An adult male Black Sicklebill Epimachus fastuosus feasts on the fruit of a Pandanus-palm high-up in the cloud-forest of the Arfak Mountains. Copyright © Myron Tay

❯Amazing Arfak

❯Outdoors

❯Outdoors breaks

❯Explore Arfak

❯Explore northern lowlands

❯Explore Waigeo

❯Outdoors expeditions

❯Explore Waigeo and Arfak

Adventure Birding 'n Outdoors in New Guinea's Wild West

An adult male Black Sicklebill Epimachus fastuosus feasts on the fruit of a Pandanus-palm high-up in the cloud-forest of the Arfak Mountains. Copyright © Myron Tay flickr.com/photos/avianphotography

Amazing Arfak

Birding expedition │ 10 days/9 nights

This West Papuan birding expedition focuses exclusively on the isolated and rugged Arfak Mountains in the eastern sector of New Guinea's Bird's Head or Vogelkop Peninsula, near the town of Manokwari.

On the first and main leg of our birding adventure we basically follow in the footsteps of the great Italian naturalists D'Albertis and Beccari, who once collected in the Hattam-country only a few kilometers away from our base in the Arfak Mountains on the mid-slopes of majestic Mount Indon, towering 2,425 m above the Prafi Valley.

More than 150 years have elapsed since the intrepid D'Albertis was the first westerner to penetrate any distance into the mountains of New Guinea exactly here in 1872, but birding these magnificent woods, swathed in clouds during parts of most days, remains an irresistible adventure. A privileged opportunity also, to be taken in tow by the Hattam, across their ancestral lands, and marvel at endemic birdlife that comparatively few outsiders have ventured to come and see before.

The second leg of our expedition then takes us to the Anggi Giji basin, situated at 1,860 m elevation in the Sougb-country of the southern Arfak Mountains, primarily in pursuit of its endemic Grey-banded Munia. But the visually stunning Anggi Giji basin is also an excellent place to come to grips with more widely ranging wet grassland specialists like Lewin's Rail and Spotless Crake. And stands of swampy Pandanus-dominated forest at the base of the surrounding slopes support the nearly mythical Shovel-billed Kookaburra, with a good selection of the montane Arfak avifauna waiting to be explored uphill.

When?

Possible year-round, but most certainly best from June to November.

Scheduled departures

Please inquire for details on our upcoming departures.

Physical effort

Reasonable physical fitness and good agility are required for this tour which plies some challenging terrain.

Tour summary

Day 1 Manokwari and Arfak montane forests.
Day 2-6 Arfak montane forests.
Day 7 Arfak montane forests and Anggi Giji basin.
Day 8 Anggi Giji basin.
Day 9 Anggi Giji basin and Manokwari.
Day 10 Manokwari.

Tour description

Day 1 │ Manokwari and Arfak montane forests

Morning arrival at Manokwari's Rendani Airport on overnight domestic flight from Jakarta or alternative gateway. We will be there to welcome you at the airport, and we shall soon set out together on the two hours' drive by chartered 4WD-vehicle to our partnering community-owned guest house located at c. 1,600 m elevation in the Mount Indon area of the Arfak Mountains.

We shall make several stops en route where we may be rewarded with sightings of Moustached Treeswift, Sultan's Cuckoo-Dove, Ornate, Superb, Claret-breasted and Orange-bellied Fruit Dove, Pinon's Imperial Pigeon, Papuan Mountain Pigeon, Long-tailed Honey Buzzard, Blyth's Hornbill, Palm and Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Pesquet's Parrot, Papuan Eclectus, Blue-collared Parrot, Masked Bowerbird, Obscure Berrypecker, Mountain Peltops, Black-bellied Cicadabird, Rusty Whistler, Northern Variable Pitohui, Black-winged Monarch, Torrent-lark, Grey Crow, Magnificent Riflebird, Lesser Bird-of-paradise, Torrent Flyrobin, Black-chinned Robin, and Olive-crowned Flowerpecker.

After a packed lunch at the guest house we shall then start our exploration of these fabled mountains proper with a gentle introduction to the commoner or more conspicuous species of the garden clearings and roadside gap-phase environment: White-eared Bronze Cuckoo, Chestnut-breasted Cuckoo, Sultan's, Bar-tailed and Great Cuckoo-Dove, Mountain Fruit Dove, Variable Goshawk, Plum-faced and Yellow-billed Lorikeet, White-shouldered Fairywren, Western Smoky Honeyeater, Red-collared Myzomela, Vogelkop and Ornate Melidectes, Vogelkop and Grey-green Scrubwren, Grey Thornbill, Brown-breasted Gerygone, Mid-mountain Berrypecker, Spectacled Longbill, Black-breasted Boatbill, Sclater's Whistler, Black Fantail, Black Monarch, Western Parotia, Canary Flyrobin, Blue-grey Robin, Island Leaf Warbler, Capped White-eye, and Streak-headed Munia.

