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

© Red Bird-of-paradise by K. David Bishop
Indonesia - Highlights of the East: Sulawesi, Moluccas & Papua 2026

31 Jul 2026 - 16 Aug 2026 (17 days)

USD7,995 - 1 Space Available

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Tour Leader: Stephan Lorenz

Tour price (Per person): USD7,995 * GBP5,961 * EUR6,875 * AUD12,289

Single Supplement: USD850 * GBP634 * EUR731 * AUD1,306

Flight costs: USD1,310 * GBP977 * EUR1,127 * AUD2,014

Indonesia - Highlights of the East: Sulawesi, Moluccas & Papua 2027

14 Jun 2027 - 30 Jun 2027 (17 days)

USD8,400 - Spaces Available

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Tour Leader: Ryan Tyrer

Pricing notes : *Prices are estimated, and dates may change*

Tour price (Per person): USD8,400 * GBP6,263 * EUR7,224 * AUD12,911

Flight costs: USD1,540 * GBP1,148 * EUR1,324 * AUD2,367

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

Glen Valentine
NH, Indonesia - West Papua Cruise 2016

I have been on birding trips for many years, but this is the first time with Rockjumper. The trip was easily the best birding trip I have ever been on. In particular, both David and Glen made life so easy and their birding knowledge was remarkable. Other members of the group were very easy to get on with. The birding was quite remarkable and it is difficult to pick out a highlight from the Birds of Paradise, the Chinese Crested Tern or the Madanga. There is no doubt that I will travel with Rockjumper again.

Lev Frid
EL, Indonesia 2022

This was an adventure to be sure. The places we traveled were indeed remote and with the exception of larger cities like Ambon & Sorong inhabited by few people. This was my first trip to Indonesia and was an adventure to even get to Ambon. However, the Indonesian people must be the kindest most helpful people in the world. The boat was lovely and this amazing trip had so many interworking pieces -- moving from the Indo Seamore to the shore for the next adventure, disembarking at various kinds of dock, piers, rocks, etc, meeting up with our vehicles for rides up into the hills -- everything worked like clockwork. We saw so many fabulous birds thanks to our super guides, David Hoddinott and Lev Frid. The two guides were so helpful and informative; I would gladly travel with either of them or both in the future. However, I have to say that this trip was just about at the limit of my ability. I would never have seen the birds I did without the help of David & Lev and our various local guides and drivers. I think only Rockjumper could have pulled this tour off.

David Hoddinott
JT, Indonesia 2022

I was extremely impressed with the organisational skills of all involved in this tour. All the guides Rockjumper and local were highly skilled and completely considerate of the non birding needs of the participants. I would like to say that not having an upset stomach at any point during the tour was a big plus to my enjoyment. There were some safely issues that in such a remote part of the world can only be expected, I was very happy to be part of this exciting tour and not sure that it would be possible to micro manage all the safety issues.

Glen Valentine
SP - Indonesia 2019

Glen and Paul did a fantastic job on this tour. Glen is an excellent birder, guide and a wonderful personality. This is the second trip I have done with Glen and hope to join many more in the future.

David Hoddinott
MT, Indonesia 2022

This is a fantastic tour and it gave us a rare, unique and unforgettable experience. We are in awe of the complex logistics required to make this tour run so smoothly. Everything ran like clockwork. The leaders, Lev and David, the ship’s crew, the local teams of guides and the lovely drivers were amazing. Everyone was so friendly. The efforts that everyone went to to find the special birds of these remote islands were above and beyond! The food was very good throughout, in summary the experience was amazing!

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