[17 Days] birding tours in Central and South Vietnam – Highly Recommend

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[17 Days] birding tours in Central and South Vietnam – Highly Recommend

The Price :   4.250 $

Date Expired !

Total Seats :  10/10
Duration :   17 Days
Max People :    6
Start Location:   HCMc

Embark on a 17-day birdwatching tour adventure through Vietnam’s most stunning natural habitats. Our itinerary takes you from the lush forests of Cat Tien National Park to the scenic mountains of Bach Ma National Park and Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park.Your journey begins in Ho Chi Minh City, where you’ll be picked up from your hotel or the airport and driven to Cat Tien National Park for an unforgettable birdwatching experience. Over the next few days, you’ll explore Cat Tien’s rich biodiversity before heading to the cooler climate of Dalat, home to six endemic bird species.

From there, you’ll journey to Buon Me Thuot, Daklak Province, and Yok-don National Park for a glimpse of some of Vietnam’s rarest bird species. Next, you’ll visit Ngoc Linh National Park in search of the elusive Golden-winged Laughingthrush.

The adventure continues to the central region of Vietnam, where you’ll visit the stunning Bach Ma National Park and the scenic Shamu Pass for a chance to spot some of Vietnam’s most exotic bird species.

Your trip culminates in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, where you’ll enjoy a final morning of birdwatching before departing for your flight home. With expert guides and a carefully crafted itinerary, this birdwatching tour promises an unforgettable adventure through Vietnam’s breathtaking natural wonders.

BIRDS HIGHLIGHT FOR [17 Days] Birding Tours in Central and South Vietnam

Cat Tien national park is located in South Vietnam; it is one of the best birding sites with the most accessible site in South Annam for Orange-necked Partridge and lots of birders wanted birds.

Most Wanted birds in Cat Tien

Orange-necked Partridge; Germain’s Peacock-Pheasant; Green Peafowl; Great Slaty, Pale-headed, Black-and-buff, Heart-spotted, and White-bellied Woodpecker; Wreathed Hornbill; Great Hornbill; Orange-breasted Trogon; Blue-bearded Bee-eater; Stork-billed Kingfisher; Banded Kingfisher; Blyth’s Frogmouth; Great-eared Nightjar; Grey-headed Fish-eagle; Lesser Fish-eagle; Woolly-necked Stork; Lesser Adjutant; Blue-rumped, Bar-bellied, and Blue-winged Pitta; Black-and-red, Dusky and Banded Broadbill; Golden-crested Myna; Grey-faced Tit-babbler.

Dalat Plateau is located in the Central highland (C Annam), it is an EBA that has a natural evergreen forest and coniferous forest that is home to six endemic bird species and also supports several subspecies.

Most Wanted birds in Dalat:

Black-hooded, White-cheeked, Orange-breasted, and Collared Laughingthrush; 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 and Blue Pitta; Burmese Shrike; Indochinese Green Magpie; Eurasian Jay; Slender-billed and Maroon Oriole;  White-throated Rock Thrush; Green Cochoa; Rufous-browed, Blue-and-White, Mugimaki , Snowy-browed and Little Pied Flycatcher; Large Niltava; Lesser Shortwing;  White-tailed Robin; Spotted Forktail; Yellow-billed Nuthatch; Yellow-cheeked and Grey-crowned Tit, Grey-bellied Tesia;  White-spectacled, Chestnut-crowned  Warbler; White-browed Scimitar Babbler; Streaked , Eye-browed, Pygmy  Wren-Babbler; Rufous-capped Babbler; Vietnamese Cutia; Clicking shrike-babbler; Blue-winged Minla; Black-crowned, Indochinese Fulvetta; Grey-crowned Crocias; Rufous-backed, Black-headed Sibia, Black-headed Parrotbill; Gould’s Sunbird; Streaked Spiderhunter; Vietnamese Greenfinch.

Yok-don National Park is located in Dak Lak province, Central Highland Vietnam. It is dominated by a mosaic of deciduous forest and semi-evergreen (mixed deciduous) forest (Dry open forest).

Most Wanted birds in Yok Don National park:

Mekong Wagtail; White-rumped Falcon; Collared Falconet; Black-hooded Woodpecker and other woodpeckers; Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch; Alexandrine, Grey-headed, Blossom-headed Parrakeets; Yellow-footed Green Pigeon

Mang Canh forest and Ngoc Linh National Park are also located in Kom Tum Province, Central Highland Vietnam, it is one of the recently recognized EBA (Endemic Birds Area) in the World. Kom Tum EBA is perhaps the least known avifauna to both scientists and birders. As it is located in a “politically sensitive” area, most people who want to visit here have to obtain a complicated permit to access the remote forests.

