CAT TIEN NATIONAL PARK – WILD GIBBON TREK 3D2N
Cat Tien National Park is one of the hidden gems in Vietnam and one of the few unspoilt national parks in Vietnam with untouched jungle. The area comprises an amazingly bio diverse area of lowland tropical rainforest. Discover Cat Tien National Park by trekking through prime rain forest to Crocodile Lake, enjoy an exciting game night-safari drive and a relaxing boat trip along the Dong Nai River. To top it all off we take you on a very early hike to see the endangered Wild Gibbons in their natural habitat.
Day 1:
Your driver will pick you up according to voucher time to start your trip to Nam Cat Tien National Park, a former volcanic crater, known as lava tubes before we cross the Dong Nai River to enter Cat Tien National Park.
12:00 Check in at the Lodge and enjoy lunch
14:30 Trek with local guide for 2-3 hours
17:00 Return to the lodge for some relaxing time
18:00 Return to Park HQ and start the Night Drive for animal spotting
19:30 Return to the lodge and enjoy a hearty Vietnamese dinner.
Part 1: Ecological trail
After crossing the river and meeting up with the guide at the Park Headquarters, you will begin the trek to the nearest giant – the 500-year-old Tung tree. After that the guide will take you through a small path heading up north, deep into the jungle to discover the secret beauty of many gigantic perennial plants such as Lagerstroemia Ovalfolia (Bang Lang), Tetrameles nudiflora (Tung), Ancistrolandus tectorius (Trung quan), Afzelia cyclocarpa (Go). The trek also covers the wild gibbon area where many gibbons are frequently spotted in early mornings and the botanical garden and the Heaven’s Rapids (Thac Troi) on the way back to HQ.
Part 2: Night Safari
Transportation: Private transfer by car and hiking
Meals: Lunch and dinner
Accommodation: Double A/C room with River View
Guide: English speaking guide at the park
Day 2:
07:00 Breakfast at the Lodge
08:00 We head to the park where we meet up with our guide. We travel by jeep for 9 kilometers and we hike for roughly 5km to reach Crocodile Lake
13:00 Return to the lodge for lunch
16:00 We start the boat trip along the Dong Nai River
18:00 Return to the lodge to relax
19:00 Enjoy a hearty Vietnamese dinner at the lodge.
Crocodile Lake is a UNESCO-recognized world biosphere preserve. It is the heart of the park and the home to two endangered reptile species including the Siamese Crocodile and the Andaman Water Monitor. If you are lucky, you can also encounter the wild gaurs – a highly endangered mammal species that was thought to be extinct after the Vietnam War (a group of 30 wild gaurs are living in Cat Tien National park).
The lodge is located right next to Dong Nai River – one of the most important rivers in south-east Vietnam. You can take a boat to relax and enjoy the stunning view of the waters and wildlife here. There are plenty of birds, swimming snakes, macaques and civets frequently spotted around the river bank. Another hard-to-forget experience is watching sunrise and sunset on this marvelous river.
Transportation: Hiking and boat trip
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodation: Double A/C room with River View
Guide: English speaking guide at the park
Day 3:
Start going to the ferry at 4:45 am and meet the guide at the Park’s HQ at 4:50 am. He will then take you to a listening post, where you wait for the gibbons to start singing. Here you can relax on hammocks and take in the vast array of wildlife that surrounds you. As the nocturnal animals are all going to bed and the day-dwellers are rising, this is the perfect time for viewing opportunities of Cat Tien’s rich wildlife Potential sightings can include sambar deer, mouse deer, wild boar, black-shanked douc and pigtailed macaque troops, as well as a huge array of birds and invertebrates. Once the gibbons start to sing, you will be guided to their location, where they are comfortable with you watching their normal behavior.
We return to the lodge for lunch before your driver will pick you up for the transfer back to your hotel in Ho Chi Minh City, estimated arrival time around 17:00.
Transportation: Hiking and private transfer by car
Meals: Breakfast and lunch
Accommodation: N/A
Guide: English speaking guide at the park
- Private transfers by car
- All meals as indicated in the program
- Accommodation as mentioned
- All entrance fees and local English speaking guide
- Beverages, personal expenses and tips
- All services and items not mentioned specifically in the list above
- Travel insurance
Preparation:
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Good shoes and leech socks
- Sun protection
- Depending on the season bring (rain) protection
- Booking voucher from us
- Valid Passport with valid visa
- Cash for personal expense
Specific food requests
Please let us know if you have specific eating restrictions, allergic for certain things or if you are vegetarian, we can take that into account during the trips.
Weather wise
During the period March to November it will good to pack light with some light rain protection, a towel, quick drying light clothes, a wide-brimmed hat, sunscreen (at least SPF15), a reliable insect repellent, toiletries, a camera and lots of batteries. Warmer clothing and rain protection for the cooler months of November to March is advised.
Get Up And Go Vietnam does everything to make your trip an unforgettable experience. Unfortunately, we have no control over weather conditions. Our apologies for that!
Cat Tien National Park is one of the few unspoilt national parks in Vietnam with untouched jungle. It comprises an amazingly biodiverse area of lowland tropical rainforest. The 72,000-hectare park is one of the outstanding natural treasures in Vietnam, a true jungle, and the hiking, mountain biking and birdwatching here are amongst the best in the country.
Fauna in the park includes 100 types of mammal including elephants, leopards, the bison-like guar, and primates such as gibbons, pygmy lorises and langurs. There are also 79 types of reptile, 41 amphibian species, plus an incredible array of snakes, spiders and insects, including 400 or so butterfly species. Of the 350-plus birds, rare species include the orange-necked partridge and Siamese fireback.
Bear in mind that the larger animals, including elephants and leopards, are very retiring. You’re most likely to see primates, birds and reptiles but still, the park is definitely worth a visit if it fits your schedule as, in our mind, Cat Tien National Park is one of the best in Vietnam.