Vietnam’s Endangered Primates: Photography Portfolio Tour

Upcoming Dates:
> 10 Jan – 24 Jan 2027

Join our annual group tour for Vietnam’s most comprehensive primate photography expedition, a 2-week expedition from south to north targeting 16+ primate species, including some of the world’s rarest and most endangered. Designed specifically for serious primate and wildlife photographers, from experienced enthusiasts to professionals, the tour prioritises extended time with key species, exceptional photographic opportunities and the flexibility to work with changing light, behaviour and conditions. From critically endangered langurs and spectacular doucs to gibbons, slow lorises and macaques, this is a dedicated expedition for building an exceptional photographic portfolio of Vietnam’s primates.

Details

Summary:
— 15-Day / 14-Night Expedition (All-Inclusive)
— Small Group Tour: 3–5 Participants
— Led by 2x Professional Primate Photography Guides
— Targets 16+ Primates
— Access to Private Sites & Conservation Areas in collaboration Park Authorities
— Annual Departure with Limited Availability

Tour Price: $3,400 USD per person
(£2,510 GBP / €2,925 EUR / $4,710 AUD)

Single Supplement: $546 USD
(£405 GBP / €470 EUR / $755 AUD)

Deposit: 30% of the total tour price is required to secure your booking.

Vietnam’s Endangered Primates: Photography Portfolio Tour

Code: VNGR04 | Categories: Mammal Watching & Primate Tours, Photography-Focused Tours | Locations: Vietnam

Summary:

Join us for our annual Vietnam’s Endangered Primates: Photography Portfolio Tour, a 2-week specialist expedition dedicated to photographing Vietnam’s extraordinary primate diversity. Travelling from the forests and coastal limestone habitats of the south to the dramatic karst landscapes of northern Vietnam, this tour targets 16+ primate species, including some of the rarest and most endangered primates anywhere in the world.

Designed specifically for serious primate and wildlife photographers, from experienced enthusiasts through to professional photographers, this is not a conventional wildlife-watching tour or a race to build the largest species list. The itinerary is built around photography: extended field sessions, repeat visits to key species, flexibility around light and behaviour, and sufficient time to work with individual animals and groups rather than simply finding them and moving on.

Among our principal photography targets are Indochinese Silver Langur, Annamese Langur, all 3x Douc Langur (Red-shanked, Grey-shanked & Black-shanked), Delacour’s Langur, Hatinh Langur, alongside both Southern Yellow-cheeked and Southern White-cheeked Gibbons, both Southern and Northern Pygmy Slow Lorise, and 5x species of macaque. Several species receive multiple dedicated sessions, giving photographers opportunities to work with different individuals, behaviours, backgrounds, compositions and changing light conditions.

What truly sets this expedition apart is that it is one of the first specially designed, primate-only photography tours in Vietnam. Rather than chasing high species numbers or dividing our attention between mammals, birds and other wildlife, this expedition is 100% focused on portfolio-style, professional-standard primate photography. We deliberately slow the itinerary down at our most important sites, allowing productive encounters to be worked for extended periods, key locations to be revisited when conditions are not ideal, and the daily program to adapt around light, weather, animal behaviour and photographic opportunities. The objective is not simply to see Vietnam’s primates, but to return home with a diverse and carefully considered photographic portfolio.

The journey takes us through an exceptional range of primate habitats, including coastal limestone forest in the Mekong Delta, the lowland tropical forests of Cát Tiên National Park, Sơn Trà Peninsula, the forests and limestone landscapes of central Vietnam, Phong Nha–Kẻ Bàng National Park and the spectacular karst wetlands of Van Long. Along the way, we will inevitably encounter some of Vietnam’s wider wildlife, landscapes and conservation stories, but primate photography remains firmly at the centre of the expedition.

Accommodation is comfortable but varied, including hotels and national park accommodation selected to keep us close to our photography locations. The tour is fully vehicle-supported, so photographers are welcome to bring their serious lenses, camera bodies and other equipment without needing to travel light. The itinerary is also deliberately structured to balance intensive photography sessions with appropriate rest and downtime during quieter periods of the day.

