Planned Itinerary as of 23/6/11. Please note weather and local conditions can be
unpredictable at any time and a sense of adventure and on occasions patience is
required. You cannot ‘clean up’ on any trip to PNG but you should see many of our planned targets. Photography
is not easy in many locations, off the shoulder opportunities will present
themselves on occasion but days 10-13 do offer superb opportunities due to one
of our lodge’s forest‘bird table’. NB: 9/9/11 This itinerary is being updated and will be re-issued shortly!
Day 1: Port Moresby
Mid-afternoon flight from Brisbane, Australia arriving early evening. Transfer
to our very comfortable air-conditioned hotel, welcome dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Varirata National Park
We will leave our hotel very early and take a packed breakfast and lunch with
us. Varirata National Park is not much more than an hour’s drive from Port Moresby, however, it is home to an excellent range of species
including what should be our first “BoP” of the tour, the Raggiana Bird-of-Paradise. A short trail leads to a lek or display ground for this species and the males
tend to gather in the early morning and late afternoon in the hope of
attracting any females which are around. Magnificent Riflebird is also found
here too. There are also several species of kingfisher to look for including
Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Yellow-billed Kingfisher and both Buff-bellied and
Brown-headed Paradise-kingfishers. Other species we could see include
Slender-billed Cuckoo-dove, Black-capped Lory, Red-cheeked Parrot,
Channel-billed Cuckoo, Pheasant Coucal, Barred Owlet-nightjar, Red-bellied
Pitta, Boyer’s, Stout-billed and New Guinea Cuckoo-shrikes, Varied Triller, Willie-wagtail,
Lemon-bellied Flycatcher, Hooded Pitohui, Chestnut-backed Jewel-babbler, Black
Berrypecker, Streak-headed Honeyeater, Black-backed Butcherbird, Fawn-breasted
Bowerbird, Metallic Starling, Yellow-faced Myna and Grey-headed Munia.
Overnight Port Moresby again.
Day 3: Port Moresby - Kiunga
We will take a mid-morning flight from Port Moresby to the small town of Kiunga
which is located in the lowlands of south-west Papua New Guinea where we will
meet up with an expert local bird guide who will accompany us for the next few
days. Kiunga is surrounded by forest and we plan to spend several days
exploring a number of quiet roads and trails where there are a fantastic range
of endemics to look for. Several species of Birds-of-Paradise can be found here including the
extraordinary “King BoP” which is surely one of the most vividly coloured birds on the planet. Our guides also know where there is a lek of the Greater Bird-of-Paradise and we
should be able to enjoy good views of birds displaying in the canopy above us. The bizarre-looking Trumpet Manucode (a less brilliantly coloured BoP) is also
present here and we can expect to see this on several occasions during our
stay.
Day 4: Full day excursion to birding locations in the Kiunga area
We will continue our exploration of the forests around Kiunga and will probably
visit at least a couple of different locations during the day. As well as the Birds-of-Paradise, there are plenty of other birds to look for
with the luminescent Flame Bowerbird amongst the special species which can be
found here. Other possibilities include Pink-spotted, Ornate and Beautiful
Fruit-doves, Island and Zoe Imperial-pigeons, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo,
Yellow-streaked and (Western) Black-capped Lories, Yellow-capped Pygmy-parrot,
Red-cheeked Parrot, Papuan Hanging-parrot, Papuan Needletail, Yellow-billed
Kingfisher, Blyth’s Hornbill, Boyer’s and Golden Cuckoo-shrikes, Golden Monarch, Variable Pitohui, New Guinea
Babbler, Blue Jewel-babbler, Red-capped Flowerpecker, Red-throated and Black
Myzomelas, Puff-backed, Graceful and Streak-headed Honeyeaters, Brown Oriole,
Hooded Butcherbird and Yellow-faced Myna. On at least one evening during our
time in Kiunga we will also venture out after dark to look for nightbirds and
other nocturnal wildlife. Possibilities include Papuan Hawk-Owl, Marbled Frogmouth and Large-tailed
Nightjar as well as some interesting night mammals.
