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| Northern Cassowary from Malagufuk, Image by Monal |
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| Western Parotia from Arfak, Image by Monal |
conspicuous and easy to study, the forest-dwelling species typically are often less common, more selective, and difficult to observe. This phenomenon is common in tropical humid forest environments around the world. Patience and repeated effort provide the only antidote to the frustrations created by those rare species that defy locating on one’s first few field trips. In nearly all West Papua habitats, bird activity is greatest at dawn and shortly thereafter. It pays to be afield early. By 10 a.m. it is usually quiet, especially in the lowlands, unless rain brings cooler conditions. Hunting has been continuous for thousands of years, but at low-impact largely sustainable levels until very recently, when modern technology and the vastly increased human population pressure have tipped the balance. It is often asked why West Papua and Papua birds are so shy in many areas, and the response usually involves reference to hunting pressures, although this seems a tad glib and doubtless other factors are operating.
Day 1: Sorong - Waigeo
Day 2: Waigeo
Day 3: Waigeo
Day 4: Waigeo - Sorong
Day 5: Sorong – Manokwari - Arfak
Day 6: Arfak
Day 7: Arfak
Day 8: Arfak - Manokwari
Day 9: Manokwari – Jayapura - Nimbokrang
Day 10: Nimbokrang
Day 11: Nimbokrang
Day 12: Nimbokrang - Jayapura
Day 13: Jayapura - Biak
Day 14: Biak
Day 15: Biak – Next destination
Summary West Papua birding: Nimbokrang - Arfak - Malagufuk - Waigeo
Day 1: Jayapura - Nimbokrang
Day 2: Nimbokrang
Day 3: Nimbokrang - Jayapura
Day 4: Jayapura – Manokwari - Arfak
Day 5: Arfak
Day 6: Arfak
Day 7: Arfak - Manokwari
Day 8: Manokwari – Sorong - Malagufuk
Day 9: Malagufuk
Day 10: Malagufuk - Sorong
Day 11: Sorong - Waigeo
Day 12: Waigeo
Day 13: Waigeo
Day 14: Waigeo - Sorong
Day 15: Sorong – Next destination
Summary West Papua birding: Arfak - Malagufuk - Waigeo - Fakfak
Day 1: Manokwari - Arfak
Day 2: Arfak
Day 3: Arfak
Day 4: Arfak – Manokwari - Sorong
Day 5: Sorong - Malagufuk
Day 6: Malagufuk
Day 7: Malagufuk – Sorong - Waigeo
Day 8: Waigeo
Day 9: Waigeo
Day 10: Waigeo - sorong
Day 11: Sorong – Fakfak
Day 12: Fakfak
Day 13: Fakfak
Day 14: Fakfak – Sorong
Day 15: Sorong – Next destination
Day 1:Arrival Sorong – Waigeo Island
The tours begin with your arrival in Sorong and then will be transferred directly to Waigeo island with a fast and comfortable express boat. On Waigeo island you will stay 3 nights in a comfortable resort with great views both from the beach to the forest. This island located in the Raja Ampat archipelago arguably boasts the most wanted birds on the tour. The display sites of both Red Bird-of-paradise and the awe-inspiring Wilson’s Bird-of-paradise will be visited during our days on the island. To make it even better, these sites are easy to reach after short 10-30 minute walks.
Day 2: Waigeo Island
Just a few of many species
that we might encounter include Blyth’s Hornbill, Eclectus Parrot, Emperor
Fairywren, Orange-fronted Fruit Dove, and Papuan Drongo. We need to wake up 30
minutes early at 4.30 for breakfast. At 05.00 am we visit the hide of Wilson’s
Bird of Paradise until lunch. From our resort, it takes around 15 to 20 minutes
to drive to the stop point and we continue to walk around 5 to 10 minutes to
the hide. The afternoon schedule will be the following.
Day 3:Waigeo Island
In addition to the
aforementioned ‘BoP’s, the lowlands of this island offer a huge list of birds,
including the localized Raja Ampat Pitohui, the incredible Western Crowned
Pigeon, Great-billed and Moluccan King- Parrots, Claret-breasted,
Orange-bellied, and Dwarf Fruit-Doves, Palm Cockatoo, Coconut Lorikeet,
Yellow-faced Myna, Papuan Pitta, elusive White-eared Catbird, Brown-headed
Crow, New Guinea Friarbird, and Golden Monarch and the Waigeo Cuscus. Our
morning will start just like yesterday and after all preparation, we step up to
the Red Bird of Paradise hide. From the resort, we will drive around 20 minutes
to the stop point and walk for 30 minutes to the hide. You can enjoy the bird
playing until lunchtime and we go back. The afternoon schedule will be the
following.
Day 4: Waigeo Island – Sorong
We still have one more chance
to do birding in the morning before sailing to Sorong. We can start birding
earlier in the morning around the village until before lunch. After returning to Sorong with the express
boat, we shall have another afternoon birding into the lowland forests in
Sorong with a slew of different lowland forest specialties. Some truly
breathtaking birds are possibilities for this afternoon’s excursion: Blue-black
Kingfisher will be a major target this afternoon before we depart for the
Arfaks tomorrow morning.
Day 5: Sorong – Manokwari –
Arfak
After a flight to Manokwari,
and a drive with 4WD for around 2 hours, we will arrive at what is arguably the
premier birding site on this side of New Guinea, the Arfak Mountains, situated
on the northeast of the Bird’s Head (Vogelkop) Peninsula. This part of the
island has a rich set of endemics all its own, plus a huge variety of
widespread forest species. Tree nights will be spent in a guesthouse at an
elevation of 5250ft/1600m, and we will do birding in a range of elevations
above and below here.