Strictly limited to just 3–5 photographers, the small-group format is fundamental to the experience. Fewer photographers means more room to work, less disturbance around sensitive primates, greater flexibility in the field and considerably better opportunities for each participant to find their own compositions and shooting positions. The expedition is led by a principal specialist guide, supported by a second team member who assists with tracking, positioning, logistics and field support, helping us make the most of each encounter while allowing the principal guide to remain focused on the photographers and their objectives.

For photographers who want more than record shots or brief encounters, this is a dedicated expedition built around the time, access and field opportunities required to create an exceptional portfolio of Vietnam’s endangered primates.

Itinerary

Day 0: Arrive in Ho Chi Minh City
Arrive in Ho Chi Minh City and transfer to our hotel, where we have arranged your accommodation. The afternoon is free to settle in, unpack and prepare photography equipment and rest ahead of the expedition. At 17:30, we’ll meet as a group for the first time and enjoy a welcome dinner together, giving you a chance to meet your guides and fellow photographers and run through the tour ahead. This first welcome dinner is on us. If you need assistance with your airport transfer, just let us know and we’ll be happy to arrange it.

Overnight: Ho Chi Minh City

Day 1: Ho Chi Minh City > Kien Giang (Mekong Delta)
After breakfast, we’ll leave Ho Chi Minh City and travel southwest into the Mekong Delta, continuing to Kien Giang and one of the most distinctive primate habitats of the expedition. After checking into our accommodation, we’ll head out for our first photography session with Indochinese Silver Langur, working through the afternoon and into the golden-hour light amongst the region’s coastal limestone forest. This is our first opportunity to settle into the slower photographic pace of the tour, spending time with the langurs rather than simply locating them and moving on.

Overnight: Kien Giang

Day 2: Indochinese Silver Langur Photography
Today is dedicated entirely to Indochinese Silver Langur photography. We’ll have a full, unhurried day to work with this highly localised primate within its distinctive coastal limestone habitat, allowing us to concentrate on different individuals, behaviours, compositions and changing light throughout the day. The site involves relatively short and manageable walks, and our schedule will remain flexible around the langurs and photography conditions. There is no need to rush between locations; if we find a particularly productive group or photographic situation, we can simply stay and work it.

Overnight: Kien Giang

Day 3: Kien Giang > Ho Chi Minh City > Vung Tau
Time allowing, we may have one final morning with the Indochinese Silver Langur, before begin the journey east, passing back through Ho Chi Minh City and continuing to Vung Tau. Following check-in and an early dinner, we’ll head out for some spotlighting around Nui Dinh in our private spots, with our principal target being Southern Pygmy Slow Loris. Photographing nocturnal primates presents a very different challenge, and all spotlighting and photography will follow our usual low-impact nocturnal wildlife protocols. A typical night will have us encounter 3-6 animals, so we’ll be taking our time to get high quality photo encounters.

Overnight: Vung Tau

Days 4–6: Cat Tien National Park
We’ll transfer to Cat Tien National Park, Vietnam’s premier wildlife destination, where we’ll spend three nights inside the national park. Cat Tien provides our greatest concentration of primate targets on the expedition, with Southern Yellow-cheeked Gibbon, Black-shanked Douc Langur, Annamese Langur, Northern Pig-tailed Macaque, Common Long-tailed Macaque and Southern Pygmy Slow Loris as our chief targets. Unlike a conventional mammal-watching visit, our priority here is not simply to record all six species as quickly as possible. We’ll work at a slower photographic pace, revisiting productive areas and spending extended periods with particular groups when conditions are good. Our daily schedule will remain flexible around primate activity, weather and light, with midday downtime where appropriate. Staying inside the national park gives us immediate access to the forest without lengthy daily transfers. We’ll also include two optional nights of spotlighting and a jeep safari, while quieter periods can be used for rest or optional bird-hide photography.

