Bar-bellied Pitta by Suppalak Klabdee

Transcription

1 Best of Cambodia & Vietnam 1 st to 18 th December 2013 (18 days) & Cambodia Angkor Wat & Remote Birding Extension 25 th November to 1 st December 2013 (7 days) Bar-bellied Pitta by Suppalak Klabdee After being isolated from the birding and travelling world for so long, these two countries have become key destinations on the world birding travel map. Cambodia has emerged as one of Southeast Asia s finest birding and cultural destinations and here we look for the globally threatened Bengal Florican

2 RBT Cambodia &Vietnam Itinerary and Giant and White-shouldered Ibises. At the famous Prek Toal waterbird colony, on Tonle Sap Lake (the largest lake in the region), we search for Greater and Lesser Adjutants, Black-headed Ibis and both Milky and Painted Storks. One of the highlights will be visiting a vulture restaurant where several species are expected to appear, including three critically endangered species: Red-headed, Whiterumped and Slender-billed. In Vietnam, we concentrate on the endemic bird areas in the south, and will visit Nam Cat Tien National Park and Dalat, with its host of South Vietnamese endemics! A long list of avian highlights includes the likes of Germain s Peacock-Pheasant, Green Peafowl, Vietnamese Greenfinch, Blackheaded Parrotbill, Grey-crowned Crocias, Black-hooded, White-cheeked and Orange-breasted Laughingthrushes and Bar-bellied Pitta. Now that peace reigns over these once troubled lands, we invite those with a taste for the exotic to explore these two fantastic countries with us. THE TOUR AT A GLANCE DETAILS Tour Dates Tour Price Best of Cambodia & Vietnam Cambodia Angkor Wat & Remote Birding Extension Best of Cambodia & Vietnam Cambodia Angkor Wat & Remote Birding Extension 1 st to 18 th December 2013 (18 days) 25 th November to 1 st December 2013 (7 days) US$5,450 * 3,510 * 4,380 * ZAR44,500 per person sharing (see below) US$285 approximate cost of flights (Tour price fixed in US$, other rates subject to exchange rate fluctuations) US$2,025 * 1,300 * 1,630 * ZAR16,500 per person sharing (see below) (Tour price fixed in US$, other rates subject to exchange rate fluctuations) Tour Size Limited to 8 participants and 1 Rockjumper leader THE ITINERARY 1 st December Arrival in Siem Riep 2 nd December Visit the Core Bird Reserve of Prek Toal and return to Siem Reap 3 rd December Siem Reap to Tmatboey via the Florican Grasslands 4 th & 5 th December Tmatboey 6 th December Tmatboey to vulture restaurant at Veal Krous 7 th December Veal Krous to Kampong Thom. 8 th Kampong Thom (Cambodia) to Cat Tien National Park (Vietnam) via December Siem Reap and Ho Chi Minh City 9 th to 11 th December Cat Tien National Park

3 RBT Cambodia &Vietnam Itinerary th December Cat Tien National Park to Di Linh 13 th December Di Linh to Dalat 14 th to 17 th December Dalat Area 18 th December Dalat to Ho Chi Minh City ANGKOR WAT & REMOTE BIRDING EXTENSION 25 th November Arrive Siem Reap 26 th November Visit the Sarus Crane Reserve at Ang Trapaeng Thmor (ATT) 27 th November Grasslands at Kampong Thom, transfer to Seima Protected Forest (SPF) 28 th & 29 th November Birding in the Seima Protected Forest (SPF) 30 th November AM birding SPF, transfer to Kratie for afternoon birding 1 st December AM birding Kratie, then return to Siem Reap THE TOUR IN DETAIL Day 1, 1 st December: Arrival in Siem Riep. Today is slated as an arrival day in Siem Riep for those wishing to do the main tour only. You will be met by your Rockjumper guide in the evening and the tour will officially start at dinner tonight. Day 2, 2 nd December: Visit the Core Bird Reserve of Prek Toal and return to Siem Reap. The prolific Core Bird Sanctuary is situated on the Tonle Sap Great Lake, close to the Prek Toal floating village, and is home to a number of globally threatened birds. In particular we will search for the scarce Greater Adjutant, with Lesser Adjutant, Painted and Milky Storks and Black-headed Ibis occurring in larger numbers. The Tonle Sap is the largest natural lake in south-east Asia, fed by the phenomenal annual backflow of water from the Mekong River. Situated in the north-west corner of the lake, Prek Toal Core Bird Reserve is home to the largest breeding colonies of water birds in the region. The reserve covers 22,000 hectares of seasonally flooded forest where only the tallest trees break the surface of the lake during the annual flood, providing a habitat for waterbirds to roost and nest. The village of Prek Toal is adjacent to the reserve and floats at the mouth of the Sangke River, where it flows into the lake. Every house here is built on a platform of bamboo and moves according to the water level Lesser Adjutant by Markus Lilje throughout the year. Schools, local restaurants, a church and even vegetable patches, pig-pens and crocodile farms are all build upon these floating structures! Throughout Cambodia, and indeed south-east Asia, Prek Toal is unmatched for the number of endangered water birds it supports during the dry season. Large numbers of cormorants, storks and pelicans are virtually guaranteed from December to May, along with

4 RBT Cambodia & Vietnam ducks, herons, egrets and terns. It also has a globally significant population of Grey-headed Fish Eagle and, if we are very fortunate, we may even find the rare Masked Finfoot. Day 3, 3 rd December: Siem Reap to Tmatboey via the Florican Grasslands. We will depart Siem Reap early this morning for the Tonle Sap Lake again, where we will search for one of Asia s rarest and most sought-after birds the critically endangered Bengal Florican. The WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society) has worked with local communities to set up Integrated Farming and Biodiversity Areas (IFBAs) here to conserve prime florican habitats. This is done in conjunction with the local Sam Veasna Center (SVC), an initiative in partnership with the WCS that provides a sustainable livelihood through ecotourism to local communities. The area is one of the most reliable sites in the world to find Bengal Florican and sightings are virtually guaranteed. The peak display period is between dawn and 9am, and then again between 4.30pm and dusk. Other birds here include Manchurian Reed Warbler, a common winter visitor that is found in the tall grass and scrub away from the water. Greater Spotted and Eastern Imperial Eagles also winter in the area, feeding on the abundant rodents, and other raptors include large numbers of Eastern Marsh Harrier and smaller numbers of Pied Harrier, Black Kite and Peregrine Falcon. Cinnamon Bittern also occurs, together with Small Pratincole, Lesser Coucal, Striated Grassbird and the attractive Red-throated Pipit, amongst many others. After visiting the Florican grasslands, we will back-track along the main road from Siem Reap, via Phnom Penh and Dam Daek, before turning off for the temples of Beng Melea and Koh Ker. Either one or both of these temples are well worth visiting if time permits. Depending on the road conditions, Tmatboey, our next destination, is about 3 hours drive from Siem Reap. This is a remote Khmer village of 220 families situated in the centre of the Northern Plains of Cambodia, within the Khulen Promtep Wildlife Sanctuary, the country s largest protected area. Tmatboey is one of only 2 known breeding sites for Giant Ibis, which nests in large trees in the forest away from the village. White-shouldered Ibis is found closer to the village, where they are reliant on grassy clearings in the dipterocarp forest. Woolly-necked Stork is relatively common and can be seen in flocks of over 40 birds. Greater Spotted Eagle regularly over-winters, while Grey-headed Fish Eagle and White-rumped Falcon occur at lower densities. Palecapped Pigeon is another highlight here, along with an amazing diversity of woodpeckers. A nocturnal excursion could net us species Brown Fish Owl by Keith Valentine Bengal Florican by Allan Michaud such as Brown Fish Owl, Spotted and Brown Wood Owls, Collared and Oriental Scops Owls, Asian Barred Owlet and Savanna Nightjar.