Days 6-7: Arfak Mountain
With so much to see here, we
will spend two full days birding the various forests, gardens, and other
secondary habitats that flank the mountains and hold many of the tour’s
standout birds. We will visit the display grounds of Magnificent
Bird-of-Paradise, Western Parotia, and the bower of the Vogelkop Bowerbird, one
of the great architects of the bird world, with an extraordinarily large and
decorative bower that far outshines the dour bird itself! While these may
arguably be the most famous targets in the mountains, the list of other birds
is both extensive and tantalizing, and includes the likes of Vogelkop Superb
BoP, Black-billed Sicklebill, Glossy Mantled Manucode, Green-backed Robin,
Crinkle-collared Manucode and Spotted Jewel-Babbler. If we are extremely lucky
we might catch up with Masked Bowerbird, Vulturine Parrot, or the New Guinea
Harpy Eagle.
Day 8: Arfak – Manokwari
After another full day in the
Arfaks chasing the last of the best birds of the mountains, we return to
Manokwari where we overnight in a comfortable city hotel.
Day 9: Manokwari – Jayapura –
Nimbokrang
After taking a morning flight
to Sentani, we head for Nimbokrang, and the lowland forests of the north for a
three-night stay. In the afternoon we may stake out a clearing that is an
excellent site for raptors, pigeons, and the bounty of parrots that grace the
Papuan lowlands
Day 10-11: Nimbokrang
This lowland site may be hot
and sweaty, but it is loaded with special birds – a major theme on this tour!
King Bird-of-paradise, Twelve-wired Bird-of-paradise, Hook-billed,
Shovel-billed, and Blue-black Kingfishers are just some of the birds on offer,
though all of these species require a combination of luck and effort.
Day 12: Nimbokrang
After a long day in the
lowland jungles of Nimbokrang, we return to Sentani for an overnight stay of
hot water and a little luxury.
Day 13: Jayapura – Biak
In the morning we will take a
flight from Jayapura to Biak Island. After birding around biak to Biak Paradise
Kingfisher and other biak endemic.
Day 14: Biak Birding trip
Our Ultimate birding tour
starts on the isolated island of Biak in Geelvink Bay, where the old Dutch
colonial capital, Bosnik, was located. Much of the original forest which once
covered this limestone island has been logged, but all of the nine endemic species
can still be found in disturbed forest, including Biak Red Lory, Geelvink Pygmy
Parrot, Biak Coucal, Biak Scops Owl, the beautiful Biak Paradise Kingfisher,
Biak Black Flycatcher, and Long-tailed Starling, and if we are fortunate Biak
Scrubfowl and the rare Biak Monarch.
Day 15: Biak – Jakarta.
After breakfast, transfer our
to the airport for your next destination. End of the trip
Location:Sorong, Waigeo
Island, Manokwari/Arfak Mountain, Nimbokrang and Biak
Group Size: 6 – 8 Pax
Duration: 15 Days / 14 Nights
Arrival In: Sorong Airport,
Papua Barat of Indonesia
Depart From: Biak
Airport, Papua of Indonesia
What is included? :
Accommodations during the trip, Meals (breakfast, lunch, and
dinner), Mineral water, Car transport for the group to
all sites in the itinerary (4WD in Arfak), Express Boat (VIP Ticket) to
get to Waigeo, English Speaking Bird Guide, Entrances to Parks and
Reserves, Local guides/Landowner / local
park ranger
What is not included?:
Domestic flight tickets, All personal expenses that are
not mentioned on the items above, Tips for optional luggage
porters in city hotels, Camera/luggage porters in the
jungle, Alcoholic beverages, Visa fees (payable on arrival
in Indonesia), Departure tax when leaving
Indonesia, Travel insurance, excursions not included in the
tour itinerary, extras in hotels such as
laundry service, minibar, room service, telephone calls, Tips to drivers, local guides,
and lodge staff, Personal items; medical fees;
other items or services not specifically mentioned as being included, Any kind of expenditures
incurred due to flight cancellation/delays or due to other causes beyond our
control.
Payment Terms and Condition
We require a minimum of 50%
deposit payment to confirm your booking, we cannot guarantee your booking until
this has been received. Bookings will be held for 7 days to allow the client
time to send a deposit payment. We reserve the right to release the booking if
the deposit is not received within 7 days of the booking being made. Changes of
dates to bookings after the deposit has been made can be done but will be
subject to availability. Cancelation: Deposit payment No
Refund, No show – full payment charge. Full Payment, The full payment
will be required at least 30 days prior to your date of arrival. The invoice
amount has to be paid in full, net of all transfer costs and bank charges.
LIABILITY
Sultan Birding Tours act only
as agents for the passenger in regard to travel, whether by railroad, motorcar,
motor coach, boat, or airplane, and assume no liability for injury, damage,
loss, accident, delay, or irregularity which may be occasioned either by reason
of defect in any vehicle or for any reason whatsoever or through the acts or
default of any company or person engaged in conveying the passenger or in
carrying out the arrangements of the tour. Sultan Birding Tours Indonesia can
accept no responsibility for losses or additional expenses due to delay or
changes in air or other services, sickness, weather, strike, war, quarantine,
or other causes. All such losses or expenses will have to be borne by the
passenger, as tour rates provide for arrangements only for the time stated.
Baggage is at the owner’s risk entirely. The airlines concerned and their
agents and affiliates are not to be held responsible for any act, omission, or
event during the time passengers are not on board their aircraft.
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| Magnificent bird-of-paradise, Image by Mohamad Naliko (Monal) |
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| Wilson's bird-of-paradise, Image by Mohamad Naliko (Monal) |
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| Red bird-of-paradise, Image by Mohamad Naliko (Monal) |