Overnight: Cat Tien National Park – Headquarters Accommodation

Day 7: Cat Tien > Ho Chi Minh City > Da Nang > Tam Ky
We’ll spend our final morning in Cat Tien making the most of any remaining primate photography (usual with the gibbons) opportunities before travelling back to Ho Chi Minh City for our flight north to Da Nang. Upon arrival, we’ll visit Next Continent headquarters for a group dinner hosted by our team, featuring a traditional Hoi An-style spread. Afterwards, we’ll continue south to Tam Ky, positioning ourselves close to the following morning’s photography location.

Overnight: Tam Ky

Day 8: Tam My – Grey-shanked Douc Langur
Today is dedicated to one of the most important primates of the expedition, the critically endangered Grey-shanked Douc Langur. We’ll spend the day around Tam My working to locate and photograph the langurs in collaboration with the local conservation team. Rather than treating this as a brief encounter, we have set aside the day to give photographers time to work with available groups, behaviour, backgrounds and changing light. This is also an opportunity to learn more about the conservation of one of Vietnam’s most threatened endemic primates and the community efforts helping to protect it. Additionally, we sometimes also get great opportunities with Northern Pig-tailed Macaque whilst tracking the Grey-shanks. In the late afternoon, we’ll return to Da Nang for a well-earned evening off.

Overnight: Da Nang

Day 9: Son Tra Peninsula – Red-shanked Douc Langur
A full day on the Son Tra Peninsula dedicated to one of Asia’s most spectacular primates, the Red-shanked Douc Langur. Son Tra offers some of the finest primate photography opportunities anywhere in Vietnam and today is deliberately kept free of other major targets or transfers. We will also encounter Rhesus Macaque whilst working with our Red-shanked, giving us two new primate targets for the day. We’ll structure the day around the best periods of activity and photographic light, working slowly with different troops and individuals where possible. With an entire day available, there is time to explore portraits, wider environmental compositions, family interactions and behavioural photography rather than concentrating on a single encounter.

Overnight: Da Nang

Day 10: Son Tra Peninsula > Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park
We’ll return to Son Tra for a second morning with the Red-shanked Douc Langurs. Having another dedicated session gives us the opportunity to revisit productive groups, work under different light and conditions, and concentrate on images or behaviours we may have missed the previous day. After our morning session, we’ll leave Da Nang and travel north through Central Vietnam to Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, where we begin the northern section of the expedition.

Overnight: Phong Nha

Day 11: Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park
Today we explore the forests and dramatic limestone landscapes of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, one of the most important primate habitats on the tour. Our principal targets include Southern White-cheeked Gibbon, Red-shanked Douc Langur, Hatinh Langur, Stump-tailed Macaque and Assamese Macaque. The Southern White-cheeked Gibbon is particularly challenging and will require an early start, while the remainder of the day will stay flexible around recent sightings and primate activity. Photography here can be more challenging than at some of our dedicated langur sites, but the diversity of primates and wild forest setting make Phong Nha an important part of the expedition.

Overnight: Phong Nha

Day 12: Dong Le – Hatinh Langur > Cuc Phuong National Park
This morning we’ll travel to the Dong Le area for a dedicated session with the highly localised Hatinh Langur. Here, the langurs inhabit spectacular limestone karst, creating some very different photographic opportunities from the forest primates encountered earlier in the tour. Today we’ll be working alongside our partners at the Hatinh Langur Conservation Community (HTX Bảo tồn Voọc Gáy Trắng), allowing for exceptional and ethical encounters while directly supporting one of Vietnam’s most valuable community-led primate conservation initiatives. We’ll spend the morning working with the langurs before beginning our journey north to Cuc Phuong National Park. After a long drive, checking in and having dinner, there will be a spotlighting session targeting Northern Pygmy Slow Loris, our second slow loris species of the expedition.

