Maibri Birding EcoLodge in Arfak Mountains, the right place to stay for the bird of paradise in West Papua of Indonesia

Maibri Birding Eco-Lodge in Arfak Mountains provides an excellent place to stay, with nice rooms with a hot water shower, delicious meals, and friendly local staff, only a few minutes to the favorite birding site including; Western Parotia, Vogelkop Superb Bird of Paradise, Magnificent Bird of Paradise, Black-billed Sicklebill, Masked Bowerbird, Lesser Bird of Paradise and much more.

Rendani Airport Manokwari, Papua of Indonesia

Hotel ASton Niu Manokwari

Room at Aston Niu Manokwari

Hotel Aston Niu Manokwari

Hotel Aston Niu Manokwari

Mama Kitchen Restaurant Manokwari

Our client with the local in Arfak Mountains

4WD double cabin special for Arfak Mountains

Birding West Papua, Birdwatching West Papua by Sultan Birding Indonesia

Cassowary foto by Monal

Bird Photography and Birdwatching in West Papua of Indonesia with Sultan Birding Indonesia. Delight yourself watching bird-of-paradise just a few meters away. Great chances to take pictures and learn from an experienced local guide who will lead you to the land of bird-of-paradise in Papua and West Papua of Indonesia.

We are a local birding tour operator who has been arranging West Papua birding and Birdwatching in West Papua programs for birdwatchers and bird photographers from around the world to West Papua of Indonesia to watch and photograph bird-of-paradise. Our services are ranged from medium to high category in lodging and meals depending on your needs. We provide packages including all services from your arrival until your departure from West Papua of Indonesia. We help you to set the ideal itinerary considering your main requirements as well as the birds you want to watch during your West Papua Birding Trip, Birdwatching in West Papua, Birding in West Papua. We also provide 4WD transportation and a knowledgeable birding guide who will take you to the specific display Lek for you to watch or take a picture of bird-of-paradise and your other target birds. Let us know the interests of your birding journey to West Papua, and we will be glad to advise and assist you in planning the itinerary that suits you better to fulfill your expectations.

Fotos copyright by Monal

We offer you a 15 - 19 days West Papua birding trip, Our West Papua birding tour starts in the small town of Sorong, The word Sorong meant “deep and turbulent sea” in the local Soreri language. this town is well known as the gateway to Waigeo in the Raja Ampat islands. We travel by express boat to Waigeo and we will stay two nights at the nice resort near the beach. Our main target here Wilson’s bird-of-paradise and Red bird-of-paradise as well as endemic Raja Ampat pitohui, we also try our luck to see amazing Western Crowned Pigeon, Beach Kingfisher, Yellow-billed Kingfisher, Palm Cockatoo, Brown-headed Crow. After Waigeo we go back to Sorong for an overnight stay.

Magnificent Bird of Paradise, foto by Monal

Next, we take a flight to the small town of Manokwari from here we will travel by 4WD car up to the village of Mingre amongst the spectacular deep valleys of the highlands of Arfak Mountains. In Mingre Village we have our own guesthouse for you with good facilities. The highland endemic include Western Parotia, Arfak Astrapia, Long-tailed Paradigalla, Black Sicklebill, Vogelkop Superb bird of paradise, Black-billed Sicklebill, Magnificent bird of paradise, Lesser bird-of-paradise, Arfak Honey eater, Vogelkop bowerbird, Masked bowerbird, Feline Owlet Nightjar. After this, we go back to Manokwari for an overnight stay.

Western Parotia, foto by Monal

Finally, we will take a flight to Sentani Jayapura where we explore the lowland rainforest. You will stay at the lodge in Nimbokarng which has an air condition room with a hot water shower and also excellent food. This lodge is managed by Sultan Birding, we invest here for good accommodation for our lovely clients to visit Nimbokrang. Our bird of paradise here include Twelve wired bird of paradise, Kingbird of paradise, Lesser Bird of Paradise, Salvadori’s Fig Parrot, Pale-billed Sicklebill, Victoria Crowned Pigeon.

 

My journey to the land of Bird-of-Paradise in 2016

My first introduction to West Papua was in 2016.  Starting with rumors of the beautiful and fascinating Bird of Paradise on the island of Waigeo caused me to take a step and flight to Sorong without anyone I knew there. My worries did not arise even though I had never been to Sorong because Sorong had long been famous in the eyes of the world with diving tourism in Raja Ampat. After a while, I finally managed to meet with local people who have a Bird of Paradise spot on the island of Waigeo. Collaborating with local communities until finally, I made a short trip to Sorong and Waigeo. During a year operation in Sorong, many photos I uploaded to Facebook about Wilson's Bird of Paradise and Red Bird of Paradise and it turned out to be the beginning of more people who were interested in seeing more Birds of Paradise.

Another story, I have a friend of mine that works as a tour operator from China who has worked with me since 2014 for birdwatching and bird photography in Sulawesi and Bali. Seeing many good responses regarding the photos that I uploaded to Facebook, he finally offered me to arrange a trip to West Papua at the time to see Bird of paradise because many of his clients asked to travel to Papua. It never crossed my mind to be able to arrange a trip to Papua that was farther than Sorong. Unlike other regions in Indonesia, Papua in our eyes at that time was still very scary and also isolated and I know nothing about Papua island but Sorong only. I was a little hesitant to go there plus many issues that were a little scary at that time made my family worry about my safety. After a long discussion with him and my family, finally, in April 2017 with all my soul and careful preparation, I finally ventured to go to the land of West Papua with the aim of securing the location of the Bird of Paradise and also lodging there. The first place I visited was the village of Mingre in the Arfak Mountains. Information about the Mingre village I got from a local guide that I met his contact on the trip report from the internet.

My first step in Arfak

Arriving there, I was very fascinated by the beauty and hospitality of the local people in Arfak that were far from the ‘scary’ image as it was in my mind. I was warmly welcomed by them. However, the temperature and also the air in the Arfak mountains are not as warm as the people welcomed, at an altitude of 1,800 meters above sea level is not unusual for me. Of course, many challenges and also things happened outside our prediction but it did not dampen the enthusiasm and hard work me to succeed in the construction of bird tourism spots in the Arfak mountains especially in the village of Mingre at the time.

After surveying and establishing bird spots with the local community, we then made our way to the hide of Bird of Paradise and other bird spots. As we know that the Arfak mountains are areas that are still far from the touch of modernization. When we arrived at Arfak, there was no lodging or guesthouse we could use. We only slept on layers of the board in the traditional houses of the local people that make me sick for several days. It is a journey that I will never forget.

Finally, after a few days of everything from the birding location, nests of the Birds of Paradise and also the location that will be used as guesthouses, I returned to Manado. In June 2017 I came back to Mingre again and also started construction of the guesthouses at a place that was approved by the community. All items ranging from building equipment, beds, bathwater heaters, and all necessary equipment we brought from the City. The journey is long but has many beautiful memories to remember.

we build up hide

The construction of the inn lasted for only one month since July 2017 the first guest from China finally set foot in the Arfak mountains. Everything went according to what we planned. Until now, in 2020 we still continue to collaborate with the local community to jointly build and maintain the potential of Tourism in this Arfak land so that it can be enjoyed until later our children and grandchildren are born enjoying it as well as all of us hope that the Bird of Paradise and other birds in other parts of Papua will be around forever.

Old house to be renovated

I asked why I want to arrange a trip to West Papua? isn't there in Sulawesi, Java, Borneo, and Flores too much easier, why should I dare to take such a big risk in Papua? I have so many friends asking me that. For the answer, of course initially, because there was a request from Chinese guests who wanted to witness the uniqueness and also the beauty of the Bird of Paradise that had not been exposed much outside the world. Then the second is when I first saw the bird of paradise in Sorong I was bewitched and fell in love with the beauty and uniqueness they have. I myself who is a photographer cannot possibly miss the opportunity given by God to me to capture the beauty of the bird of paradise in my camera lens. Thirdly, the tourism spirit that I have from a long time ago made me want the desire to continue to develop the tourism potential in the Arfak region. This is also inseparable from my love for the local community because they have very kindly accepted me like their own family in this strange land. I want to provide even the smallest assistance to lift the economy in this Arfak region.

It was a decision that I will never regret in 2016 in Sorong and 2017 when I took the first step towards Manokwari for Arfak mountains in the land of Papua. Although many things happened that were beyond my ability, I am proud to have dared to take this path. Leaving my beloved family far from my arms, sometimes traveling for months so rarely stay at home just to spend time with family and others does not make me afraid of the goals that I want to achieve. I am very grateful to be blessed with a family that is very understanding of my profession so that even though they are out of reach there is no worry in my heart. It has been the purpose of my life to devote myself to trying to lift the economy wherever it's place that is related to the world of tourism. By setting foot in the land of Papua has made me realize that there are still many things that we have to fix and build together to improve the welfare of the indigenous people of Papua in the land of West Papua. Contributing to the

 economy of the local community is enough to make me proud to wrestle in the world of tourism for more than 20 years. This will not stop here. Going forward, there are still many other things that we will do in the future with the hope of prospering the lives of local people and preserving and also protecting together the population of Birds of Paradise, Arfak endemic birds (Vogelkops), and their culture also.