Embark on a thrilling wildlife tour through Cambodia and Vietnam, two of Southeast Asia’s most biodiverse countries. The adventure begins in Cambodia, known for its vibrant street food and iconic temples, yet often overlooked for its remarkable wildlife. Cambodia is home to Asiatic elephants, leopards, sun bears, and some of the world’s rarest primates. We’ll explore the country’s remote forests and national parks, where you’ll encounter these species while visiting the awe-inspiring Angkor Wat, the world’s largest religious temple. Some temples are overtaken by jungle, blending history with nature. This journey deepens your understanding of local communities and the essential role they play in conservation efforts.
Next, we travel to Vietnam, beginning in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) and the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Nam Cat Tien National Park. Known for its diverse habitats—tropical rainforests, wetlands, and savannahs—Nam Cat Tien is a sanctuary for species like the endangered Javan rhino, wild boar, and the rare white-winged wood duck. Guided hikes provide insights into the park’s conservation efforts while offering prime wildlife spotting opportunities. We then head to Son Tra Nature Reserve near Da Nang, home to the critically endangered red-shanked douc langur and a wealth of other wildlife. With its lush forests and coastal views, Son Tra offers an exceptional opportunity to explore Vietnam’s diverse ecosystems.
The tour concludes with visits to two iconic parks in northern Vietnam: Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng and Van Long Nature Reserve. Phong Nha, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is renowned for its karst landscapes and expansive cave systems, including Son Doong, the world’s largest cave. The park is home to species like the endangered Asian black bear and offers stunning opportunities for hiking and cave exploration. Finally, Van Long Nature Reserve, known as the “wetland paradise,” is a peaceful haven for birdlife and the rare white-headed langur. Boat rides through tranquil lakes surrounded by limestone karsts provide an immersive wildlife experience. This combination of caves, wetlands, and mountains makes for an unforgettable journey through Cambodia and Vietnam’s wild heart.
Included
4 star hotels & Gibbon Camp
Excursions as mentioned
20 Breakfasts, 4 lunches, 2 dinners
All transportation in Private Modern Mini-Van
3 local flights included
Personal Guide & Driver
Excluded
Flight tickets
Tourist visa
Lunches & Dinners no Mentioned
Beverages
Personal Expenses
Travel insurance (cover against all cancellation costs, medical expenses, including repatriation and evacuation in the event of accident of illness)
Anything else not mentioned
Daily Travel Plan
Day 1 - Arrive Siem Reap
Upon arrival at Siem Reap airport, you will be greeted and transferred to your hotel to unwind and settle in. In the afternoon, embark on a leisurely walking tour of Siem Reap, exploring its stunning pagodas, vibrant old market, and tranquil Royal Garden, where you’ll have the chance to enjoy bat watching at dusk. The day concludes with a delightful welcome dinner, marking the perfect start to your tour.
Overnight: Siem Reap
Meals: _/_/D
Day 2 - Angkor Wat Temple Walking Tour
Start early at Bayon Temple, then explore Angkor Thom, including the Terrace of the Leper King and Baphuon Temple. Visit Angkor Wat, its bas-reliefs, and climb to the upper terrace for views. Discover Ta Prohm, overtaken by nature, before visiting the peaceful Banteay Kdei Temple and returning to your hotel.
Overnight: Siem Reap
Meals: B/_/_
Day 3 - Prek Toal Bird Watching & Cambodian Circus
Southeast Asia’s key breeding ground for endangered waterbirds, exploring the flooded forest, floating village, and Tonle Sap Lake. Spot-billed Pelicans, Milky Storks, Painted Stork, Lesser Adjutant, Greater Adjutant, Black headed Ibis, Grey headed Fish Eagle, and Oriental Darter can be seen here. In the evening, enjoy the captivating Cambodian circus, a vibrant mix of acrobatics, music, dance, and storytelling.
Overnight: Siem Reap
Meals: B/L/_
Day 4 - Kulen Langur Trail
Travel north towards the forested hills of Phnom Kulen National Park. Once here you will be taken on a guided hike around the forest. There is a lot of wildlife here and today we hope to see the endangered Indochinese grey langur. Other species seen here include great hornbills, black giant squirrel, variable squirrels, Indian muntjac, wild boar and northern pig-tailed macaques.
Overnight: Siem Reap
Meals: B/_/_
Day 5 - Siem Reap to Ban Lung (Beng Mealea)
We leave Siem Reap, traveling through Preah Vihear province to Steung Treng, with a stop at Beng Melea, a jungle temple still largely covered in vegetation. After exploring, we continue to Ban Lung, enjoying a local lunch along the way. In the evening, attend a gibbon briefing as part of the Gibbon Spotting Cambodia conservation project, which protects the critically endangered northern buff-cheeked gibbon in the Veun Sai-Siem Pang Conservation Area.