Other goodies we may come to grips with here include Metallic Pigeon, New Guinea and Pygmy Eagle, Collared Sparrowhawk, Pesquet's and Blue-collared Parrot, Pygmy, Fairy and Josephine's Lorikeet, Thick-billed Berrypecker, Mottled Berryhunter, Glossy-mantled, Crinkle-collared and Trumpet Manucode, Long-tailed Paradigalla, Vogelkop Lophorina, Black-billed Sicklebill, Papuan Grassbird, New Guinea White-eye, and both Papuan and Blue-faced Parrotfinch, as well as Gray's Grasshopper Warbler in season.

Finally, a nocturnal excursion after dinner could produce Feline and Mountain Owlet-nightjar, Greater Sooty Owl and Papuan Boobook, while the predominantly lowland-dwelling Marbled and Papuan Frogmouth and Papuan Hawk-Owl also have been recorded here on occasion.

Overnight in community-owned guest house.

Day 2 │ Arfak montane forests

After a pre-dawn breakfast, we shall monitor nearby display courts of the Western Parotia from well-appointed hides. The wacko ballet performance of the court-tending male of this species simply has to be witnessed to be believed and invariably ranks as the highlight of a birding trip to the Arfaks. Besides the not-to-be-missed display performances of the parotias themselves, these hides potentially also offer an intimate window of observation into the secretive lives of habitual ground-dwellers as Wattled Brushturkey, Cinnamon and Bronze Ground Dove, White-striped Forest Rail, Mountain Mouse-warbler, Spotted Jewel-babbler, Lesser Ground Robin, and Green-backed and Ashy Robin.

Following lunch back at the guest house, there shall be further opportunities to spend potentially rewarding time with the parotias, or to get up close and personal with the highly entertaining Vogelkop Bowerbird from one of the hides set up in front of its formidable so-called roofed maypole bowers in the area.

The last hours of light shall see us birding around the garden clearings.

Dinner and overnight in community-owned guest house.

Day 3 │ Arfak montane forests

Following a hearty nocturnal breakfast, we shall hike pre-dawn to an area of secondary forest where a number of display courts of the Magnificent Bird-of-paradise are located in close proximity to one another in a so-called exploded lek configuration. Here we stand an excellent chance of witnessing the amazing array of display postures and high-intensity male-female interactions in this glorious species at close range from well-appointed hides. Other birds often in evidence around the courts here include Wattled Brushturkey, Pacific Koel, Stephan's Emerald Dove, Cinnamon Ground Dove, White-striped Forest Rail, Arfak Catbird, Rusty Mouse-warbler, Pale-billed Scrubwren, Green-backed Robin, and Glossy-mantled, Crinkle-collared and Trumpet Manucode.

In the surrounding forest we may see New Guinea Bronzewing, Superb Fruit Dove, Wallace's Fairywren, Long-billed and Marbled Honeyeater, Red, Papuan Black and Mountain Myzomela, Mountain Honeyeater, Goldenface, Fairy Gerygone, Yellow-bellied Longbill, Chestnut-backed Jewel-babbler, Vogelkop and Sclater's Whistler, Arafura Shrikethrush, Hooded Pitohui, Rufous-backed and Drongo Fantail, Black-winged and Frilled Monarch, Yellow-legged Flyrobin, Papuan Scrub Robin, White-rumped and White-faced Robin, and Black-fronted White-eye.

We shall enjoy a packed lunch on site and continue our search for some of these more elusive species throughout the afternoon, or we could spend potentially rewarding time with the Magnificent Bird-of-paradise again.

Dinner and overnight in community-owned guest house.

Needless to say we are still talking about our trip and the wonderful time we had, not the least of which was the pleasure of your company. There is nothing we can think of that would enhance your tours. You have literally thought of everything and really go the extra mile to ensure your guests are comfortable and get maximum value. We were also most impressed with the way you deal with the local communities. — Doug and Ulai Kirwin, Thailand

Day 4 │ Arfak montane forests

After a pre-dawn breakfast, we shall bird all day along a loop ascending to a high point at c. 2,000 m elevation in pursuit of three potentially highly elusive species of bird-of-paradise present here: Arfak Astrapia, Black Sicklebill and Black-billed Sicklebill. Most of the trail follows gently-sloping ridgetop cloud-forest but we shall also be traversing some challenging and steep terrain.

Other goodies we may come across along the loop include Wattled Brushturkey, Rufous-throated Bronze Cuckoo, Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Ornate Fruit Dove, Rufescent Imperial Pigeon, Chestnut Forest Rail, New Guinea Eagle, Red-breasted Pygmy Parrot, Brehm's and Modest Tiger Parrot, West Papuan Lorikeet, Vogelkop Bowerbird, Papuan Treecreeper, Orange-crowned Fairywren, Rufous-sided Honeyeater, Olive Straightbill, Black-throated Honeyeater, Cinnamon-browed Melidectes, Mountain Mouse-warbler, Perplexing Scrubwren, Papuan Logrunner, Fan-tailed and Tit Berrypecker, Spotted Jewel-babbler, Mottled Berryhunter, Papuan Sittella, Rufous-naped Bellbird, Black Pitohui, Regent Whistler, Friendly and Dimorphic Fantail, Lesser Melampitta, Lesser Ground Robin, and Garnet, Ashy, Black-throated and Smoky Robin.