Most Wanted birds in Mang Canh forest and Ngoc Linh National Park

Pale-capped Pigeon; Northern Brown Hornbill; Stripe-breasted Woodpecker; White-winged Magpie; Ratchet-tailed Treepie; Pale Blue Flycatcher; Grey-crowned Tit; Rufous-faced Warbler; Grey-headed Parrotbill; Indochinese Wren-babbler; Grey-faced Warbler; Himalayan Cutia; Green Shrike-Babbler; Black-crowned Barwing; Chestnut-eared Laughingthrush; Golden-winged Laughingthrush, Red-tailed Laughingthrush.

Bach Ma National Park is located in Hue province, Central Vietnam which is situated in the central Annamite Mountains, 2 hour-diver from Hue city. The national park lies at the southern extent of the Annamese Lowlands Endemic Bird Area and is known to support populations of at least four of the restricted range species found in this EBA: Annam Partridge, Crested Argus, Indochinese Wren Babbler, and Grey-faced Tit-Babbler. In addition, the national park supports a population of an endemic subspecies of Silver Pheasant.

Most Wanted birds in Bach Ma National Park

Rufous-throated Partridge; Annam Partridge; Silver Pheasant; Red-collared Woodpecker; Blyth’s Kingfisher; Coral-billed Ground Cuckoo; Silver-breasted Broadbill; Indochinese Green Magpie; Siberian Thrush; Japanese Thrush; Sultan Tit; Masked Laughingthrush; Lesser-necklaced Laughingthrush; Black-throated Laughingthrush; Short-tailed Scimitar Babbler; Grey-throated Babbler; Spot-necked Babbler; Grey-faced Tit-Babbler; Black-browed Fulvetta…

Shamu pass is a new birding spot near Laos which Ho Chi Minh trails across this site, it is home to Rufous-cheeked Laughingthrush (a near-endemic bird)

Most Wanted birds in Shamu pass:

Rufous-cheeked Laughingthrush; Indochinese Wren Babbler; Moustached Barbet; Yellow-billed Warbler…

Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park is located in Quang Binh province, Central Vietnam, close to the international border with Laos. This is situated in one of the largest areas of contiguous limestone karst in Indochina, which also includes Hin Namno National Protected Area in Laos. The limestone massif is located in a transitional zone between the northern and central Annamite Mountains.

Most Wanted birds in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park:

Chestnut-necklaced Partridge; Red-collared Woodpecker; Brown Hornbill; Sooty Babbler; Indochinese wren-babbler…

You could also lear about Vietnam BIRDs –  A Naturalist online field guide [update 2023]

Summary Itinerary: [17 Days] Birding Tours in Central and South Vietnam

Day 1: Arrival in Ho Chi Minh City, where you’ll be picked up from your hotel or the airport and driven to Cat Tien National Park. After lunch and a rest, you’ll begin your birdwatching tour.

Days 2-3: You’ll spend two full days birdwatching in Cat Tien National Park.

Day 4: In the morning, you’ll continue birdwatching in Cat Tien before leaving for Dalat in the afternoon. You’ll have a chance to do some birdwatching in the area later in the day.

Days 5-6: You’ll spend two full days birdwatching in Dalat.

Day 7: You’ll have a morning birdwatching session in Dalat before driving to Buon Me Thuot for the night.

Day 8: After a morning birdwatching session in Yok-don National Park, you’ll drive to Mang Den for more birdwatching.

Day 9: You’ll spend a full day birdwatching in Mang Canh forest.

Day 10: You’ll have a short morning birdwatching session in Mang Den before driving to Tu-M-Rong.

Day 11: You’ll spend a full day birdwatching in Ngoc Linh National Park, in search of the Golden-winged Laughingthrush.

Day 12: You’ll have a morning birdwatching session in Ngoc Linh National Park before driving to Da Nang for the night.

Day 13: You’ll drive to Bach Ma National Park and do some birdwatching at the top of the mountain.

Day 14: You’ll spend a full day birdwatching in Bach Ma National Park.

Day 15: You’ll have a morning birdwatching session in Bach Ma before driving to Quang Tri Province, where you’ll do some birdwatching at Shamu Pass.

Day 16: You’ll have a morning birdwatching session at Shamu Pass before driving to Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, where you’ll do some birdwatching in the late afternoon.

Day 17: You’ll have a morning birdwatching session in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park before leaving for the airport to catch your flight (depending on your flight time).

Schedule Details

Day 1: (L D) Ho Chi Minh - Nam Cat Tien

Your birding adventure begins with a pickup from your hotel or the airport in Ho Chi Minh City.

