Virachey National Park Travel Guide
Wildlife, Trekking and Tribes
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Virachey National Park is one of the most important areas for wildlife and forest conservation in Southeast Asia. Created on the 1st of November 1993 and spread across Ratanakiri and Stung Treng Provinces in eastern Cambodia it covers an area of some 3,325 km². Tiger, clouded leopard and elephant are all found in the park and, around the perimeter, ethnic minority tribes, providing an insight into unusual cultures.
The park comprises of dense semi-evergreen lowland and montane forest, upland savannah, bamboo thickets and occasional patches of mixed deciduous forest. Most areas lie above the 400m level and up to 1,500m.
Surveys such as they are indicate that there may be as many as 156 vertebrate species in the park area of which 43 are of international significance. Threatened primate species includes slow loris, pygmy loris, pig-tailed macaque, long-tailed macaque, whilst elephant, b, gaur and banteng have all been caught on camera traps, as has the stunning clouded leopard.
Virachey is one of only two areas in Cambodia known to support Germain’s peacock pheasant and in addition the park supports Siamese fireback, red-collared woodpecker and the great hornbill. In its waters the freshwater crocodile, otters and freshwater tortoise can be found.
Many ethnic minority groups live around the park - Kreung, Kavet, Brao, Lao and Lun people and smaller numbers of Tampuen, Kachok, ethnic Chinese, ethnic Khmer and ethnic Vietnamese people are also found in the area.
Attractions in Virachey National Park
Trekking trips into the park and within the buffer zone around the park to minority villages can be organised from Banlung but ensure that you choose carefully. Tourism is new in this region and insensitive visits to the park and villages do more harm than good. Yeak Laom Community Based Ecotourism can provide guides and a good start: www.geocities.com/yeak_laom/index.html. See also Responsible Travel to the left.
Activities in Virachey National Park
Take a trekking trip into the park with a knowledgeable local guide. It’s unlikely that you will see much in the way of the endangered wildlife but the meetings with local villagers – if done properly – rewards both sides.
Relaxing
Banlung is the nearest centre to national park and after a trek has a couple of restaurants and a bar.
Getting Around
On an organised tour transport will be provided for you. The park is very difficult to explore independently.
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