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| Red Bird-of-Paradise |
A 22-day birding tour of Papua
– the Indonesian-owned western half of the island of New Guinea –
is planned for June 2025, with November 2025 being a second option.
Papua is regarded as a world birding destination of enormous appeal,
with highlights featuring fantastic encounters with some of the
planet’s outstanding avian gems. This experience offers
opportunities to see 18 species of birds-of-paradise and a feast of
other goodies ranging from the glorious Western and Victoria Crowned
Pigeons to the stately Northern Cassowary and numerous species of
brightly-coloured parrots and fruit-doves.
The
trip covers Biak Island, the northern lowlands site of Nimbokrang,
the famed Arfak Mountains at various altitudes, southern lowlands
sites in the Sorong region, and Waigeo Island with its extraordinary
Wilson’s Bird-of-Paradise. Displays of mega-birds like Western
Parotia and Magnificent Bird-of-Paradise will be on offer at
staked-out sites including hides.
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| Wilson's Bird-of-Paradise |
We
hope to encounter a wealth of endemics including 20 species on Biak
that are restricted to the Geelvink Islands, and 15 species confined
to the Vogelkop Peninsula, or “Bird’s Head”, of Papua. Others
are endemic to the provinces of Papua more widely. Sharp-eyed guides
in the Arfaks will hopefully track down three owlet-nightjar species,
including the bizarre Feline Owlet-Nightjar. We hope to chalk up a
total of 280-300 species. We also expect to locate a sprinkling of
mammals, notably several species of possum and cuscus.
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| Crescent-caped Lophorina |
Many
birds in Papua are also found in neighbouring Papua New Guinea but
the security situation in Papua in the sites we are visiting is more
relaxed and safe than much of PNG. Note this itinerary does not
include the Papuan central highland sites of Wamena-Lake Habbema.
Access to key high altitude specialties is increasingly difficult for
tourists due to ongoing conflict between the Indonesian military and
Papuan pro-independence rebels. Tour groups travelling to Wamena have
lately been restricted to a small area near the town – where all
but a few species occur also in the Arfaks or in PNG. Our information
from on-the-ground contacts with close ties to the military tell us
the situation is not going to improve in the foreseeable future. If
it does improve as the tour approaches, we will consider adding a
4-day extension at additional cost.
Unlike
other tour groups, we will not be going to Numfor Island from Biak as
it has just 2 endemics and the speedboat ride is long, expensive,
often uncomfortable, and unreliable due to weather; Numfor chews up
two days which can be more profitably expended elsewhere.
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| Twelve-wired Bird-of-Paradise |
Papua
is easier these days than in the past due to improved roads and
infrastructure, but it remains a relatively challenging destination.
Some steep hiking is in order in the Arfak Mountains, though not
everyone needs to join all the hikes as there are many targets in the
vicinity of the lodge and local guides are on hand to help those
remaining behind. We are likely to camp one night higher up in the
Arfaks to increase our chances for several species: this option will
be open to discussion. It will be warm and humid in the lowlands.
Accommodation ranges from decent hotels to basic lodges (as outlined
in the itinerary).
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| Western Parotia |
Day
1 Arrive Biak on an international flight from Jakarta -
afternoon birding – 3 nights at hotel.
Day 2–3 Exploring Biak: No
fewer than 20 Biak/Geelvink Islands endemic species to look for
including Biak Paradise Kingfiser, Biak scrubfowl, Biak Lorikeet,
Biak Coucal, Biak Scops Owl, Biak Black Flycatcher, Biak White-eye.
Day
4 - Morning birding, fly to Jayapura then drive to Nimbokrang -
afternoon birding – 3 nights at a basic guesthouse with en suite
bathrooms in most rooms; depending on numbers in the group, 1 room
may need share an inside bathroom (we draw straws!).
Days
5-6 - Exploring the lowland and hill forests of Nimbokrang, where
species restricted to – or much easier to find in - northern New
Guinea can be found. Birds include widespread but spectacular species
such as New Guinea Harpy Eagle and Twelve-wired Bird-of-Paradise.
