Cat Tien National Park Birding Tour

Short birding tours

Cat Tien National Park Birding Tour

A classic "3 days / 2 nights" birding trip from Ho Chi Minh City to Cat Tien’s lowland evergreen and semi-evergreen forests, targeting Germain’s Peacock-Pheasant, Siamese Fireback, Blue-rumped and Bar-bellied Pittas, woodpeckers and broadbills.

Duration3 days/2 nights; customizable to 2-4 days

SeasonDecember to April

USD 410-720 Booking

Cat Tien National Park (Nam Cat Tien) has one of the most intact lowland forest avifaunas in Vietnam. Here, there are confirmed records of 16 globally threatened bird species, including three waterbird species not seen since 1993: White-shouldered Ibis, White-winged Duck, and Sarus Crane. With a total of about 320 species recorded, Cat Tien is one of the prime birding sites in Viet Nam and contains essentially lowland broadleaf forest and forest edge. It holds some key species like Germain's Peacock-Pheasant, Siamese Fireback, Orange-necked Partridge, Pale-headed and Black-and-buff Woodpecker, Blyth's (Javan) Frogmouth, Grey-faced Tit-Babbler, and some endemic subspecies, as well as being an easy place to see Blue-rumped and Bar-bellied Pittas.

This “3 days / 2 nights; customizable to 2-4 days” birding tour in Cat Tien will give us a chance to see the most important bird species and some other wildlife, although this can be optioned for only a 1-night stay or 3-night stay, depending on your time budget. We will start early in the morning to leave Ho Chi Minh City and travel by private car for 150km (about 3.5 hours) to reach the park. One afternoon and two full days of birding here will give you a marvelous trip.

Itinerary:

Day 1 (L, D): Transfer to Cat Tien National Park

Pick-up in Ho Chi Minh City in the early morning, about 3.5 hours driving to Cat Tien National Park. We will drive northwards from HCMC to Cat Tien National Park and begin to explore this fabulous reserve during the afternoon.

Our birding hides provide a number of main target species such as Germain's Peacock Pheasant, Siamese Fireback, Green-legged Partridge, Blue-rumped and Bar-bellied Pittas, and many more common species.

Day 2 (B, L, D): Full-day birding in Cat Tien National Park

If you are keen on photography, we might return to our hides to improve images; otherwise, we can bird along the trail or track for Kingfishers, Broadbills, Trogons, Pigeons, Bulbuls, etc.

In the afternoon, we will bird around the park headquarters for Grey-faced Tit Babbler, Woodpeckers, Green Pigeons and Nightjars.

Day 3 (B, L): Half-day birding in Cat Tien National Park - drive back to Ho Chi Minh City

In the morning, we will use jeeps to get to Heaven Rapids to find Pale-headed and Black-and-buff Woodpecker, Black-and-red, Banded and Dusky Broadbill.

Afternoon drive to Ho Chi Minh City - tour ends.

Tour price:

Group size	1	2	3	4	5	6 to 10
USD/pax	720	550	480	450	430	410

Single supplement: USD 65;
Includes: Bird guide, transportation by private car, accommodation (shared twin room), daily meals and drinking water, entrance fees, local transport (jeeps, boating, truck). Also provides a birding spotting scope and a bird ID manual;
Excludes: Personal expenses (e.g., beverages, laundry), tipping for guide and driver (optional but appreciated), single supplement.

Relevant tour:

More information about birding sites in Vietnam:

Cat Tien National Park Birding Tour

Ready to explore Vietnam’s birds and wild places?