As a result of the remarkable biogeography of the region, our Highlights of the Eastern Indonesian archipelago provides very little overlap in bird species to our Highlights of Western Indonesia, with a phenomenal number of special and endemic birds. We begin by exploring the prime highland site of Lore Lindu National Park on the island of Sulawesi. Boasting over 70 endemic species, the exceptional range of highly desirable birds we will seek include the endemic Hylocitrea, now placed in its own monotypic family, the indescribable Purple-bearded Bee-eater, bizarre Geomalia, Fiery-browed Starling, Green-backed Kingfisher (one of many endemic kingfishers), Purple-winged Roller, Satanic Nightjar and the impressive Knobbed Hornbill.

We then wing our way to the nearby island of Halmahera, where we visit a lekking site for the highly sought-after Standardwing, surely one of the most bizarre birds-of-paradise! Here we also seek a mindboggling number of Mollucan endemics including the spectacular Ivory-breasted Pitta and Moluccan Owlet-nightjar. Moving further eastwards we again enter a completely new biological zone as we arrive in Sorong, on the extreme western tip of New Guinea. Here we bird the famous Vogelkop, a veritable feast of incredible highlights may include up to seven birds-of-paradise including Magnificent, King, Lesser and Twelve-wired as well as numerous pigeons (Wompoo, Superb and Pink-spotted Fruit Doves to name a few), parrots (including the localized Black Lory) and kingfishers (Red-breasted Paradise being one of the prime targets.) We conclude our tour on the Raja Ampat Island of Waigeo, famed for the best snorkeling in the world! Here our targets in this tropical island paradise include Red Bird-of-paradise, the incredible Western Crowned Pigeon, Palm Cockatoo, Lowland Peltops and much besides. And as a way of celebrating the finale of this remarkable tour we will visit the display ground of quite possibly the most beautiful bird on Earth – Wilson’s Bird-of-paradise!

Top Birds

Wilson’s, King & Red Birds-of-paradise, Glossy-mantled Manucode, Standardwing, Paradise-crow, Papuan Dwarf, Blue-and-white, Lilac, Yellow-billed, Green-backed, Hook-billed, Beach & Blue-black Kingfishers, Red-breasted Paradise & Common Paradise Kingfishers, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Scarlet‐breasted, Blue‐capped, Grey‐headed, Wompoo, Superb, Pink-spotted, Orange-fronted, Beautiful, Dwarf & Orange-bellied Fruit Doves, White‐bellied, Purple-tailed, Pinon’s, Zoe’s & Grey-headed Imperial Pigeons, Western Crowned Pigeon, Yellow-capped Pygmy Parrot, Moluccan & Great Hanging Parrots, Orange-breasted & Large Fig Parrots, Palm & White Cockatoos, Emperor Fairywren, Black Berrypecker, Pygmy Longbill, Southern Variable, Raja Ampat & Rusty Pitohuis, Lowland Peltops, Golden & Pale-blue Monarchs, Sulawesi & White-necked Mynas, Sulawesi Serpent Eagle, Sulawesi Hawk-Eagle, Barred Honey Buzzard, Yellow-sided, Crimson-crowned, Olive-crowned & Halmahera Flowerpeckers, Fiery-browed, Moluccan & Grosbeak Starlings, Ivory-backed Woodswallow, Golden-mantled Racket-tail, Malia, Black-billed Koel, Black Lory, Sulawesi Myzomela, Lemon‐bellied, Mountain, Streak-headed, Cream-throated & Black-crowned White‐eyes, Sulawesi Blue, Blue-fronted Blue & Turquoise Flycatchers, Sulawesi Cicadabird, Purple-winged Roller, Azure Dollarbird, Cinnabar, Papuan & Speckled Boobooks, Eastern Grass Owl, Great Eared & Satanic Nightjars, Wallace's & Moluccan Owlet-nightjars, Great Shortwing (Heinrichia), Pygmy, Halmahera, Golden & Cerulean Cuckooshrikes, Sulphur-vented, Island & Maroon-backed Whistlers, Rusty-bellied & Arafura Fantails, Citrine Canary-flycatcher, Dark-eared & White-eared Myza, Purple-bearded Bee-eater, Chestnut-backed (Sulawesi) Bush Warbler, Geomalia, Citrine, Red-flanked & Ornate Lorikeets, Hylocitrea, Sulawesi Thrush, Ivory-breasted, Papuan & North Molucccan Pittas, Eclectus & Great‐billed Parrots, Dusky Friarbird, Goliath Coucal, Long‐billed & Brown-headed Crows, Moustached Treeswift, Gurney’s Eagle, Yellow‐billed Malkoha, Sulawesi Pygmy & Ashy Woodpeckers, Spot-tailed & Dwarf Sparrowhawks

