Category

Long birding tours

Destinations

Cat Tien - Da Lat - Yok Don - Mang Den - Ngoc Linh - Da Nang

Duration

16 days

Hotel

Standard

Price

Contact for group booking

Day 1 – (L, D) - Transfer to Cat Tien NP

After an early start we will drive northwards towards the renowned Cat Tien National Park for first exploration of this superb National Park in the afternoon.

Overnight at the Cat Tien National Park HQ guesthouse (3 nights)

Days 2 & 3 – (B, L, D) - 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 by jeep track 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.

Key species in Cat Tien

Orange-necked Partridge, Germain's Peacock Pheasant, Siamese Fireback, Green Peafowl, Wreathed Hornbill, 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

Day 4 – 10 Mar 20 - (B, L, D) - Transfer to Di Linh

We leave Cat Tien 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-breastedLaughing-Thrushes, Vietnamese Cutia and “Black-headed” Parrotbill, a split from the more widespread Grey-headed

Overnight Silver Falls Villa hotel, Di Linh

Day 5 – 11 Mar 20 (B, L, D) - Birding Di Linh - Transfer to Da Lat

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 up to the Langbian Plateau and the evocative French hill town resort of Da Lat. We will stop at any interesting patches of habitat en route and also see several attractive waterfalls. Da Lat is situated at a delightfully cool 1475 metres asl in a temperate region dotted with lakes and waterfalls and surrounded by forest including various native pine woodlands.

Overnight in Da Lat (4 nights)

Days 6, 7 & 8 – (B, L, D) - Birding in Da Lat

We will explore the Da Lat Plateau including the trails of Bidoup national park, 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 and 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 is regularly encountered here. Other endemics such as Black-hooded and Orange-breasted Laughingthrushes and Vietnamese Greenfinch are also possible

Key species in Di Linh & Da Lat

Bar-backed Partridge, Silver Pheasant, Red-vented Barbet, Black-browed Barbet (Annam Barbet, Red-headed Trogon, Long-tailed Broadbill, Wedge-tailed Green Pigeon, Mountain Imperial Pigeon, 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, Da Lat Shrike-Babbler (split from White-browed), Blue-winged Minla, Black-crowned Fulvetta, Indochinese Fulvetta (no chance on this itinerary), Grey-crowned Crocias, Rufous-backed Sibia, Black-headed Sibia, Black-headed Parrotbill, Mrs Gould’s Sunbird, Streaked Spiderhunter, Vietnamese Greenfinch, Red Crossbill, Dalat Bush-warbler

Day 9 – Transfer to Ban Me Thuot

An early morning departure for Ban Me Thuot and a stop at Lak lake for some waterbirds and wintering warblers en route. Later on we reach Yok Don national park for 1 night stay. 

Overnight Yok Don NP accommodation, Ban Don (2 night)

Day 10 – (B, L, D) - Birding in Yok Don NP

A full day birding in Yok Don national park, this dipterocarp forest will provide us many species of Woodpeckers, Parakeets, several raptors and owls in the day-time

Our main target species including Black-headed Woodpecker, Collared Falconet, White-rumped Falcon, Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch are among the specialities.

Day 11 – (B, L, D) - Birding in Yok Don NP - Transfer to Mang Den

After our morning birding at Serepok river bank for Mekong Wagtail, we will head for the rarely visited Mang Canh Forest.

Overnight Green hotel (2 nights)

Day 12 - (B, L, D) - Birding in Mang Den

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

Key species in Mang Den

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, Chestnut-eared Laughingthrush, Black-hooded Laughingthrush, Grey-crowned Crocias (rare), Rufous-backed Sibia, Grey-faced Warbler, Blue-rumped, Blue and Rusty-naped Pittas

Day 13 – (B, L, D) - Tu Mo Rong

In the morning, we will finalise our birds seen in Mang Den area. Late afternoon we will then we drive on to Tu Mo Rong for 2-night stay. 

Overnight Hoang Gia Trang hotel (2 night)

Day 14 – (B, L, D) - Birding at Mang Ri 

Mang Ri pass, a new road cross Ngoc Linh natural reserve area has just completed building in May, 2016. Which has reached recent birding fame as the site to see the endemic Golden-winged Laughingthush, Indochinese Fulvetta, Black-crowned Barwing. Here, at the forest edge, we have a great chance of finding this recently described species and others to look for include 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 another chance for Yellow-billed Nuthatch.

This early morning we will drive about 2 hours on "bad-road" to Mang Ri searching for our main targets.

Day 15 – (B, L, D) - Birding at Mang Ri then drive to Da Nang 

We do our last morning birding in Ngoc Linh if necessary, then drive to Da Nang city for an overnight either in Da Nang or Hoi An (hotel TBA)

Day 16 – (B, L) - Son Tra peninsular and departure

Our last morning will be fun to enjoy seeing the beautiful primate, the Red-shanked Douc Langur before dropping off Da Nang airport. Tour ends

Price: