Tam Dao Herping Tour: 2-Day Expedition

Tam Dao Herping Tour: 2-Day Expedition
Viet Herping / Northern Vietnam · Tam Dao

Tam Dao Herping Tour: 2-Day Expedition

Tam Dao herping tour: a challenging two-day overnight expedition in the steep, dense mountain forest of Tam Dao National Park, built around the Tam Dao Warty Newt and the Vietnamese Mossy Frog.

SCHEDULE

SCHEDULE

2 Days/ 1 Night
PACKAGE

PACKAGE

Full Package
LEVEL

LEVEL

Demanding
FROM

FROM

$265 /group · 1

Meet Your Expert Guide

Nguyễn Minh Phú

Nguyễn Minh Phú

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

From

  • $265
per group · 1 guest (group total)

Group size

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 Tam Dao herping tour is a two-day, one-night expedition from Hanoi into the steep, dense forest of Tam Dao National Park, a mountain range with a long amphibian and reptile list and the home of the Tam Dao Warty Newt.

You travel by private car, check in to a hotel in Tam Dao and enter the park in the late afternoon for a long night session that runs until about 01:00. The next morning is free for optional daytime herping or rest. Your guide is an expert with fluent English.

Who this tour is for

Guests in good physical condition, herpers targeting endemic highland species of northern Vietnam, anyone hoping to see the Tam Dao Warty Newt in the wild, and small private groups who want an overnight expedition. For an easy first night, start with the Hanoi herping tour.

Field conditions and difficulty

We rate this tour Demanding. The terrain is steep and the forest is dense, and the night session is long. A raincoat is provided. The exact schedule is confirmed at booking and may adjust with weather and wildlife activity.

Safety and responsible herping

Animal handling is supervised only and subject to safety, conditions and guide assessment. Venomous species are observed at the distance your guide sets. 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 Tam Dao herping tour

To book the Tam Dao herping tour, 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.

Viet Herping logo, operator of the Tam Dao herping tour

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 two species this expedition is built around are both highland specialists of northern Vietnam. Your guarantee covers either one.

Highlight species on this tour

Tam Dao Warty Newt Paramesotriton deloustali

Endemic Guaranteed

A stocky, warty salamander with a vivid orange-and-black belly, tied to the highland streams of northern Vietnam and named for Tam Dao.

Vietnamese Mossy Frog Theloderma corticale

Target Guaranteed

A master of camouflage: spiny, moss-green skin makes it close to invisible on wet rock and bark. One of the animals northern herping trips are planned around.

Chinese Green Tree Viper Trimeresurus stejnegeri

Venomous

One of three venomous snakes on the list for this forest. A green pit viper, observed at the distance your guide sets and never handled by guests.

Venomous snakes recorded

  • Tonkin Pit Viper (Ovophis tonkinensis) Venomous
  • Brown Spotted Pit Viper (Protobothrops mucrosquamatus) Venomous

Harmless snakes recorded

  • Brahminy Blindsnake (Indotyphlops braminus)
  • Mountain Water Snake (Trimerodytes percarinatus)
  • Heller's Red-necked Keelback (Rhabdophis helleri)
  • Tai-yong Keelback (Hebius boulengeri)
  • Mount Omei Keelback (Hebius optatus)
  • South China Green Snake (Ptyas multicincta)
  • Taiwan Kukri Snake (Oligodon formosanus)
  • Black Cross-barred Kukri Snake (Oligodon cinereus)
  • Futsing Wolf Snake (Lycodon futsingensis)
  • Formosa Wolf Snake (Lycodon ruhstrati)
  • Vietnamese Big-toothed Wolf Snake (Lycodon meridionalis)
  • Rein Snake (Gonyosoma frenatum)
  • Red Mountain Ratsnake (Oreocryptophis porphyraceus)
  • Oriental Whipsnake (Ahaetulla prasina)
  • Big-eyed Bamboo Snake (Pseudoxenodon macrops)
  • Bamboo Snake (Pseudoxenodon bambusicola)
  • Baise Slug-eating Snake (Pareas baiseensis)
  • Formosa Slug Snake (Pareas formosensis)
  • Hampton's Slug Snake (Pareas hamptoni)

Lizards and geckos recorded

  • Siamese Supple Skink (Lygosoma siamense)
  • Three-striped Forest Skink (Sphenomorphus tritaeniatus)
  • Common Sun Skink (Eutropis multifasciata)
  • Longtail Mabuya (Eutropis longicaudata)
  • Forest Garden Lizard (Calotes emma)
  • Scale-bellied Tree Lizard (Acanthosaura lepidogaster)
  • Vietnam False Bloodsucker (Pseudocalotes brevipes)
  • Chinese Water Dragon (Physignathus cocincinus)
  • White-tailed Dibamid (Dibamus bourreti)
  • Asian House Gecko (Hemidactylus frenatus)
  • Palm Gecko (Gekko palmatus)

