Indonesia, spread across 17,508 islands and boasting over 1,600 bird species and nearly 400 endemics (more than any other nation in the world), cannot be ignored by the international birder! Delving first into Western Indonesia, we base ourselves on the island of Flores in the Lesser Sundas. Here we search for an array of ornate species such as Glittering Kingfisher, sensational Elegant Pitta, Wallace’s Hanging Parrot, Leaf Lorikeet and the bizarre Bare-throated Whistler before embarking on one of the undoubted highlights of the trip to Komodo Island. Here, 10ft long Komodo Dragons roam this almost prehistoric paradise alongside Green Junglefowl and the beautiful, Critically Endangered Yellow-crested Cockatoo.
A short flight takes us to the island of Bali, most famous as a beach tourism Mecca. Situated near the famous Bali Barat National Park, we target the few remaining truly wild Bali Starlings, alongside a supporting cast of Black-winged Starling, Cerulean Kingfisher and Javan Banded Pitta! Departing Bali, we head to the Indonesian capital of Jakarta, to explore the Javan hot spots of Cibodas and Gunung Gede National Park. These fabulous montane birding spots host all the possible Javan endemics, and we shall bird diligently for such highlights as Javan Trogon, Javan Kingfisher, Flame-fronted Barbet, Pygmy Tit, Orange-spotted Bulbul, Javan Hawk-Eagle, Javan Tesia and Yellow-throated Hanging Parrots.
We depart Java on a short flight to southern Sumatra and head to Way Kambas National Park. Producing arguably the best nocturnal birding in the whole of south-east Asia, Way Kambas gives us excellent opportunities for such tantalising species as the bizarre Oriental Bay Owl, Sunda and Reddish Scops Owls and Buffy Fish Owl as well as Gould’s, Sunda, Blyth’s and the rare Large Frogmouth. Not that we will bird at night only, for the forests here hold many delights, including the marvellous Hooded and Malayan Banded Pittas, the strange mesite-like Rail-babbler, placed in its own monotypic family, Crested Fireback, Banded and Oriental Dwarf Kingfishers, White-crowned Forktail and Rufous-tailed Shama!
*2024 Prices are estimated and dates may change*
Bali Starling, White-winged Duck, Flores, Wallace’s, Reddish and Moluccan Scops Owls, Yellow-crested Cockatoo, Rail-babbler, Crested Fireback, Crested Partridge, Banded, Black-and-yellow, Black-and-red, Dusky & Green Broadbills, Javan Kingfisher, Javan Banded, Malayan Banded, Hooded & Elegant Pitta, Java Sparrow, Javan Plover, Javan, Scarlet-rumped, Diard’s & Red-naped Trogon, Oriental Bay Owl, White-browed Shortwing, Rusty-breasted, Violet & Sunda Cuckoo, Sunda Thrush, Dark-backed & Green Imperial Pigeon, Bare-throated Whistler, Leaf Lorikeet, Russet-capped Tesia, Thick-billed Heleia, Wallace’s Hanging Parrot, Flores Monarch, Chestnut-capped Thrush, Green Junglefowl, Orange-footed Scrubfowl, Little Cuckoo-Dove, Blue-tailed Bee-eater, Beach Thick-knee, White-tailed Tropicbird, Bulwer’s Petrel, Black-thighed Falconet, Pink-necked Green Pigeon, Chestnut-breasted, Raffles’s & Chestnut-bellied Malkoha, White-shouldered Triller, Racket-tailed Treepie, Olive-backed Tailorbird, White-breasted Woodswallow, Large-tailed, Malaysian & Bonaparte’s Nightjar, Lemon-bellied White-eye, Black-banded Barbet, Javan Flameback, Javan Cuckooshrike, Scarlet Minivet, Ruby-throated Bulbuls, Pale-bellied (or Javan) Myna, Sunda Teal, Javan Owlet, Buffy Fish Owl, Sunda Coucal, Javan White-eye, Yellow Bittern, White-flanked Sunbird, Trilling Shrike-Babbler, Salvadori’s Nightjar, Brown-throated & Flame-fronted Barbets, Pygmy Bushtit, Mees’s White-eye, Javan Hawk-Eagle, Javan Trogon, White-flanked Sunbird, Volcano Swiftlet, Yellow-throated Hanging Parrot, Blue Nuthatch, Crescent-chested Babbler, Orange-spotted Bulbul, Rufous-tailed Fantail, Chestnut-bellied Partridge, Javan Scops Owl, Javan Owlet, Spotted Crocias, Rufous-fronted Laughingthrush, Gould’s, Sunda, Blyth’s & Large Frogmouth, Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot, Slender-billed Crow, Javan Munia, Lesser Adjutant, Storm’s Stork, Black, Bushy-crested, Wrinkled, White-crowned, Cinnamon-headed Green Pigeon, Purple-naped, Ruby-cheeked, Plain & Crimson Sunbird, Orange-bellied, Golden-rumped, Scarlet-headed, Crimson-breasted & Yellow-breasted Flowerpecker, Checker-throated, Crimson-winged, Rufous, Buff-necked, Grey-and-buff, Maroon & Sunda Woodpecker.
Top Mammals Asian Palm Civet, Bottle-nosed Dolphin, Dugong, Crab-eating, Long-tailed & Pig-tailed Macaque, Ebony, Mitred & Sundaic Silvered Leaf Monkey, Javan Rusa Deer, Asian Palm & Black Giant Squirrel, Indian Muntjac, Barking Deer, Sunda Pangolin, Agile Gibbon, Siamang, Greater & Lesser Mouse Deer, Sunda Clouded Leopard, Asiatic Golden, Leopard, Marbled, Fishing and Flat-headed Cats, Binturong, Sunda Colugo, Malayan Porcupine and Sunda Slow Loris, Banded, Masked & Small-toothed Palm Civets, Malay Civet, Red Giant Flying Squirrel and Yellow-throated Marten
Habitats Covered montane and lowland forests, volcanic mountains, rice paddies, rivers, islands, beaches
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 relaxed pace with some longer hikes
Accommodation variable between rustic and excellent
Ease of Birding moderate but can be challenging at times
Other Attractions Komodo Dragon
Photographic Opportunities good to very good
This was a fabulous tour! Living on the Seahorse and going ashore each day to explore, in many cases, remote and under-birded locations was a truly exciting and wonderful experience. In addition, it was a fabulous and memorable experience to have Glen and Keith Valentine as leaders. They teamed seamlessly and ensured that everyone had a wonderful and got on to the birds. Oh, and of course, the sight of at least 4 male Wilson's Birds-of-Paradise displaying to multiple females was the stuff of dreams! Truly spectacular! And the local guides and drivers were all great, not forgetting the Skipper and crew of the Seahorse! The Buru extension for the Madanga and some of the owls was also so memorable, as were the few days in West Papua. All things considered, a truly wonderful and memorable tour!
Rich Lindie was a fantastic guide and great fun as a leader. He was passionate and enthusiastic and did his level best to accommodate the various requirements of all the tour participants. He bust a gut to make sure we saw all the endemics, and I would thoroughly recommend him to potential customers and very much look forward to travelling with him again in the future.
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.
We had a fantastic time. Everyone looked after us so we’ll, very well organised! Many thanks for putting a together a brilliant birding tour. It was everything we hoped for and more
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!!!!!!!!!