Vietnam National Park Tour is designed for the nature, eco and bird-watching travellers. Our tour starts in Saigon or Ho Chi Minh City and ends in Hanoi. The tour covers the best national parks in Vietnam in the South, the Central Region and the North. The pace of the tour is moderate-hard with tour activities including walking, bird-watching, trekking, hiking, eco touring and sightseeing. More tourist destinations can be added upon request to make the traveller’s experience of Vietnam complete. The acommodation is quite basic. Most meals are included due to local conditions at each park. Vietnam National Park is so far still off-the-tourist paths and voted by our travellers the best nature, eco and bird-watching tour.
The tour price includes:
English speaking guide as on the tour itinerary
Transportation as on the itinerary
Air tickets for Saigon – Hue - Hanoi
Accommodation as on the itinerary
Admission and permits during the guided times
The tour price excludes:
Insurance of any types
Drinks, laundry, phone bills or others not clearly mentioned as included
VIETNAM NATIONAL PARKS
Day 1: Arrive Ho Chi Minh City
Arriving in Ho Chi Minh City, welcomed by Paradissa Travel tour guide and transferred to hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure. Overnight in HCMC.
Day 2: Ho Chi Minh City - Nam Cat Tien (B/L/D)
Breakfast at the hotel
Travel by road to Nam Cat Tien National Park, 170km from HCMC in Dong Nai Province. Once off Highway One, the road passes through large areas of rubber plantations before branching off the highway on a rough track to the national park. An incredible diversity of birds and mammals live in the forest and wetland habitats of Nam Cat Tien which is estimated of 230 species of birds. Endangered birds to be found here include White-winged Duck, White-shouldered Ibis, Germains Peacock-Pheasant, Green Peafowl and the very elusive Orange-necked Partrge. Mammal species found in the park include Indochinese Tiger, Asian Elephant and the last surviving Annamese Rhino, a sub species of the Javan Rhino, although it is extremely lucky to catch a glimpse of these. Wild boar, several species of deer and the rare Duoc Langur and Crested Gibbon are sometimes seen. The afternoon is for bird-watching along the road from the park headquarters.
Lunch and dinner at the park.
Overnight in Nam Cat Tien.
Day 3: Nam Cat Tien (B/L/D)
Breakfast at the guest house.
A full day of bird-watching, we start early touring along the river road from the headquarters by jeep and foot. We’ll tour the Bird Lake to adore visiting waders and perhaps a glimpse of Green Peafowl. Interesting species to look out for include Germain's Peacock-Pheasant, Siamese Fireback, Scaly-breasted Partrge, Bar-bellied Pitta, Grey-faced Tit-Babbler, Green Imperial Pigeon and Mountain Hawk-Eagle. Lunch and dinner at the park.
Overnight in Nam Cat Tien.
Day 4: Nam Cat Tien (B/L/D)
Breakfast at the guest house.
We start early for the 6km of walking eco tour through forest to Crocodile Lake. Species that can be seen here include Green Peafowl by Crocodile Lake in the early morning or late afternoon, Bronze-winged Jacana, Lesser Adjutant and Purple Heron. On our bird-watching tour today, look out for Red, Black and Banded Broadbill, Orange-breasted Trogon and Pale-headed Woodpecker amongst others. Lunch and dinner at the park. Overnight in Nam Cat Tien.
Day 5: Nam Cat Tien – Da Lat (B/L)
Breakfast at the guest house.
A final morning of birding along the headquarters road where Green-eared, Blue-eared and Lineated Barbet can often be seen perched high up in road-side trees. Continue our journey to Da Lat after lunch. It is a scenic drive through tea and coffee plantations to the cooler climates of the former colonial hill station, Da Lat. Overnight in Dalat.
Day 6: Da Lat (B/L)
Breakfast at the hotel.
