A Tonkin snub-nosed monkey tour is not a standard wildlife safari. The Tonkin snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus avunculus) is one of the rarest primates on Earth: Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, on the list of the world’s 25 most endangered primates since 2000, and found only in northern Vietnam. Most of the survivors live in Khau Ca, a limestone forest in Ha Giang (part of Tuyen Quang province since July 2025), inside a strictly protected zone that no public tourist trail enters.
TVPalm Adventure is a licensed international tour operator (licence 02-026/2025/CDLQGVN-GP LHQT). We will take bookings for these tours from 1 January 2027. The Tung Ba–Khau Ca area is managed by the Du Gia Special-Use Forest, and we are still completing the permits with its management board. Until they are in place, we do not sell this trip. Separately, TVPalm has supported the Vi Xuyen forest rangers with tree seedlings since 2021.
Why we plan to start from Tung Ba
Some operators advertise snub-nosed monkey tours that turn out to be general loop trips. We would rather say clearly what we are building. Our planned route enters Tung Ba, a remote village where the forest buffer zone meets Khau Ca, now part of Du Gia National Park and managed as special-use forest. The latest census, carried out by Fauna & Flora with the forest authorities in late 2025, counted around 160 monkeys in Khau Ca, including several new infants: roughly 80% of a world population of about 250. In 2002, only 50 to 60 were left there.
- Forest type: Primary tropical evergreen limestone forest at 400 to 1,000 meters elevation
- Habitat zone: Banana groves and ironwood canopy used for foraging and resting by the Khau Ca monkey troops
- Forest area: 2,000 hectares of intact conservation zone adjacent to the Tung Ba village boundary
- Ranger escort: every visit will go with a forest ranger, as the permit requires.
- Legal status: TVPalm holds International Tour Operator Licence No. 02-026/2025/CDLQGVN-GP LHQT, issued on 21 April 2025. Entry permits for the Khau Ca area are being completed with the Du Gia Special-Use Forest management board.
What we are building: not a zoo experience, but small, quiet visits into the living habitat, always with a forest ranger, so that tourism helps the people who protect the forest rather than disturbing the monkeys.
The two formats we plan to open in 2027
We plan two formats into Tung Ba’s primary forest. Both would depart from Ha Giang City or TVPalm Ecolodge, with an English-speaking TVPalm trekking guide and an assigned forest ranger. The details below are our working plan and may change with the permit conditions.
Option 1: 2 days, 1 night: trail of the snub-nosed monkeys
Best for: First-time visitors who want a genuine wildlife expedition without extending their trip by more than 2 days.
Daily distance: approximately 10 km across 2 trekking days Accommodation: Tung Ba Forest Ranger Station – wooden floor, roof, stream water, no electricity, no hot water. Sleeping bags or blankets provided by TVPalm.
Day 1 itinerary:
- 06:00 – Depart Ha Giang City / TVPalm Ecolodge by motorbike or car
- 07:00 – Arrive Tung Ba. Breakfast at a Dao family home (sticky rice, eggs, local vegetables)
- 07:30 – Begin trekking. Cross shallow streams, ascend limestone hills through morning mist (3 km, Difficulty 4/10)
- 09:00 – Rest at forest hut. Continue upward through fern slopes toward banana grove buffer zone (1 km, Difficulty 5/10)
- 10:30 – Reach milestone A500 – gateway to the primary forest. Zero-waste picnic lunch under ancient ironwood canopy
- 13:00 – Enter deep conservation zone. Ranger shares field knowledge of the ecosystem and primate traces (5 km, Difficulty 7/10 – steep, slippery rock)
- 16:00 – Return to Ranger Station. Rest, herbal tea
- 19:00 – Locally sourced dinner. Evening conversation with ranger about Snub-nosed Monkey conservation
Day 2 itinerary:
- 06:30 – Quiet approach to banana groves – prime time for early-morning primate observation
- 08:00 – Light breakfast at station
- 09:00 – Continue via alternate ridge route (4 km, Difficulty 6/10)
- 12:00 – Picnic lunch at a forest rest point
- 14:00 – Trek down to village. Stream swimming if warm, ginger tea under the banyan tree if cool (3 km, Difficulty 5/10)
- 16:30 – Transfer back to TVPalm Ecolodge or Ha Giang City
Included: Round-trip transfer, English/Vietnamese guide + forest ranger, conservation zone permits, 1 night at Ranger Station, 1 breakfast + 2 picnic lunches + 1 dinner, drinking water, herbal tea, trekking poles, protective gloves, reusable water bottle, sleeping bag/blanket, first-aid kit, PVI Inbound Insurance (Tier 2)
Option 2: 3 days, 2 nights: trail of the snub-nosed monkeys (extended)
Best for: wildlife photographers, naturalists, and travellers who want more chances to see the monkeys.
The key difference: Day 2 goes into the northern sector, a restricted area with ranger patrol routes and no tourist trail. Whether guests can join any ranger work will depend on the permit conditions. The 3-day format gives 3 early-morning observation windows. If the first dawn brings nothing, you still have 2 more chances.
Day 1: Identical to the 2-day option – arrival, Dao family breakfast, trek to milestone A500, overnight at Ranger Station.
Day 2 itinerary:
- 05:30 – Rise before dawn. Silent approach to banana groves – highest probability window for primate observation
- 08:00 – Breakfast at station
- 09:00 – Trek along northern ridge route through old-growth ironwood, hidden valleys, moss-covered limestone cliffs (6 km, Difficulty 7/10 – no clear trail, ranger escort required)
- 12:00 – Picnic lunch deep in the forest
- 13:30 – Ranger work subject to permit with rangers: patrol, trap removal, wildlife coordinate recording
- 16:00 – Return to Ranger Station. Stream bath near station if weather permits
- 19:00 – Dinner. Discussion on the future of Snub-nosed Monkey conservation
Day 3 itinerary:
- 06:00 – Final dawn observation in the habitat zone
- 08:00 – Breakfast. Zero-waste camp departure check
- 09:00 – Descent via alternate hillside route with views of Tung Ba valley (5 km, Difficulty 5/10)
- 12:00 – Lunch at Dao village at the forest base
- 14:00 – Transfer to TVPalm Ecolodge or Ha Giang City
- 16:30 – Estimated arrival
Included: as the 2-day tour, plus 1 more night at the ranger station and 2 extra meals (2 breakfasts, 3 picnic lunches and 2 dinners in total).
Tonkin snub-nosed monkey tour comparison at a glance
| Feature | 2 Days 1 Night | 3 Days 2 Nights |
|---|---|---|
| Duration | 2 days, 1 night | 3 days, 2 nights |
| Total trekking distance | ~10 km | ~18 km |
| Early-morning observation windows | 1 (Day 2 dawn) | 3 (Day 1 eve, Day 2 dawn, Day 3 dawn) |
| Northern sector access | No | Yes – restricted patrol route |
| Conservation fieldwork participation | Depends on permit | Depends on permit |
| Sighting | Not guaranteed | Not guaranteed, more dawns |
| Accommodation nights | 1 (Ranger Station) | 2 (Ranger Station) |
| Meals included | 1B + 2L + 1D | 2B + 3L + 2D |
| Recommended for | First-time wildlife trekkers | Photographers, naturalists, serious wildlife travelers |
What to expect: physical requirements and honest preparation
Both expeditions involve physically demanding trekking through steep, slippery limestone terrain without maintained paths. These are not walks in a nature park.
Physical requirements:
- Able to trek 8 to 10 kilometers per day over uneven limestone terrain
- Comfortable hiking on steep gradients (up to 7/10 difficulty, no handrails)
- No serious knee or ankle injuries that prevent downhill trekking
- Carry a personal daypack of 5 to 7 kilograms
Gear required:
- Hard-soled trekking boots – trail runners are not sufficient for the steep rock sections
- Rain jacket – forest humidity exceeds 85% and showers can arrive without warning
- Long sleeve shirts and pants – protection from vegetation, leeches, and insects
- Personal travel insurance that explicitly covers trekking in remote areas
Sighting is not guaranteed on either tour. The Tonkin snub-nosed monkey is wild and ranges across about 2,000 hectares of broken limestone forest. Rangers can read signs of where a group has been, but cannot say exactly where it will be. The 3-day tour gives more early-morning chances, but no promise.
How to register your interest for 2027
Bookings open on 1 January 2027. Until then, write to us and we will tell you when dates and prices are confirmed. We reply within 24 hours.
- Contact: info@tvpalm.com or WhatsApp +84 366 885 955
- No payment required until you confirm dates
- Free personalised itinerary and quote based on your group size and dates
- Licensed International Operator – International Tour Operator Licence No. 02-026/2025/CDLQGVN-GP LHQT
Frequently asked questions
Is a sighting of the Tonkin snub-nosed monkey guaranteed on these tours?
No. TVPalm does not guarantee sightings on either tour. The monkeys are wild animals in a 2,000-hectare forest with no enclosures or feeding stations. The 2-day tour offers 1 primary observation window at dawn on Day 2.
The 3-day tour will offer 3 observation windows. Rangers follow troop movements daily, and the guide will choose the observation points with them each morning. We will publish real sighting figures once the tour has run for a full season.
Local rangers say that May and June often bring the monkeys closer to the banana grove buffer zone, when the fruit is ripe.
What is the accommodation like at the Tung Ba forest ranger station?
The station is a working forest patrol outpost, not a tourism facility. It has a wooden floor, a roof, and access to stream water.
There is no electricity, no hot water, and no beds – guests sleep on the floor using sleeping bags or blankets provided by TVPalm. This is exactly where the rangers sleep during their patrols. We describe this accurately in all tour materials because it is a critical expectation to set correctly.
We have not taken guests there yet. What we can tell you is what the rangers describe: deep silence, forest sounds at night, and, on clear nights, a sky full of stars.
Can I join the tour as a solo traveler?
Yes. Both tours will be private, for one person or a small group. Solo bookings will depend on ranger availability and seasonal access. TVPalm does not run shared departures.
Private departures for individuals or couples are available year-round, with pricing adjusted for the smaller group size. Contact TVPalm directly for solo or small-group pricing.
Written by Nguyễn Văn Trung, founder of TVPalm. Since 2021, TVPalm has supported the Vi Xuyen forest rangers with tree seedlings.
