Trekking in Virachey NP

I'm posting this because there are some new trekking opportunities up there and I've just returned from my best trip ever (6th year in a row):

If anyone is up for a 12-day trek to the Yak Yeuk Grasslands (not to be confused with the popular 7-day Veal Thom Grasslands trek) to help check out camera traps in April, there is quite an adventure in store for you. My organization, Habitat ID, recently launched two camera-trapping expeditions in Virachey this year, with the first group deploying cameras in Yak Yeuk. They found an elephant wallow high in the mountains near Laos, saw a pack of 10 dhole, saw a very rare pangolin (most are caught and sold to Vietnam and China), heard gibbons every morning, saw flocks of hornbills, climbed sacred mountains and swam in secret waterfalls that few outsiders have ever seen. A ranger and a small group of Kavet porters will check the cams before Khmer new year and if anyone wants to join (you'd need to be pretty fit, but not super fit), contact me at: greg.mccann1@gmail.com

As for the second group of cameras that we put out, you can check out the Facebook photo album here (public link), and I've also written up a short report on that expedition here. The trek was beyond belief. We collected Yai Yai (or Tek Tek) -"tropical yeti" dung, have what might be a tiger photo, had barking deer shouting near our camps, spirit-laden dreams, falling trees crashing in the night, plenty of snakes, and, best of all, we made it to the top of the Haling-Halang border mountain, with one foot in Cambodia and the other in Laos, something that has been my dream for years now. The forest surrounding Haling-Halang is primeval, something straight out of Lord of the Rings. It's amazing to know that there are still places like that left in Cambodia, places that are just too far and to expensive (for now) to get to. Virachey is still worth fighting for, despite whatever is happening near the Vietnamese border or in the Siem Pang area. The Park also needs ecotourists to prove that it can generate income, so even if you cannot do that mega trek to Yak Yeuk, the Veal Thom Grasslands are simply sublime (and more beautiful, in my opinion)

The Phnom Penh Post covered our project back in December and we hope to have more press in the coming months. Anything to help get boots on the ground to deter poachers and loggers. And right now the park guides are sort of sitting around waiting for trekkers. So, if you're looking for adventure, Virachey still offers it!

I should also add that if anyone wants to trek outside of the national park, Tampuan minority guide Do Yok is your best choice. He is a very sweet guy, his English is superb, and he can speak all of the tribal languages in addition to Khmer and Laos. His web site is Minority Trek Adventure.

there is nothing controversial in any of the links that I have provided and I hope the thread can be reinstated asap as it is meant to help the Park.

I realized it would be useful if I provided some contact info for the rangers:

Sokhoeun Mao on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sokhoeun.mao.9?fref=ts

Som Sophany on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sophany.som.71?fref=ts

Sou Soukern: +855-0888005924 or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008188273832&fref=ts

It's actually better to try to contact them directly rather than go through me.

I was really hoping to join you guys this time round but I just can't get out of work right now. I hope to be in touch later in the year and see whats going on up there.

Cheers for the update, my brain is willing to go on the trek, but the body is weak. Besides I've got enough spirit dreams already. Thanks for the update and keep up the good work. Someday alas, that area will probably be a concession owned by foreigners so those who want and are able to see it should do so now.

Already planning on going back next year. We want to follow those elephant trails around the base of Haling Mountain eastward to another high peak called T'Bun Mountain, which also straddles the Laos border. You've just got to see that forest and its wildlife. Unreal. Concessions will happen, true, but if they happen around Vietnam and Siem Pang those places are already hammered anyway. There is still a very large core area of the park that is relatively undisturbed, mountainous, rocky, unsuitable for agriculture and, supposedly, devoid of minerals. That section may just remain a national park by default and we should promote it for ecotourism. And then there's the area of Laos to the north, Nam Ghong PPA (some photos in that public FB album; I will get the panoramic video up when I get around to it). SO, dogeatingchips, you've got 11 months to arrange the time off, and sanityclause, that much time to get into reasonable shape. I am by no means a fitness guru!!!

Thanks for the kind thoughts mangoholic, but at my a(72)there isn't a lot of shape to get back into. Happy travels, my friend.

That should of course read, "but at my age(72)..."

Right, 11 months I'll put it in the diary and make it happen.

By the way, not sure if any of you have heard, but there is a debate about whether or not we have a tiger photo. The angle is poor, the resolution not so great, the animal small, the Bushnell had been in the field for about 11 months with the battery starting to run low, but there are some very distinct markings. Trying to come to a consensus with some of the experts. We won't be able to publish the photo, though (unless the MoE wants to), but to me, just know that tigers might still be prowling the depths and crags of Virachey brings a whole new energy to the forest.

Thats great to know, it sounds like there is a whole heap of stuff still out there in that area. No Kouprey yet then? I trekked up Phnom Samkos in 2011 and trailed elephants as they slipped along the wet trail, I think that area also has great potential, again, provided they don't log it all first. I do a bit of camera trapping here in northern Thailand but mostly we catch hunters with their dogs, sadly much of the interesting macrofauna have disappeared from these parts.

Whereabouts in Northern Thailand are you doing camera trapping and have you found anything unexpected?

We are camera trapping in the Doi Lohn mountains not too far from Mae Kampong, over the years there has been some interesting stuff but it seems to be getting thinner on the ground. Last Pangolin was seen in 2008, sunbear in 2012. Lots of of pigs, deer and Aisan spotted/leopard cats.......and people (villagers using the forest).

I really hope you can go in with our guys to check the cameras one of these times (maybe in April?) because when I did a complete check of our 11 existing cams 1 had no memory card in in it and 2 were turned "off." I didn't have the heart to scold them, but I I was really let down by that. It would be great if someone could help make sure things are done right. PM me if you are interested.

Its funny you should mention that, I've had the same problems too, I sent the guides out to put the camera traps in place and went back months later to find they'd not turned them on! very frustrating and lots of potential data not collected. I am very interested, but a bit busy until later in the year, I'll be in touch via PM.

m2, the link to your historic video footage should be pointed out

Nam Ghong PPA Laos and Virachey

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_og4AH0uV8

No foreigner has stood on that mountain looking north into Laos since probably before the French left Cambodia in 1954. Incredible. Best of luck with your projects.

Thanks, sfogm9. And by the way, I wrote an opinion piece in the Cambodia Daily last week about VNP:
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/opinion/concerned-individuals-raise-hope-for-virachey-national-park-78947/

Whoa there m2. You have now published a book about your treks into Virachey NP?!

Journeys to the Green Corridor: Habitat ID Special Edition: Haling-Halang 2014 http://goo.gl/jwWbzL #Cambodia #Virachey

Yes, and you can read a review of the book here.

I ordered a copy from Amazon tonight. You could sell this stuff to National Geographic Magazine. Seriously. No one has been up there in a generation or three. M2, you rock. I can't wait to read your reports from the Lao side of Virachey NP. Maybe in another year or two, eh? Cheers,

It was a good read, all being well I'm going to join in early next year! can't wait.

Thanks, dog! And I will keep you posted on the details.

This topic has been automatically locked due to inactivity. Email community@lonelyplanet.com if you would like to add to this topic and we'll unlock it for you.