Papua New Guinea's Birds of Paradise

*** Please note that the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office is currently advising against non-essential travel to the region where Ambua Lodge is located. While this advice remains in place we are unable to visit as part of this tour. For our alternative planned itinerary please see the detailed itinerary in the downloads sections. ***

New Guinea is the world’s second largest island and lies in the south-west Pacific to the north of Australia. The island is divided between two countries: Papua New Guinea (PNG) in the east and Indonesia in the west. It is one of the wildest and least explored regions on Earth, with some 90% of the country still covered in forest. It has the richest avifauna of any island, with more than 360 endemic species, including the majority of the birds-of-paradise, perhaps the most extraordinary of all the world’s bird families. Although their remarkable displays are often shown on television, to watch them in the field is a priceless experience of a lifetime. In addition, the island holds a wonderful and varied assembly of pigeons, parrots and kingfishers, not to mention gorgeous jewel-babblers and fairywrens, as well as stunning species such as Red-bellied Pitta, Flame Bowerbird and Golden Monarch. New Guinea is also home to seven endemic bird families and we may see species from all seven during our time here. Raptors are not numerous, but we have a chance of observing one of the most magnificent, the New Guinea Harpy Eagle.

We begin our holiday in Port Moresby, where we will spend the afternoon exploring the grounds of the Pacific Adventist University. Comprising a mosaic of dry woodland, gallery forest and small water bodies, the grounds provide a perfect introduction to the Australo-Papuan bird families that we are likely to encounter; Fawn-breasted Bowerbird, White-shouldered Fairywren, Black-backed Butcherbird and a variety of honeyeaters are all possible here. The following day we will visit the eucalypt and evergreen forests of Varirata National Park in the nearby foothills, where we can hope to see such specialities as Brown-headed Paradise-kingfisher and Raggiana Bird-of-paradise, along with a plethora of fruit-doves, cuckooshrikes and flycatchers.

From Port Moresby we fly to the Western Highlands for a 3-night stay at Rondon Ridge Lodge, one of PNG’s premier lodges. Birding in the high-altitude forest near the lodge, we have an excellent chance of seeing some of PNG’s most iconic species, such as both Black and Brown Sicklebills, Princess Stephanie’s Astrapia and Blue, Superb and King of Saxony Birds-of-paradise, not to mention Loria’s Satinbird and Wattled Ploughbill. Our stay will include a visit to Kumul Lodge, famous for its bird feeding table where species such as Brown Sicklebill, Ribbon-tailed Astrapia, Brehm’s Tiger-parrot and Belford’s Melidectes are among the many species seen; there will also be an opportunity to learn about the culture and traditions of the local Melpa people.

Next, we relocate to the vast lowland rainforests that surround the Karawari River for a 3-night stay in a wonderful lodge boasting spectacular views of the seemingly endless forest. Exploring the area through a mix of walks and boat rides, we are likely to encounter a very different array of species, with Eclectus Parrot, Southern Cassowary and three birds-of-paradise amongst the highlights, including the fabulous ‘pole-dancing’ Twelve-wired Bird-of-paradise.

For the final part of the tour we will visit either Lake Murray, in the west of the country, or if our Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) travel advice permits, the montane forests around Ambua Lodge. Please refer to the detailed tour itinerary for our current plans. Lake Murray is surrounded by a mix of swamp, forest, grassland and savannah and we will explore this fabulous area by boat and on foot. As well as kingfishers, egrets, swifts and wildfowl, we will be looking for birds-of-paradise, such as Trumpet Manucode, Magnificent Riflebird and King Bird-of-paradise.

Alternatively, if the FCDO advice permits, we will spend three nights at Ambua Lodge, located at Tari Gap in the central highlands. Here we will look for birds-of-paradise including Ribbon-tailed Astrapia and Lawe's Protia, plus a variety of other highland species such as Mountain Firetail and Orange-crowned Fairywren. The Tari Gap is also home to the flamboyant Huli Wigmen, known for their ornate ceremonial wigs.

All too soon we must return to Port Moresby where we will spend a final evening together before flying back to London, via Singapore, after what promises to be an exciting and memorable adventure.