5 RBT Cambodia & Vietnam Days 4 & 5, 4 th & 5 th December: Tmatboey. We will enjoy two full days in the Tmatboey area in search of some of Cambodia s special birds. Both days will be early starts and then a drive and walk into the less disturbed areas of forest, where Giant Ibis can usually be located. We will then return for breakfast at the lodge, where we can discuss with the local SVC Guide how we wish to spend the rest of the day before birding again at sunset. Packed lunches can be arranged if we wish to spend more time in the forest, while we will undertake night drives and walks to search for the region s nocturnal creatures. Some of the birds we will look for here include Chinese Francolin, Red Junglefowl, Changeable Hawk-Eagle, Yellow-footed, Pinknecked and Orange-breasted Green Pigeons, Storkbilled Kingfisher, Blossom-headed and Redbreasted Parakeets, Asian Koel, Chestnut-headed Bee-eater, Streak-throated, Black-headed and the gigantic Great Slaty Woodpecker, and Indochinese Giant Ibis by David Shackelford Cuckooshrike. Day 6, 6 th December: Tmatboey to the vulture restaurant at Veal Krous. After a last morning s birding and breakfast, we will make our way to Tbeng Meancheay, the Provincial Capital of Preah Vihear Province. From here we proceed to the village of Dongphlet in the Chhep Protected Forest, where, as part of WCS conservation program, a vulture restaurant has been set up to feed 3 critically endangered vulture species; Red-headed, White-rumped and Slender-billed. We should arrive in time to do some initial exploration of the area where, with a little luck, we might find Crested Treeswift, Black Baza and Collared Falconet. No doubt one of the highlights of our tour will be the vulture restaurant at Veal Krous, where up to 70 vultures may be present, often competing for their share of the carcass with Golden Jackal. In addition to the 3 critically endangered vultures, Cinereous and Himalayan Vultures have also been seen on occasion. Other species we will look for here include Siamese Fireback and Swinhoe s Minivet, while after dark we also have the chance to search for nocturnal species such as Brown Hawk-Owl. White-rumped Vulture by Markus Lilje Day 7, 7 th December: Veal Krous to Kampong Thom. After a final morning s birding around Veal Krous, we depart for Kampong Thom. Although today is primarily a travel day, the improved road conditions between Veal Krous and Kampong Thom may allow for some birding enroute. Day 8, 8 th December: Kampong Thom (Cambodia) to Cat Tien National Park (Vietnam). Today we will transfer to Siem Reap International Airport for a morning flight Ho Chi Minh City. From here

6 RBT Cambodia & Vietnam we will transfer by road to Cat Tien National Park, 150 km to the north. Cat Tien contains the largest remaining area of lowland tropical forest in southern Vietnam, and harbours an incredible diversity of wildlife, including over 330 bird species. Some of the endangered birds found here include Germain s Peacock-Pheasant, Green Peafowl and the very elusive Orange-necked Partridge. Mammals that may be seen along the trails include Leopard Cat, Eurasian Wild Boar, Lesser Mouse-Deer, Sambar, Red Muntjac and Gaur, as well as two endangered primates; Black-shanked Douc and Buff-cheeked Gibbon. Days 9 to 11, 9 th to 11 th December: Cat Tien National Park. We will spend the next three days birding along the road and forest trails at Cat Tien National Park. We will make use of 4-wheels drive vehicles to visit areas further afield such as Crocodile Lake, where Green Peafowl, Lesser and Grey-headed Fish Eagles and Lesser Adjutant may be seen. The 5 km walk through the forest to Crocodile Lake is one of the best places to look for Blue-rumped and Bar-bellied Pittas, as well as Black-and-red, Dusky and Banded Broadbills, Orange-breasted Trogon and Grey-faced Tit- Babbler. Other species here include Green-legged Partridge, Siamese Fireback, Crested Serpent Black-throated Sunbird by Luyen Nguyen Eagle, Collared Falconet, Great, Oriental Pied and Wreathed Hornbills, Blyth s Frogmouth, Large-tailed and Great-eared Nightjars, impressive Whitebellied, Pale-headed and Black-and-buff Woodpeckers, Greater Yellownape, Green-eared, Bluethroated and the endemic sub-species of Red-vented Barbet, Red-headed Trogon, Blue-bearded, Bluetailed and Blue-throated Bee-eaters, Oriental Dwarf, Banded, Ruddy and Blue-eared Kingfishers, Large Hawk-Cuckoo, Asian Emerald and Violet Cuckoos, Fork-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo, Green-billed Malkoha, Racket-tailed Treepie, gorgeous Golden-crested Myna, White-rumped Shama and several species of bulbuls, warblers, babblers and sunbirds. Grey-crowned Crocias by Luyen Nguyen Day 12, 12 th December: Cat Tien National Park to Di Linh. There will be time this morning for some final birding along the forest trails or the surfaced road through Cat Tien National Park, before we head up Highway 20 to Di Linh. From there we will then continue to Deo Suoi Lanh, a forested mountain pass 20 minutes from Di Linh town. Deo Suoi Lanh is home to several Dalat Plateau specialties, including Black-hooded, White-cheeked and Orange-breasted Laughingthrushes, as well as the Indochinese endemic Black-crowned Parrotbill. After an afternoon s birding, we will then return to Di Linh where we will spend the night.

