Papua Birdwatching

Overview

Papua birding: Nimbokrang, Arfak, and Waigeo.

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival Sentani - Nimbokrang
The tours begin with your morning arrival at Jayapura Airport and then will be transferred by car directly to Nimbokrang for a 1 hour and 30 minutes drive. Arrive in Nimbokrang we shall try to find our main target King Bird of Paradise first at 01.30 pm. We need to walk around 40 minutes from the main road to the spot. We stay there until late afternoon. Return to the guesthouse. Night in Nimbokrang.

Day 2: Nimbokrang
Start the day earlier at 04.30 for breakfast and then we step up to the Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise hide. From the parking area, we walk 35 minutes to the hide. We stay there until 07.30 and move to the Lesser Bird of Paradise Lek after that. 
From Twelve-wired to Lesser, we walk for around 25 minutes. The condition of the road has ups and downs with a lot of muddy trails. We stay there until lunchtime and return to the guesthouse. The afternoon schedule will be following.

Day 3: Nimbokrang - Sentani
Last morning in Nimbokrang start at 04.30 am for breakfast, last visit to the Lesser Bird of Paradise spot. We stay until Lunchtime, go back for lunch, and prepare for our way back to Sentani. Overnight in Sentani 

Day 4: Sentani - Manokwari - Maibri Birding Ecolodge Arfak
Upon Arrival at Manokwari Airport, directly drive to Arfak Mountain using 4WD. We spend around 2 hours to reach the Arfak Maibri Birding Ecolodge. Before lunch, we can visit the feeding station of Young Western Parotia first. Walk down from the main road to the hide for around 30 minutes. There are some species of Bird of Paradise in that spot including female Magnificent Bird of Paradise, female and male Black-billed Sicklebill, female Lesser Bird of Paradise, female Vogelkop Superb Bird of Paradise and sometimes Greenback Robin also shows up. And after that at 11.30 we go back to the guesthouse to have Lunch. After lunch, at 01.30 pm we can go to the hide of Magnificent Bird of Paradise until 05.00 pm and we go back to the guesthouse to have dinner.

Day 5: Arfak Maibri Birding Ecolodge
Breakfast starts at 05.00 am and then at 05.30, we go to the Western Parotia hide. The range between the main road and the hide is around 20 to 30 minutes walk. At 11.00 am go back to the guesthouse to have lunch. At 01.30 pm we continue to the Vogelkop Bowerbird. For Vogelkop Bowerbird we need at least 20 minutes walk from the main road. At 05.00 pm return to the guesthouse for dinner. Night in Arfak.

Day 6: Arfak Maibri Birding Ecolodge
Just like yesterday, breakfast at 05.00 am and 05.30 walk to the hide. Superb Bird of Paradise is our first destination this morning. We walk down and up for around 30 minutes. Stay there till 11.00 am and back to the guesthouse for lunch. The afternoon schedule will be following.

Day 7: Arfak Maibri Birding Ecolodge
After breakfast, Masked Bowerbird will be our focus today until lunchtime. In the afternoon Young Western Parotia hide again for the last time. 

Day 8: Arfak Maibri Birding Ecolodge - Manokwari
Today will be our last time to wake up at 05.00 am in Arfak mountain. Magnificent Bird of Paradise is our last destination to stay until 11.00 go back to the guesthouse for lunch and prepare to return to Manokwari for an overnight in the hotel before the flight to Sorong.

Day 9: Manokwari - Sorong
Our flight from Manokwari to Sorong starts at 11.00 am or 12.00 pm and needs at least 55 to 60 minutes to arrive in Sorong. Lunch will be held at the hotel and after that, we start our short trip to Mangrove Safari Park using a car to see Blue-black Kingfisher until late afternoon and back to the hotel for dinner in a good restaurant or seafood restaurant in Sorong.

Day 10: Sorong - Waigeo
At 09.00 am we will have a sail for 2 hours by express boat to Waigeo/Waisai island. Upon arrival on Waigeo Island will directly transfer to the resort and stay there for 3 nights. From the harbor to the resort takes around 30 30-minute drive or 15 minutes by speedboat. In the afternoon we can go birding around the village. 

Day 11 - 13: Waigeo Island
The island of Waigeo holds several species absent from the mainland and these will form our focus here. Our primary target is to find the quite astounding Wilson’s Bird-of-paradise, a bird frequently cited as one of the most beautiful in the world. Using specially constructed hides we will be able to observe the birds as they visit their display grounds completely oblivious to our admiring eyes. With good fortune, we will see the male in full action – calling and displaying vigorously to any females who enter his display arena. Other birds present include the Red Bird-of-paradise, found only on Waigeo and Batanta, Raja Ampat Pitohui, and the shy Western Crowned Pigeon. For three days ahead, during our trip, we need to wake up 30 minutes early at 4.30 for breakfast and at 05.00 we start to hide from the birds. 

Day 14: Waigeo - Sorong
Once again birding in the morning until lunch before we return to Sorong. At 02.00 pm we will have a sail back to Sorong to overnight in the hotel. 

Day 15: Sorong - Next Destination
Transfer Out. Your flight is from Sorong to Jakarta and then to your next destination. End of the trip. 

Kindly please book in advance to ensure availability and if you have any questions just feel free to send us an email to info@papuabirding.com