A comprehensive birding route through southern and central Vietnam, combining Cat Tien’s lowland forest, Da Lat endemics, and the key montane and Annamite sites of central Vietnam. Designed for birders who want strong endemic coverage without continuing to the far north. Starting in Cat Tien National Park's lowland rainforests for targets like Germain’s Peacock-Pheasant and Bar-bellied Pitta, the route ascends into the Da Lat Plateau for key endemics including Grey-crowned Crocias, Collared Laughingthrush, and Vietnamese Cutia. It then explores the dry dipterocarp woodlands of Yok Don for Black-headed Woodpecker and Mekong Wagtail, before venturing into the Annamite range at Mang Den and Ngoc Linh to seek rare specialties like the Golden-winged and Chestnut-eared Laughingthrushes and Black-crowned Barwing. The tour concludes on Da Nang’s Son Tra Peninsula, combining coastal birding with views of the endangered Red-shanked Douc Langur.

Key species

Cat Tien

Orange-necked Partridge, Germain's Peacock Pheasant, Siamese Fireback, Green Peafowl, Blue-rumped and Bar-bellied Pittas, Pale-headed and Black-and-buff Woodpeckers, Black-and-red, Banded, Dusky Broadbill, Grey-faced Tit Babbler.

Di Linh & Da Lat

Bar-backed Partridge, Silver Pheasant, Red-vented Barbet, Indochinese (Annam) Barbet, Red-headed Trogon, Long-tailed Broadbill, Wedge-tailed Green Pigeon, Mountain Imperial Pigeon, Rusty-naped Pitta, Blue Pitta, Burmese Shrike, Indochinese Green Magpie, Green Cochoa, 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, Vietnamese Cutia, Clicking Shrike Babbler, Da Lat Shrike Babbler, Blue-winged Minla, Black-crowned Fulvetta, Grey-crowned Crocias, Rufous-backed Sibia, Black-headed Sibia, Black-headed Parrotbill, Mrs Gould’s Sunbird, 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, 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 the 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 Peacock-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 at Silver Falls Villa Hotel, Di Linh (1 night)

• 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 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.

We will have excellent chances for 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.

• 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 a 1-night stay.

Overnight at Yok Don NP Guest House (2 nights)

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

A full day of birding in Yok Don National Park; this dipterocarp forest will provide us with many species of woodpeckers, parakeets, several raptors, and owls in the daytime.

Our main target species, including Black-headed Woodpecker, Collared Falconet, White-rumped Falcon, and Chestnut-bellied (Burmese) 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 at Mang Den 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 Laughingthrush, 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 the Mang Den area. In the late afternoon, we will then drive on to Tu Mo Rong for a 2-night stay. 

Overnight at Hoang Gia Trang Hotel (2 nights)

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

Mang Ri Pass, a new road crossing the Ngoc Linh natural reserve area, was completed in May, 2016. It has reached recent birding fame as the site to see the endemic Golden-winged Laughingthrush, Indochinese Fulvetta, and 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 another chance for Yellow-billed Nuthatch.

This early morning, we will drive about 2 hours on a "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 Peninsula and departure

Our last morning will be fun to enjoy seeing the “Queen of primates”, the Red-shanked Douc Langur before dropping off at Da Nang airport. Tour ends.

Tour price: