Wild Vietnam: 25-Day Grand Birding Expedition

Day 0: Arrive in HCMC
Arrive at Tan Son Nha Airport (Ho Chi Minh City) and transfer to our hotel (Sunday, 15th February 2026), where we have arranged your accommodation. In the evening, we’ll enjoy a welcome dinner together, a chance to meet your guides and fellow birders, go over some tour plans, and build the excitement for the days ahead. This first welcome dinner is on us. If you need assistance with your airport transfer, just let us know, we’ll be happy to help arrange it.

Day 1: HCMC – Go Cong – Cat Tien National Park
With an early start, we travel from Ho Chi Minh City to the coastal mudflats of Go Cong for a full day of shorebirds and mangrove specialists, a great way to kick off the tour with a wide variety of targets and a strong start to the trip. Amongst the many waders, key target species include Nordmann’s Greenshank, Spoon-billed Sandpiper, Great Knot, Red Knot and Far Eastern Curlew. Mangrove specialists may include Mangrove Whistler, Malaysian Pied Fantail, Golden-bellied Gerygone and Ashy Tailorbird. Alongside herons, egrets, bitterns, skylarks, cuckoos, gulls and terns, it should be a very productive first day. In the afternoon we transfer to Cat Tien National Park. If time permits, we may explore around the park headquarters in search of some of the park’s more common residents such as Thick-billed Green Pigeon, Vernal Hanging Parrot, Black-and-red Broadbill and several woodpeckers including Black-and-buff, Heart–spotted, Laced and Rufous Woodpecker. After dark, we’ll have our first spotlighting session, targeting Great Eared Nightjar, Large-tailed Nightjar, Collared Scops-Owl and Asian Barred Owlet. With some luck, we may also connect with some of Vietnam’s most sought-after nocturnal birds including Tawny Fish Owl and Spot-bellied Eagle Owl. Accommodation inside Cat Tien National Park.

Day 2: Cat Tien National Park
We begin the day at first light with birding around the Heaven Rapids area, one of Cat Tien National Park’s most productive forest birding sites. The surrounding lowland evergreen and semi-deciduous forest supports an excellent diversity of Indochinese species, with targets including Banded Kingfisher, Dusky Broadbill, Banded Broadbill, Orange-breasted Trogon and the near-endemic Orange-necked Partridge. Other possibilities include Great Slaty Woodpecker, Scaly-crowned Babbler and a wide variety of bulbuls, barbets and forest flycatchers. After a midday break, we continue birding along the Tung Tree Trail, another key habitat zone within the park. Here we focus on some of Cat Tien’s more elusive forest specialists including Blue-rumped Pitta, Bar-bellied Pitta and Violet Cuckoo. Additional targets may include Red-breasted Parakeet, Banded Bay Cuckoo and a variety of babblers and flycatchers depending on seasonal activity. After dark, we embark on a spotlighting session by jeep along the roads surrounding Heaven Rapids. This night excursion provides an excellent opportunity to observe nocturnal forest species including Oriental Bay Owl, Oriental Scops-Owl, Brown Fish Owl and the highly sought after Blyth’s Frogmouth.

Day 3: Cat Tien National Park
We begin the day with an early morning departure from the park headquarters, following the trail to Bau Sau (Crocodile Lake), one of Cat Tien National Park’s most important wetland habitats. The forested trail passes through productive lowland woodland where we may encounter species such as Wreathed Hornbill, Siamese Fireback, Black-crested Bulbul, Grey-eyed Bulbul, Grey-faced Tit-Babbler and the elusive Collared Falconet. Upon reaching the lake, we explore the surrounding wetlands and open margins which support a variety of marshland and open-country birds. Target species here include Stork-billed Kingfisher, Indochinese Roller, Bronze-winged Jacana, Lesser Whistling Duck, Cotton Pygmy Goose, Asian Golden Weaver, Asian Woolly-necked Stork, as well as several key birds of prey such as Grey-headed Fish Eagle, Crested Serpent Eagle and Shikra. After time around the lake, we return to the park headquarters before heading out again in the late afternoon to Cat Tien’s western grasslands. This mosaic of open savanna-like habitat and scrub is home to species such as Green Peafowl, Blossom-headed Parakeet, Chinese Francolin, Baya Weaver, Scarlet Minivet, Oriental Pied Hornbill, Red-wattled Lapwing, Pied Bushchat and Ruby-cheeked Sunbird.

