We'd love to hear from you
For any inquiries about Birdwatching, Wildlife Watching, Nature tours, or quotation requests, please use this contact form.
[3 Days] Wildlife Tour in Cat Tien National Park
Select Date and Travelers
Duration : 3 Days
Wildlife Tour in Cat Tien National Park description in short
On our 3-day Wildlife Tour in Cat Tien National Park, you will spend three full days both by a vehicle on safari, as well as on foot walking in the forest to spot wildlife.
Over the course of the trip, you will also get to see some waterfalls and viewpoints. And in addition to that, you will attend the impressive Gibbon’s Song, and do a night safari with a spotlight in a vehicle.
Why our 3-day tour?
The answer is simple. Because Cat Tien National Park is the best destination in Vietnam for wildlife watching and deserves more than just a day trip. Our 3-day tour includes all the park highlights and offers a high chance to see a large variety of wildlife.
The Park is easily accessible and has beautiful sightseeing. But above all, the wildlife in Cat Tien National Park rarely disappoints.
We often hear from our guests that our Cat Tien National Park tour was the highlight of their travels in Vietnam. It can be yours too!
Tour package summary
Tour Itinerary
Here follows the itinerary of our 3-day tour in Cat Tien National Park.
Note: Often enough, our itineraries get turned upside down because it is impossible to plan in nature, the wildlife does not follow timetables, therefore the following itinerary is just a rough example.
Day 1 (06:00 – 20:30)
Our guide pick up you at HCMC and then take a 3-hour drive to get to Cat Tien National Park.
The tour starts with a scenic, slow drive into the park in search of wildlife such as gibbons, hornbills, macaques, and more. When we have reached a trailhead, we will start our first jungle walk. We try to be as quiet as possible and tend to walk slowly. Often, the sounds give us a clue of where the wildlife is, and we will try to track it down. Gibbons might call, a hornbill might drop a seed, a water dragon might pretend he is part of the foliage; there is lots of wildlife to see, but concentration and luck are important factors that help a tour succeed. It is certainly not a zoo.
After lunch, we will visit one of the significant waterfalls during mid-day. And afterward, we will spend the late afternoon exploring areas where Green Peafowl and Gaur often forage.
After dinner, it is time for a night drive. With a spotlight, we try to spot wildlife such as deer, porcupines, civets, gaurs, and other nocturnal animals. You will be returned to your hotel after the tour.
Day 2 (05:30 – 20:30)
Start in the early morning for Gibbons’ song then back for breakfast before taking trekking in the Jungle.
After taking a rest because hot at noon we back to the jungle trail’s for wildlife searching: Black-shanked Douc and Silver Langur
At night, we will take a spot to search for Herping and other mammals.
Day 3 (06:30 – 12:30)
On the last morning here we will have time for birding and looking for other primates we haven’t seen before take lunch and drive back to Ho Chi Minh City or take other tours.
Extra information about the national park
Cat Tien National Park is located just 2.5 – 3 hours northeast of Ho Chi Minh City and is easily accessible.
Our tours start from Ho Chi Minh, for you to convenient to start.
The National Park is open all year round, and our tours can take off every day of the year. But booking in advance is recommended!
For information on the best time of the year to visit the National Park, and for more of our tours in Cat Tien, please Click Here.
How much does a tour cost?
These are the rates (per person) for our 3-day wildlife tour package based on your group size. Followed by a list of what is included. And feel free to check out our other packages in Cat Tien National Park, below.
| Group size | Rate per Person (USD) |
| 1 | 750 |
| 2 | 690 |
| 3 | 630 |
| 4 | 570 |
| 5 | 510 |
| 6 | 450 |
| Ages | Reduction |
| 4 to 12 years | 70 % of Adult |
| 0-3 years | Free |
For any inquiries about Birdwatching, Wildlife Watching, Nature tours, or quotation requests, please use this contact form.
We'd love to hear from you
Places You’ll See :
Biodiversity values
Cat Tien National Park supports a variety of habitat types, including primary and secondary lowland evergreen forests dominated by species in the Dipterocarpaceae; primary and secondary lowland semi-evergreen forest, dominated by Lagerstroemia spp; freshwater wetlands with open lakes and seasonally inundated grasslands, containing Saccharum spontaneum, S. arundinaceum and Neyraudia arundinacea; flooded forest, dominated by Hydnocarpus anthelmintica mixed with Ficus benjamina; and a range of secondary habitat types, including grassland and areas dominated by bamboo.
To date, 76 mammals, 320 birds, 74 reptiles, 35 amphibians, 99 fish, and 435 butterfly species have been confirmed to occur at the national park; and there are unconfirmed records of an additional 32 mammals, 19 birds, nine reptiles, four amphibian, 31 fish and four butterfly species. The species confirmed to occur include 16 mammals, 15 birds, and eight reptiles that are globally threatened.
Cat Tien is one of the most important sites in Vietnam for the conservation of large mammals. Among the large mammal species that have been confirmed to occur at the national park are Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus), Lesser One-horned Rhinoceros, Eurasian Wild Pig (Sus scrofa), Sambar (Cervus unicolor) and Gaur (Bos gaurus), of which the later three species reportedly occur at high densities relative to other areas in Vietnam. Of the large mammal populations at Cat Tien National Park, the most globally significant one is that of Lesser One-horned Rhinoceros. This is the only known population of the species in mainland South-East Asia and the only known population of the sub-species R. s. annamiticus in the world. However, the population size and range of this species at the national park has declined over the last two decades, and current estimates put the population size at seven or eight individuals and the range at 6,500 ha.
