A three-week private journey combining southern and central Vietnam’s wildlife with the country’s landscapes, culture, and cuisine. The program balances focused birding and nature experiences with heritage sites, local communities, and relaxed travel.
A three-week private journey combining southern and central Vietnam’s wildlife with the country’s landscapes, culture, and cuisine. The program balances focused birding and nature experiences with heritage sites, local communities and relaxed travel.
Vietnam is a country filled with captivating natural beauty, rich cultural heritage, and tranquil village life. Its lush highlands and pristine rainforests teem with exotic wildlife, while its islands and beaches rank among the finest in Southeast Asia. Pair these natural wonders with what is arguably the most delicious cuisine in the region, and Vietnam stands out as an exceptional travel destination.
On this journey, Wildtour introduces visitors to Vietnam's most breathtaking landscapes and incredible biodiversity. The itinerary thoughtfully balances approximately one week of wildlife-focused travel and two weeks of rich cultural discovery, sightseeing, and relaxation.
Itinerary:
The tour will start from Ho Chi Minh City. If you arrive in Ho Chi Minh City this day in the morning, we can pick you up at the airport and drive to the Mekong Delta, stopping en route at several sites to see local people’s lives, arriving at Tram Chim National Park in the afternoon.
Overnight at Wildbird Hotel for 1 night
We will be boating along the canals inside the Tram Chim National Park in the early morning to look for many large waterbirds such as Painted Stork and Asian Openbill. Other birds are common and easy to see, including the Purple Swamphen, Bronze-winged and Pheasant-tailed Jacana, Yellow and Cinnamon Bittern, Spot-billed Duck… then drive back to My Tho in the afternoon.
Overnight at Chuong Duong Hotel for 1 night
This morning, we will visit Tan Thanh beach in Go Cong district, a famous site for the rare and endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper, Nordmann’s Greenshank and some other common shorebirds.
Spoon-billed Sandpiper is one of the priority targets in the Go Cong coast
Afternoon drive northwards towards the renowned Cat Tien National Park and stay overnight at the Cat Tien Guest House for 2 nights
Cat Tien is the premier national park in South Vietnam and is located in Cochinchina in the Da Lat foothills. It 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 Peacock-Pheasant, other spectacular birds such as Siamese Fireback, Green Peafowl and Scaly-breasted Partridge, both endemic Pittas, the endemic Grey-faced Tit-Babbler and a host of other species also known from Malaysia and Thailand.
Green Peafowl
The park is host to several primate species, with our main targets being Buff-cheeked Gibbon and Black-shanked Douc Langur. Other mammals such as the huge Gaur, Sambur, Wild Boar and Pig-tailed Macaque are also possible.
In the morning we will take the relatively short drive from Cat Tien up to the Langbian Plateau and the charming hill resort of Da Lat. We will stop at any interesting patches of habitat en route and also see several charming waterfalls. Da Lat is situated at a delightfully cool 1475m (4800 feet) asl in a temperate region dotted with lakes and waterfalls and surrounded by forest, including various native pine woodlands.
Overnight at Monet Garden Villa or similar for 3 nights
We will spend two full days exploring the Da Lat Plateau's top birding sites, including Tuyen Lam lake, Ta Nung valley, Cong Troi, and Bidoup-Nui Ba National Park, which is the home to many endemic species and Indochina's specialties.
We will have excellent chances of seeing several endemics such as Vietnamese Cutia, Vietnamese Greenfinch, Grey-crowned Crocias, Collared Laughingthrush, etc. Additionally, a number of colorful species including Bar-bellied Pitta, Blue Pitta, Indochinese Green Magpie,... alongside seasonal Asian & wintering visitors can also be encountered here.
Vietnamese Cutia
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.
Leaving Da Lat in the early morning, we visit Bi Doup – Nui Ba National Park on the new road to Nha Trang; this is the best site for a rare Blyth’s Kingfisher, near endemic Black-hooded Laughingthrush and Yellow-billed Nuthatch.
Overnight at Sunrise Beach Resort for 5 nights
4 full days relaxing on the beautiful beach and visiting many islands for diving (optional)
We take a flight in the morning to Da Nang, visit the Cham Museum before driving to Hoi An, an ancient town, for another 4 days relaxing on the beach and seeing the sights in this peaceful city.
Overnight at a Hoi An beach resort for 2 nights.
Either relax on the beach or visit the ancient town of Hoi An and enjoy the traditional tour.
Today we will drive north to visit the Charm Museum in Da Nang city and then head further north to Bach Ma National Park in the afternoon.
Overnight on Bach Ma Mountain summit (Phong Lan villas) for 1 night
Spend the morning birding near the summit of Bach Ma Mountain (1,400 m), targeting high-elevation specialties such as Indochinese Wren-Babbler, Indochinese Yuhina, Black-throated Laughingthrush, and Rufous-throated Partridge.
In the afternoon, descend to the mid-elevation trails to search for the elusive, endemic Annam Partridge, followed by foothill birding for Masked Laughingthrush. Late in the afternoon, transfer overland to Hue City.
Overnight at Parkview Hotel in Hue for 2 nights
Embark on a classic Hue city tour highlighting the historic Imperial Citadel, regal royal tombs, and ancient pagodas. The itinerary features visits to the ornate Khai Dinh Mausoleum, the iconic Thien Mu Pagoda, and the bustling Dong Ba Market alongside the Citadel complex.
Board a mid-morning flight to Ho Chi Minh City and transfer to the historic Hotel Grand Saigon (or Hotel Majestic) for check-in. The afternoon begins with a tour of vibrant downtown Saigon, including shopping at Ben Thanh Market, followed by a traditional Vietnamese water puppet performance in the evening.
Overnight at Majestic Hotel for 2 nights
Take a day trip approximately 50 km from central Ho Chi Minh City to visit the historic Cu Chi Tunnels, which is one of the most popular tourist destinations. Explore a preserved section of the legendary underground network utilized by the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War, while keeping an eye out for common woodland and scrubland bird species present around the surrounding forest grounds.
Tour price: Contact
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Tell us your travel dates, target birds, group size and preferred pace. Wildtour will help design a realistic and rewarding itinerary.