4 Days around Da Lat and Bidoup Nuiba National Park

With this Birding and Birds Photography tour schedule, we will have time at Dalat City and Bidoup Nuiba national parks, which are representative of the Langbian highland region, which has a cold climate with an altitude of 1000-2600m above sea level, a terrestrial island of the southern geographical region of Vietnam, with more than 15 species of endemic and near-endemic birds.

Blue pitta

What can we find in the birding tour Dalat city, Bidoup Nuiba National Park?

Dalat is famous as a tourist city, it has only been discovered about 120 years, but with a cool climate (due to the high altitude) and a wonderful abundance of forest and animal ecosystems especially birds. Making Da Lat not only attracts tourists to come for a vacation, but it is also an ideal place to watch birds and take pictures of them. Although it has been urbanized a lot, at present, Dalat still has hot spots with many endemic bird species that are easy to birding and bird photography.

Rusty-naped Pitta

In Bidoup National Park, visitors can discover a completely different forest, high mountain humid tropical forest habitat, cold air, clouds, and drizzle make the forest denser, birds more… Tourists will also go to the vast green pine forests, visit the lakeside forests on the plateau.

Red-crossbill

This is a national park stretching over 120km of Langbian plateau, home to the most diverse ecosystem in Vietnam. Bird watching tours are also divided into regions, with each site having its own distinct species characteristics. Visitors will have 2 days in the primeval evergreen forest to observe and photograph (on the forest trails and in the bird-hide) the beautiful birds here: Blue pitta, Indochinese Green Magpie, Collared Laughingthrush, Black-hooded Laughingthrush, Black-crowned Fulvetta, Grey-crowned Crocias…

Langbian Sunbird

During a day of the journey, visitors will spend time in the ecosystem of coniferous forests, pine trees mixed with broadleaf forest. Where visitors have time to see and photograph birds such as Red Crossbill, Chestnut-vented Nuthatch, Green-backed Tit, Vietnamese Cutia, Vietnamese greenfinch…

What are the bird targets of this bird-watching trip? 

Different forest types create different, almost separate bird features.

While at Bidoup Nuiba National Park, we will encounter some typical birds such as Indochinese Wren-babbler, Orange-breasted laughing thrush, Black-hooded Laughingthrushes, White-cheeked laughing thrush, Indochinese Green Magpie, Blue Pitta, Rusty-naped Pitta, Grey-bellied Tesia, Pygmy Wren-babbler, Spotted forktail, Slaty-backed forktail, Rufous-throated Partridge, …

Indochinese green magpie

In the mixed forest of pines, we can see Vietnamese Cutia and Vietnamese Greenfinch, Red-crossbill, Chestnut-vented Nuthatch, Yellow-billed Nuthatch, and Slender-billed Oriole, … 

And more nice birds around Dalat city like: 

Black-headed Sibia, Snowy-browed Flycatcher, Mugimaki Flycatcher, Yellow-cheeked Tit, Black-throated Tit, Langbian Sunbird, Annam (Mrs. Gould’s) sunbirds, Annam Barbet, Scaly thrush, Orange-headed thrush…

A bird-watching tour that combines travel to learn about local culture and traditional cuisine?

In addition, visitors can also learn about the indigenous culture of many ethnic minorities such as the Ma and Koho people, as well as the traditional culinary culture of Vietnam, especially, Da Lat city is a tourist city. The largest in Vietnam, coming to Da Lat in the bird watching tour, visitors not only gain interest in birds but also enjoy a relaxing and friendly Vietnam travel experience.

Collared laughingthrush

When is the best time to visit Dalat and Bidoup Nuiba for birding? 

Endemic and native birds in the Langbian Plateau are in this area at all times of the year. However, if coming here during the rainy season, visitors probably to getting wet, and cold; the dense fog reduces the attractiveness of the journey. Therefore, the advice of Vietnambirds for birding enthusiasts is to come to Bidoup Nuiba NP and Da Lat city on a sunny time. The best time is from November to April next year. If outside of this period, we will look at the short-term weather before starting the journey.

Slaty-backed Forktail

Itinerary

With 4 Days Birding and Birds Photography in Bidoup Nuiba National Park, Dalat city.

• Day 1: Hochiminh city – Dalat city
• Day 2: Bidoup Nui Ba National Park
• Day 3: Bidoup Nui Ba National Park
• Day 4: Dalat city birding then flight to Hochiminh City

As followed:

Day 1: Ho Chi Minh city flight to Dalat city.

You will fly from Ho Chi Minh city to Dalat city, the short flight will take you 45 minutes then landed at Dalat city around 9:00 am, The car will pick you up to the first bird spot in Dalat: Datanla waterfall which is a nice place to sunbird photography and lunch.

All the afternoon we birded around Dalat city for some nice birds: Vietnamese Cutia, Chestnut-vented Nuthatch, Grey-cheeked Laughinhthrush, Grey Bushchat, Flycatchers, Annam(Mrs. Gould’s) sunbird, Langbian sunbird, Oriental white-eye, Blue-winged Minla, Black-throated Tit, Green-backed Tit, Black-drongo, Ashy Drongo, Burmese Shrike, Grey-capped Woodpecker …

Meals: Breakfast at Hochiminh City, Lunch at and Dinner in Dalat city.

Day 2: Birding in Dalat city, Langbian Plateau, Vietnam

5:00 am, we go to a special spot for the best target: Grey-crowned Crocias, besides we can see: Bay woodpecker, Speckled Piculet, Black-headed Sibia, Plain flowerpecker, Fire-breasted flowerpecker,…

Black-hooded laughingthrush

After this spot, we will move to the Bidoup Nuiba National Park for birding: easy Birding in the center headquarter some nice birds: Vietnamese Greenfinch, Red-crossbill, Chestnut-vented Nuthatch,…

Lunch at the Da Nhim town. A half-day time birder will follow trails under the canopy of tropical forest, cross rocky streams with crystal clear water, and step over fallen trees lying on the ground covered with moss, in a fairy-tale setting of broadleaf forests on high mountains.

Day 3: Birding in Bidoup Nui Ba National Park, Vietnam

Starting at 6:00, We will take bird photography all day on the other trails and bird-hide inside the National Park.

Targets List: Collared laughing thrush, Black-hooded laughing thrush, Indochinese Green Magpie, Black-crowned Fulvetta, Grey-bellied Tesia, Large Niltava, White-browed Scimitar Babbler, Rufous-throated Partridge, Indochinese Wren-babbler…

We will move back to Dalat city, After dinner, we can go do the “night Da Lat center market “ and you will be surprised about the goods and people here.

Accommodation: the best luxury hotel in Dalat with nice landscapes.

Meals: B, L at Bidoup Nuiba NP, Diner at the restaurant (chosen due to your choice of foods style in Dalat city )

Day 4: Bidoup Nui ba National Park and back to Hochiminh City

We continue birding in Bidoup Nui Ba national park in a different way to Heaven gate Ranger Station, with some special birds: Vietnamese Cutia, Dalat Shrike Babbler, and Orange-breasted Laughingthrush, Blue pitta, Large Woodshrike, …

12:00 we back to the city for lunch, after lunch we go to the Dalat airport to get the flight back to Hochiminh city airport.