Day 4: Cat Tien National Park – Di Linh
We begin the morning with a final birding session inside Cat Tien National Park, focusing on any key target species not yet encountered. Depending on recent activity, we may revisit productive forest trails or edge habitats in search of species missed during previous days. Later in the morning, we depart Cat Tien and begin the drive to the Di Linh Plateau, ascending into the cooler forested highlands of Lam Dong Province. After check-in and a short rest, we head to nearby San Pass for an afternoon birding session. San Pass is a productive mid-elevation forest corridor along the southern edge of the Langbian Plateau, where lowland and montane avifauna overlap. Target species here include Long-tailed Broadbill, Silver-breasted Broadbill, Blue Pitta, Black-headed Parrotbill, Red-vented Barbet, Indochinese Barbet, Black-chinned Yuhina and the vocal Collared Owlet. Accommodation on the Di Linh Plateau.

Day 5: San Pass – Da Lat
We begin the day with early morning birding around San Pass, giving us another opportunity to connect with any key species missed the previous afternoon. In the cool morning conditions, we may again search for targets such as Blue Pitta, Long-tailed Broadbill and Collared Owlet, along with a variety of forest barbets, yuhinas and babblers. Later in the morning, we check out and transfer north to Da Lat, ascending into the heart of the Langbian Plateau, one of Vietnam’s premier montane birding regions and home to several near-endemic and endemic species. In the afternoon, we explore the forests around Datanla Waterfall and Tuyen Lam Lake, where a mix of pine woodland, broadleaf forest and shrub habitat supports a rich highland avifauna. Key target species include Mrs. Gould’s Sunbird, Black-throated Sunbird, Black-throated Tit, Green-backed Tit, Rufous-capped Babbler and Long-tailed Minivet. We will also search for two of the region’s most desirable specialties, the near-endemic Grey-crowned Crocias and the Langbian endemic Vietnamese Cutia. Accommodation in Da Lat.

Day 6-7: Da Lat Plateau
We spend the next two days exploring the montane forests and pine-covered ridges of the Da Lat Plateau, one of Vietnam’s premier birding regions and home to a remarkable collection of endemic and range-restricted species from the Annamite Highlands. Traveling between key sites by vehicle and birding mainly on foot, we will explore a variety of habitats including evergreen broadleaf forest, pine woodland and forest edge scrub, to name a few. The Da Lat Plateau is particularly renowned for its suite of regional endemics, and over the coming days we will focus on finding specialties such as Vietnamese Cutia, Grey-crowned Crocias, Orange-breasted Laughingthrush, Collared Laughingthrush, Dalat Bush Warbler, Annam Prinia, White-cheeked Laughingthrush, Black-hooded Laughingthrush, Indochinese Green Magpie, Yellow-billed Nuthatch, Langbian Tit, Grey-crowned Tit and Yellow-eyed Babbler, among many others. To maximise opportunities, we will also spend time in less disturbed areas, which regularly attracts secretive forest species such as Rusty-naped Pitta, Blue Pitta and Spotted Forktail. These two days provide some of the best birding of the tour, combining exceptional montane specialties with the scenic landscapes of Vietnam’s southern highlands.