Overnight: Ban Lung
Meals: B/_/_
Day 6 - Gibbon Spotting Trek
Your Gibbon Spotting adventure starts with a short drive to Kachon village, where you’ll board a traditional boat and travel upstream on the Sesan River to Kackork Village, visiting the local cemetery before returning to Kachon. After a packed lunch, you’ll meet your local guides, who will take you by moto to I Tub village. From here, you’ll trek 1 hour to camp. Upon arrival, relax, cool off, or explore the area. At dusk, enjoy a nature walk before a delicious camp dinner.
Overnight: Veun Sai Camp
Meals: B/L/D
Day 7 - Gibbon Spotting & Yaek Lom Lake
We rise early at 3:30am, enjoy a quick coffee, and trek to the edge of the jungle savannah, arriving just before dawn to hear the gibbons’ calls. With your guide’s expertise, we have a 15-minute window to track and get as close as 15 meters to them. Afterward, we return to camp for brunch before retracing our steps back to Ban Lung. Along the way, we’ll stop for lunch and explore the stunning volcanic crater lake of Yaek Lom.
Overnight: Ban Lung
Meals: B/L/_
Day 8 - Ban Lung to Kratie (Irrawaddy Dolphins)
Today we drive to Kratie a sleepy Mekong port and gateway to an encounter with the rare freshwater Irrawaddy dolphins that inhabit the upper reaches of the Mekong. We board a traditional fishermen’s boat to the largest dolphin pool on the Mekong River and is the best natural habitat to spot the Irrawaddy Dolphins.
Overnight: Kratie
Meals: B/_/_
Day 9 - Kratie to Phnom Penh (Sunset Cruise)
After breakfast, we begin our journey south to Phnom Penh. Along the way, we’ll stop in Skun, also known as “Spider Ville,” where you can dare to try the local delicacy of deep-fried tarantula. Upon arrival in Phnom Penh, you have time to relax or take a stroll along the river front, before enjoying an evening sunset Mekong cruise.
Overnight: Phnom Penh
Meals: B/_/_
Day 10 - Toul Sleng & Killing Fields + Royal Palace and Markets
Today, you will visit the infamous Tuol Sleng Museum (S-21) to learn about Cambodia’s recent turbulent history, followed by a visit to the Choeung Ek Killing Fields, the most well-known of Cambodia’s Killing Field sites. Next, explore the Royal Palace complex and the Silver Pagoda, also known as the Pagoda of the Emerald Buddha. In the afternoon, if time permits, we can visit the Central Market for a spot of shopping.
Overnight: Phnom Penh
Meals: B/_/_
Day 11 - Phnom Penh to Vietnam
Today you are free until you are picked up from your hotel and transferred to Phnom Penh International Airport for your flight to Ho Chi Minh City. There are no planned activities for the day, but if you arrive early enough, feel free to explore this vibrant city at your own pace. The day will end with a delightful welcome dinner, the perfect way to kick off your tour.
Overnight: Ho Chi Minh City
Meals: B/_/D
Day 12 - Ho Chi Minh to Nam Cat Tien National Park
We travel to Cat Tien National Park, a 4-hour drive (160 km) north. This park is home to the largest remaining lowland tropical forest in southern Vietnam, with a rich diversity of wildlife. It shelters three endangered primates: the Black-Shanked Douc Langur, Silvered Langur, and Buff-Cheeked Gibbon; as well as Asiatic black bears, elephants, sun bears, and gaur. Over 350 bird species, including Germain’s peacock pheasant and the rare, orange-necked partridge, thrive here. The park also hosts 120 reptile and amphibian species, 130 freshwater fish species, 460 butterfly species, and over 1,610 plant species. In the evening, we aim to enjoy a spotlighted night walk.
Overnight: Nam Cat Tien
Meals: B/_/_
Day 13 - Nam Cat Tien National Park
At 5 am, we head into the forest to observe primates as they start their day. Our main targets are the endangered buff-cheeked gibbons (a different species from the northern buff-cheeked gibbons of Cambodia), along with black-shanked douc langurs and Annamese silvered langurs. We’ll also have the chance to spot various squirrel species and the common slender-tailed tree shrew. Afterward, we return for breakfast. Next, we travel to Crocodile Lake (Bau Sau), where we explore caves and keep an eye out for Siamese crocodiles, reintroduced in 2000, which have steadily increased in number. In the afternoon, we’ll explore the forest’s variety of trees, listen to the jungle’s sounds, and discover more wildlife. In the evening, we embark on a night safari, driving through jungle trails to spot wild animals like sambar deer, muntjacs, wild boar, Malay crested porcupines, and possibly the rare gaur and yellow-throated martens as well as civet species and the pygmy slow loris.
Overnight: Nam Cat Tien
Meals: B/_/_
Day 14 - Back to HCMC and (Flight) to Danang
This morning, we’ll have one last chance to search for any wildlife we may have missed before departing for Ho Chi Minh City and flight to Danang, where we will explore the forests around the area. In the next few days, we aim to spot some of the harder-to-see species of the trip, including the grey-shanked douc langur and the elusive ungulates of the Annamite mountains, such as the Annamite muntjac and the rare soala.
