Papua New Guinea — Not just a Birder’s Paradise!

Operations Manager Alison Steel visited Papua New Guinea in April. In this article she describes her encounters with the wonderful birds-of-paradise and other wildlife of this far-flung destination.

In April I was fortunate enough to visit Papua New Guinea, a destination that is frequently cited on wildlife enthusiasts’ bucket lists, particularly if they have watched the displaying birds-of-paradise on the BBC’s ‘Attenborough’s Paradise Birds’ programme.

My trip started at the Walindi Plantation Resort on the island of New Britain, which lies to the east of New Guinea. On arrival my first impression was of warmth and noise. Various birds, insects and other wildlife created a continuous ambient chorus. I took a number of excursions out into Kimbe Bay for snorkelling, where fabulously coloured reefs and fish could be found only a short distance below the surface of the water, allowing for close encounters with seahorses, clown fish and the occasional small shark. Pelagic birding is possible further out into the bay and dolphins are regular visitors. The forests inland from the resort are home to a wide variety of pigeons, kingfishers, raptors, cockatoos, lories and mynas can be found. A brief flap of wings allowed my group to locate a pair of nesting Nankeen Herons. As the sun started to set, a flock of colourful Eclectus Parrots came in to roost, with a lot of squabbling and piercing calls. Recently the local guides have been sighting Golden Masked Owl, once thought to be extinct in that area.

Leaving New Britain, my next stop was in the highlands of Papua New Guinea’s main island. I was staying at Rondon Ridge, a lovely lodge set at the edge of the montane forest on the hillside above the Waghi Valley, overlooking Mount Hagan town. This is one of the lodges we visit during our group tour. A number of different tribes inhabit the valley, each with its own culture and traditions, which they are very happy to share with visitors. We watched the aptly named ‘mud men’ re-enact their ancestors' defeat of a larger tribe, in which they scared them away by pretending to be spirits, as well as boys taking great delight in performing a ‘skeleton’ dance. The forests above the lodge are renowned for bird-of-paradise sightings, and I was able to see three different species there — Blue Bird-of-paradise, Superb Bird-of-paradise and Princess Stephanie’s Astrapia. King of Saxony Bird-of-paradise and Brown Sicklebill are also frequently seen in this area.

The final part of my trip was to the Sepik River in the north of the country, another area we include on our current group tour to Papua New Guinea. Reaching our destination, Karawari Lodge, required a charter flight which provided a wonderful aerial view of the country and better understanding of its geography. We landed on a grass-strip runway and taxied to a thatched shelter which serves as the terminal building. Karawari Lodge lies a short distance upriver from the landing strip and is situated on a small hill overlooking the river and forest canopy. The gardens attract a wonderful variety of butterflies, and all around us there were birds calling, amongst which were species such as Oriental Dollarbird, Buff-faced Pygmy Parrot, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra and King Bird-of-paradise. Joanna, a resident female Blyth’s Hornbill, who thinks she owns the lodge, has a particularly large, heavy bill and little sense of personal space … fortunately, her heavy wingbeats normally give warning of her arrival!

Excursions along the river allowed us to explore various channels, lakes and villages in the area. Black, Whistling and Brahminy Kites are present here, keeping a sharp eye on the local fisherman and looking for opportunities to swoop in for scraps. Majestic White-bellied Sea Eagles soar overhead. Parrots and cockatoos call noisily from the treetops, but are usually only located when they take flight. In the early morning Twelve-wired Bird-of-paradise males call and display at sites along the river, whilst Palm Cockatoo, White-bellied Sea Eagle, lories, herons and fruit doves can all be seen from the boat. Excursions into the forest for Victoria Crowned Pigeon and Magnificent Riflebird are also possible.

Each part of my trip had a distinctly different feel, and a holiday to Papua New Guinea and its islands offers a chance to enjoy its culture, birds, butterflies, botany and stunning scenery. I would highly recommend taking time to visit this beautiful and friendly country.      

Please call Alison Steel on 01962 733051 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for further information about this tour, or if you would like details about how to extend your trip with a stay at the Walindi Dive Resort. You can also find the tour page here.