Dong Nai Herping Tour: 2 Days 1 Night

Viet Herping / Southern Vietnam · Dong Nai · Option B

Dong Nai Herping Tour: 2 Days 1 Night

Dong Nai herping tour 2 days 1 night: overnight wildlife watching focused on reptiles and amphibians, with daytime birding and a nature walk, by private car from Ho Chi Minh City.

SCHEDULE

2 Days/ 1 Night

PACKAGE

Full Package

LEVEL

Easy–Moderate

FROM

$210 /pax · 3–5

Meet Your Expert Guide

Nguyễn Minh Phú

Founder, Viet Herping · Co-founder, Viet Snake Rescuer

From

$210

per person · 3–5 guests

Group size

1 2 3

Check dates on WhatsApp or email contact@vietherping.com

30% deposit by Wise, balance in cash (VND) on day one. Reschedule up to 2 times free with 5 days' notice; deposit valid 6 months.

Questions before you book? WhatsApp +84 963 258 366 or email contact@vietherping.com. Returning guests get 5% off any tour.

Overview

The Dong Nai herping tour 2 days option is an overnight forest trip near Ho Chi Minh City: a daytime nature walk for hornbills and small reptiles, a night herping session along trails and streams, and a night at a motel close to the forest.

It suits guests who want an overnight forest experience without a long journey, wildlife photographers interested in reptiles, amphibians and hornbills, and small private groups. A professional camera comes along and your photos are delivered within two weeks.

This is one of three options under our Dong Nai herping tour programme, all with pick-up from your hotel. The three-day option adds a full forest day and a second night session, which noticeably increases the number of species you are likely to encounter. If one evening is all you have, the Ho Chi Minh City herping tour stays close to the city.

Field conditions and difficulty

We rate this tour Easy to Moderate. Most of the route is flat, with some moderate slopes that are not dangerous. You will wade through streams where the water may be higher than your ankles, so fully waterproof shoes do not help: quick-dry footwear is what we recommend.

Safety and responsible herping

Venomous species are observed at the distance your guide sets. Venom Defender gloves are provided for supervised interaction with snakes, which is offered only when safety, conditions and your guide's assessment allow it. We do not bait, provision or move animals for photographs. Every tour carries a first aid kit and runs under a written emergency protocol.

How to book the Dong Nai herping tour 2 days

To book the Dong Nai herping tour 2 days, send us your preferred dates and group size on WhatsApp or by email at contact@vietherping.com. We reply with availability and the booking steps. 30% deposit by Wise, balance in cash (VND) on day one. Reschedule up to 2 times free with 5 days' notice; deposit valid 6 months. See the booking policy for the full terms.

Want different dates, pace or target species? We build private trips around what you want to see and when you can travel.

Ask for a tailor-made trip

Highlighted Species

The animals this forest is known for among herpers, starting with the king cobra. Sightings are seasonal and cannot be guaranteed.

Highlight species on this tour

King Cobra Ophiophagus hannah

Venomous Target

Viet Herping has a dedicated king cobra viewing location here, made possible by our partnership with Viet Snake Rescuer and the Dong Nai conservation area, a programme that has rehabilitated and released more than 150 king cobras. Venomous: watched at the distance your guide sets.

Helena's Flying Frog Rhacophorus helenae

Endemic Target

A large green flying frog and one of the two amphibians this forest is known for among herpers. Searched for at night along trails and streams. Not guaranteed.

South-Vietnamese Bug-eyed Frog Theloderma vietnamense

Target

A small, well-camouflaged frog on the Dong Nai highlight list. Your guide checks the microhabitats where it has been recorded. Not guaranteed.

Venomous snakes on the list

White-lipped Pit Viper (Trimeresurus albolabris) Venomous
Ruby-eyed Pit Viper (Trimeresurus rubeus) Venomous
Indochinese Spitting Cobra (Naja siamensis) Venomous
Malayan Blue Krait (Bungarus candidus) Venomous
Banded Krait (Bungarus fasciatus) Venomous
Malayan Pit Viper (Calloselasma rhodostoma) Venomous

Harmless snakes, amphibians and mammals

Cat snakes (Boiga siamensis, B. cyanea, B. guangxiensis, B. multomaculata, B. jaspidea)
Rat snakes (Ptyas korros, P. mucosa, P. carinata)
Red-tailed Racer (Gonyosoma oxycephalum)
Yellow-spotted Keelback (Fowlea flavipunctata)
Ornate Flying Snake (Chrysopelea ornata)
Common Bronzeback (Dendrelaphis pictus)
Malcolm's Narrow-mouthed Frog (Microhyla malcolmi)
Mountain Stream Frog (Sylvirana montosa)
Giant Asian River Frog (Limnonectes dabanus)
Spotted Narrow-mouthed Frog (Kalophrynus interlineatus)
Nguyen's Caecilian (Ichthyophis nguyenorum) Endemic
Gaur (Bos gaurus)
Asian Elephant Rare
Otter, civet, macaque and gibbon

Sightings are seasonal and cannot be guaranteed. The lists are representative only: the common, easy-to-encounter or notable species, not a complete inventory of the area.

