Itinerary for a Planned Birding Tour of Papua in 2025 - A Feast of Avian Gems

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.