We shall enjoy a packed lunch in a natural forest clearing in which Archbold's Nightjar has been found to nest and where Mountain Swiftlet, Collared Sparrowhawk, Black-mantled and Meyer's Goshawk, and Great Woodswallow may be seen flying overhead, and continue our search for some of the more elusive species mentioned above throughout the afternoon.

Dinner and overnight in community-owned guest house.

Day 5 │ Arfak montane forests

Following a nocturnal breakfast, we shall proceed to a popular display tree of the stunning Lesser Bird-of-paradise, taking ample time to observe the up to six plumed males that normally gather here, interacting with soliciting females.

Other noteworthy species we may encounter here include Pheasant Pigeon, New Guinea Eagle, Moluccan King Parrot, Papuan Pitta, Masked Bowerbird, Wallace's Fairywren, Green-backed, Spotted and Tawny-breasted Honeyeater, Yellow-bellied Gerygone, Chestnut-backed Jewel-babbler, Stout-billed Cuckooshrike, Piping Bellbird, Rusty, Vogelkop and Grey Whistler, Northern Variable Pitohui, Sooty Thicket Fantail, Chestnut-bellied and Rufous-backed Fantail, Black-winged and Frilled Monarch, Grey Crow, Glossy-mantled, Crinkle-collared and Trumpet Manucode, Magnificent Riflebird, Papuan Scrub Robin, and White-rumped and White-faced Robin. And with a good dose of luck, we may be treated to a Vogelkop Owlet-nightjar at its day-time roost here.

We shall enjoy a packed lunch on site and continue our search for some of these more elusive species throughout the afternoon, or we could spend potentially rewarding time with the Lesser Bird-of-paradise again. Alternatively, if circumstances thereto are deemed favorable, we could try our luck at an active display site of the Vogelkop Lophorina, a jaw-dropping shape-shifter that normally performs very infrequently only.

Dinner and overnight in community-owned guest house.

Day 6 │ Arfak montane forests

We have an entire day to capitalize on some of the more elusive Arfak montane specialties already mentioned above.

Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and overnight in community-owned guest house.

Day 7 │ Arfak montane forests and Anggi Giji basin

After breakfast and a final morning's birding in the Mount Indon area of the Arfak Mountains, we shall set out on the three hours' drive by chartered 4WD-vehicle to our host village near the shores of Lake Anggi Giji, enjoying a packed lunch en route.

Along the seasonally fluctuating lake edge, Pacific Black Duck, Eurasian Coot, Tricolored Grebe, Little Pied and Little Black Cormorant, Nankeen Night Heron, and Great and Plumed Egret can be numerous, and it shall not take long before we spot our first Grey-banded Munias, which in season can congregate in flocks of more than 150 individuals. But observing the two secretive rails may require considerable effort and is influenced also by water levels in the basin.

Come evening and we shall take up position near locally exposed muddy stretches at the interface between water and grassland or reedbeds. Here both Lewin's Rail and Spotless Crake ordinarily come out to feed toward dusk, and we may hear both species vocalizing in season. Other birds we may see here include Baillon's Crake, Black and Yellow Bittern, White-shouldered Fairywren, Australian Reed Warbler, and Papuan Grassbird.

Dinner and overnight in village residence.

Day 8 │ Anggi Giji basin

Following a hearty nocturnal breakfast, a pre-dawn foray could produce Large-tailed Nightjar, Feline and Mountain Owlet-nightjar and Papuan Boobook.

Around the crack of dawn then, we hope to find the nearly mythical Shovel-billed Kookaburra as it starts calling from the surrounding forested hill slopes. Other noteworthy forest birds that we may encounter here include New Guinea Woodcock, New Guinea Eagle, Vogelkop Bowerbird, Rufous-sided and Western Smoky Honeyeater, Vogelkop Melidectes, Mountain Mouse-warbler, Vogelkop Scrubwren, Fan-tailed Berrypecker, Papuan Sittella, Black Sicklebill, Lesser Ground Robin, and Ashy Robin.

We shall enjoy a packed lunch on site and continue our search for some of these most elusive species throughout the afternoon, with a potential resit for the Shovel-billed Kookaburra around dusk.

Dinner and overnight in village residence.

Day 9 │ Anggi Giji basin and Manokwari

After breakfast and a final morning's birding in the Anggi Giji basin, we shall enjoy lunch at our village abode and drive back to Manokwari, making several birding stops en route.

Dinner and overnight in our partnering Manokwari hotel.

Day 10 │ Manokwari

We shall enjoy breakfast in our Manokwari hotel and transfer you to Manokwari's Rendani Airport to check you in for the first morning flight to Jakarta or alternative destination.