Others restricted to the northern lowlands include Red-legged
Brushturkey, Victoria Crowned Pigeon, Brown Lory, Salvadori’s
Fig-Parrot and Pale-billed Sicklebill.
Day
7 - Transport back to Jayapura - flight to Manokwari - 2 nights at
hotel.
Day
8 – Birding at sites from Manokwari looking for lowland and hill
forest specialties like Masked Bowerbird and Grey-banded Mannikin, a
Papuan endemic.
Day
9 - Transport in a 4WD truck to the Arfak Mountains –
2.5 hours - afternoon birding – 6 nights at a basic mid-elevation
guesthouse in the village of Mingre - most rooms with en suite
bathrooms (basic washing facilities); depending on numbers in the
group, 1 room may need to use an outside bathroom.
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| King Bird-of-Paradise |
Days
10-14 - Exploring the Arfak Mountains for a feast of species at
different altitudes. These include many that are widespread in
montane forest elsewhere in New Guinea – but easier to see here -
along with plenty of species endemic to the Vogelkop Peninsula or
Papua more generally. We may opt to spend one night camping in tents
at high altitude where a few tricky species are easier to find (to be
discussed: we could tackle these on day hikes). We should see
displaying birds-of-paradise and bowerbirds from hides at some sites.
Excellent birds include displaying Western Parotia, Magnificent
Bird-of-Paradise and Crescent-faced Lophorina with many more
including Long-tailed Paradigala, Black Sicklebill, Black-billed
Sicklebill, Arfak Astrapia, Vogelkop Bowerbird, Papuan Lorikeet,
Western Smoky Honeyeater, Cinnamon-browed Melidectes, Ashy Robin,
Arfak Catbird.
Day
15 - Transport back to Manokwari - flight to Sorong - ferry to Waigeo
Island (2 hours) - afternoon birding – 3 nights at a diving
resort.
Days
16-17 - Exploring Waigeo Island, the highlights being the spectacular
Wilson’s Bird-of-Paradise and Red Bird-of- Paradise, both of which
we hope to see displaying. Others include some that are easier here
than on the mainland, such as Western Crowned Pigeon and Brown-headed
Crow, or found elsewhere only in far-flung Indonesian islands west or
north of Wageo, like Spice Imperial-Pigeon and Violet-necked Lory.
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| Magnificent Riflebird |
Day
18 - Morning birding Waigeo - ferry back to Sorong – 4 nights at
hotel.
Days
19-21 – Birding the South New Guinea lowlands around the Klasow
Valley, Malagufuk village and other sites in this bird-rich region,
using our comfortable Sorong hotel as a base after some ordinary digs
in the Arfaks. Another feast of species, many either endemic to
Vogelkop Peninsula or more widely to the southern lowlands of New
Guinea, or tricky to find elsewhere in New Guinea. They include
Northern Cassowary, Blue-black ingfisher, Red-breasted
Paradise-Kingfisher, Black Lory, Red-billed Brush-turkey.
Day
22 – Fly home from Sorong
The
price includes: All accommodation (hotel and guesthouse); all
transportation (domestic air tickets for three flights -
Buka-Jayapura, Jayapura-Manokwari, Manokwari-Sorong - cars, van, 4WD
truck); park permits, rangers, local guides and porters. All meals
(B- L-D), food supplies, mineral water, soft drinks. The price does
not include insurance, overweight luggage, alcohol (note that
availability is limited these days in Papua), laundry.
The
cost is: 6 people = US pp $8,520; 7 people = US pp $8,210. Single
supplement $USpp40 per night in some accommodations possible. Papua (like PNG) has always been an expensive destination. As this
is a private tour, it can be run at considerably less cost than similar tours on offer. Jakarta is connected to Biak and Sorong by
air. It is easiest to book these legs as part of your international
flight tickets.
Contact me by email if interested; friarbird.roberts@gmail.com. The tour is being organised in collaboration with Indonesian birding guide Untu Baware.
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