Cuc Phuong national park adventure

We depart in the morning for Cuc Phuong National Park, driving past rice fields, villages, limestone cliffs, and green mountains. Located south of Hanoi, Cuc Phuong is Vietnam’s oldest national park and home to rare primates like gibbons, macaques, and the endangered Delacour’s leaf monkey, along with diverse birdlife. During April and May, the park is filled with butterflies.

Arriving in the early afternoon, we’ll visit the Turtle Conservation Center, which protects endangered Asian turtles and tortoises. In the late afternoon, we’ll walk along the park’s main road in search of wildlife.

Dinner and overnight at Cuc Phuong Guesthouse.

Rising this morning with the sounds of the forest all around us, after breakfast we take a drive to the center of the park, where we commence our today trek through the lush rainforest, pass centuries-old trees and to the cave once inhabited by prehistoric humans. Returning to our accommodation in the heart of the forest we will spend a second night drifting off to sleep to the sounds of the nocturnal activity outside.

After breakfast, we will hike deeper into the forest to visit Ancient Tree. After lunch, we continue searching from wild animal. Mammals are difficult to see in the Park, but birds are common and we should observe some reptiles as well. We will have our meals and overnight at the Cuc Phuong Guesthouses.

After breakfast, we’ll visit the Endangered Primate Rescue Center near Cuc Phuong’s headquarters. The center houses 14 primate species—mainly gibbons and langurs—rescued from the illegal wildlife trade. Many are bred here for reintroduction into the wild. This may be your only chance to see some of Vietnam’s rarest primates, including the endemic Delacour’s langur.

After lunch, we travel to Van Long Nature Reserve to try spotting Delacour’s langurs in their natural habitat. Boarding traditional reed boats, we’ll glide through wetlands toward limestone cliffs where these striking primates are most active in the late afternoon. The boat tours support local communities and help fund wildlife protection.

Return to Cuc Phuong for dinner and overnight.

After breakfast, we will take the resting time before heading back to Hanoi.