Day 8: Da Lat – Yok Don
We dedicate our final morning in Da Lat to searching for any remaining target species missed over the previous days. Depending on recent activity, we may revisit productive highland forest patches or pine–broadleaf ecotones in search of some of the region’s more elusive endemics and specialties. Later in the morning, we depart Da Lat and begin the journey northwest to Yok Don National Park near the Cambodian border. The change in scenery is dramatic as we descend into Vietnam’s largest area of dry dipterocarp forest, a unique habitat unlike anywhere else on the tour and home to a very different suite of bird species. After arriving in the afternoon, we begin birding in Yok Don’s dry deciduous woodland and open-canopy forest. This habitat supports many species characteristic of mainland Southeast Asia’s drier interior regions, with key targets including Burmese Nuthatch, Chinese Francolin, Rufous-bellied Woodpecker, Black-headed Woodpecker, White-bellied Woodpecker, Great Slaty Woodpecker, White-rumped Falcon, Crested Treeswift, Rufous Treepie and Velvet-fronted Nuthatch. Accommodation in Yok Don National Park.

Day 9: Yok Don – Mang Den
We begin the morning with a final session in Yok Don National Park, either revisiting productive forest areas in search of remaining dry forest specialists such as White-rumped Falcon, Great Slaty Woodpecker and Burmese Nuthatch, or joining a guided conservation program offering the opportunity to observe Asian Elephant in cooperation with local communities and park authorities. Following the morning activities, we depart Yok Don and begin the journey to Mang Den in Vietnam’s Central Highlands. As we travel north, the landscape gradually changes from dry deciduous woodland to cooler mid-elevation forest typical of the northern Annamite foothills. After arriving in the afternoon, we head directly to nearby Mang Canh Forest, a biologically rich montane forest area supporting a wide range of highland specialties. Key target species include Long-tailed Shrike, Golden Babbler, Vietnamese Cutia, White-browed Shrike-Babbler, Clicking Shrike-Babbler, Black-eared Shrike-Babbler, Grey-headed Parrotbill, Hodgson’s Hawk-Cuckoo, Brown-crowned Scimitar Babbler and Sultan Tit. Of particular interest is the elusive Chestnut-eared Laughingthrush, a range-restricted species found only in this part of Vietnam.

Day 10: Mang Den – Ngoc Linh
We begin the morning with birding in the forests around Mang Canh, focusing on some of the region’s most difficult and range-restricted species. Our main target is the elusive Chestnut-eared Laughingthrush, one of Vietnam’s rarest endemic birds. Other species we may encounter include Rufous-faced Warbler, Black-throated Sunbird, Mrs. Gould’s Sunbird, Yellow-cheeked Tit and Spot-throated Babbler. Later in the morning, we check out and begin the journey to Ngoc Linh Nature Reserve near Tu Mơ Rông, ascending deeper into the remote mountains of central Vietnam. The route offers spectacular scenery as we enter one of the country’s least-visited birding regions. After arriving, we take the afternoon to rest and enjoy the surroundings, as the birding areas here are located some distance from our accommodation and require early starts for access. If time permits, we may enjoy some light birding or a short spotlighting session around the area in search of nocturnal wildlife. Accommodation near Ngoc Linh Nature Reserve.

Day 11: Ngoc Linh
We spend the full day birding the montane forests of Ngoc Linh Nature Reserve, one of the most remote and exciting birding regions in Vietnam. The cool high-elevation forests here support a remarkable collection of Annamite specialties and some of the rarest birds of the tour. Our primary targets include Golden-winged Laughingthrush, Red-tailed Laughingthrush, Black-crowned Barwing and Indochinese Fulvetta. Other highly desirable species possible in the area include Rusty-capped Fulvetta, Rufous-winged Fulvetta, Brown-crowned Scimitar Babbler and, with some luck, both Purple and Green Cochoa. After dark, we will have another spotlighting session around the forest roads and nearby habitat in search of nocturnal birds and mammals.

Day 12: Ngoc Linh – Da Nang City

We begin the morning with birding around Lo Xo Pass, one of central Vietnam’s most scenic mountain passes and an excellent area for mid-elevation forest species. Later in the morning, we check out and begin the drive to Da Nang. This is primarily a transfer day, with a journey of around six hours from Ngoc Linh to the coast. Along the way, we may pick up a number of widespread but desirable birds still missing from the trip list, including Plaintive Cuckoo, Green-eared Barbet, Puff-throated Babbler, House Swift, Black Eagle, Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrush and Crimson Sunbird. Arriving in Da Nang, we may have the opportunity to unwind and enjoy one of Vietnam’s most scenic coastal cities, known for its long white-sand beaches, excellent food and relaxed atmosphere, a welcome break after almost 2-weeks of birding. Accommodation in Da Nang.