A full day of bird-watching at Mount Lang Bian where the evergreen forests are home to many interesting species including some endemics. Key species to be found at Mount Lang Bian include Silver Pheasant, Indochinese Cuckooshrike, Rufous-capped Babbler, Yellow-billed Nuthatch and Mugimaki Flycatcher. This is also the place to see two of Vietnam's endemics, the Collared Laughingthrush and the Vietnamese Greenfinch. Overnight in Dalat.
Day 7: Da Lat (B/L)
Breakfast at the hotel.
Tuyen Lam Lake, only 3km from the centre of town, is Da Lat's other hotspot for birders. Take a boat to the far side of the lake where a track leads through scrub up to areas of tropical evergreen forest. This is where the Grey-crowned Crocias was recently re-discovered after not being seen for 60 years. Other interesting species here include Red-vented Barbet, Spotted Forktail, Cutia, Black-hooded, White-cheeked and Collared Laughingthrush. Overnight in Da Lat.
Day 8: Da Lat - Ho Chi Minh City (B)
Breakfast at the hotel.
Travel back to Ho Chi Minh City. Upon arrival, check into our hotel ane enjoy the rest of the day at leisure. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.
Day 9: Ho Chi Minh City – Hue - Bach Ma National Park (B/L/D)
Breakfast at the hotel.
An early transfer to the airport for the flight to Hue in the Central Region of Vietnam. On arrival at Hue, follow the coast for 45km south down Highway One before turning inland on the road that leads to Bach Ma National Park, 20km away. The road from the park entrance to the park guesthouse near the summit is very scenic with sweeping vistas of undisturbed rainforest and the coastal plain. The park accommodation is in renovated colonial villas and the ruins of once grand holiday homes and hotels are scattered along the trails from this point up to the summit. There are many good trails for bird-watchers and for normal eco travellers alike with several waterfalls and small lakes. Overnight at Bach Ma.
Day 10: Bach Ma (B/L/D)
Breakfast at the hotel.
Bach Ma National Park is a very well-run eco travel destination. The knowledgeable park tour guides can be hired upon request. Over 330 species of bird have been recorded at Bach Ma and specialities include the endemic Annam Partridge, the Crested Argus, Coral-billed Ground-Cuckoo, Blyth's Kingfisher and the Ratchet-tailed Treepie.
Lunch and dinner at the park.
Overnight at Bach Ma.
Day 11: Bach Ma National Park - Hue – Hanoi - Cuc Phuong National Park (B/L/D)
Breakfast at the park.
A final morning exploring the forest trails before leaving for Hue Airport to catch the early afternoon flight to Hanoi. On arrival in Hanoi, travel directly to Cuc Phuong National Park, a 3-hour drive to the south. Overnight in Cuc Phuong.
Day 12: Cuc Phuong (B/L/D)
Breakfast at the park.
Enjoy full day bird-watching. The first national park established in Vietnam, Cuc Phuong is an area of limestone hills covered with large tracts of primeval rainforest. Key bird species here include Grey Peacock-Pheasant, Brown Hornbill, Bar-bellied, Blue-rumped and Eared Pitta, White-winged Magpie, Sultan Tit, Red-Vented Barbet, Limestone Wren-Babbler, Fujian Niltava and Pied Falconet.
Day 13: Cuc Phuong (B/L/D)
Breakfast at the park.
A full day's bird watching on the trails of Cuc Phuong. The birding is good at Cuc Phuong with over 300 species recorded in the park. Endangered mammals such as Indochinese Tiger, Clouded Leopard and the rare Delacour Langur also inhabit the forests of Cuc Phuong. Overnight in Cuc Phuong. Other possible bird species include Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl, Ruddy Kingfisher, Silver-breasted Broadbill and White-tailed Flycatcher.
Day 14: Cuc Phuong-Hanoi (B)
Breakfast at the park.
A morning of bird watching before driving back to Hanoi in the afternoon
Day 15: Depart Hanoi (B)
Breakfast at the park.
Transfer to Noi Bai Airport for departure flight.
Note: Best time of the year is March - April. Accommodation at national parks can be rather basic.
