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Code: |
BIRD11 |
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Routes: |
Ho Chi Minh
City - Nam Cat Tien - Da Lat - Bach Ma -
Hue - Cuc Phuong - Ha Noi |
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Duration: |
14 Days |
Itinerary in brief
Day 1: Arrival - Ho Chi Minh City
Day 2: Ho Chi Minh City - Nam Cat Tien
Day 3: Nam Cat Tien
Day 4: Nam Cat Tien
Day 5: Nam Cat Tien – Da Lat
Day 6: Da Lat
Day 7: Da Lat
Day 8: Da Lat - Ho Chi Minh City
Day 9: Ho Chi Minh City – Hue - Bach Ma
Day 10: Bach Ma
Day 11: Bach Ma – Hue - Ha Noi - Cuc Phuong
Day 12: Cuc Phuong
Day 13: Cuc Phuong
Day 14: Cuc Phuong - Ha Noi - Departure
Detail Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival - Ho Chi Minh City
Arrive in Ho Chi Minh City and transfer to
hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure.
Overnight in the City.
Day 2: Ho Chi Minh City - Nam Cat Tien
Drive to Nam Cat Tien National Park , 170 km
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, including an estimated 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 Partridge. 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 you would have to be extremely
lucky to catch a glimpse of any of these. Wild
boar, several species of deer and the rare Duoc
Langur and Crested Gibbon are sometimes seen.
The Afternoon is spent birding along the road
from the park headquarters. Overnight at Nam Cat
Tien.
Day 3: Nam Cat Tien
A full day of birding begins with an early start
along the river road from the headquarters by
jeep and foot. Also visit Bird Lake to look for
visiting waders and perhaps a glimpse of Green
Peafowl. Interesting species to look out for
include Germain's Peacock-Pheasant, Siamese
Fireback, Scaly-breasted Partridge, Bar-bellied
Pitta, Grey-faced Tit-Babbler, Green Imperial
Pigeon and Mountain Hawk-Eagle. Overnight at Nam
Cat Tien.
Day 4: Nam Cat Tien
Another early start for the 6 km walk 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. In the forest look out for Red and Black
and Banded Broadbill, Orange-breasted Trogon and
Pale-headed Woodpecker amongst others. Overnight
at Nam Cat Tien.
Day 5: Nam Cat Tien – Da Lat
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 roadside trees. Leave for Da Lat
after lunch. It is a scenic drive through tea
and coffee plantations to the cooler climes of
the former colonial hill station, Da Lat.
Transfer to hotel on arrival in Da Lat.
Overnight in Da Lat.
Day 6: Da Lat
A full day of birding 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 Da Lat.
Day 7: Da Lat
Tuyen Lam Lake , only 3 km from the centre of
town, is Da Lat's other hotspot for birders.
Take a boat to 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
Transfer back to Ho Chi Minh City . On arrival
in Ho Chi Minh City transfer to hotel. The rest
of the day is at leisure in Ho Chi Minh City .
Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City .
Day 9: Ho Chi Minh City – Hue - Bach Ma
An early transfer to the Airport to catch the
early morning flight to Hue in the centre of
Vietnam . On arrival at Hue follow the coast for
45 km south down Highway One before turning
inland on the road that leads to Bach Ma
National Park, 20 km 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 birders and for non-birders alike
with several waterfalls and small lakes.
Overnight at Bach Ma.
Day 10: Bach Ma
Bach Ma National Park is a very well-run
operation and knowledgeable park guides can be
hired if required. 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.
Overnight at Bach Ma.
Day 11: Bach Ma – Hue - Ha Noi - Cuc Phuong
A final morning exploring the forest trails
before leaving for Hue Airport to catch the
early afternoon flight north to Ha Noi. On
arrival in Ha Noi transfer directly to Cuc
Phuong National Park , a 3 hours-drive to the
south. Overnight in Cuc Phuong.
Day 12: Cuc Phuong
The first national park to be 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.
Overnight in Cuc Phuong.
Day 13: Cuc Phuong
A full day's birdwatching 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. Overnight in Cuc
Phuong.
Day 14: Cuc Phuong - Ha Noi - Departure
A morning of birdwatching before driving back to
Ha Noi in the afternoon and transferring to Noi
Bai Airport for departure flight
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