What destinations will we spend our 7-day bird photography tour ?

In Dong Nai nature reserve area, which is adjacent to Cat Tien National Park, there are currently bird-hides that are very successful with many species of birds visiting, including spciealities species, beautiful birds, and birds that are difficult to find in the Cat Tien National Park. such as: Banded kingfisher, Blue eared kingfisher, Indochinese green magpie, Laced woodpecker, Pitta… all easily have their beautiful images in this NR.

Cat Tien National Park has a hot and humid climate with altitude below 300m above sea level. In Cat Tien National Park, visitors can experience the hot and humid evergreen broadleaf forest, or the type of bamboo forest mixed with broadleaf trees, sometimes crossing the deciduous dipterocarp forests.

Di Linh humid tropical forest, home to many beautiful birds, has been very famous for many years. This place has an altitude of about 800-1100 m above sea level, the cool and pleasant climate helps you feel comfortable and relaxed after hot and stuffy days in the lowlands. There are some bird species that you cannot miss: Indochinese green magpie, Blue pitta, Black-headed Parrotbill, Red-vented barbet…

In Bidoup Nuiba National Park, has a cold climate with an average elevation of 1300-1500m above sea level. The visitors can discover a completely different forest type, high mountain humid tropical forest habitat, cold air, clouds and drizzle make the forest more dense, You will also go to the vast green pine forests, visit the lakeside forests on the plateau. This national park surrounds Da Lat city, which is a famous tourist city of Vietnam. We will also have time to explore the cuisine and night markets in Da Lat city.

What is the birds we find in the bird photography tour 7-days?

In Dong Nai Nature reserve and Cat Tien National Park, with total 5 bird-hide :

we will meet some typical birds such as: Bar-bellied Pitta, Blue-rumped Pitta, Germain’s Peacock Pheasant Siamese Fireback,Orange-necked Partridge, Scaly-breasted Patridge, Banded Kingfisher, Blue eared kingfisher, Silver breasted Broabill, Black and Red Broadbill, Banded Broadbill, Orange-breasted Trogon, Green peafowl, Indochinese Green Magpie, Indochinese Babbler, Indochinese Cuckoo-shrike, Indochinese blue flycatcher, …

More with specialities : Common flameback, Laced woodpecker, Lesser yellownaped, Heart-spoted woodpecker, Black and buff Woodpecker, Great slaty woodpecker, Black-hooded Oriole, great Iora, Van hasselt’s Sunbird, Ruby-cheeked Sunbird, Great-eared Nightjar, Lineated Barbet, Pied hornbill…

While at Bidoup Nuiba National Park and Dalat city, with 3 bird-hide and 3 bird-spots:

we will encounter list of endemic birds such as: Grey-crowned Crocias, Black-hooded Laughingthrushes, White-cheeked laughingthrush, Vietnamese Cutia, Vietnamese Greenfinch , Collared Laughingthrush, Black-crowned Fulvetta, Dalat bush-warbler, Indochinese barbet, Plain minla, Langbian Sunbird, Langbian Tit, Annam Sunbird, Necklaced Barbet, Grey crowned Tit …

Other you have change to photography for : Pygmy Wren-babbler, Grey-bellied Tesia, Rufous-throated Partridge, Spotted forktail, Slaty-backed forktail, Black headed Sibia, Streak spiderhunter…

In Di Linh forest, with 2 bird-hide:

the list will be : Blue Pitta, Indochinese green Magpie, Black-headed parrotbill, Bar-backed partridge, Long-tailed broadbill, Red-vented barbet, Red-headed Trogon, Red-billed Scimitar-babbler, …

ITINERARY

We have 2 itineraries for visitors to choose that suits them:

1. Schedule 1: HCMC – Dong Nai NR – Cat Tien NP – Di Linh – Bidoup Nui Ba NP – Dalat city.
   With this schedule, the tour will end in Da Lat city on the afternoon of the 7th day of the journey.
2. Schedule 2: HCMC – Dong Nai NR – Cat Tien NP – Dalat city – Bidoup Nui Ba NP – Di Linh – HCMC city.
   In this schedule, the tour will end in Ho Chi Minh City on the afternoon of the 7th day of the journey.

Schedule 1 as followed:

Day 1: Hochiminh city – Dong Nai NR – Cat tien National park

• Pick you up from your hotel in HCM city – 5:30 am , go to Dong Nai nature reserve – breakfast and rest on the way, arrive to the park 7:30 am;
• First bird-hide for : Bar-bellied Pitta, Blue-rumped pitta, Blue-eared Kingfisher, Banded Kingfisher, Silver-breasted broadbill, Common flameback, Laced Woodpecker, Puff-throated babbler, Abbott’s babbler,…
• Other hide for: Indochinese green magpie, Racket-tailed Magpie, Black and red broadbill, Lesser yellownape, Buff-breasted babbler, Indochinese Babbler, Indochinese Blue Flycatcher, Striped-throated bulbul, Ochraceous Bulbul, Grey eyed bulbul, Black crested bulbul, Van Hasselt’s Sunbird,…
• Finish the day at Cat Tien NP hotel

Accommodation: the best around Cat Tien NP.