Overnight: Danang
Meals: B/_/_
Day 15 - Son Tra Nature Reserve & Bach Ma National Park
Today, we explore Son Tra Nature Reserve, a small but rich forest that is home to primates, including the stunning red-shanked douc langur. We’ll spend time searching for other wildlife, such as long-tailed macaques, stump-tailed macaques, northern pig-tailed macaques, and various species of squirrels. With 118 bird species recorded, this reserve offers a delightful variety of wildlife. After our visit to Son Tra, we’ll head to Bach Ma National Park, where we aim to spot the elusive southern white-cheeked gibbon—one of the hardest species to find on this trip. We’ll also search for other terrestrial mammals like Owston’s civet, large-antlered muntjac, Annamite muntjac, and serow. If regulations allow, we may spotlight after dark to search for the pygmy slow loris.
Overnight: Bach Ma NP
Meals: B/_/_
Day 16 - Bach Ma National Park
The morning will be dedicated to listening for the calls of the gibbons, hoping to track them down before they fall silent for the rest of the day. These primates are most active in the morning, making it a perfect time to observe their behaviour and enjoy their unique vocalizations. Bach Ma National Park is known for its incredible biodiversity, and it’s one of the rare places in Vietnam where wild Asiatic elephants can still be found. After spending the morning in search of gibbons and other wildlife, we’ll return to our accommodation for meals. If permitted, we’ll venture back into the forest after dark for some exciting spotlighting, hoping to discover more nocturnal species.
Overnight: Bach Ma NP
Meals: B/_/_
Day 17 - Phong Nha National Park
This morning will be our final opportunity in Bach Ma National Park to look for any species we may have missed or, if preferred, to enjoy a more relaxed morning in the beautiful surroundings. After breakfast, we will depart and drive north to Phong Nha National Park and World Biosphere Reserve, a 5-hour journey. Phong Nha is known for its stunning beauty, with a river so blue it seems unreal, surrounded by limestone karsts blanketed in thick evergreen forest. It’s remarkable that such a wild and rugged place still exists in a country as agricultural as Vietnam. If time allows, we’ll venture into the forest in the afternoon for a brief exploration.
Overnight: Phong Nha NP
Meals: B/_/_
Day 18 - Phong Nha National Park
Today will be a full day dedicated to exploring the stunning limestone karsts of Phong Nha National Park. Our primary target will be the range-restricted Ha Tinh langur.. Alongside this, we will be on the lookout for other primates, including red-shanked douc langurs, southern white-cheeked gibbons, and the rare Indochinese black langurs. The park is also home to several caves with notable bat species including Leschenault’s rousette and trident roundleaf bats, among many others. One of the park’s highlights is the Phong Nha cave, where we can take a boat ride through its vast chambers and marvel at the stunning rock formations and reflections in the water.
Overnight: Phong Nha NP
Meals: B/_/_
Day 19 - Phong Nha (Flight) to Hanoi
This morning, we’ll drive to the small town of Dong Hoi, where we’ll catch a flight to Hanoi and onwards to Ninh Binh, a scenic province located about two hours south of the capital. Known for its lush green valleys and stunning limestone karsts, Ninh Binh is home to the final endangered langur species we’re hoping to see on this trip. However, our langur adventure will begin tomorrow.
Overnight: Ninh Binh
Meals: B/_/_
Day 20 - Van Long Nature Reserve
After breakfast, we’ll leave the eco lodge and travel a short distance to the famous “Cat Scratch” mountain, the only known habitat of the critically endangered Delacour’s langurs. With only about 250 remaining in the wild, this is one of the world’s rarest primates. To spot them, we’ll head to Van Long Wharf, where the wetlands and limestone cliffs provide the ideal setting for viewing these incredible animals. In the mornings and late afternoons, Delacour’s langurs tend to gather here, offering a rare opportunity to see them despite their low numbers. After spending time observing these amazing primates, we’ll depart for Hanoi and enjoy a lovely farewell meal, reflecting on a memorable and rewarding journey.
Overnight: Hanoi
Meals: B/__/D
Day 21 - Depart Hanoi
Today you are free until you are picked up from your hotel and transferred to Hanoi International Airport. We will consult with you and make sure that you arrive at the airport in plenty of time to catch your departing flight back home.
Take a look through our country guides before traveling with us. It is the perfect preparation before you go.
Cambodia Guide
The Kingdom of Wonders
Laos Guide
The Land of a Million Elephants
Vietnam Guide
The Land of the Blue Dragon
Thailand Guide
The Land of Smiles
Myanmar Guide
The Land of Golden Pagodas
Indonesia Guide
The Emerald of the Equator
Travel Essentials (Holiday Preparations)
Check out our comprehensive guide and essential packing tips before you embark on your journey. Make sure you're well prepared with all the necessary items to ensure a smooth and enjoyable travel experience.
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