Explore Cat Tien: Morning with the Gibbons
Join us on a morning adventure to witness the spectacular Southern Yellow-cheeked Gibbons of Cat Tien National Park. Watch them swing effortlessly through the canopy while their haunting duetting songs echo through the ancient rainforest. An unforgettable experience, perfect for travellers, families, photographers and nature enthusiasts of all kinds.
Details
Summary
— Short Morning Tour (3hr~)
— Optional Visit Dao Tien Endangered Primate Species Centre
— Bookings Available Year-Round
— Starts in Cat Tien National Park
— Private tours for individuals or small groups with options for larger groups available upon request
Prices Starting From:
Single Person: $65 per person
Group of 2: $43 per person
Group of 3: $35 per person
Group of 4: $28 per person
Explore Cat Tien: Morning with the Gibbons
Code: CTSD03 | Categories: Easy Nature Tours / Wildlife for Everyone | Locations: Cat Tien National Park
Summary:
Wake up to the wilds of Cat Tien’s spectacular rainforest with this family-friendly nature experience focused on one of the park’s most iconic residents, the Southern Yellow-cheeked Gibbon. Perfect for travellers of all ages and interests, Morning With The Gibbons is an exclusive tour designed to witness the wonder, chaos, and canopy acrobatics of these spectacular and globally endangered primates.
Meet our expert guide at the park ferry crossing, or directly at your accommodation if you spent the night inside the park. By 6:30 AM, you’ll arrive near the park headquarters, ready to listen for the gibbons’ unmistakable haunting song (listen to a recording from our tours here) as they approach from the surrounding forest. Soon, you’ll be watching as troops of glossy black adult males and golden-yellow females come soaring and swinging through the canopy, performing death-defying acrobatics, duetting, and putting on a spectacular display for both viewing and photography. Spend around an hour observing these animals in their natural habitat, a truly unforgettable experience as the rainforest comes alive around you
Afterwards, guests can choose to visit the nearby Dao Tien Endangered Primate Species Centre, a rehabilitation and release facility dedicated to rescuing and protecting Vietnam’s threatened primates. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn about conservation efforts and see a range of Indochinese species up close, from douc langurs and macaques to lorises and more.
For those seeking a wilder experience, continue with your guide on a short, easy walk through the surrounding forest. Along the way, we’ll introduce you to the park’s remarkable biodiversity, keeping an eye out for pittas, pheasants, trogons, woodpeckers, spiderhunters, water monitors, forest lizards, macaques and more. You’ll also visit the towering 400-year-old Tung tree, a living giant that truly has to be seen to be believed.
The experience finishes by mid-morning, giving you the rest of the day to relax, explore more of Cat Tien’s unique landscapes, or perhaps join one of our other Explore Cat Tien experiences.
No special gear or experience is needed, just curiosity, wonder, and a passion for encountering one of Vietnam’s most iconic and spectacular animals in the wild.
What’s Included
Included:
- 1x expert Next Continent guide
Binoculars provided
A completed checklist of all wildlife recorded during your tour
Not included (but we’re happy to organise and assist with the following):
General park entry tickets
Food & drinks
Accommodation
Transfers to and from the national park
Tour Pace
This is an easy-paced, family-friendly morning experience suitable for all ages. The core gibbon encounter involves minimal walking on short flat trails. Optional add-ons include an easy forest walk to the ancient Tung tree (via boardwalk) and a visit to the Dao Tien Endangered Primate Species Centre, both accessible via well-maintained paths. Ideal for early risers and nature lovers looking for a short, immersive wildlife experience without strenuous activity.
Other Wildlife Highlights
This tour takes place near the main headquarters and easy-access entrance of Cat Tien NP. In addition to the Southern Yellow-cheeked Gibbon, we often encounter a range of other species in this location during the gibbon-watching experience, including:
Zebra Dove, Thick-billed Green Pigeon, Greater Coucal, Green-billed Malkoha, Violet Cuckoo, Orange-breasted Trogon, Eurasian Hoopoe, Blue-beared Bee-eater, White-throated Kingfisher, Indochinese Roller, Dollarbird, Coppersmith Barbet, Common Flameback, Vernal Hanging Parrot, Black-and-red Broadbill, Bar-bellied Pitta, Scarlet Minivet, Black-hooded Oriole, Common Iora, Bronzed Drongo, Greater Racket-tailed Drongo, Black-naped Monarch, Streak-eared Bulbul, Buff-breasted Babbler, Oriental Magpie Robin, Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker, Blue-winged Leafbird, Ornate Sunbird, Pallas’ Squirrel, Long-tailed Macaque, Northern Pig-tailed Macaque, Vietnamese Blue Crested Lizard, Clouded Monitor, Common Sun Skink, Cambodian Striped Squirrel, and more.
For those interested in a broader range of our wildlife actives, please visit our Cat Tien Wildlife Tours for more details.
Group Size
These are private tours available for individuals, small groups, or groups of any size. For bookings of more than 10~ people, please contact us in advance so we can ensure availability and provide the best possible experience.
Photography Opportunites & Notes
Although one of our shorter tours, this experience offers some of the best primate photography opportunities of any of our trips, due to the close proximity and consistent encounters with our targets. Viewing conditions are often so good that guests can capture clean, quality images even using smartphones. For wildlife photographers seeking serious shots, we recommend bringing a telephoto lens of at least 400mm (600mm is ideal), along with a sturdy but lightweight tripod. If you’re unsure what gear to bring or would like tailored advice based on your equipment and shooting style, our expert team is always happy to help you prepare for the best possible photographic experience.
Discover More in Cat Tien National Park
If this tour caught your eye, you might also enjoy some of our other experiences in the region, each offering its own unique focus and highlights. We offer more than five Explore Cat Tien experiences: shorter, flexible tours designed for day visitors, families, and travellers seeking easy, nature-focused outings rather than our more specialist, wildlife-intensive adventures. These tours are designed to be combined, so the more you book and build, the more you save. Let us help you craft your perfect Cat Tien experience. To explore the full range from short tours to extensive wildlife encounters, visit our Cat Tien Wildlife Tours page.
Discover the wild side of Cat Tien on our signature Nocturnal Safari. As the sun sets over the grasslands, head out by jeep in search of civets, deer, and the mighty Gaur. Then continue on foot, guided by torchlight through the forest, to spot owls, nightjars, geckos, vipers, moths, bats, porcupines, slow lorises, and more. Experience the jungle after dark with the expert guides of the Next Continent team.
Step into the ancient forests of Cat Tien National Park on our guided day-trek to the remote and spectacular Crocodile Lake. Walk beneath towering trees and through dense jungle as the songs of gibbons echo overhead, and keep an eye out for hornbills, giant squirrels, and the critically endangered Black-shanked Douc Langur. At the lake’s edge, take in the sweeping wetlands, alive with birds, dragonflies, and Vietnam’s only population of the rare Siamese Crocodile. A rewarding and easy day hike for nature lovers, wildlife watchers, and curious travellers alike.
Explore Cat Tien: Jungle River Cruise
Join one of our top-rated tours and drift through the dawn mist along Cat Tien’s jungle-fringed river. This peaceful cruise is one of the best ways to experience the park’s rich wildlife, watch monkeys swinging through the canopy, hear the haunting duets of Yellow-cheeked Gibbons, and spot a variety of birds including kingfishers, bee-eaters, raptors, and maybe even the elusive Brown Fish Owl. An unforgettable journey by water, perfect for wildlife watchers, photographers, and families alike.
Tailor Your Experience
Looking to enhance your experience? Whether it’s adding an extra day, making an additional stop, arranging pick-up from a distant location, hiring a camera, or combining your tour with another one of our amazing experiences, we’ve got you covered. Get in touch today, and let our experts craft a private, customised itinerary with dates and prices tailored to your needs
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