Day 5: Trip up the Fly and Elevala Rivers staying at forest camp overnight
Although Kiunga is several hundred miles from the sea, the river which runs by
the town is navigable by good-sized oceanic going ships, however, we will use
motorised canoes to take us up the Fly and Elevala Rivers to continue our
exploration of Papua New Guinea’s lowland forests. The area we will be visiting is very remote with a low population density and
our intention is to concentrate on finding various species that are less
frequently encountered closer to Kiunga. Although the boat ride takes several
hours, we will be birding as we travel and can expect to see flocks of parrots,
imperial-pigeons and other species flying overhead as we travel upstream. We plan to make various birding stops and our expert local birding guides know,
for example, where the Twelve-wired Bird-of-Paradise displays and we will make
a special effort to see this extraordinary species during our time upriver.
Other species we could see include Pacific Baza, Grey-headed Goshawk, Great
Cuckoo-dove, Stephan’s Dove, Orange-bellied Fruit-dove, Purple-tailed Imperial-pigeon, Palm Cockatoo,
Yellow-streaked and Black-capped Lories, Orange-breasted Fig-parrot, Eclectus
Parrot, Channel-billed Cuckoo, Papuan Needletail, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra,
Blyth’s Hornbill, Boyer’s Cuckoo-shrike, Frilled Monarch, Meyer’s Friarbird, Lowland Peltops and Glossy-mantled Manucode. We will spend the
night at the very basic Kwatu Lodge and whilst the accommodation here is very
simple, being here overnight significantly increases our chances of finding
some of the rarer species such as the turkey-sized Southern Crowned-Pigeon. Southern & Dwarf Cassowarys are also present here, however, we will be very lucky indeed
to see this ostrich-sized denizen of the forest, as it is extremely wary as it
is still hunted by the local people. There maybe a possibility to see another
of PNG very special birds, New Guinea Flightless Rail, a monster in every sense
of the word! After dark we will go out once again with our focus being two
species of Owlet-nightjar, Starry and Wallace’s. Other birds we could encounter include Marbled and Papuan Frogmouths and
Southern Boobook.
Day 6: Birding around Fly and Elevala Rivers. Return to Kiunga in early evening.
We will make another early start and if we did not see Southern Crowned-pigeon
the previous afternoon, we will make a special effort to locate this species as
being out on the river for the first hour or two of daylight is usually the
best way to locate it. Other species we could see include Great-billed Heron, Palm Cockatoo, Pesquet’s Parrot, Moustached Tree-swift, Common Paradise-kingfisher and Golden Myna. We
will also spend at least part of the day on forest trails, where we could
encounter Black-billed Brush-turkey, Hooded and Red-bellied Pittas, Painted
Quail-thrush, White-bellied Thicket-fantail, Black-faced, Spot-winged, Hooded
and Golden Monarchs plus a host of other species. In the mid-afternoon, we will
reluctantly have to leave this amazing area and begin our river journey back to
Kiunga where we plan to arrive in the early evening. As on the way upstream, we will bird our way back to civilisation and new
species we could see include Superb and Dwarf Fruit-doves, Collared and Pinon
Imperial-pigeons, Grey-headed Cuckoo-shrike, Helmeted Friarbird and Grey Crow.
Day 7: Birding in the Kiunga area
We will have another day in the Kiunga area and will concentrate on looking for
any species we may have missed. New birds could include Papuan Mountain Pigeon, Dusky Lory, Long-billed Cuckoo,
Dwarf, White-crowned and Common Koels, Grey-headed and New Guinea
Cuckoo-shrikes, Emperor Fairy-wren, Mimic, Tawny-breasted and Plain
Honeyeaters, Magnificent Riflebird and Crinkle-collared Manucode.
Day 8: Early morning birding in the Kiunga area. Drive to Tabubil. Late afternoon birding in Tabubil area.
We will leave Kiunga in the early morning birding our way to the town of Tabubil
which is near to the giant Ok Medi mine. As the road slowly climbs, we will make a number of stops both to look for any
species we may have missed around Kiunga but also to begin our search for birds
that are only found at higher elevations.
