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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 NO SPACES AVAILABLE

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Tour Leader: Stephan Lorenz

Wait List

Tour Price (Per person): USD7,995 (GBP6,070 * EUR6,969 * AUD11,887)

Single Supplement: USD850 (GBP645 * EUR741 * AUD1,264)

Flight costs: USD1,310 (GBP995 * EUR1,142 * AUD1,948)

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

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Tour Price (Per person): USD8,400 (GBP6,377 * EUR7,322 * AUD12,489)

Flight costs: USD1,540 (GBP1,169 * EUR1,342 * AUD2,290)

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

Indonesia - Highlights of the East: Sulawesi, Moluccas & Papua 2028

15 Jul 2028 - 31 Jul 2028 (17 days)

USD8,900 SPACES AVAILABLE

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Tour Leader: Ryan Tyrer

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Tour Price (Per person): USD8,900 (GBP6,757 * EUR7,757 * AUD13,232)

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

Indonesia - Highlights of the East: Sulawesi, Moluccas & Papua 2029

14 Jul 2029 - 30 Jul 2029 (17 days)

USD9,400 SPACES AVAILABLE

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Tour Leader: Paul Varney

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Tour Price (Per person): USD9,400 (GBP7,136 * EUR8,193 * AUD13,976)

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

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

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
MG - Lesser Sundas 2022

"Glen Valentine is an amazing guide and really made the trip special. He is personable, patient and unflappable. He did a fantastic job of getting everyone on the birds and this was really challenging in many cases. One of the best I’ve experienced. Our local guide was also very good at leading us to key areas and finding difficult birds. Some of the trip was challenging in Sumba, but well worth the effort. Overall, this was a fascinating and rewarding trip to a little known part of the world with lots of really exciting endemic birds!

Glen Valentine
SL, Remote Indonesian Islands Cruise 2017

The ultimate birding trip: stunning destinations, endemics galore, cruising through the Raja Ampats and Maluku on a lovely wooden boat with wonderful crew and great food, gorgeous sunsets, awesome snorkelling and two of the best Rockjumper guides - Keith and Glen Valentine. And to top it off, Wilson's Bird-of-Paradise!!!!!!!!!

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
WG, Indonesia - Remote West Papuan Islands Cruise II 2025

Glen and Dusan worked well together. Their personalities are complementary. Dusan was energetic and outgoing. Glen is more reserved, but his birding skills and pleasant demeanor made for a most enjoyable (if hard!) tour. I definitely hope to travel with each of them again!

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Route Map

Tour Route Map