SG12 - 3Days - 2 Nights Ecological Trail - Night Safari - Crocodile Lake - Boat Tour By Bus

Cat Tien comprises an amazingly bio diverse area of lowland tropical rainforest. The 72,000-hectare park is one of the outstanding natural treasures in Vietnam, and the hiking, mountain biking and bird watching here are the best in the south of the country. Fauna in the park includes 100 types of mammal including the bison-like guar, 79 types of reptile, 41 amphibian species, plus an incredible array of insects, including 400 or so butterfly species. Of the 350-plus birds, rare species include the orange-necked partridge and Siamese fireback. In 2001 UNESCO added Cat Tien National Park to its list of biosphere reserves.

Requirements: Good shoes, water, leech socks

Trekking level: Moderate

Summary:

• Day 1 Ecological Trail & Night Safari

  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. Final checkpoints include the botanical garden and the Heaven’s Rapids (Thac Troi) on the way back to the HQ.

  06:45 AM Pick up & transfer to the bus office. Then get transferred to the main station.

  08:00 AM Bus leaves for Cat Tien National park.

  11:00 – 11:30 AM Arrive at KM 142 (4107 QL20, Phu Son, Tan Phu, Dong Nai province).

  Our driver will take you to Green Hope Lodge.

  12:00              Check in to Green Hope Lodge then have lunch

  14:30 Trek with local guide for 2-3 hours

  17:00              Come back and rest

  Part 2: Night Safari

  Most visitors to Cat Tien National Park are unaware that the actual active period for a great number of wildlife happens mainly at dusk and throughout the night till dawn. This is true for a large variety of mammals, amphibians, reptiles & insect species. The jungle literally comes alive in the dark and the probability of seeing animals in their most active period is by being near their food & drinking water source. Night spotlighting therefore offers the best and convenient way to see the animals in their natural habitat.

  18:00              Go the the Park HQ and start the night animal spotlighting

  19:30           Come back and enjoy a hearty Vietnamese dinner at the lodge.

• Day 2 Crocodile Lake And Boat Tour

  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 forest).

  7:00: Have breakfast at Green Hope Lodge

  8:00: Meet the guide at HQ and go to Croc lake (9 km on jeep and 5 km hiking)

  13:00  Come back and have lunch at Green Hope Lodge

  Part 2: Boat trip

  Green Hope 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.

  16:00              Start the boat trip along Dong Nai River 18:00      Come back and rest

  19:00              Enjoy a hearty Vietnamese dinner at the lodge.

  Next morning after breakfast then check out.