Overnight: Cuc Phuong National Park

Day 13: Van Long – Delacour’s Langur > Cuc Phuong
We’ll make an early departure for Van Long Nature Reserve, home to one of the world’s rarest primates and one of the photographic highlights of the expedition: the critically endangered Delacour’s Langur. The combination of these striking black-and-white langurs and Van Long’s immense limestone karst creates some of the most distinctive primate photography opportunities in Vietnam. We’ll dedicate the morning to working with the langurs and the landscape before returning to Cuc Phuong later in the day. After dinner back in Cuc Phuong NP, we’ll have a second optional spotlighting session for Northern Pygmy Slow Loris, giving us another opportunity if conditions or photography were not ideal on the previous night.

Overnight: Cuc Phuong National Park

Day 14: Delacour’s Langur > Hanoi
For our final morning, we’ll return to the Van Long area for a second dedicated session with Delacour’s Langur. This repeat visit is intentional: rather than relying on a single encounter, we have another opportunity to work with different groups, changing light, behaviour and compositions amongst the limestone landscape. After the morning photography session, we’ll have lunch and begin our transfer to Hanoi, bringing our two-week journey through Vietnam’s endangered primates to an end.

Target Species Summary

We’ve put together a detailed list of key target species, each annotated with their likelihood of being photographed (and to what standard) on this tour. We know how frustrating it can be to plan a trip without a clear idea of what’s realistically possible, especially when it comes to rare or elusive species. This guide is designed to help set expectations and make your planning easier and more informed.

Southern Pygmy Slow Loris – Reliable, very good to excellent photography
Northern Pygmy Slow Loris – Reliable, very good to excellent photography
Southern Yellow-cheeked Gibbon – Reliable, excellent photography opportunities
Southern White-cheeked Gibbon – Difficult, often seen/heard but can be difficult to photograph
Black-shanked Douc Langur – Reliable, very good to excellent photography
Red-shanked Douc Langur – Reliable, excellent photography opportunities
Grey-shanked Douc Langur – Reliable, good to very good photography opportunities
Delacour’s Langur – Reliable, very good to excellent photography
Hatinh Langur – Reliable, excellent photography opportunities
Indochinese Silver Langur – Reliable, excellent photography opportunities
Annamese Langur – Reliable, very good to excellent photography
Stump-tailed Macaque – Often reliable, very good photography opportunities
Assam Macaque – Often reliable, very good photography opportunities
Rhesus Macaque – Reliable, excellent photography opportunities
Northern Pig-tailed Macaque – Reliable, excellent photography opportunities
Common Long-tailed Macaque – Reliable, excellent photography opportunities

Other Wildlife Highlights

Whilst this itinerary is solely focused on primate photography, it is no secret that where primate watching is spectacular other wildlife experiences often follow, and this tour is no exception. Though it won’t be this tours chief focus, participants can and should expect an excellent and healthy diversity of other mammals, birds, herps, butterfly and landscape photography opportunities along the way. The entire Next Continent team is trained across all major wildlife groups, so whilst the priority will be the primates, you will have support in identifying all the key birds, herps and other wildlife we encounter across this two week tour.

Tour Pace

This is a moderately paced tour, reflecting the distance we cover travelling from southern to northern Vietnam over two weeks. There are a handful of transfer days and some early starts, particularly for gibbons and the best morning photography conditions. However, at our key primate photography sites, the pace is deliberately slow, patient and unhurried. We prioritise spending extended time with productive groups, working with changing light and behaviour, and revisiting important locations rather than rushing between targets. Midday breaks and downtime are built in where appropriate, particularly during the hottest parts of the day. Most sites involve relatively manageable walking along roads, trails and established tracks, although conditions can be hot and humid. As always, the daily program remains flexible around the group, weather, primate activity and photographic opportunities.

Group Size

Ask any seasoned primate or wildlife photographer what makes a specialist photography tour successful, and one of the first things they’ll mention is group size. For us, this was an easy decision: the tour is strictly limited to just 3–5 photographers. We’d rather run an exceptional experience for a smaller group than increase numbers to eight, ten or more participants. Around primates, fewer photographers means less disturbance, more space to work, better positioning and far greater freedom to find your own compositions without a line of lenses competing for the same angle. With a principal guide supported by a second team member, we can also spread out, track different groups and manage logistics while keeping the photography experience focused and flexible. For a serious portfolio-style photography tour, we believe 3–5 participants is the perfect size.

