This comprehensive 16-day birding and wildlife expedition journeys through the premier biodiversity hotspots of Southern and Central Vietnam, targeting a remarkable selection of regional endemics and rare avian species. Beginning in the lush lowland forests and seasonal wetlands of Cat Tien National Park, the tour focuses on top target species including Germain’s Peacock-Pheasant, Siamese Fireback, Green Peafowl, and various colorful pittas and broadbills. Ascending into the cooler elevations of the Langbian Plateau, the itinerary explores the bird-rich habitats of Di Linh and Da Lat, including Bidoup National Park and the Ta Nung Valley, searching for elusive endemics like the Grey-crowned Crocias, Collared Laughingthrush, Green Cochoa, and Vietnamese Cutia. Moving north into the Central Highlands, participants explore the dry dipterocarp forests of Yok Don National Park, a prime location for specialized raptors, parakeets, and diverse woodpeckers like the Black-headed Woodpecker, as well as the Mekong Wagtail along the Serepok River. Continuing to the pristine, higher-altitude forests of Mang Den and the remote Mang Ri Pass within the Ngoc Linh Nature Reserve, target species shift to high-value specialties such as the Chestnut-eared, Golden-winged, and Red-tailed Laughingthrushes, Indochinese Wren-Babbler, and Black-crowned Barwing. The expedition concludes along the coast on the Son Tra Peninsula near Da Nang, offering a memorable final opportunity to observe the vibrant Red-shanked Douc Langur before departure.

Key species:

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.

Di Linh & Da Lat

Bar-backed Partridge, Silver Pheasant, Red-vented Barbet, Black-browed Barbet (Annam/Indochinese 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.

Yok Don

Black-headed Woodpecker and many others, Collared Falconet, White-rumped Falcon, Chestnut-bellied (Burmese) Nuthatch, White-browed Fantail

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 Pitta.

Mang Ri/Ngoc Linh

Golden-winged and Red-tailed Laughingthrush, Indochinese Fulvetta, Rufous-winged and Rusty-capped Fulvetta, Black-crowned Barwing, Green-tailed Sunbird, Brown Hornbill, Indochinese Wren-Babbler, Yellow-billed Nuthatch. 

Itinerary

• 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.

• Day 4  (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-breasted Laughingthrush, Vietnamese Cutia and Black-headed Parrotbill, a split from the more widespread Grey-headed Parrotbill.

Overnight Silver Falls Villa hotel, Di Linh (1 nights)

• Day 5 (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

• Day 9 (B, L, D) – 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 Guest House 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

• Day 13 (B, L, D) - Birding in Mang Den - Transfer to 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 nights)

• Day 14 (B, L, D) - Birding in Mang Ri/Ngoc Linh

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 in Mang Ri - Transfer 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 “Queen of primate”, the Red-shanked Douc Langur before dropping off Da Nang airport. Tour ends.

Tour price: