3D2N Adventure trails into Nam Cat Tien wildlife
Southern Vietnam | 3 days 2 nights
Adventure into the heart of the rainforest
This journey is designed for true wildlife enthusiasts with a certain level of experience with nature. We recommend that travelers also have good physical fitness to handle the trekking routes through the old-growth forest.
The trip combines the most unique experiences that Nam Cat Tien has to offer, including sleeping at a ranger station near Crocodile Wetland, long-distance trekking in the forest, and listening to gibbons singing in the early morning.
And don’t worry, you also have moments of rest and relaxation besides physically demanding activities, allowing you to connect with the wildlife and interact with the local people who are passionate about nature and dedicated to preserving the world’s precious genetic resources.
What you’ll exeperience
Highlight
Know your journey
Routes & Destination
Places you will explore
Escape into the wild beauty of Cat Tien National Park (also known as Nam Cat Tien), a tropical rainforest in southern Vietnam, just a few hours from Ho Chi Minh City. the spot is fully accessible and suitable to everyone: family & kids, solo travellers, couples, and groups of friends… as long as you love wild nature!
Covering more than 71,000 hectares, Cat Tien National Park is one of southern Vietnam’s richest biodiversity hotspots and a sanctuary for rare and endangered wildlife. Home to 113 mammal species, 351 bird species, 150 reptile and amphibian species the park is often called the “home of wildlife.” Its vast tropical forests also shelter valuable native trees and plant species, making it an important centre for nature conservation in Vietnam. The trip can be extended with a beach holiday in La Gi, Phan Thiet. Feel free to contact us for further assistance.
ESSENTIAL DETAILS
Travel itinerary
Meals: Dinner| Accommodation: Rustic Bungalow in Bau Sau Ramsar
Trekking distance: 14 km | Level: Moderate – Challenging
Departing from Ho Chi Minh City at 9 AM to avoid traffic, the guide and driver will pick you up at your hotel and head towards Dong Nai to reach Nam Cat Tien National Park. After a 3-hour drive, you will arrive at the park entrance, and a boat crossing the Dong Nai River will mark your entry into the wilderness. The primary forest ecosystem represents lowland tropical rainforests and a diverse ecosystem of fauna and flora, especially endemic and rare species.
You will have lunch at a restaurant in the park and take a break in the wild.
In the early afternoon, you will begin a 14 km trekking journey from the central area to Crocodile Lake*, following forest trails under the canopy. You will walk through rocky terrain, slopes, and small hills in the pristine tropical forest.
With some luck, you may spot gibbons, sloths, wild pigs, and various bird species as you move gently along. It’s important to note that the trail can be quite challenging. Especially during the rainy season (from April to November), the path can be slippery with mud and numerous streams, and the air is humid (but refreshing). Bring water, snacks, insect repellent, and sturdy hiking shoes.
You will arrive at the Crocodile Lake ranger station ** in the late afternoon, check-in, and rest while admiring the sunset over the vast lake. Your dinner tonight will be prepared by the park rangers. At this time, you can talk with the rangers about experiences and challenges in forest conservation.
* If you prefer not to trek, the guide will arrange cycling or car transfer with a surcharge.
** Accommodation at the Crocodile Lake ranger station is basic, with limited facilities, but offers a stunning view.
Meals: Breakfast | Accommodation: SUP Double / Twin room in Nam Cat Tien Park
Trekking distance: 5 km | Level: Easy
Enjoy the incredibly fresh and cool air at Crocodile Lake in the early morning. This area is home to 600 freshwater crocodiles and serves as a habitat for various aquatic plants, and large mammals such as gaur, deer, wild boar, sambar deer, and various bird species.
After breakfast, you can relax in the observation hut, read a book, and watch the crocodiles in the lake for as long as you wish. Another choice is to take a boat ride on the lake to get a closer look at this magnificent habitat of wild inhabitants.*
* A ranger will accompany you (with a surcharge).
You will take a 5km trek to leave the Crocodile Lake area at around 10AM, along forest trails under the shaded canopy, through the ancient rainforest with towering trees, winding vines and bamboo, moss, mushrooms, and perhaps encountering some wildlife if you move quietly and are a bit lucky.
At the starting point of Crocodile Lake, the National Park car will pick you up and take you back to the park center. Then, you will check in to accommodation at the park center.
Afternoon leisure in the park.
Option: Night Safari Experience **
After dinner, a special experience awaits you: “night safari” to observe the nightlife of animals in the park. You will board an open-top truck and join a park ranger who will use a torch to help you see nocturnal inhabitants as they forage, including sambar deer, wild pigs, porcupines, gaur, weasels, civet cats, barking deer, mongoose, and nightjars. This rare opportunity allows you to witness wildlife up close! Though the car runs slowly and the tour guide is very knowledgeable about nature, sightings are not guaranteed, as nature can be unpredictable.
** Should you wish to partake in this exceptional tour, kindly inquire for further details.
Meals: Breafast| Accommodation: not including
Trekking distance: 5 km | Level: Easy
A truly unique experience is only available at Nam Cat Tien: at dawn, you will follow park rangers deep into the forest to look for and observe primates such as porcupines, black kites, black-shanked douc langurs, and peanuts (yellow-cheeked gibbons) as they forage in the morning. The peanut is a rare species found only in Nam Cat Tien.
They live in a family of 3 to 5 members, parents and offspring, in the high canopies of trees about 30 meters tall. In the early morning, they forage while swinging from branch to branch and calling each other.
Following the guide, you will venture deep into the forest, keep an eye on the treetops for signs of their movement, and listen for their calls amidst the ancient trees. This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for anyone!
This activity is limited to 4 travellers each morning to minimize disruption to the wildlife’s natural habitat. It’s noted that there is no guarantee of spotting these lovely families (as this is a national park, not a zoo).
- The minimum age for those taking part in this tour is ten years old.
- The park does not guarantee that you can see gibbons.
After breakfast is your Me-time! Before leaving, let’s visit the Nature Museum, which preserves and showcases the biodiversity of Cat Tien National Park, and the Botanical Garden, home to over 300 plant species from the southeastern corridor of Vietnam.
After checking out, you will have lunch and bid farewell to the park ranger before returning to Ho Chi Minh City. The journey is expected to conclude at 5 pm – end of services.
Note: You have the option to extend this tour with a beach getaway in Lagi or Hoa Thang, the outskirts of Mui Ne, where you can relish the beach at your own pace.
Price per person based on a private group of
This tour is designed for private group operation so the price per person varies by group size. Select the number of guests to calculate your price directly on our website.
A deposit is required to confirm your reservations at the time of booking. Book online to pay either a deposit or the full tour price.
| Group Size | Price per Pax |
|---|---|
| 1 person | 20,123,427 vnd (682 $) |
| 2 people | 11,378,233 vnd (387 $) |
| 4 people | 8,509,699 vnd (289 $) |
| 6 people | 7,295,796 vnd (247 $) |
| 8 people | 6,536,625 vnd (222 $) |
- Single supplement: 1,083,333 vnd ($ 42)
- Surcharge for Morning Gibbon Watching: 1,035,000 vnd / pax – Maximum 4 people/day ($ 41)
- Surcharge for Night Safari: 207,000 vnd/pax (for groups of 4 or more).
- Surchage Boat Trip in Bau Sau: 230,000 vnd/pax (<3 people), 173,000 vnd/pax (>3 people)
For overnight stays, the standard arrangement is 2 guests/room. For odd-numbered groups (1, 3, 5, or 7 guests), an extra single supplement will apply.
Read more about our payment & cancellation policy
Surcharge for holidays or discount for larger group is available.
Please contact our travel consultants at:
Excluded
- Hotel in Ho Chi Minh city
- Beverages, gratuities and personal expenses.
- Insurance
- Surcharge in peak season (Christmas, New Year & Lunar New Year)
To bring