Day 13: Da Nang / Hoi An
An early start sees us heading to Hoi A for Next Continent’s signature private dawn birding cruise along the Thu Bon River, including a large spread of traditional Hoi An-style Vietnamese breakfast. Birding the riverbanks, wetlands and coastal edges from the water provides a unique perspective and excellent opportunities for a range of species. Key targets include Pied Kingfisher, White-throated Kingfisher, Freckle-breasted Woodpecker, Masked Laughingthrush and Indian Cuckoo, along with a variety of shorebirds and waterbirds such as Common Redshank, Spotted Redshank, Eurasian Whimbrel, Tibetan Sand Plover and Whiskered Tern. Later in the day, we explore productive paddyfields and nearby coastal habitats in search of some of Vietnam’s most sought-after wintering migrants. Depending on conditions, possible species include Northern Pintail, Tufted Duck, Siberian Stonechat, Black-faced Spoonbill and Eurasian Spoonbill, all species that we have been recording here regularly in recent years. Other targets may include Greater Painted-snipe, Red-throated Pipit, wagtails, buntings and a range of wetland birds. In the afternoon, those wishing to continue exploring, an optional visit to the Son Tra Peninsula offers the chance to search for the spectacular Red-shanked Douc Langur, one of Asia’s most striking primates. Accommodation in Da Nang. After dark, we finish the day with spotlighting around open country and coastal scrub at some of our very reliable spots for Indian Nightjar, Savanna Nightjar and Eastern Barn Owl. Accommodation in Da Nang.

Day 14: Bach Ma National Park
We depart Da Nang early in the morning and begin the journey into the Annamite Mountains, traveling to Bach Ma National Park, one of central Vietnam’s premier birding destinations. Before ascending into the mountains, we spend time birding the surrounding paddyfields and wetlands, which can be highly productive for open-country and wetland species. Possible birds here include Ashy Woodswallow, Red-billed Starling, Slaty-breasted Rail, Common Snipe, Cinnamon Bittern and Striated Grassbird. Continuing into Bach Ma National Park, we bird progressively higher elevations from the park entrance through to the summit area, exploring a variety of forest habitats along the way. Bach Ma’s montane forests support an exceptional diversity of Indochinese specialties, with possible targets including Rufous-throated Partridge, Silver Pheasant, Red-headed Trogon, Austen’s Brown Hornbill, Silver-breasted Broadbill, Ratchet-tailed Treepie, White-winged Magpie, Indochinese Green Magpie, Necklaced Barbet, Streaked Wren-babbler, Sultan Tit and Golden Babbler. At night, we’ll spotlight for Mountain Scops Owl, Spot-bellied Eagle Owl and Hodgson’s Frogmouth. Accommodation in Bach Ma National Park.

Day 15: Bach Ma National Park
We spend a second full day exploring the forests and mountain roads of Bach Ma National Park, continuing our search for as many Annamite specialties as possible. Key targets include Scaly-breasted Partridge, Barred Cuckoo-Dove, Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo, Common Cuckoo, Mountain Hawk-Eagle, Black Eagle, Red-headed Trogon, Bay Woodpecker, Grey-chinned Minivet, White-browed Shrike-Babbler, White-bellied Erpornis, Bronzed Drongo, Blyth’s Paradise Flycatcher, Puff-throated Bulbul, Grey-cheeked Warbler, Kloss’s Leaf Warbler, Black-throated Tit, Indochinese Yuhina, White-browed Scimitar Babbler, Siberian Thrush, Hainan Blue Flycatcher, Slaty-backed Forktail, Red-flanked Bluetail, Fork-tailed Sunbird and Olive-backed Pipit. Alongside these targets, mixed feeding flocks and roadside birding may produce a constantly changing selection of babblers, flycatchers, leaf warblers and other montane forest species throughout the day.

