-red, Banded, Dusky Broadbill, Blyth’s Frogmouth, Grey-faced Tit Babbler.

Itinerary: [18 Days] The Best Birding Tour Around Vietnam

Day 01 (L, D): Start in Hanoi (pick up at Noi Bai Airport or Hotel).

Transfer to Cuc Phuong NP (CP)

Birding at Van Long Nature Reserve, 30km from Cuc Phuong, where we will take a sampan ride to some dramatic limestone cliffs that are one of the last haunts of the critically endangered Delacour’s Leaf-Monkey. Before check-in at Cuc Phuong Np for the afternoon birding.

Overnight at Cuc Phuong National Park (3 nights)

Day 02 (B, L, D): Cuc Phuong National Park

We will have our morning birding at the Bong area, and several spots for birds

Day 03 (B, L, D):  Cuc Phuong National Park

Another morning birding at Bong’s area for wanted species and along the main forest road,

Later in the afternoon spot at Night for Owls near HQ’s

Day 04 (B, L, D): CP – Mu Chang Chai (MCC) – LONG DRIVE (~350 km/7.5 hours)

Our last Short-morning in Cuc Phuong will be spent looking for the White-winged Magpie, and also the Rachet-tailed Treepie if we have missed them before then take a LONG DRIVE to Mu Cang Chai.

On the way birding in Khau Pha pass

Overnight at Mu cang Chai Town (3 Nights)

Day 05 (B, L, D): MCC

Full-day birding around Mu Cang Chai Town

Day 06 (B, L, D): MCC

Full-day birding around Mu Cang Chai Town

Day 07 (B, L, D): MCC – Hanoi (270 km) – Flight to Pleiku – Ngoc Linh (From MCC to HN 6 hours drive; need at least 4 hours in airport, 2.5 hours drive from Pleiku airport to Tumrong) – LONG DAY OF TRAVEL

Another option: If we have time, it’s better from Hanoi, to take a flight to Da Nang and have one extra night there and early morning birding and Monkey before taking a drive to TuMrong (Ngoc Linh) (this will be 1 night at Da Nang City, 1 Night at Tumrong Town)

Overnight at Tumorong Town  (2 Nights)

Day 08 (B, L, D): Ngoc Linh – Full-day birding in Mang Ri

Mang Ri pass, a new road crossing the Ngoc Linh Natural Reserve, was completed in May 2016. This is now THE site to see the endemic Golden-winged Laughingthush, as well as the Indochinese Fulvetta, and Black-crowned Barwing. Here, at the forest edge, we have a great chance of finding this recently-described species and others, and looking for the Brown Hornbill, Indochinese Wren-Babbler (formerly known as Short-tailed Scimitar-Babbler), White-winged Magpie, Red-tailed Laughingthrush, Himalayan Cutia, Green Shrike-babbler and a chance for Yellow-billed Nuthatch. 

Day 09 (B, L, D): NL – Mang Den (MD)

This early morning we will drive for about 2 hours on poor roads to Mang Ri searching for our main targets. Later we drive to Mang Den for the afternoon birding

Overnight at Mang Den Town (2 Nights)

 Day 10 (B, L, D): Mang Den – Birding in Mang Canh Forest

Our main target for a full day of birding at Mang Canh is the Chestnut-eared Laughingthrush, but we will also be on the lookout for Black-hooded Laughingthrush, Pale-capped Pigeon, the endemic Ratchet-tailed Treepie and we have another chance for Yellow-billed Nuthatch, as well as our first chance to see the Brown Hornbill.

Day 11 (B, L, D): MD – Lak Lak (Yokdon NP)

Last morning birding in Mang Den forest then take a drive to Yokdon Np. for later afternoon birding and Owls

Overnight at Yokdon National Park (1 Night)

Day 12 (B, L, D): YD – Da Lat (DL)

Morning birding in Yokdon Np. For searching Black-headed Woodpeckers, Collared Falconet, White-rumped Falcon, and Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch are among the specialties.

Later on, drive to Dalat and Birding along the road

Overnight at Da Lat city (3 Nights)

Day 13 & 14 (B, L, D): Da Lat – Full-day birding

We will explore the Da Lat Plateau including the 2169 m (7100 feet) asl Mt Langbian, cloaked with evergreen forest right up to its peak and accessed by a progressively-steeper footpath. Our efforts should be rewarded, however, as this is the home of the spectacular endemic Collared Laughing-Thrush, as well as Yellow-billed Nuthatch and the Vietnamese forms of Cutia, Rufous-winged (Black-crowned) Fulvetta and Black-throated (Grey-crowned) Tit which are sure-fire bets for splitting before too long. The elusive and handsome Green Cochoa is also here and should be vocal at this time of year; a number of other Asian and wintering birds will also be encountered.

Nearer to Da Lat itself is Ta Nung Valley, famous for the relatively recently re-discovered Grey-crowned Crocias which are regularly encountered here. Other endemics such as Black-hooded and Orange-breasted Laughingthrushes and Vietnamese Greenfinch are also possible.

Day 15 (B, L, D): Da Lat – Di Linh (San Pass)

We leave Da Lat for the relatively short drive to Di Linh. Certain birds can be easier to locate here at the Nui San Pass than in Da Lat, including Blue and Rusty-naped Pittas, Spotted Forktail, White-cheeked, Black-hooded, and Orange-breasted Laughing-Thrushes, Vietnamese Cutia, and “Black-headed” Parrotbill, a probable split from the more widespread Grey-headed Parrotbill.

Overnight at Da Lat city (1 Night)

 Day 16 (B, L, D): Di Linh  – Cat Tien (CT)

After an early morning return to the Nui San pass (which will give us our first chance for the elusive Green Cochoa), we will drive Down to the Cat Tien National Park for birding in the afternoon.

Overnight at Cat Tien National Park (2 Nights)

 Day 17 (B, L, D): Full-day birding in Cat Tien Np.

The premier National Park in South Vietnam, Cat Tien is located in Cochinchina in the Da Lat foothills and boasts an impressive mosaic of forest and seasonal wetlands which largely escaped the defoliants used in the Vietnam War. We will bird using jeep tracks and forest trails to seek out the endemic Germain’s Peackock-Pheasant, other spectacular birds such as Siamese Fireback, Green Peafowl and Scaly-breasted Partridge, endemic Pittas, the endemic Grey-faced Tit-Babbler and a host of other species also known from Malaysia and Thailand.

Day 18 (B, L, D): CT – Ho Chi Minh – Tour END

Last full morning birding in Cat Tien Np. Then drive back to HCMC for Hotel or Straight to Tan San Nhat Airport

END TOURs

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