7 RBT Cambodia & Vietnam Day 13, 13 th December: Di Linh to Dalat. Today we will depart early in order to visit the mountain pass at Di Linh, where we will search for some very exciting possibilities such as Blue Pitta, Indochinese Green Magpie, Spotted Forktail and Green Cochoa, before continuing along Highway 20 to the cooler climes of the former French colonial hill station of Dalat. In the afternoon we will then make the first of several visits to the Ta Nung Valley, a small but bird-filled area of remnant evergreen forest 10 km from Dalat. As mentioned above, this is the most accessible site for the rare and endemic Grey-crowned Crocias, as well as Black-crowned Parrotbill. Other possibilities here include the very distinct local subspecies of Blue-winged Minla, Rufous-backed and Black-headed Sibias and Blackthroated Sunbird. Day 14 to 17, 14 th to 17 th December: Dalat Area. In addition to the wonderful Ta Nung Valley, there are two other main birding sites around Dalat; namely Mount Lang Bian and Ho Tuyen Lam. Mount Lang Bian is a 2,169 m high peak situated about 20 minutes drive from Dalat. Wintering Mugimaki Flycatcher, Yellow-billed Nuthatch, Black-throated Bushtit, Vietnamese Cutia, Black-headed Sibia, Black-crowned Fulvetta and Vietnamese Greenfinch can be found in the pine and montane evergreen forest here. The most sought-after species at Lang Bian, however, is the beautiful and skulking, endemic Collared Laughingthrush. Other species here include Hume s Treecreeper, White-browed Scimitar Babbler, Hill Prinia, Whitetailed Robin, Lesser Shortwing, Mountain Fulvetta and Ashy-throated and White-spectacled Warblers. Ho Tuyen Lam is a man-made lake just 3 km from the centre of town. At the far end of the lake tracks lead through pines to areas of remnant tropical evergreen forest where Yellow-billed Nuthatch, White-cheeked Laughingthrush, Long-tailed Minivet, Chestnutcapped Babbler, Black-collared Starling and Grey-crowned Crocias can be found, while the pines are home to Burmese Shrike, Slender-billed Oriole, Indochinese Cuckooshrike, Vietnamese Cutia, Yellow-browed Warbler, Chestnut-vented Nuthatch, Red Crossbill, Green-backed Tit and Vietnamese Greenfinch. Day 18: 18 th December: Dalat to Ho Chi Minh City. We will spend a final morning birding around Dalat before transferring on the short flight back to Tan Son Nhat Airport at Ho Chi Minh, where the tour will conclude. Cambodia Angkor Wat & Remote Birding Extension 25 th November to 1 st December 2013 (7 days) (Scroll down ) Collared Laughingthrush by Luyen Nguyen