Trip Report & Destination

Field notes and photos from our Dong Nai trips, written up after each one.

All trip reports →What each group recorded, with dates and photos.Trip reports Dong Nai night herping tour →A day walk and a night session, back in the city the same night. From $160.Option A Dong Nai herping tour, 3 days 2 nights →A second forest day and a second night session. From $310.Option C Dong Nai herping tour guide →All three options side by side.Dong Nai Ho Chi Minh City herping tour →One evening, with a guaranteed snake sighting.HCMC

Viet Herping is run by field herpetologists who research and rescue Vietnam's snakes, and the same people lead you into the field. This trip is one Vietnam herping tour among several in southern Vietnam: compare every herping tour Vietnam has on our list by region, or ask us to build a tailor-made route. A portion of the revenue from each tour supports reptile conservation through Viet Snake Rescuer.

Ready to book? Send us your dates, your group size and the species you most want to see. We will confirm availability and tell you honestly what a night here produces at that time of year.

Message us on WhatsApp

Last updated: 2 October 2026 · Written by Nguyen Minh Phu, Founder of Viet Herping and Viet Snake Education, Co-founder of Viet Snake Rescuer.

Schedule

Exact timing adjusts to weather and wildlife activity.

Day 1

09:00

Pick-up in Ho Chi Minh City

At your hotel, by private car.
11:00

Arrive in Dong Nai

Lunch, check-in or a short rest.
14:00

Daytime nature walk

Into the forest for hornbills and small reptiles.
17:00

Dinner

Back from the forest for dinner.
19:30

Night herping

Along trails and streams for reptiles and amphibians.
Late

Motel

Return to the motel and rest.

Day 2

Morning

Breakfast

At the motel.
Morning

Return to Ho Chi Minh City

By private car, to your hotel.

Meals

3 meals Day 1 lunch and dinner, Day 2 breakfast. Vegetarian meals on request, with advance notice.

Accommodation

1 night Motel near the forest.

Transfers

Included Private car from and to your hotel. One car carries up to five guests.

Photography

Included Digital files within two weeks, no logo.

Questions

Frequently asked

How much does the Dong Nai herping tour 2 days option cost?

It is $377 for one guest, $260 per person for two, and $210 per person for three to five guests. Groups of six or more are quoted on request.

What is the difference between the 2-day and 3-day Dong Nai tours?

The three-day option adds a full forest day and a second night herping session on different trails and streams, which noticeably increases the number of species you are likely to encounter.

Are meals included?

Yes: lunch and dinner on Day 1 and breakfast on Day 2, plus bottled water throughout. Soft drinks, alcohol and beer are not included. Tell us in advance if you need vegetarian meals.

Will we see a king cobra?

We have a dedicated king cobra viewing location through our partnership with Viet Snake Rescuer and the Dong Nai conservation area, but wild sightings are seasonal and cannot be guaranteed.

What footwear do I need?

Quick-dry footwear. You wade through streams where the water may be higher than your ankles.

Price & Service

Dong Nai herping tour 2 days price, per person (USD)

Private groups. Six guests or more need a second car and guide and are quoted on request.
Group size	1 guest	2 guests	3 guests	4 guests	5 guests	6+ guests
Price per person	$377	$260	$210	$210	$210	Contact us

A 30% deposit by international transfer (Wise) secures your dates. The 70% balance is paid in cash in Vietnamese dong to your guide on the first day, at an exchange rate we confirm in writing four days before departure. The deposit is non-refundable but transferable: two-day and three-day tours can be moved up to two times free of charge with at least five days' notice, and the deposit stays valid for six months from your original date. Full terms: booking policy and cancellation and refund policy.

What is included

Included

Private car transfers: hotel pick-up and drop-off in Ho Chi Minh City, and transport throughout the trip
Bottled water throughout the trip
Nature reserve fees and ranger fees
Experienced Viet Herping guide
Headlamp with white and red light
Snake hook
Venom Defender gloves for supervised interaction with snakes, subject to safety, conditions and guide assessment
Professional camera support and photo delivery within 2 weeks (digital files, no logo)
Wildlife checklist after the tour
Entrance tickets to local historical sites
3 meals: Day 1 lunch and dinner, Day 2 breakfast
1 night at the motel

Not included

Soft drinks, alcohol and beer
Anything not listed as included

Does the guarantee apply to this tour?

No. Dong Nai is not one of the tours covered by our Target Species Guarantee.

The king cobra viewing location is a dedicated site, but no wild sighting here is promised: encounters depend on weather, season and field conditions.

In the south the guarantee applies on the Ho Chi Minh City herping tour, where a live wild snake of any species is guaranteed.

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