You'll embark on a 3.5-hour drive to Cat Tien National Park, a biodiverse haven for avian enthusiasts.

After arriving, enjoy lunch and some rest before your first birding excursion in Cat Tien.

Day 2: (B L D) Birding in Cat Tien

Today is dedicated to full-day birding tours within the lush confines of Cat Tien National Park.

Prepare to encounter a diverse range of bird species in this pristine natural habitat.

Day 3: (B L D) Birding In Cat Tien

Continue your exploration of Cat Tien National Park with another full day of birding activities.

Keep an eye out for both common and rare avian species that call this park home.

Day 4: (B L D) Nam Cat Tien - Dalat

Begin the day with morning birding in Cat Tien National Park.

Afterward, bid farewell to Cat Tien as you embark on a journey to the picturesque town of Dalat.

En route, make stops to admire breathtaking waterfalls and the evergreen forests of the region.

In the late afternoon, you'll engage in birding activities in the Dalat area.

Day 5: (B L D) Birding IN Dalat

Spend the entire day immersed in birding tours throughout the Dalat region.

Dalat is renowned for its endemic bird species, and you'll have the opportunity to spot some of them today.

Day 6: (B L D) Birding IN Dalat

Your birding adventure in Dalat continues with another full day of exploration.

Discover unique avian life against the backdrop of the stunning Dalat Plateau.

Day 7: (B L D) Dalat - Buon Me Thuot

Begin the day with morning birding in Dalat before setting off for Buon Me Thuot City in Daklak Province.

This city offers a change of scenery and birding opportunities.

Day 8: (B L D) Birding IN Yok-don - Mang Den

Start the day with morning birding in Yok Don National Park.

Later, embark on a journey to Mang Den in Kom Tum Province, where you'll engage in birding tours.

Day 9: (B L D) Birding in Mang Den

Today, you'll dedicate the entire day to birding tours in Mang Canh forest, known for its unique avian species.

Day 10: (B L D) Mang Den - TuMrong

Enjoy a short morning birding session in Mang Den before departing for Tu-M-Rong.

Day 11: (B L D) Birding in Ngoc Linh Mt.

Immerse yourself in a full day of birding tours in Ngoc Linh National Park, where you'll search for the elusive Golden-winged Laughingthrush and other rare species.

Day 12: (B L D) Ngoc Linh mt. - Danang

Conclude your birding adventure in Ngoc Linh National Park with a morning birding excursion.

Later, you'll be transferred to Da Nang City, where you can choose to depart via flight or extend your stay to explore this vibrant city further.

Day 13: (B L D) Danang - Bach Ma Np.

Today's journey takes you to Bach Ma National Park. After a 3.5-hour drive, you'll arrive at this mountainous paradise for birding tours.

Day 14: (B L D) Birding in Bach Ma Np.

Dedicate the full day to birding tours in Bach Ma National Park, where diverse avian species await your discovery.

Day 15: (B L D) Bach Ma Np. - Samu pass

In the morning, engage in birding tours in Bach Ma before traveling to Quang Tri Province, Central Vietnam.

Arrive at Shamu Pass and enjoy birding activities in this picturesque location.

Day 16: (B L D) Samu pass - Phong Nha Ke Bang Np.

Begin your day with birding tours in Shamu Pass, followed by a journey to Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park.

In the late afternoon, explore the birdlife of this remarkable park.

Day 17: (B L) Phong Nha Ke Bang Np. - Dong Hoi Airport

Conclude your birding adventure with a morning birding session in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park.

Afterwards, leave the national park for a flight from Dong Hoi Airport, depending on your flight time.

F.A.Q

What is the best time to go on this tour?

The best time to go on this tour is from December to March every year, which is the dry season in Vietnam and the best time for birdwatching.

What is the group size for this tour?

Our tour is designed for small groups of 2 to 8 participants, ensuring a more personalized experience and greater opportunities for birdwatching.

Are there any specific requirements or restrictions for the tour, such as age or health restrictions?

As the tour covers a long duration and involves physical activity such as hiking and birdwatching, we recommend that you consult your doctor before embarking on the tour. Although there are no specific age restrictions, participants should be in good physical condition and able to walk on uneven terrain. If you have any health concerns or physical limitations, please let us know in advance, and we will do our best to accommodate your needs.

What's Included

  • Accommodations
  • Bird hide
  • Drinking water
  • Entrance fees
  • Expert bird-guide
  • Jeeps
  • Meals
  • Private car

What's Excluded

  • Other services not mentioned
  • Travel insurance

Activities

  • Birding

Why Book With Us?

  • Expert local guides, small group sizes, authentic experiences, responsible tourism, personalized itineraries.

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