Cat Tien adventure tours booked out through year-end
VOV.VN - Adventure tours at Cat Tien National Park have attracted nearly 100 visitors in their first two months of operation, with tours booked through the end of the year while creating direct jobs for 15 members of the local Chau Ma community.
According to Oxalis Adventure, the Katien Safari tours have exceeded initial expectations since launching at Cat Tien National Park. Nearly 100 visitors have joined the expeditions, including 40% domestic travellers and 60% international guests.
Nguyen Chau A, CEO of Oxalis Adventure, told a local newspaper that both the two-day Cat Tien discovery tour and the three-day deep-forest expedition tour were fully booked throughout June. Strong advance bookings have also been recorded for August through December, with each departure limited to eight guests.
The operator initially ran two tours a week but plans to increase the frequency to four weekly departures through the end of the year. Group sizes remain strictly capped to minimise environmental impact, match local service capacity and maintain a high-quality visitor experience.
A said the strong demand reflects growing interest in immersive nature and cultural experiences. He noted that Vietnamese travellers are increasingly seeking deeper engagement with ecosystems and local communities rather than short nature getaways, with many willing to pay for exclusive experiences in the park’s protected core zone.
The company’s four-day tour accompanying forest rangers on patrol, the first of its kind in Vietnam, is priced at VND39.8 million (US$1,520) per person and accommodates up to four guests. Participants accompany forest rangers on a 20km patrol while observing conservation work and monitoring for forest violations.
Oxalis Adventure began developing the three community-based tours in 2025 in partnership with local residents. The company said it chose Cat Tien National Park for its rich primary forest and biodiversity. The park was recognised by UNESCO as a World Biosphere Reserve in 2001 and 2011, but tourism had previously been limited largely to conventional sightseeing.
The project has provided formal employment for around 15 Chau Ma residents as trekking porters, station staff and cooks. The Oxalis Adventure CEO added that creating stable livelihoods for local communities helps reduce illegal hunting while easing pressure on forest rangers.
Covering more than 71,000 hectares, Cat Tien National Park is home to 1,730 animal species and 1,655 plant species. Its Bau Sau wetland was designated a Ramsar site of international importance in 2005. The park was recognised as a Special National Relic in 2012 and joined the IUCN Green List in April 2024.
Cat Tien national park officially joins IUCN green list
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) recently added Cat Tien National Park in southern Vietnam to its Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas, making it the 72nd in the world and the second in Vietnam to achieve the distinction.
