West Papua Birding 25 Days 24 Nights

Biak - Numfor island - Balliem valley - Snow Mountain - Lake Habbema - Wamena - Nimbrokang - Manokwari - Arfak - Waisai & Waigeo (Raja Ampat)
Booking

Day1. The tour begins from Biak. On your arrival in Biak we will pick you up at the airport then transfer to a hotel for check in. Make preparations and long drive to a best forest where we will have full days birding on Biak. We will expect to see four our Biak endemics such Biak Black Flycatcher, Biak Monarch, Golden Monarch, Biak Paradise Kingfisher where guite common here, Biak Lorikeet split from Rainbow Lorikeet, Biak Red Lory, and Biak White-eye. We will have lunch picnic. In the evening we will try to spotlight the endemic Biak Scops Owl which is usually difficult to see, and the rather more conspicuous Papuan Frogmouth. Night in Biak.

Day2. After some final birding on Biak we travel by boat to Numfor island, southwest of Biak in Geelvink Bay, for an overnight stay.

Day3. We spend the morning birding on Numfor where our main target is the fabulous endemic Numfor Paradise Kingfisher which is quite common on the island. Beach Kingfisher is also possible to see it in this island. In the afternoon we return to Biak for an overnight stay.

Day4. We will continue our travel to Balliem valley, make preparation and overnight stay.

Day5. Early morning we will continue the journey driving up with 4WD vehicles to the fabled Snow Mountains and in particular the Grand Baliem Valley. The journey is along winding roads, through wonderful forests where we will make several birding stops in search of our first specialties such Black-breasted Manikin and Mountain Kingfisher, etc.

Day6-8. During our stay in this area we will explore some areas such near the lake Habbema and surounding areas where we expect to see for some dificult birds such Greater Ground Robins, Lesser Melampitta, Crested Berrypecker, Spended Astrapia, Macgregor’s Bop/Honeyeater, Papuan Lorikeet, Papuan Scrub-wren, Plam-faced Lorikeet, Yellow-billed Lorikeet, Painted Tiger Parrot, and New Guinea Woodcock. We may also birdwatch such Western Alpin Manikin, Common Smoky Honeyeater, Belford’s Melidectes, Short-bearded Melidectes, Black-throated Honeyeater, Orange-cheeked Honeyeater, Red-collared Myzomela, Grey-streaked Honeyeater, Lorentz’s Whistler, Alpin Pipit, etc. We will also search other special birds Snow Mountain Quail that are often flushed from the grasslands and muddy and Papuan Harrier often flying at more open areas.

Day9. Our last day in the morning we will have happy hour birding searching some missing birds that more difficult to find around the lake such Brown Sicklebill. This bird was more chances to see in more open area as I had seen it for several times on my birding trips in the area. Other birds such Black Sittella, Plum-faced Lorikeet, and some more are more easy here. Otherwise Western Mountain White-eye, Superb BoP, and Black-breasted Manikin are more lower. We will return for an overnight stay in a very nice hotel.

Day10.  We will fly to Wamena  then drive to Nimbokrang at the lowland forests for four nights staying at a basic homestay and will explore the bird-rich area in the afternoon.

Day11 – 13. We will have for three full days exploring the lowland forest of bird-rich area in Nimbokrang expect to see such Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise, Lesser BoP, King BoP, Pale-billed Sicklebill, Rufous/Papuan Babbler, Blue-back Kingfisher, a rare Shovel-billed Kingfisher, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Salvadori’s Fig-Parrot, Rainbow Lorikeet, Brown Lory, Sulphur-crested Cocatoo, Palm Cocatoo, Yellow-faced myna, Red-flanked Lorikeet, Western Black-capped Lory, Crimson Finch, Hooded Manikin, Streak-headed Manikin, etc.

Day14. After some final birding on Nimbokrang searching some missing birds then in the afternoon we depart to Sentani for overnight stay.
Day15. Arrival into Manokwari on the west shore of Geelvink Bay, we will make some preparations then drive up into the Arfak Mountains. We will stay for six nights at a basic guesthouse. On my previous trip this guesthouse is already developing and more comfortable comparing on some previous years ago. The accommodation is in a birding site village in a slope of Arfak mounts situated at 1600m. We will organize well what to do best during our birding in the Arfak.

Days16 – 20. In Arfak we will have five full days exploring the forest in three different sites – at top we focus and become target birds to see are such Spotted Jewel-babbler,  Arfak Astrapia, Black Sicklebill, Western Smoky Honeyeaters, Vogelkop Melidectes and Vogelkop Bowerbird. Papuan Lorikeet and Smoky Robin are also accuring around possible to see. The next morning we will walk down in narrow tracks to Western Parotia site and expect to see the bird mating in the afternoon. Our regular site is visiting Western Parotia site expecting to see the bird from a hide. It takes very long time and need long patience waiting in a hide until the male of Western Parotia comes into the dancing ground arena calling for some females entering into the dancing ground arena then we have chance watching the male display the extravagant ‘ballerina dance’. Not far from this site we still hope to see Vogelkop Bowerbird in his mating site. Our last visit is visiting Magnificient Bird of Paradise very close to the main road and easily access.

We also expect to see such Vogelkop Scrub-wren, Perplexing Scrub-wren, Black Fantail, Friendly Fantails  and Mountain Melipaga, etc. We also expect to see Mountain Owlet Nightjar and Felline Owlet Nightjar in roosting tree.

Day21. This day is our happy hour birding just from main road and expect to see such Masked Bowerbird, Variable Pitohui, Josephine’s Lorikeet, and Black-chinned Robin etc. We will leave the area to the town for an overnight stay in a nice hotel.

Day22. Before we continue our journey to Waisai Raja Ampat, we will enjoy our lunch in a nice place while enjoy a good scenery and some terns flying around in this area.

Day23 – 24. Waigeo is the best place to see Wilson’s Bird-of-Paradise, close and easy walk to get to their display grounds comparing to Batanta. We will watch the bird from a constructed hides where we will have good chances to enjoy a male in full action calling and displaying vigorously to any females enter to his displaying arena. Around this area also productive any good birds such Black-sided Robin, Wompoo Fruit-dove, Raja Ampat Pitohui, and the shy Western Crowned Pigeon. Another main target is Red Bird-of-Paradise. If it is in good fortune we may see around ten males or more in their displaying tree arena calling for several females entering their arena and we may ejoying watching the birds everage for an hour or more in their displaying tree.

Day25. After a final morning on Waigeo we return by boat to Sorong for an overnight stay in hotel.
Day26. Tour ends. Transfer to the airport to make a connecting international flight via Makassar.

Maximum: 8 pax

Tour Cost: Contact us for best cost.

The Cost includes: all accommodation, all internal flights, all main meals, drinking water, overland transportation, entrance fees, and guide fees. For booking and flights, please contact us. We will arange your internal and domestic flights to suitable with the itinerary.

The Cost excludes: international flights, domestic flights, departure taxes, overweight of luggage, lost/dumage of luggage, insurance, medicals and hospitality, drinks, donations, tips, and other items of a personal nature.

Accommodation: often basic but comfortable twin-bedded and single rooms, some with private facilities, though shared facilities are only possible at some places, regular camping.

Walking difficulty: moderate – arduous treks