Habitats Covered

montane and lowland forests, flooded rice paddies & wetlands, islands, beaches, mangroves

Expected Climate

mostly hot to humid with cooler nights and mornings in the highlands

Max Group Size

8 with 1 Rockjumper leader and 1 local leader

Tour Pace & Walking

moderate pace with long days. Some longer hikes, especially at Lore Lindu on Sulawesi. Optional early starts and late finishes to days due to night-birding options.

Accommodation

variable between rustic and excellent

Ease of Birding

moderate to challenging at times

Number of Species Expected

around 300

Photographic Opportunities

good to excellent

What our clients say about us

Lev Frid
FH, Indonesia 2022

Both my husband and I found Lev to be an excellent guide. He was both personable and knowledgeable. I especially appreciated his calm demeanor when I was unable to immediately get on a bird in the field. His photographic skills also assisted in occasionally clinching an ID of a far-off bird. And, I and others on the Tour appreciated his willingness and ability to digiscope special birds - to be be later airdropped with each other! Lev is a real, and multi-faceted, gem.

Stephan Lorenz
PG, West Papua 2018

Stephan Lorenz was excellent in all respects, he went out of his way to try and find a way for me to continue with the tour and then helped with my arrangements in getting home.

Glen Valentine
RB, Remote West Papuan Islands 2017

Glen and Keith Valentine worked seamlessly together to make this one of the best Rockjumper trips! The logistics went well, local guides were great, and the boat was quite comfortable and offered good food and variety. Best of all, the birds were plentiful and everyone got lifers galore. The bros Valentine did everything possible to be sure that everyone got onto the birds and they worked tirelessly doing so. I would travel with either or both of them anywhere, thanks guys!

Glen Valentine
SL - Indonesia: Sumatra & Java 2019

This [was] my second tour with Glen Valentine and he is the most professional guide I have ever traveled with. It goes without saying (but shouldn't) that he knew every single species on the tour including all their calls. He found birds when I saw nothing and then managed to get all guests onto the birds. This was impressive in itself, however there were many secretive birds that made guiding much harder. We had few problems on the tour, but I don't doubt that he would have handled it without problem. He is to be highly commended for his guiding on this very tiring trip, especially considering he was not well. Paul was also a really great training guide and I thoroughly enjoyed his company.

Glen Valentine
JA & DR, Remote West Papuan Islands 2018

Glen Valentine and Adam Walleyn were superb guides — honestly, they saw birds before they appeared! The local guides were outstanding and the logistics and accommodations were exceptional given our locations.

Indonesia - Highlights of the East: Sulawesi, Moluccas & Papua 2024

14 Jul 2024 - 30 Jul 2024 (17 days)

USD7,595 - No Spaces Available

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Tour Leader: Paul Varney

Tour price (Per person): USD7,595 * GBP6,080 * EUR7,085 * AUD11,675

Single Supplement: USD780 * GBP624 * EUR728 * AUD1,199

Flight costs: USD770 * GBP616 * EUR718 * AUD1,184

Indonesia - Highlights of the East: Sulawesi, Moluccas & Papua 2025

15 Jul 2025 - 31 Jul 2025 (17 days)

USD7,795 - Spaces Available

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Tour Leader: Stephan Lorenz

Tour price (Per person): USD7,795 * GBP6,240 * EUR7,271 * AUD11,983

Single Supplement: USD820 * GBP656 * EUR765 * AUD1,261

Flight costs: USD1,300 * GBP1,041 * EUR1,213 * AUD1,998

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