During our drive to Tabubil one of our stops will be to look for the extremely
isolated and non-migratory form of Little Ringed Plover which can be found at a
couple of sites near the Ok Tedi river which runs passed Tabubil. Although it looks similar to the birds found in the UK, some ornithologists
believe this form warrants specific status and if this proposal was adopted,
these birds would become one of the most range restricted waders on the planet.
Depending how long our journey to Tabubil takes, we should have time to begin
our exploration of this bird-rich area where new birds could include
Rufous-tailed Bush-hen, Zoe Imperial-Pigeon, Red-breasted Pygmy-parrot,
Orange-breasted Fig-parrot, Moustached Treeswift, Stout-billed Cuckoo-shrike,
Cicadabird, Torrent Flycatcher, Black-headed and Dwarf Whistlers,
White-shouldered Fairywren, Obscure Honeyeater, Scrub, Yellow-gaped and Spotted
Honeyeaters and Mountain Peltops.
Day 9: Full day birding in the Tabubil area.
The Tabubil area is home to a number of important specialities including
Shovel-billed Kingfisher and Salvadori’s Teal. Our guides generally know a couple of territories for the kingfisher and we will
need to make an early start to look for this species, as it rarely responds to
playback except for a few moments around dawn and even then can be extremely
tough to locate. The Teal, however, can be found throughout the day and we should be able to
enjoy good looks of this threatened, river specialist, not disimiliar to the
Torrent Ducks of South America. Tabulbil is also home to yet another species of
Bird-of-Paradise, the Greater Melampitta, although unlike most “BoPs”, this one is a really skulker. Whilst looking for it, however, other species we could see include Doria’s Hawk, Blue-collared Parrot, White-eared Bronze-cuckoo, Lesser Black Coucal,
Black-shouldered and Golden Cuckoo-shrikes, White-rumped Robin, Sclater’s Whistler, Mountain Gerygone and Red-throated Myzomela.
Day 10:Birding very early morning and then transfer to airport for flight to
Mount Hagen. Transfer to Kumul Lodge.
We should have the opportunity for some final birding prior to our flight to
Mount Hagen. From there we will drive to Kumul Lodge which is located in the highlands of
central Papua New Guinea. Kumul Lodge is rightly famous for its king-sized bird
table which has to be restocked with fruit several times each day as an
exciting range of frugivores and other species are almost constantly present. These include several birds which can be difficult to see well on the forest
trails such as Brown Sicklebill and both Ribbon-tailed and Princess Stephanie’s Astrapias. It is usually possible to get stunning views (and photographs of these three
species of Bird-of-Paradise as they gorge themselves on soft fruits with the
iridescent colours on the male Sicklebill and the ridiculous length tail of the
Ribbon-tailed Astrapia being truly breathtaking. Other species which can often be found around the bird table include Chestnut
Forest-rail, Brehm’s Tiger-parrot, White-winged Robin, Smoky Honeyeater and Island Thrush, however,
we will have to resist the temptation to spend too many hours each day watching
this one spot, as there are plenty of other exciting birds in see in the area. One of the most colourful is undoubtedly the Crested Bird-of-Paradise (or
Crested Satinbird) which is so bright it almost seems to glow; yet this amazing
bird can sometimes be found less than 100 metres from the lodge’s dining room!!
Days 11 and 12: Kumul Lodge
We will have two full days to explore the trail network at Kumul Lodge (as well
as enjoying the spectacle of the bird table), however, we also plan to make
several excursions to look for species which are not readily found in the
immediate environs of the lodge.
During our stay, we will make a special effort to look for Birds-of-Paradise, as
there are several species which can be found nearby. Our local guide generally knows where both Lesser and Magnificent
Birds-of-Paradise are displaying and we plan to make early morning trips to
look for both species. King-of-Saxony, Blue, Superb and Loria’s Birds-of-Paradise, plus Lawes’ Parotia, also occur here so there should be plenty of opportunities to boost
our “BoP list”. We will, however, also look for some of the other special birds which can be
found around Kumul Lodge including Long-tailed Honey-buzzard, Dusky Woodcock,
Black-billed Cuckoo-dove, Goldie’s, Plum-faced and Yellow-billed Lorikeets, White-eared Bronze-cuckoo, Friendly
and Black Fantails, Torrent Flycatcher, Garnet Robin, Rufous-naped, Lorentz’s and Regent Whistlers, Wattled Ploughbill, White-shouldered Fairy-wren,
Mountain Mouse-warbler, Buff-faced and Papuan Scrubwrens, Tit and Mid-mountain
Berrypeckers, New Guinea White-eye, Long-billed, Mountain, Marbled,
Rufous-backed and Black-backed Honeyeaters, Belford’s and Ornate Melidectes and Torrent Lark.