Amphibians recorded

  • Asian Common Toad (Duttaphrynus melanostictus)
  • Sung's Litter Toad (Leptobrachella sungi)
  • Speckle-bellied Metacarpal-tubercled Toad (Leptobrachella ventripunctata)
  • Glandular Horned Toad (Xenophrys major)
  • Maoson Horned Toad (Xenophrys maosonensis)
  • Fea's Short-legged Toad (Brachytarsophrys feae)
  • Narrow-mouthed Horned Toad (Ophryophryne microstoma)
  • Rough-skinned Horned Toad (Boulenophrys palpebralespinosa)
  • Dark-sided Chorus Frog (Microhyla heymonsi)
  • Beautiful Pygmy Frog (Microhyla pulchra)
  • Asian Painted Frog (Kaloula pulchra)
  • John's Frog (Rana johnsi)
  • Mao-Son Frog (Sylvirana maosonensis)
  • Large Odorous Frog (Odorrana graminea)
  • Long-snout Torrent Frog (Odorrana nasica)
  • Orlov's Treefrog (Rhacophorus orlovi)
  • Spot-legged Tree Frog (Polypedates megacephalus)
  • Burmese Whipping Frog (Polypedates mutus)
  • Dotted Bubble-nest Frog (Theloderma albopunctatum)
  • Hainan Frilled Treefrog (Kurixalus hainanus)
  • Karin Bubble-nest Frog (Raorchestes parvulus)
  • White-lipped Treefrog (Zhangixalus smaragdinus)
  • Chinese Flying Frog (Zhangixalus dennysi)
  • Vi Xuyen Wart Frog (Limnonectes nguyenorum)
  • Banna Large-headed Frog (Limnonectes bannaensis)
  • Paddy Field Frog (Fejervarya limnocharis)
  • Round-tongued Floating Frog (Occidozyga martensii)
  • Koh Tao Caecilian (Ichthyophis kohtaoensis)

Apart from the target species above, sightings are seasonal and cannot be guaranteed.

Trip Report & Destination

Field notes and photos from our Tam Dao expeditions, written up after each trip.

All trip reports →What each group recorded, with dates and photos.Trip reports Hanoi herping tour →An easy urban night walk with a snake sighting guarantee. $95 per group.Hanoi Cuc Phuong herping tour →A relaxed two days in a national park forest.Cuc Phuong All northern Vietnam tours →Every tour we run in the north, on one page.Northside
 

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 northern 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

The exact schedule is confirmed at booking and may adjust with weather and wildlife activity.

Day 1

  1. 13:00

    Depart from Hanoi

    By private car.

  2. 15:00

    Arrive at Tam Dao

    Check in to the hotel.

  3. 16:30

    Enter the park

    The night herping session begins.

  4. 01:00

    Return to the hotel

    Late dinner.

Day 2

  1. 09:00

    Breakfast

    At the hotel.

  2. 10:00 – 12:00

    Optional daytime herping

    Or rest.

  3. After lunch

    Return to Hanoi

    By private car.

Meals

All included Day 1 dinner; Day 2 breakfast and lunch. Drinking water throughout.

Accommodation

1 night · hotel Private room with WiFi, air-conditioning and hot water.

Transfers

Included Private car, Hanoi to Tam Dao and back.

Insurance

Not included Accident insurance is your own arrangement.

Questions

Frequently asked

How much does the Tam Dao herping tour cost?

The price is a total for the whole group: $265 for one guest, $275 for two, $285 for three, $295 for four, $305 for five and $315 for six.

Which species are guaranteed?

The Tam Dao Warty Newt or the Vietnamese Mossy Frog. If neither is seen alive and in the wild during the tour, your next attempt is free and valid for six months; your hotel and the drive from Hanoi for the return attempt are not covered.

How hard is the Tam Dao herping tour?

It is physically demanding. The terrain is steep, the forest is dense, and the night session runs from 16:30 to about 01:00. You need to be in good physical condition.

What is included?

Private car from Hanoi and back, a private hotel room, an expert English-speaking herping guide, dinner on Day 1, breakfast and lunch on Day 2, drinking water and a raincoat.

Can I handle the animals?

Handling is supervised only and subject to safety, conditions and your guide's assessment. Observation only is always a valid choice.

Price & Service

Tam Dao herping tour price, group total (USD)

Prices are the total for the whole group, not per person.
Group size 1 guest 2 guests 3 guests 4 guests 5 guests 6 guests
Total price $265 $275 $285 $295 $305 $315

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 transportation, Hanoi to Tam Dao and back
  • Hotel: private room with WiFi, air-conditioning and hot water
  • Herping guide: expert, fluent English
  • All meals: Day 1 dinner, Day 2 breakfast and lunch
  • Drinking water throughout
  • Raincoat

Not included

  • Personal expenses
  • Accident insurance

Target Species Guarantee: Warty Newt or Mossy Frog

Yes. We guarantee you will see a Tam Dao Warty Newt (Paramesotriton deloustali) or a Vietnamese Mossy Frog (Theloderma corticale).

The guarantee is met when the animal is seen alive, in the wild, during the tour, by you or anyone in your group, and confirmed by your guide. If that does not happen, your next attempt is free: same tour, same guarantee, valid for six months, with no limit on attempts. The free attempt covers the guided session and what your original booking included; it does not cover accommodation or long-distance travel you need in order to return. Full terms are in our Target Species Guarantee policy.

The species are set by Viet Herping, not chosen by guests. A free return attempt does not cover your hotel or the drive from Hanoi.

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