Day 16-17: Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park
We begin the morning with a final birding session in Bach Ma National Park before departing north toward Phong Nha–Ke Bang National Park, one of Vietnam’s most spectacular protected areas and home to vast limestone karst landscapes, dense forest and an impressive diversity of central Vietnamese birdlife. After arriving in the afternoon, we begin birding in the forests surrounding Phong Nha, where we will spend the next two days exploring a mixture of limestone forest and lowland evergreen habitat. This region supports a unique assemblage of birds, including the recently described and near-endemic Sooty Babbler, one of the area’s most sought-after specialties. Other key targets over our time in Phong Nha include Tonkin Partridge, White-bellied Green Pigeon, Brown Fish Owl, Red-collared Woodpecker, White-winged Magpie, Indochinese Wren-Babbler, Asian Emerald Cuckoo, Cook’s Swift, Oriental Hobby and Spot-necked Babbler. These two days also provide an excellent opportunity to continue searching for any remaining Annamite and central Vietnamese forest specialists missed earlier in the tour. Accommodation in Phong Nha.

Day 18-19: Cuc Phuong National Park
We begin the morning with a final birding session in Phong Nha–Ke Bang National Park before departing north toward Cuc Phuong National Park, Vietnam’s oldest national park and one of the country’s classic birding destinations. The journey takes us further into northern Vietnam, where the birdlife begins to shift toward a mix of Indochinese and subtropical species. After arriving in the afternoon, we begin birding in the forests surrounding Cuc Phuong, where we will spend the next two days exploring limestone forest, mature lowland woodland and forest edge habitats. The park is particularly well known for its diversity of forest birds and wintering migrants, offering an excellent opportunity to add a wide range of northern specialties to the trip list. Key targets during our time in Cuc Phuong include Malayan Night Heron, Pied Falconet, Silver Pheasant, Silver-breasted Broadbill, Indochinese Green Magpie, Limestone Leaf Warbler, Rufous-throated Fulvetta, Mountain Hawk-Eagle, Brown Wood Owl, Red-vented Barbet, White-browed Piculet, Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker, Hair-crested Drongo, Bianchi’s Warbler, Asian Stubtail, White’s Thrush, Black-breasted Thrush, Japanese Thrush, Fujian Niltava, Fork-tailed Sunbird and Purple-naped Spiderhunter. These two days also provide another excellent opportunity to continue searching for any remaining northern forest specialties and difficult targets missed earlier in the tour. Accommodation in Cuc Phuong National Park.

Day 20: Cuc Phuong National Park – Van Long Nature Reserve
We begin the morning with a final birding session in Cuc Phuong National Park before checking out and traveling east to Van Long Nature Reserve, a spectacular wetland and limestone karst landscape in northern Vietnam. After arriving, we explore the reserve by traditional boat, drifting quietly through reedbeds, open wetlands and towering limestone formations. During winter, Van Long attracts an impressive range of migratory waterbirds and raptors, making it one of the most productive wetland birding areas in northern Vietnam. Possible species include Garganey, Northern Shoveler, Falcated Duck, Green-winged Teal and Ferruginous Duck, along with wetland birds such as Ruddy-breasted Crake, Pheasant-tailed Jacana and Black Bittern. The reserve is also excellent for birds of prey, with chances for Greater Spotted Eagle, Bonelli’s Eagle, Eastern Marsh Harrier, Pied Harrier and Eurasian Kestrel. Our main target here, however, is the highly localised Annam Limestone Babbler, a sought-after limestone specialist found within the karst forests surrounding the reserve. Additional birding along the roads and dykes around Van Long may also produce a variety of buntings, pipits, wagtails and other winter migrants. Accommodation near Van Long Nature Reserve.