Cat Tien National Park is also a nationally important site for primate conservation, supporting populations of several primates of conservation concern, including Black-shanked Douc (Pygathrix nigripes), Northern Pig-tailed Macaque (Macaca leonina) and Yellow-cheeked Crested Gibbon (Hylobates gabriellae).
Bird fauna - Birding
Cat Tien National Park is situated in the South Vietnamese Lowlands Endemic Bird Area (EBA), and supports populations of all three bird species that characterised this EBA: Orange-necked Partridge (Arborophila davidi), Germain's Peacock Pheasant (Polyplectron germaini) and Grey-faced Tit Babbler (Macronous kelleyi).
Most highlights
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.
Birding routes
The Lagerstroemia and Ecological Trails, which begin near the park headquarters are good places to search for Germain’s Peacock Pheasant and pittas. The Dak Lua road may provide easier birding, especially early in the day when broadbills and Siamese Fireback can be seen.
Haven rapid trail is one of good places for broadbills, woodpeckers, barbets.
Jeeps can be rented to the turn off to Bau Sau (Crocodile Lake) and Bau Chim (Bird Lake). Green Peafowl and waterbirds can be seen around these lakes, as well as Siamese Crocodile and, for the fortunate visitor, large mammals such as Gaur. The 5 km trail from the Dak Lua road to Bau Sau is also a good place for Germain’s Peacock Pheasant and pitas.
Transportation
Cat Tien is about 3.5 to 4 hours (depends on trafic) by car from Ho Chi Minh City (150 km) and 3.5 hours from Da Lat city. The site is situated off National Highway 20 between Ho Chi Minh City and Da Lat.
Accommodations
A range of standard accommodation is available at the park headquarters, and it is also possible to stay at Bau Sau, a ranger station in the heart of the park.
Forest Floor Lodge is more fancy, it locates at Ben Cu rapid where people can enjoy the view however for most birders they don't need to stay here
Cat Tien National Park supports a variety of habitat types, including primary and secondary lowland evergreen forests dominated by species in the Dipterocarpaceae; primary and secondary lowland semi-evergreen forest, dominated by Lagerstroemia spp; freshwater wetlands with open lakes and seasonally inundated grasslands, containing Saccharum spontaneum, S. arundinaceum and Neyraudia arundinacea; flooded forest, dominated by Hydnocarpus anthelmintica mixed with Ficus benjamina; and a range of secondary habitat types, including grassland and areas dominated by bamboo.
To date, 76 mammals, 320 birds, 74 reptiles, 35 amphibians, 99 fish, and 435 butterfly species have been confirmed to occur at the national park; and there are unconfirmed records of an additional 32 mammals, 19 birds, nine reptiles, four amphibian, 31 fish and four butterfly species. The species confirmed to occur include 16 mammals, 15 birds, and eight reptiles that are globally threatened.
Cat Tien is one of the most important sites in Vietnam for the conservation of large mammals. Among the large mammal species that have been confirmed to occur at the national park are Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus), Lesser One-horned Rhinoceros, Eurasian Wild Pig (Sus scrofa), Sambar (Cervus unicolor) and Gaur (Bos gaurus), of which the later three species reportedly occur at high densities relative to other areas in Vietnam. Of the large mammal populations at Cat Tien National Park, the most globally significant one is that of Lesser One-horned Rhinoceros. This is the only known population of the species in mainland South-East Asia and the only known population of the sub-species R. s. annamiticus in the world. However, the population size and range of this species at the national park has declined over the last two decades, and current estimates put the population size at seven or eight individuals and the range at 6,500 ha.
Cat Tien National Park is also a nationally important site for primate conservation, supporting populations of several primates of conservation concern, including Black-shanked Douc (Pygathrix nigripes), Northern Pig-tailed Macaque (Macaca leonina) and Yellow-cheeked Crested Gibbon (Hylobates gabriellae).
Bird fauna - Birding
Cat Tien National Park is situated in the South Vietnamese Lowlands Endemic Bird Area (EBA), and supports populations of all three bird species that characterised this EBA: Orange-necked Partridge (Arborophila davidi), Germain's Peacock Pheasant (Polyplectron germaini) and Grey-faced Tit Babbler (Macronous kelleyi).
Most highlights
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.
Birding routes
The Lagerstroemia and Ecological Trails, which begin near the park headquarters are good places to search for Germain’s Peacock Pheasant and pittas. The Dak Lua road may provide easier birding, especially early in the day when broadbills and Siamese Fireback can be seen.
Haven rapid trail is one of good places for broadbills, woodpeckers, barbets.
Jeeps can be rented to the turn off to Bau Sau (Crocodile Lake) and Bau Chim (Bird Lake). Green Peafowl and waterbirds can be seen around these lakes, as well as Siamese Crocodile and, for the fortunate visitor, large mammals such as Gaur. The 5 km trail from the Dak Lua road to Bau Sau is also a good place for Germain’s Peacock Pheasant and pitas.
Transportation
Cat Tien is about 3.5 to 4 hours (depends on trafic) by car from Ho Chi Minh City (150 km) and 3.5 hours from Da Lat city. The site is situated off National Highway 20 between Ho Chi Minh City and Da Lat.
Accommodations
A range of standard accommodation is available at the park headquarters, and it is also possible to stay at Bau Sau, a ranger station in the heart of the park.
Forest Floor Lodge is more fancy, it locates at Ben Cu rapid where people can enjoy the view however for most birders they don't need to stay here