Cambodia Birdwatching Tour focusing on Endangered Species
A 5-days birding Cambodia tour that is offering the last stronghold of a set of magnificent birds that are now so globally rare they are considered Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
This birdwatching tour in Cambodia is a superb opportunity, not just to see these incredible species, but by supporting SVCs work with community-based conservation to give them a chance of continued survival.
Most of the bird watching takes place in open dry forest, a beautiful habitat in which to watch birds. One night is spent in our large safari-style tents, with the other nights at a purpose-built community ecolodge.
Tour Highlights
- Observe Giant Ibis and White-shouldered Ibis in Tmat Boey. Birding in Cambodia would not be complete without seeing Giant Ibis and White-shouldered Ibis in their natural habitat. Both species are classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
- Bengal Florican is one of the most endangered bustards in the world. The Bengal Florican Grassland is one of the only birding locations in Cambodia where you can witness this species. 70% of the global population resides here.
- Boeng Toal Vulture Restaurant is an essential site for birding in Cambodia. Wake early in the morning to see three vulture species feed on a cow carcass. Red-headed, White-rumped and Slender-billed Vulture are all classified as Critically Endangered.
If you don't want to confine yourself to just one wildlife trip this holiday or you would like a longer tour, take a look at what else you could do. The Complete Cambodia Birding Tour might be of interest to you.
Alternative Tour Name: Critical Cambodia
05:00 – Pick up from your hotel: This is a 2 hour drive from Siem Reap to Stoung Bengal Florican Conservation Area. A prepared breakfast will be provided when we arrive at the site.
06:30 – Birding at Stoung Bengal Florican Conservation Area: Our guides have a very good track record of finding these Critically
Endangered birds, the first of the six targets, they should be seen within the first few hours of the trip. Whilst we are enjoying the
floricans, other birds we typically see include Sarus Crane, storks, Manchurian Reed Warbler, Pied and Eastern Marsh Harrier, Small
Buttonquail, Bluethroat and Red Avadavat.
10:00 – Leave Stoung Bengal Florican Conservation Area for Tmat Boey Ecolodge: We will travel to the Tmat Boey Ecolodge, birding in dry forest along the way. During our birding stops, we will have lunch and hope to see White-rumped Pygmy Falcon.
15:00 – Arrive at Tmat Boey Ecolodge: We will get checked into the Tmat Boey Ecolodge. After we are settled in, we may get a chance to see our second Critically Endangered species in the evening, as we try to see the White-shouldered Ibis at a roosting site.
19:30 – Dinner and night at Tmat Boey Ecolodge
04:30 ~ 18:00 – Wake up to search for Giant Ibis followed by a full day of birding: SVC coordinates a scheme where the local people are paid to protect the nests of the two Critically Endangered ibis present – Giant and White-shouldered Ibis. Consequently, our guides have a 100% record of finding these species for visiting birders! We will try to get good views of both species during the time we spend here. The birding is excellent and our guides, with the help of the SVCtrained local guides, have made a special effort to locate the day roosts of nocturnal species such as Spotted Wood Owl and Brown Fish Owl. Tmat Boey also supports an incredible 16 species of woodpecker including the fantastic Black-headed Woodpecker, the huge Great Slaty Woodpecker and the scarce Rufous-bellied Woodpecker. Our guides know where to find these and all of the dry forest specialties such as Indian Spotted Eagle, White-rumped Pygmy Falcon, Collared Falconet, Rufous-winged Buzzard, Indochinese Bushlark, Brown Prinia, Neglected Nuthatch and White-browed Fantail at this or nearby sites.Today and the following morning are very flexible as we rely on trained local guides to give us up-todate information on key species.Prepared breakfast and lunch will be provided in at the birding sites. Hot dinner at the eco-lodge in the evening.
04:30 – Wake up for last morning of birding in Tmat Boey: Prepared breakfast will be provided. We will be concentrating on
anything that we have not already seen before we travel to Boeng Toal Vulture Restaurant.
11:00 – Lunch at Tmat Boey Ecolodge
12:30 – Leave for Boeng Toal Vulture Restaurant: We will spend one hour in T’beng town to resupply our trip. It will take 3 hours overall to get to Boeng Toal Vulture Restaurant.
15:30 – Arrive at Boeng Toal Vulture Restaurant and late afternoon birding: Our local guides will have already set up large safari-style tents for us to sleep in. The vultures will not be fed until the next day, so there will be time for some birding in the dry forest in the later
afternoon and certain species may be easier to see here than at Tmatboey.
19:00 – Dinner and sleep at Boeng Toal Vulture Restaurant: Hot dinner. We have the option to do some owling before bed with the hope to see Oriental Scops Owl and Large-tailed Nightjar. This will take 30 minutes to 1 hour. Rest before early start the next
day.
04:30 – Wake up to go to Vulture Restaurant site: As vulture populations have crashed across Asia, Cambodia has held onto populations of the three species currently considered Critically Endangered. However, owing to a decline in wild cattle populations, Cambodia’s vultures are now reliant on supplementary feeding. Joining this tour offsets the cost of running the ‘vulture restaurant’ and includes the local community in the efforts to save these impressive, macabre birds.A cow will be provided to the vultures and from dawn we will be able to watch the spectacle of up to fifty White-rumped, Slender-billed and Red-headed Vultures feeding on the carcass. A prepared breakfast will be provided at the Boeng Toal Vulture Restaurant site.
12:00 – Lunch at local restaurant and Beng Melea: We will break the journey at Beng Melea, a spectacular jungletemple ruin set in semi-evergreen forest providing a different assortment of birds. There is a chance of finding some scarce winter migrants from the north here, such as the difficult to see White-throated Rock Thrush.