8 RBT Cambodia & Vietnam Angkor Wat Temple by David Shackelford This extension kicks off with a combined birding and historical tour of the fabled Angkor Wat temples, before we continue birding forests and grasslands en route to our main destination, Seima Protected Forest. Targets on this extension include Sarus Crane, Black-necked Stork, Orange-necked Partridge, numerous woodpeckers, including the huge Great Slaty and Heart-spotted, Blue-rumped and Barbellied Pitta and Mekong Wagtail. On the mammal front we will seek Irrawaddy Dolphin, Blackshanked Douc, Yellow-cheeked Crested Gibbon and the nocturnal Pygmy Loris. Our Cambodia and Vietnam tours offer exceptional Asian birding for the adventurous traveler! Day 1, 25 th November: Arrival in Siem Reap. After arrival in Siem Reap, we will make an afternoon excursion to Angkor Wat. Truly a wonder of the world, we will spend the afternoon/sunset birding around the temples of this magnificent park. Species that are possible in the vicinity of the temples include Oriental Darter, Asian Openbill, Crested Serpent Eagle, attractive Zebra Dove, Plaintive Cuckoo, Hainan Blue, Taiga and Asian Brown Flycatchers, White-throated and Blue Rock Thrushes, Black Baza, Forest Wagtail, Olive-backed Pipit, Lesser and Greater Racket-tailed Drongos, Asian Barred Owlet, Lineated and Coppersmith Barbets, Ashy Woodswallow, Ashy Minivet, Dark-necked Tailorbird, Pale-legged Leaf and Yellow-browed Warblers, Bluethroat, Pin-striped Tit-Babbler, Redbreasted and Alexandrine Parakeets, Olive-backed Sunbird, Brown Shrike, Baya Weaver and Whitecrested Laughingthrush. As this is situated only a short distance from Siem Reap, it allows us to enjoy the sunset amongst the temples, before returning to our hotel in time for dinner.

9 RBT Cambodia & Vietnam Day 2, 26 th November: Visit the Sarus Crane Reserve at Ang Trapaeng Thmor (ATT). ATT is a man-made reservoir that was rebuilt by slave labour during the Khmer Rouge regime in The reservoir is now a Sarus Crane reserve administered by the WCS, with over 300 of these magnificent birds congregating to feed in the dry season, along with a number of other species, many of which are globally threatened. At this time of year the dry season will be underway and, with luck, a few pairs of Black-necked Stork will be frequenting the site, along with some of the large waterbirds that breed at Prek Toal. These include Black-headed Ibis, Milky and Painted Storks, Spot-billed Pelican, Oriental Darter, Asian Openbill and both Greater and Lesser Adjutants. A few pairs of Bengal Florican normally breed here during the dry months, though they are very wary and difficult to observe. Other grassland specials include Red Avadavat, King Quail, Greater Painted-snipe and the three species of lark that occur in Cambodia. Several species of waterfowl, including Knob-billed Duck, Cotton Pygmy Goose, White-browed Crake, both Sarus Cranes by Markus Lilje Bronze-winged and Pheasant-tailed Jacanas and Oriental Pratincole can also be seen, along with birds of prey that are rare in the rest of the country, such as Black Kite and Eastern Marsh and Pied Harriers. If water conditions are right, numerous waders and shore birds can be found in the marshy belts of aquatic habitat. Eld s Deer occurs in the area and are sometimes seen on visits to the site. ATT is about 2 hours from Siem Reap, but the route we take will depend on feedback from previous trips and the local guides, as we will aim to see species of interest at different birding sites along the way. Day 3, 27 th November: Early morning birding in the grasslands around Kampong Thom, then transfer to Seima Protected Forest (SPF). After an early rise and a last look for grassland specialists on the flood plains near Kampong Thom, we will transfer to Koh Seima in Mondulkiri. Along the way we will cross the Mekong River at Kampong Cham, which offers us a pleasant lunch stop. From Kampong Cham the journey takes approximately 4 hours, allowing for a pre-sunset arrival at the WCS Station just outside the small town of Koh Seima. Here we will walk through the adjacent mixed evergreen Annamite Forest, our primary target being the criticallyendangered Orange-necked Partridge. Black Baza by Mike Pope

