Discover the standout wildlife of Vietnam on this photo tour in search of colourful douc langurs, agile gibbons, and an array of striking rare birds, all amongst stunning landscapes.
Vietnam is home to some unique and magnificent wildlife, and this tour aims to showcase some of its most captivating species at a pace designed especially for photographers.
This itinerary takes you through ancient forests, mist‑draped mountains, and open grasslands, which all form beautiful backdrops to see some of Vietnam’s most enigmatic wildlife. The most emblematic and photogenic group are the primates, of which Vietnam is home to many charismatic, endemic and endangered species.
Several distinctive primate species, including the remarkable red and black-shanked douc langurs, colourful buff-cheeked gibbon and several inquisitive macaques, form the focus of our tour and take us to some stunning locations.
We can also capture the brilliantly coloured birds of these habitats, from vivid pittas and flashy broadbills to iconic hornbills and green peacocks. In addition to the striking birdlife and primates, there's plenty of other wildlife to train our cameras on, from Siamese crocodiles to 5-bar swordtail butterflies and vibrant Vietnamese blue-crested lizards.
With the detailed knowledge of an expert local naturalist and photographic tuition from Sean Weekly, there are unparalleled opportunities to observe and photograph some remarkable and rarely seen species in their natural habitat.
Typical Itinerary
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Day 1:
Depart the UK & fly to Ho Chi Min City
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Day 2:
Arrive in Ho Chi Minh City & transfer to Cat Tien
After landing in Ho Chi Minh City, in the south of Vietnam, we're met on arrival and transferred to our accommodation on the edge of Cat Tien National Park, where we spend the next few nights.
Accommodation: Cat Tien Park Bungalows, 4-nights
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Days 3-5
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Wildlife photography in Cat Tien National Park
Over the next three full days, we explore the forests and grasslands of Cat Tien National Park in search of its special wildlife. Our primary focus is on finding and photographing three distinctive primates: the black-shanked douc langur, with their unique blue face, the endearing buff-cheeked gibbon and the rare Annamese silvered langur.
The gibbons often announce their presence each morning after dawn with their haunting songs, and can be particularly confiding here. Buff-cheeked gibbons are charming and among the smallest members of the lesser apes. They're a delight to photograph in the dappled forest light.
Deep within Cat Tien's semi-evergreen forests, we also hope to find the shy Annamese silvered langur that was only described as a new species in 2017. Both long-tailed and northern pig-tailed macaques also make great photographic subjects, and other mammals may include the mighty gaur, sambar and red muntjac deer and slender-tailed tree shrews.
Visiting the park’s aptly named Crocodile Lake, we hope to find the endangered Siamese crocodile, one of the world’s rarest crocodiles, and photograph the extravagance of a male green peacock display. Cat Tien is a bird hotspot with numerous colourful, cryptic, iconic and enigmatic species to photograph. Highlights may include black-and-red and banded broadbills, orange-breasted trogon, great, oriental pied and wreathed hornbills, heart-spotted woodpecker, Germain's peacock pheasant, blue-rumped and bar-bellied pittas, to name just a few.
We explore the park by a combination of walks along the flat road, short forest trails and by jeep to access the grasslands.
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Day 6:
Morning in Cat Tien & return to Ho Chi Minh City
After a final early morning walk in the park, we return to Ho Chi Minh City. The journey takes around three hours.
In the afternoon, we take a tour of some of the historical and cultural highlights of Ho Chi Minh. Sites we may visit include the former Presidential Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, Old Saigon Post Office, Thien Hau Pagoda and Ben Thanh market. Some of these locations may also offer interesting photographic inspiration.
Accommodation: Hotel Majestic Saigon, 1-night
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Day 7:
Fly to Da Nang & explore the Sơn Trà Nature Reserve
This morning, after an early breakfast, we depart for the airport, taking a domestic flight to the city of Da Nang. On arrival, we transfer the short distance of 40 minutes to the Sơn Trà Nature Reserve. This lush tract of coastal tropical rainforest surrounds the mountain peak on a peninsula north of the city, and is surprisingly rich in biodiversity.
Here we spend time searching for and photographing the wonderful red-shanked douc langur, one of the world’s most endearing and endangered primates. We hope to photograph these remarkable langurs feeding amongst vibrant flowering trees, adding to the experience and photographic setting.
Accommodation: White Sand Boutique Hotel, 1-night
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Day 8:
Sơn Trà Nature Reserve & Drive to Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park
This morning, we head back to Sơn Trà Nature Reserve for another chance to photograph the beautiful red-shanked douc langurs in the morning light, along with Rhesus macaque and some of the reserve’s other wildlife.
Afterwards, we transfer approximately five hours to our accommodation in Phong Nha, near the biodiverse Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park.
Accommodation: Victory Road Villas, 3-nights
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Days 9-10
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Wildlife Photography in Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park
We now have two full days to explore a completely different landscape: Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park. Here, we visit an ecosystem within the great Annamite Mountain range, which offers an excellent introduction to the montane fauna and flora of this region.
Much of the national park is covered in dense tropical forests with enormous limestone karsts towering above, scenery that offers some atmospheric landscape photography. As we explore the park from its main road, we hope to enjoy further photography with the red-shanked doucs, along with the striking Hatinh langur. This primate is endemic to the Annamite Mountains which stretch from Vietnam to Laos, and its striking black fur with contrasting white markings make them excellent subjects for photography.
The park also offers some exceptional bird diversity, with opportunities to see and photograph two unique species, the sooty babbler and the recently described limestone leaf warbler, along with a vibrant array of birds including bar-bellied pitta, red-collared woodpecker and Indochinese magpie.
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Day 11:
Transfer to Huế and fly to Ho Chi Minh City
Today, we depart Victory Road Villas and make the journey of approximately five hours to Huế to check in for our flight back to Ho Chi Minh City.
On arrival back in Ho Chi Minh City, we transfer to an airport hotel for the night.
Accommodation: Ibis Airport Saigon, 1-night
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Day 12:
Fly back to the UK
This morning, we transfer back to the airport to take our flight back to the UK, arriving in the afternoon.
Please note: Depending on weather conditions, the exact itinerary may vary, ensuring that we make the most of the best weather for certain sites and key species.