17:00 – Arrive in Siem Reap: We will drop you off at your hotel of choice.
Some of the wildlife species expected to see:
Giant Ibis, White-shouldered Ibis, Bengal Florican, White-rumped Vulture, Slender-billed Vulture, Red-headed Vulture, Sarus Crane, Milky Stork, Manchurian Reed Warbler, Pied and Eastern Marsh Harrier, Small Buttonquail, Bluethroat, Red Avadavat, White-rumped Pygmy Falcon, Spotted Wood Owl, Brown Fish Owl, Black-headed Woodpecker, Great Slaty Woodpecker, Rufous-bellied Woodpecker, Indian Spotted Eagle, White-rumped Pygmy Falcon, Collared Falconet, Rufous-winged Buzzard, Indochinese Bushlark, Brown Prinia, Neglected Nuthatch, White-browed Fantail, White-throated Rock Thrush
What is included?
- All accommodation or lodgings based on double occupancy
- Single occupancy available for an additional charge/cost
- You will have a dedicated tour guide for the entire trip
- Local transfers and all ground transport throughout the tour
- Entrance fees to all National Parks, Nature Reserves and/or use of Hides where applicable
- You will be provided with breakfast, lunch and dinner, snacks throughout the tour
- Water will be provided to you throughout the trip
- All activities as specified within the tour itinerary
- Personalised checklists
- SVC will contribute part of the trip cost towards conservation.
- All Applicable Taxes
What is not included?
- All international or domestic airfares
- Visa Fees (if applicable)
- Travel & medical insurance (incl. personal equipment and repatriation)
- Airport departure taxes
- Items of personal nature (incl. binoculars and telescopes)
- Excess baggage charges
- Laundry & telephone Charges
- Optional tour extensions where applicable
- Tips & gratuities
- Any other drinks not mentioned or alcoholic beverages or bottled drinks
- Anything else not mentioned in “What is included”
Sam Veasna Conservation Tour has been in operation since 2016 and has guided some of the top international birding companies in the world across Cambodia. We only employ the best bird guides in Cambodia who have over 12 years of birding and guiding experience. Our tours are designed to give you the best opportunity to view your target species in a relaxing, stress-free environment.
We use 3 to 4-star hotels in cities and towns. Accommodation in rural and remote sites vary from custom made ecolodges to canvas tents. We use air-conditioned 4x4 cars for the entirety of the trip to travel from site to site.
We mostly use 4x4 air-conditioned vehicles to get from site-to-site.
Group sizes can be from 1 to 12 people.
Yes we can for an additional charge.
We do not include internal flights on this trip.
We can change the itinerary based on extraordinary circumstances. We will let all clients know if this happens immediately. Changes to the itinerary will not change the trip duration.
We have a single supplement option that only applies for hotels in cities and towns. Due to limited numbers in the ecolodges and tents of remote sites, we do not provide a single supplement option.
Yes, we include all meals
January to April is the best time to see all the species on this trip.
Yes, you should have a moderate level of fitness and used to long day treks.
We can adapt the tour to people with limited mobility by picking scenic bird watching sites and choosing paths of flat and easy terrain.
We would recommend ages 18 to 65. Ages 65+ should have experience with long treks.
Wifi is only available in hotels in cities and towns.
Each visit to remote sites that have endangered species includes a ‘Conservation Contribution’ that goes towards the local community to build critical infrastructure. We also employ local guides to monitor endangered species year-round to ensure you the best opportunity to see key species. Cooks and housekeepers from the local community also provide services for your trip. All community members are trained by SVC. To find out more, please visit: https://samveasna.com/the-svc-model/
Yes we can. Please contact booktour@samveasna.com for more information.
No, this should be organised by you.
This tour is designed for enthusiastic birders.
Not really as the days can be long and primarily bird watching.
Please include your normal payment terms in the reply to this FAQ, as if a traveller will make direct payment and therefore activate the booking agreement directly with yourselves. A. MULTIPLE SITE ITINERARIES - A 15% non-refundable deposit for the minimum group size is required 60 days before the tour departure date for multiple site itineraries of 3 nights and more - Full payment has required a minimum of 30 days before the tour date departure - These payments are non-refundable though may be used as payment for alternative SVC tours for up to 12 months from original planned tour date. Bank transfers: SVC account and routing details will be provided at the time of booking. Bank transfer charges must be met by the client.
Contact booktour@samveasna.com immediately.
We will inform you immediately if this happens. If you have made payments contributing to this trip, we will give you a full refund with 60 days of informing you of SVC’s closure.
We provide breakfast, lunch and dinner and drinking water throughout the tour. Snacks, soft drinks and alcoholic drinks can be bought in Cambodia.
Yes, we can cater for any special dietary requirements.
Yes. ATM’s are common in cities and towns. In rural areas, small denominations of money are best. This is especially relevant when entering Northern Cambodia. $20 is the maximum denomination of money that should be taken to rural areas. The local currency is Riel and the exchange rate is roughly 4,000 Cambodian Riel to 1 United Sates Dollar ($).
Cambodia has been open to vaccinated tourists since October 2021. Visitors to Cambodia require a negative PCR tests 72 hours before landing in Cambodia, valid vaccination certificates for at least 2 vaccine doses and a valid tourism visa. For departing Cambodia, there are established facilities in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap that can provide quick PCR test results with a fit-to-fly certificate. For all the latest travel information and requirements, please visit https://samveasna.com/cambodia-travel-information-2022/ Restrictions remain strict for unvaccinated people with 14-day quarantine at a government facility that has a high cost.
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