10 RBT Cambodia & Vietnam Days 4 & 5, 28 th & 29 th November: Birding in the Seima Protected Forest (SPF). The Seima Protected Forest is the most recent addition to the Sam Veasna Centre s (SVS) itinerary, with visits commencing in early The eco-tourist project here is still in its infancy, but the ultimate aim is to follow the successful model at Tmatboey; in effect trading the benefits of ecotourism for conservation agreements from the local communities. As mentioned above, Orange-necked Partridge occurs in the area, although we will require a healthy dose of luck to track one down. However, this is more than made up for by the diversity of other species reflecting the region s mixed habitat types, namely bamboo, evergreen and dry deciduous forest. Some of the other specialties here include White-browed Scimitar Babbler and Germain s Peacock- Pheasant. Cambodia is also one of the best places on the planet for woodpeckers and species commonly seen at SPF include Great Slaty, Whitebellied, Pale-headed, Heart-spotted and Black-andbuff Woodpeckers. With luck we will find a fruiting tree, which in turn should attract mynas, including the attractive Golden-crested Myna, broadbills and hornbills. Other possibilities include Bar-bellied and Blue-rumped Pittas, as well as Grey-faced Tit-babbler. The SPF is also home to the largest population of Black-shanked Douc in Pygmy Loris by Rich Lindie the world, along with Northern Pig-tailed and Long-tailed Macaques and Yellow-cheeked Crested Gibbon, all of which are regularly seen. Gaur has also been spotted close to the WCS Station. One of the highlights at SPF is a night drive that offers the possibility for other mammals such as Common-palm and Small-toothed Civets and Giant Flying Squirrel, as well as Lesser Mouse-Deer and Pygmy Loris. Day 6, 30 th November: Morning birding at SPF, then transfer to Kratie for afternoon birding. After some early morning birding along the trails around Koh Seima, we will make our way to Kratie. Just north of Kratie are the Kampi Pools where Irrawaddy Dolphin can be seen by boat, as well as the rare Mekong Wagtail. The area also holds species such as Cinnamon, Yellow and Black Bitterns, Greater Painted-snipe, Indian Skimmer, Small Pratincole and Eastern Spot-billed Duck. Day 7, 1 st December: Morning birding around Kratie, then return to Siem Reap. Some final early morning birding should allow us an opportunity to find Asian Golden and Streaked Weavers, the former of which has become a very localized and highly threatened species throughout its range. After breakfast we will then set off for the long drive back to Siem Reap, where the extension ends. GROUP SIZE: This tour will be limited to 8 participants and 1 Rockjumper Leader. FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS: The fee for the Best of Cambodia & Vietnam tour is US$5,450 * 3,510 * 4,380 * ZAR44,500 per person sharing and for the Cambodia Angkor Wat & Remote Birding extension is US$2,025 * 1,300 * 1,630 * ZAR16,500 per person sharing. (Please note: The fee for the main tour does NOT

11 RBT Cambodia & Vietnam include the international flight from Siem Reap to Ho Chi Min City, nor does it include the domestic flight from Dalat to Ho Chi Min City. We suggest that you budget an additional US$285 per person.) The single supplement costs for the Best of Cambodia & Vietnam tour and Angkor Wat & Remote Birding extension are US$275 and US$65 respectively and will be charged if you wish to have single accommodation. If RBT cannot provide you with a rooming partner although you choose to share, the single supplement will become applicable. We will make all reasonable efforts to ensure that a rooming partner is found if you do wish to share. IMPORTANT: Please note that there are NO single accommodations at Tmatboey, Veal Krous and Seimadue due to space constraints. We ask for your understanding and cooperation in this regard. This includes: All meals from dinner on day 1 to lunch on day 18 for those on the main tour, and from lunch on day 1 to lunch on day 7 for those on the Cambodia extension; Bottled drinking water; All lodgings as per itinerary; All activities and excursions mentioned in the itinerary, including boat rides on Tonle Sap Great Lake and the at the Kampi Pools, as well as the use of 4-wheel drive vehicles in Cat Tien National Park; All ground transportation in an air-conditioned bus; Reserve entrance fees; Gratuities for hotel staff, porters, etc; and Guiding services of local guides and Rockjumper tour leader. The tour fee does not include: Any flights (see above); Any beverages; Telephone calls, laundry and other items of a personal nature; and Special gratuities. IMPORTANT NOTES: a) Due to constantly fluctuating exchange rates, we now quote our tours in 4 currencies. The tour price is however fixed only in the currency printed in bold (US$), and the actual cost in the other currencies listed will be adjusted according to prevailing exchange rates at the time of final invoicing (usually 3 months before the tour.) Single supplement rates have been converted to US$ but are also subject to exchange rate movements. b) Rates are based upon group tariffs; if the tour does not have sufficient registration (a minimum of 6 paying participants) a small party supplement will have to be charged. c) Furthermore, these costs are subject to unforeseen increases in tour related costs and may have to be adjusted as a result. d) Lastly, we may be forced to change or alter the itinerary and / or the designated Rockjumper leader at short or no notice due to unforeseen circumstances; please be aware that we will attempt to adhere as close to the original program as possible. Tipping: As noted in our itineraries, tipping (drivers, hotel staff, porters and restaurants) is included on all Rockjumper tours. However, if you feel that your Rockjumper leader/s and/or any local guides have