Day 13: Transfer to Ambua
After some final birding around Kumul Lodge, we will reluctantly leave this
delightful location and return to Mount Hagen. Here we will board our own charter plane for a flight across vast swathes of
untouched forest to another birding wonderland, Ambua Lodge which is located in
the Central Highlands, an area first visited by foreign explorers only eighty
years ago. Landing at Ambua’s private airstrip, it will take a matter of minutes to reach the lodge which is
widely regarded as another world-class birding site. Being at a different elevation from Kumul Lodge, there are plenty of new birds
to look for including several Birds-of-Paradise with Black Sicklebill, Lesser
Melampitta and Short-tailed Paradigalla being the mostly likely additions. King-of-Saxony, Blue, Superb and Crested Birds-of-Paradise as well as Lawes’ Parotia and both Ribbon-tailed and Princess Stephanie’s Astrapia are also present here, so we will have another opportunity to look
for all these amazing birds too. During our stay, we will also look for some of
the night birds that can be found around Ambua with Mountain and Feline
Owlet-nightjars both possible. Sooty and Grass Owls are also present and our local guide generally knows of a
day roost for the former.
Days 14 and 15: Ambua and The Tari region.
We will have two full days to explore the Ambua area and plan to target birds we
have not seen so far. One of the species we will look for is the highly sought after Crested
Berrypecker, an extremely colourful, yet unobtrusive, member of a family which
is unique to the island of New Guinea. Another unique-looking bird is the
Blue-capped Ifrita which tends to move quietly through the understory but there
are plenty of other possibilities including Long-tailed Honey-buzzard, Papuan
Harrier, Black-billed Cuckoo-dove, White-breasted Fruit-dove, Rufescent
Imperial-pigeon, Papuan Mountain-pigeon, Dusky Lory, Papuan and Yellow-billed
Lorikeets, Glossy and Mountain Swiftlets, Island Leaf-warbler, Friendly, Black
and Dimorphic Fantails, Black-breasted Boatbill, Black-throated Robin,
Brown-backed and Regent Whistlers, Northern Logrunner, Papuan Whipbird, Spotted
Jewel-babbler, Large, Buff-faced and Papuan Scrubwrens, Fan-tailed Berrypecker,
Red-collared Myzomela, Black-throated and Black-backed Honeyeaters, Belford’s and Yellow-browed Melidectes, Great Woodswallow, Mountain Peltops, Mountain
Firetail and Hooded Munia.
Day 16: Fly to Port Moresby and PAU
After some final early morning exploring around Ambua, we will drive to the
nearby town of Tari from where we will fly to Port Moresby arriving about 1200.
After lunch we will explore the campus of the nearby Pacific Adventist
University. The open-plan design is wildlife friendly and incorporates a number of ponds and
areas of trees where we should see an excellent range of species, many of which
we are unlikely to see elsewhere on the tour. There is certainly an Australasian theme to many of the birds which can be found
here and species we could see include Australasian Grebe, Little Black
Cormorant, Rufous Night-heron, Pied Heron, Australian Ibis, Plumed, Spotted and
Wandering Whistling-ducks, Comb-crested Jacana, Peaceful Dove, Cinnamon
Ground-dove, Rainbow Lorikeet, Dollarbird, Pacific Swallow, Rufous-banded
Honeyeater, Brown Oriole, Green Figbird, Black-backed and Hooded Butcherbirds,
Fawn-breasted Bowerbird, Singing Starling and Grey-headed Munia. Overnight Port
Moresby, farewell dinner.
Day 17: Depart Papua New Guinea
We will transfer to the international airport for our morning flight back to
Brisbane, Australia, currently due to arrive just after midday.
