Itinerary:

 Southern Vietnam’s Endemics & Specialities (10 Days)

Day 1: Arrive Ho Chi Minh City. Ho Chi Minh City to Cat Tien National Park 

Arrive at Ho Chi Minh City’s Tan Son Nhat International Airport and transfer by road directly to Cat Tien National Park, 150 km from Ho Chi Minh City. Cat Tien National Park contains the largest remaining area of lowland tropical forest in southern Vietnam and an incredible diversity of birds and mammals including over 330 bird species. Endangered birds found here include Germain’s Peacock Pheasant, Green Peafowl and the very elusive Orange-necked Partridge. Mammals that may be seen along the trails include Leopard Cat, Eurasian Wild Pig, Lesser Mousedeer, Sambar, Red Muntjac and Gaur as well as two endangered primates, Black-shanked Douc Langur and Buff-cheeked Gibbon. Overnight at Cat Tien National Park HQ.

Days 2, 3 & 4: Cat Tien National Park 

A full three days of birding along the road and forest trails at Cat Tien National Park. Jeeps are used to visit areas further afield such as Crocodile Lake where Green Peafowl, Grey-headed Fish Eagle and Lesser Adjutant may be seen. The 5 km walk through the forest to Crocodile Lake is one of the best places to look for Blue-rumped and Bar-bellied Pitta as well as Red-and-Black and Banded Broadbill and Orange-breasted Trogon amongst others. Other specialities at Cat Tien include Scaly-breasted Partridge, Siamese Fireback, Germain’s Peacock Pheasant, White-bellied, Great Slaty, Pale-headed and Black-and-Buff Woodpecker, Red-vented Barbet, Woolly-necked Stork, and Grey-faced Tit-Babbler. Overnight at Cat Tien National Park HQ.

Day 5: Cat Tien National Park to Di Linh

A final morning of birding along the forest trails or the surfaced road through Cat Tien National Park where Green-eared, Blue-eared, Lineated and Red-vented Barbet can often be seen perched high up in the roadside trees. Check out of the park guest house after an early lunch and drive in the direction of Dalat for around an hour and a half to the town of Di Linh. A good road leading to the coast branches off from Di Linh and a forested mountain pass 20 minutes along this road is home to several Dalat Plateau specialities including Black-hooded, White-cheeked Laughingthrush and Orange-breasted Laughingthrush as well as the Indochinese endemic Black-headed Parrotbill. After an afternoon birding along the road return to Di Linh for the night. Overnight at Di Linh.

Day 6: Di Linh to Dalat

An early morning visit to the mountain pass at Di Linh to look for other exciting possibilities such as Blue and Rusty-naped Pitta, Indochinese Green Magpie, Spotted Forktail and Green Cochoa before continuing along Highway 20 to the cooler climes of the former French colonial hill station of Dalat. In the afternoon make the first of several visits to the Ta Nung Valley, a small but bird-filled area of remnant evergreen forest 10 km from Dalat. This is the most accessible site for the rare and endemic Grey-crowned Crocias. Black-hooded, White-cheeked and Orange-breasted Laughingthrush as well as the recently split Black-headed Parrotbill may also be found here. Other possibilities here include the very distinct  local sub-species of Blue-winged Minla, Rufous-backed and Black-headed Sibias and Black-throated Sunbird, Jerdon’s Baza, Blue Pitta and the beautiful yellow-breasted form of Indochinese Green Magpie. Overnight at Dalat.

Days 7, 8 & 9:  Dalat 

In addition to the wonderful Ta Nung Valley there are two other main birding sites around Dalat - Mount Lang Bian and Ho Tuyen Lam. Mount Lang Bian, is a 2,169 m high peak 20 minutes by road from Dalat. Wintering Mugimaki Flycatcher, Yellow-billed Nuthatch, Grey-crowned Tit, Vietnamese Cutia, Black-crowned Fulvetta and Vietnamese Greenfinch can be found in the pine and montane evergreen forest here. The most sought-after species at Lang Bian however is the beautiful and skulking endemic Collared Laughingthrush. Ho Tuyen Lam is a man-made lake, just 3 km from the centre of town. At the far end of the lake there are tracks leading through pines to areas of remnant tropical evergreen forest. Burmese Shrike, Slender-billed Oriole, Indochinese Cuckooshrike, Vietnamese Cutia, Red Crossbill and Vietnamese Greenfinch can be found in the pines while the evergreen forest is home to Yellow-billed Nuthatch, Black-hooded, White-cheeked and Orange-breasted Laughingthrush, Grey-crowned Crocias and Black-headed Parrotbill amongst others. Overnight at Dalat.

Day 10: Dalat to Ho Chi Minh City

A final morning of birding around Dalat before transferring to the airport for the short flight back to Ho Chi Minh City’s Tan Son Nhat International Airport.

Tour prices includes: Accommodation based on twin share basis with private facilities, meals, land transportation in A/C vehicle, one domestic flight, entrance fees, jeeps, boats, services of a Vietnam Birding tour leader and Vietnam Birding tour checklist.

Tour prices excludes: International flights, Vietnam visa, personal insurance, tips, drinks, phone calls, laundry and other personal expenses.

Note: Tour price based on a minimum of 4 and maximum of 8 persons. Surcharges apply for less than 4 persons.