Day 21: Van Long Nature Reserve – Ba Vi National Park
We begin the morning with a final birding session around Van Long Nature Reserve, focusing on any remaining wetland or scrubland targets and searching for additional winter migrants around the reserve’s reedbeds, agricultural edges and limestone foothills. Later in the morning, we depart Van Long and travel to Ba Vi National Park, a forested mountain range rising above the Red River Delta west of Hanoi. The cooler montane forests of Ba Vi support a distinctive mix of northern Vietnamese and subtropical bird species, providing another excellent change in habitat as the tour nears its conclusion. After arriving, we begin birding the forest trails and roadside habitats of the park. Key target species here include Rufous-cheeked Laughingthrush, Great Barbet, Grey Treepie, Silver-breasted Broadbill, Mountain Tailorbird, Golden Babbler, Grey-throated Babbler, White-crowned Forktail and Fire-breasted Flowerpecker. Accommodation in Ba Vi National Park.

Day 22: Ba Vi National Park – Tam Dao
We begin the morning with a final birding session in Ba Vi National Park before departing north toward Tam Dao National Park, one of northern Vietnam’s most important montane birding areas. After arriving, we begin birding the forests and roadside habitats around Tam Dao, a region well known for several highly localised and difficult-to-see specialties rarely encountered elsewhere in Vietnam. This first afternoon will mainly focus on more widespread forest species and mixed feeding flocks, while saving some of the park’s toughest targets for a very early start the following morning. Tam Dao is also an excellent area for migrating raptors and swifts, particularly during favourable weather conditions, and overhead movement can sometimes include impressive numbers of birds passing through the mountain ridges. Among the key targets during our time here are Blue-naped Pitta, Chestnut Bulbul, Short-tailed Parrotbill and Grey Laughingthrush. Other species possible include Red-billed Blue Magpie, Rufous-headed Parrotbill, Streak-breasted Scimitar-Babbler, Green Cochoa, Black-throated Laughingthrush and, with some luck, the scarce Tristram’s Bunting. Accommodation in Tam Dao National Park.

Day 23-24:
We begin the morning with a final early birding session in Tam Dao National Park, focusing on any remaining key targets before departing north toward the mountains of Sa Pa. The journey takes us into the highest elevations of the tour, ascending into the dramatic landscapes of far northern Vietnam near the Chinese border. Over the following days, we explore the forests, valleys and high mountain slopes surrounding Sa Pa, one of the country’s premier locations for rare Sino-Himalayan and high-elevation bird species. The cooler montane climate and rugged terrain here support a very different avifauna to the rest of Vietnam, with many species reaching the southern limits of their global range. Birding in the Sa Pa region will focus on a mixture of mossy montane forest, bamboo thickets, forest edge and highland scrub, with an emphasis on difficult and range-restricted mountain specialists. Key target species include Crimson-breasted Woodpecker, Black-headed Shrike-Babbler, Chinese Great Spotted Woodpecker, Crested Finchbill, Spot-breasted Parrotbill, White-collared Yuhina, Pale-throated Wren-Babbler, Red-winged Laughingthrush, Silver-eared Laughingthrush, Gould’s Shortwing, Beautiful Nuthatch, Black-headed Greenfinch, Yellow-bellied Flowerpecker, Rufous-bellied Niltava, Slender-billed Scimitar-Babbler and Tonkin Fulvetta. The region is also renowned for producing a variety of scarce winter visitors, mixed feeding flocks and high-elevation rarities, making these final days some of the most exciting and unpredictable birding of the entire tour. Spotlighting and optional night birding sessions may also provide opportunities for nocturnal species depending on conditions. Accommodation in Sa Pa.

Day 25: Sa Pa – Ha Noi
We enjoy a final morning of birding around the forests and mountain habitats of the Sa Pa region, giving us one last opportunity to connect with any remaining high-elevation specialties and northern Vietnamese targets missed over the previous days. Later in the morning, we begin the journey back to Hà Nội, descending from the mountains and returning to the capital by afternoon. Depending on timing, there may be opportunities for additional roadside birding or final views of the northern countryside along the way. Tour concludes in Hà Nội.