Malagufuk, Fak-fak, Waigeo - Papua Birding | Papua Birdwatching Trips, Papua Bird Photography Trips, Papua Birding Trips

Overview

BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY IN SOUTHWEST PAPUA
Bird Photography in Southwest Papua is exciting but difficult and demanding, although the rewards can be fantastic and some charismatic groups are simply “world-class”, Bird of Paradise, parrots, pigeons, and kingfishers being obvious examples. Birds here are usually shy, light conditions and weather are often challenging, the terrain difficult, transport problematic, and not to mention logistic problems including frequent unexpected airline-schedule changes. Security problems are ever-present but generally not major, provided that you follow the usual protocols:
Make sure that you have local people to facilitate access to land, and agree with them in advance how much you are paying and to whom. Most disputes arise over land access, which is very different from your country.

Do not wear valuable jewelry or carry expensive items in urban areas, and be particularly cautious in any large town. Security in rural areas is usually much less of an issue, and so long as you have local people along you will be unlucky to encounter major problems. Most people are friendly and intrigued by bird photographers and what they are up to, but do explain carefully what you are doing.

Be patient. Losing your temper and demanding things will give the opposite results to what is desired; the phenomenon of payback is alive and well in Southwest Papua and covers minor things, as well as serious tribal disputes.

Travel in Southwest Papua is quite challenging but has improved immeasurably of late, although the infrastructure may be far less developed and it is advisable to have a good level of fitness to tackle steep trails and wet muddy conditions or hot humid lowlands. Security matters are generally better also.

TRIP CONSIDERATIONS
PACE: Moderate to Intense. This tour will require long days in the fields and early starts on most days. On some portions of the trip, especially those spent in the hot lowlands of Klabili birding site in Klasow Valley and West Waigeo Nature Reserve, we will have some time off in the middle of the day. At higher elevations, in the Fakfak, the birding can stay active all day, and we will have a more intense pace.

PHYSICAL DIFFICULTY: On this trip, the birding sites are on dirt roads and easy logging tracks and trails.

CLIMATE: New Guinea lies in the equatorial zone and is surrounded by warm tropical seas, with a humid tropical climate and many mountain ranges causing great variation in rainfall. This ranges from moderate to very high, with some montane regions having more than 10,000 mm of rainfall per annum. Temperatures along the coast are hot, above 30oC, but at very high altitudes it can drop below freezing at night, though snowfall is apparent only above 3800 m, and mainly in West Papua, where some relict glaciers remain. Clouds and fog are frequent, especially in the morning and late afternoon, though mornings typically are clear and sunny. Rain tends to come in the afternoon, often being quite heavy but sometimes not lasting for too long, although highland areas can experience quite long wet periods. Clouds cover the mountains and promote the growth of epiphytes and mosses, with very high humidity in the lowland and hill forests.

ACCOMMODATIONS: In Klasow Valley, Raja Ampat Birding’s clients will stay in Klabili Village, where there is only electricity for a couple of hours each night, the guesthouses are quite simple, and some of them only have shared bathroom facilities. In Fakfak, we will stay at the Grand Papua Hotel in the town. In Waigeo, we will stay at a comfortable resort that has full-time electricity and Wifi.

INFO TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS: A valid passport is required; the passport must be valid for at least six months past your intended stay. Visas on arrival in Indonesia can be obtained for tourists from the US, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and EU countries for stays of under 30 days. There is a fee for this, payable in cash (in US Dollars). Travel requirements are subject to change; we recommend double-checking entry requirements six weeks before the tour or asking our office staff for help.

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival Sorong – Klasow Valley
The tours begin with your arrival at Sorong Airport, we will pick you up and then drive to one of the hotels nearby to have breakfast first. After breakfast, we will drive about 2 hours to the village of Klabili in Klasow Valley. Check in and have lunch at Klabili Guesthouse. Afternoon photo trip for Red-breasted Paradise Kingfisher, Blue Black Kingfisher, Papuan Dwarf Kingfisher, and King Bird of Paradise. Night at Klabili Guesthouse.

Day 2: Klabili Klasow Valley – Twelve wired Bird of Paradise
After early morning breakfast, then the morning trip, we will walk for 30 minutes to reach the spot of the twelve-wired Bird of Paradise. For the afternoon trip, we will try to photograph the Lesser Bird of Paradise. Or might also try to photograph Papuan Pitta from the hide. Night at Klabili Guesthouse.

Day 3: Klabili Klasow Valley – Sorong Airport – Fakfak
After breakfast, we will drive two hours to reach Sorong Airport to catch the Wings Air flight to Fakfak. Arrive in Fakfak, first, we will transfer to the hotel for check-in and lunch. Afternoon trip to Cagar Alam Fakfak Barat to Photograph the southern cassowary. Night at Grand Papua Hotel

Day 4: Fakfak Nature Reserve – Magnificent Riflebird
Early morning breakfast at 4 am. We have to leave the hotel at 4.30 am, to drive about 25 minutes to the site. We will photograph the Magnificent Riflebird from the hide. On the same day, we can also photograph the Papuan Pitta from the hide as well. Night at Grand Papua Hotel

Day 5: Fakfak Nature Reserve – Magnificent Bird of Paradise
Early morning breakfast at 4 am. We have to leave the hotel at 4.30 am, to drive about 25 minutes to the site. We will photograph the Magnificent Bird of Paradise from the hide. On the same day, we can also photograph the Eastern Hooded Pitta from the hide as well. Night at Grand Papua Hotel

Day 6: Fakfak – Sorong - Waigeo
Your arrival in Sorong and then will be transferred directly to Waigeo island with a fast and comfortable ferry, it takes 2 hours to reach the harbor of Waisai in Raja Ampat regency. On Waigeo island you will stay 3 nights in a comfortable resort with great views both to the Sea and to the forest. This island located in Raja Ampat archipelago, arguably boasts the most-wanted birds on the tour. The test 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 a short 15 – 30-minute walk.

Day 7: Waigeo Island – Wilsons Bird of Paradise
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 25 minutes to drive to the stop point and we continue to walk for around 20 minutes to the hide. The afternoon schedule will be following. Just a few of the many species that we might encounter include Blyth’s Hornbill, Eclectus Parrot, Emperor Fairywren, Orange-fronted Fruit Dove, and Papuan Drongo.

Day 8: Waigeo Island – Red Bird of Paradise
In addition to the aforementioned ‘BoPs, the lowlands of this island offer a huge list of birds, including the localized Raja Ampat Pitohui, Great-billed and Moluccan King- Parrots, Claret-breasted, Orange-bellied and Dwarf Fruit-Doves, Palm Cockatoo, Coconut Lorikeet, Yellow-faced Myna, Papuan Pitta, 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 30 minutes to the stop point and walk for 15 minutes to the hide. You can enjoy the bird playing until 8 or 9 am and we go back to the resort for lunch. The afternoon schedule will be following.

Day 9: Waigeo Island – Sorong – Mangrove trip
After breakfast, we will transfer by car to the Harbor of Waisai for a comfortable public boat to depart at 9 am back to Sorong. From Sorong Harbor, you will transfer to your hotel in Sorong, Lunch at the hotel. The afternoon trip starts at 3 pm to the mangrove for Little Kingfisher. Back to the hotel for dinner and overnight stay. Night at Swiss Belhotel Sorong.

Day 10: Sorong – Next destination
After breakfast at the hotel then we will transfer you to the airport for your destination. End of the trip with us.