Day 2:  Cat Tien NP

• Morning start from 6:00am to birding at the bird-hide for Germain’s peacock pheasant, Siamese fireback, Green-legged Partridge, Greater coucal, Greater racket-tailed drongo, Bulbuls, Babblers, …
• Birding for late of the morning with some nice birds in this park : Black-hooded Oriole, Van hasselt’s Sunbird, Little Spiderhunter, Ornate sunbird, Ruby-cheeked sunbird, Scarlet-backed flowerpecker, Yellow-vented flowerpecker, Bronze drongos, Great Iora, Common iora, blue-winged leafbird,  indochinese cuckooshrike , Dark-necked Tailorbird…
• Afternoon in the hide for endemic and specialities: Bar-bellied Pitta, Blue-rumped Pitta, Indochinese Babbler, Indochinese Blue Flycatcher, Green legged partridge…; If all we have, we will use this time for Orange-breasted Trogon.
• After Dinner, we go to find some Owls: Brown hawk-owl, Asian barred owlet,…

Accommodation: Cat Tien NP.

Day 3: Cat Tien national park 

• Morning visit to Grassland by Safari car for Pigeons, Hornbill, Lapwing, Green peafowl, doves …
• The short trail for other birds : Orange-breasted trogon, Banded broadbill, Black and puff woodpecker, heart spotted woodpecker, Little spiderhunter, Purple-naped Sunbird, Green-eared barbet, blue-eared barbet, Lineated barbet…

• Check-out at 16:00 pm, Then transport to Dilinh town.

Accommodation: Dilinh town.

Day 4: Dilinh plateau – Dalat city.

• Morning will in Di linh forest  at the bird-hide for: Blue-pitta, Bar-backed partridge, Long-tailed Broadbill,Black-headed Parrotbill, Erpornis, puff-throated bulbul, ashy bulbul, Red-headed Trogon, orange-headed thrush…
• 16:00 pm will departe to Da lat city at
• Accommodation : Dalat city.
• Night action : Dalat city culture tour.

Day 5: Dalat city – Bidoup Nuiba NP.

• Moring birding around the city spots for rare endemic: Grey-crowned Crocias; Dalat shrike babbler,
• Other bird-spots for: Indochinese Barbet, Annam sunbird, Langbian sunbird, Vietnamese greenfinch, Langbian (Green-backed) Tit, Grey-caped pygmy woodpecker, Sooty-headed bulbul, Silver-eared mesia, Flavescent bulbul, Bay woodpecker, Kloss leaf warbler…
• Late of the day move to Bidoup Nuiba NP at the bird-hide for Red-crossbill, Annam minivet, Slender-billed Oriole, Burmese shrike…
• night spot-light for Oriental Scops owl,
• Accommodation: Bidoup Nuiba

Day 6: Bidoup Nuiba – Dalat city.

• Morning go to the Bird-hide in full day for beautiful species with endemic: Collared laughingthrush, Black-hooded laughingthrush, White-cheeked Laughingthrush, Black-crowned fulvetta, Indochinese green magpie, Then visit other hide for: spotted forktail, slaty-backed forktail, Grey-bellied Tesia, Pygmy wren babbler, Chestnut-crowned babbler, Rusty-naped Pitta, Large Niltava, White-tailed Robin, Mountain fulvetta, Black-headed Sibia…
• Birding on the trail for : Necklaced Barbet, Maroon Oriole, Blyth’s leaf warbler…
• Back to Dalat city,
• Night spotlight for Grey nightjar.

Accommodation: Dalat city

Day 7: Dalat city

• Morning visit other spots in Bidoup Nuiba NP for : Vietnamese cutia.
• Afternoon : other spots in Dalat and Ho Tuyen Lam for Dalat bush warbler
• End your trip at the hotel or drop to the Dalat airport.

Note:

• Your trip in a package with the included: Good transport by private Van or Car, foods (3 main meals and side meal with Vietnam’s fruits); all kind of tickets (entry tickets, ranger allowable for entry forest in night time, bird-hide …); bird-guide.
• Exclude: flight-tickets from Dalat to Hochiminh city at the last day.
• Kind of foods (main meals and side meals) in the trip of Vietnambirds you have chance to have many special Vietnamese foods.
• The bird-list and bird-spots maybe not like this itinerary, It depend to the time and real situation which the guide will update to clients.

Schedule 2 as followed:

Day 1: Hochiminh city – Dong Nai NR – Di linh forest.

• Pick you up from your hotel in HCM city – 5:30 am , go to Dong Nai nature reserve – breakfast and rest on the way, arrive to the park 7:30 am;
• First bird-hide for : Bar-bellied Pitta, Blue-rumped pitta, Blue-eared Kingfisher, Banded Kingfisher, Silver-breasted broadbill, Common flameback, Laced Woodpecker, Puff-throated babbler, Abbott’s babbler,…
• Other hide for: Indochinese green magpie, Racket-tailed Magpie, Black and red broadbill, Lesser yellownape, Buff-breasted babbler, Indochinese Babbler, Indochinese Blue Flycatcher, Striped-throated bulbul, Ochraceous Bulbul, Grey eyed bulbul, Black crested bulbul, Van Hasselt’s Sunbird,…
• 16:00pm will departure to Dilinh town, and Finish the day at Di Linh town hotel.

Accommodation: the best around Di Linh town hotel.

Day 2:  Di Linh forest 

• The bird-hide in Dilinh forest for: Blue-pitta, Bar-backed partridge, Long-tailed Broadbill,Black-headed Parrotbill, Erpornis, puff-throated bulbul, ashy bulbul, Red-headed Trogon, orange-headed thrush…
• 16:00pm will transport to Dalat city.
• Accommodation: Dalat city.

Day 3: Dalat city – Bidoup Nuiba NP.

• Moring birding around the city spots for rare endemic: Grey-crowned Crocias; Dalat shrike babbler, Indochinese Barbet, Grey crowned Tit, Silver-eared Mesia, Vietnamese Greenfinch, Grey-caped pygmy woodpecker, …
• Lunch then move other bird-spot  in Dalat city for: Indochinese Barbet, Annam sunbird, Langbian sunbird, Vietnamese greenfinch, Langbian (Green-backed) Tit, Plain Minla, Sooty-headed bulbul, Kloss leaf warbler…
• Accommodation: Bidoup Nuiba NP.

Day 4: Bidoup Nuiba – Dalat city.

• Morning go to the Bird-hide in full day for beautiful species with endemic: Collared laughingthrush, Black-hooded laughingthrush, White-cheeked Laughingthrush, Black-crowned fulvetta, Indochinese green magpie, Then visit other hide for: spotted forktail, slaty-backed forktail, Grey-bellied Tesia, Pygmy wren babbler, Chestnut-crowned babbler, Rusty-naped Pitta, Large Niltava, White-tailed Robin, Mountain fulvetta, Black-headed Sibia…
• Birding on the trail for : Necklaced Barbet, Maroon Oriole, Blyth’s leaf warbler…
• Back to Dalat city,
• Night action : Dalat city culture tour.

Accommodation: Dalat city

Day 5: Dalat city – Di Linh forest.

• Morning visit other spots in Bidoup Nuiba NP for : Vietnamese cutia.
• Transport to Cat Tien national park town, lunch in restaurant on the way.
• Cat Tien National park :
• Afternoon in the bird-hide for endemic and specialities: Bar-bellied Pitta, Blue-rumped Pitta, Indochinese Babbler, Indochinese Blue Flycatcher, Green legged partridge…;
• Accommodation: Cat Tien NP.

Day 6: Cat Tien national park

• Morning start from 6:00am at the bird-hide for Germain’s peacock pheasant, Siamese fireback, Green-legged Partridge, Greater coucal, Greater racket-tailed drongo, Bulbuls, Babblers, …
• Black-hooded Oriole, Van hasselt’s Sunbird, Little Spiderhunter, Ornate sunbird, Ruby-cheeked sunbird, Scarlet-backed flowerpecker, Yellow-vented flowerpecker, Bronze drongos, Great Iora, Common iora, blue-winged leafbird,  indochinese cuckooshrike , Dark-necked Tailorbird…
• Short walking on the trail for other birds : Black and puff woodpecker, heart spotted woodpecker, Little spiderhunter, Green-eared barbet, blue-eared barbet, Lineated barbet…
• After Dinner, we go to find some Owls: Brown hawk-owl, Asian barred owlet,…

Accommodation: Cat Tien NP.

Day 7: Cat Tien national park  – Ho Chi Minh City.

• Morning visit to Grassland by safari car for Pigeons, Hornbill, Lapwing, Green peafowl, doves …
• Short walking on the trail for other birds : Orange-breasted trogon, Banded broadbill,
• Check-out at 12:00 am, then lunch.
• Transport to Ho Chi Minh city, End your trip at 17:00 pm in Ho Chi Minh city.
• Accommodation: NO