Climate & Weather Conditions

This tour runs in January, during Vietnam’s dry season and one of the most comfortable periods for wildlife photography across much of the country. Because we travel from the tropical south all the way to northern Vietnam, conditions vary considerably along the route, from warm, dry days in the south to potentially cool, overcast and misty conditions in the north.

Mekong Delta & Cát Tiên National Park: Typically warm, dry and relatively settled, with daytime temperatures around 28–32°C (82–90°F). Early mornings are generally more comfortable, while afternoons can still become hot and humid.
Central Vietnam – Đà Nẵng, Sơn Trà & Tam Mỹ: January is generally cooler than southern Vietnam, with mild to warm daytime conditions and higher chances of cloud, mist and occasional rain. Early mornings can feel surprisingly cool, particularly when spending long periods stationary with camera equipment.
Phong Nha–Kẻ Bàng: Usually cooler and more variable, with overcast conditions, mist and occasional rain possible. Mornings can be cool, particularly around the limestone forests and valleys.
Cúc Phương, Ninh Bình & Hanoi: This will generally be the coolest section of the expedition. January can bring cool, cloudy and damp conditions, with temperatures commonly around 15–22°C (59–72°F) and colder mornings and evenings possible.

Because this tour crosses almost the entire length of Vietnam, photographers should be prepared for a wide range of conditions. Lightweight, breathable clothing remains important for the south, while warmer layers and a light jacket are recommended for central and northern Vietnam. Rain protection for both yourself and your camera equipment is also essential, particularly as conditions can change quickly.

Tour Inclusions

2x Expert Principal Mammal & Wildlife Guides
Private Vehicle & Driver throughout tour in comfortable 16-seater van
All Accommodation
All specialist equipment (thermal scope, spotlights, etc)
Ferry tickets, boat cruises, and other special features outlined in itinerary
All park & conservation site tickets, permits and donations
Some Meals (as outlined in itinerary)
Non-alcoholic beverages throughout the day
Water bottles
Comprehensive insurance coverage
First aid and a COVID-safe environment

Photography Opportunites & Notes

This expedition is designed from the ground up for serious primate photography. Unlike a conventional wildlife tour where photography is secondary to finding as many species as possible, our itinerary, group size and time in the field have all been structured around creating high-quality photographic opportunities. At our key sites, we deliberately allow extended sessions with individual troops, repeat visits and the flexibility to work around changing light, behaviour and positioning.

Of course, these are still wild primates in natural environments, and photographic conditions can vary considerably. Some species, particularly gibbons, can be high in the canopy or difficult to approach, while forest light can be challenging. Others, including the douc and langur species at our principal sites, can provide exceptional opportunities for portraits, behaviour, family interactions and wider environmental images.

For most of the expedition, 400–600mm provides an excellent working range, but this is absolutely a tour where longer professional telephotos belong. Photographers are very welcome to bring 600mm, 800mm and longer setups, including teleconverters, particularly for more distant animals, canopy species and tight portrait work. Equally, shorter telephotos and zooms can be extremely valuable for closer encounters, behavioural photography and environmental compositions. Fast apertures and strong high-ISO performance are particularly useful in forest conditions and for our nocturnal slow loris sessions.

There is no expectation to travel light. This expedition is fully vehicle-supported and designed with serious photography equipment in mind. Multiple camera bodies, several lenses, large prime telephotos, teleconverters, tripods, monopods and other specialist equipment are all welcome. For photographers who prefer to travel with a complete wildlife photography setup rather than compromise on equipment, this is exactly the kind of tour where you can do so. Our team includes experienced wildlife photographers and specialist primate guides, and we’re always happy to discuss equipment, lens choices and preparation with participants before the expedition.

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