12 RBT Cambodia & Vietnam given you exceptional service, it is entirely appropriate to tip them. However, we emphasize that such tips should be at your own discretion and based solely on the level of your service satisfaction. Special Notes: Some of our time is spent in vehicles, as we do have to cover fair distances in order to get to the best areas for birds and animals. The more luggage you pack, the less room there is in the vehicle, so it is important for the comfort of your fellow travellers that you do not over-pack. Kindly stick to 20kg (44lb) for check in luggage and 8kg (+-18lb) for hand luggage. Leeches do occur in some of the reserves and encountering them really depends on how much recent rain there has been. If you do have leach socks, it might therefore be a good idea to bring them along; otherwise, tucking your long pants into your socks is usually sufficient to deter them from latching on. Cambodia & Vietnam are developing countries with a limited though rapidly changing infrastructure which, together with the incredible seasonal changes as exemplified most graphically by the Tonle Sap Lake, means that schedules need to have a degree of flexibility. The rapid pace of development means that both countries will change irrevocably over the coming period and the next few years may be the last chance to catch these countries, standing as anomalies in the 21st century. The itinerary takes in the WCS Conservation sites across Cambodia where, because of the partnership with WCS, we have exclusive access to environmentally sensitive areas of special biodiversity. These sites by their very nature are often in remote areas where local communities have limited exposure to other Cambodians, let along foreigners. This cultural gap is bridged by the multi-lingual SVC Guide. Nonetheless, what sometimes seem like the simplest tasks can become very complicated, so please have patience. ARRIVAL & DEPARTURE DETAILS: The first day of the tour is an arrival day and you are free to arrive at any time on this day. The tour will conclude in the evening on day 18 at Tan Son Nhat Airport in Ho Chi Minh City. As there is an internal flight on this final day it is recommended that you book your international flight to depart in the late evening. For those doing the Cambodia extension, the tour starts in Siem Reap by 12 noon on day 1. Kindly arrive in advance of this time on this day, or the day before. The extension ends in Siem Reap in the late afternoon on day 7. Once again, as there is a long drive on this final day it is recommended that you book your international flight to depart for the late evening on this day, unless you are staying on for the main tour. If you wish to arrive early and/or depart late and would like assistance in this regard kindly contact the Rockjumper office. FLIGHTS: Siem Reap is the main port of entry for international flights to Cambodia and is well serviced by all of the world s major airlines. We have the capacity to advise you on the best route according to your preferences, but your local travel agent will best be able to book these flights for you. We can, however, book the internal flight/s on your behalf. IMPORTANT: please DO NOT book your international flights until you have consulted the Rockjumper office for confirmation on the status of the tour. Rockjumper Birding Tours CC

13 RBT Cambodia & Vietnam Worldwide Birding Adventures Registration number 2001/059480/23 PO Box 13972, Cascades, 3202, South Africa Tel: Fax: Tel (USA & Canada) toll free: Alternative Website: