Our Sulawesi & Halmahera birding tour comprehensively covers much of the region’s available habitats, from the highland mountains and luxuriant lowland rainforest of Sulawesi to the Australasian influenced Halmahera in the Moluccan ‘Spice Islands’, maximizing our chance to find the more than one hundred range-restricted bird species confined to this fabulous region. A colorful host of parrots, fruit-doves and an awesome assortment of endemic kingfishers combine with sought-after avian gems such as Ivory-breasted Pitta, the incredible Maleo, Purple-bearded Bee-eater, the remarkable Knobbed Hornbill, Purple-winged Roller, Hylocitrea (recently placed in its own monotypic family), and an opportunity to watch the extraordinary Standardwing at its display site.
Standardwing, Sulawesi & Ivory-breasted Pittas, Knobbed & Sulawesi Hornbills, Maleo, Geomalia, Hylocitrea, Cinnabar Boobook, Sulawesi & Satanic Nightjars, Purple-bearded Bee-eater, Purple-winged Roller, Moluccan Goshawk, Sulawesi Serpent Eagle, Sulawesi Cuckoo, Dusky Scrubfowl, Yellow-flanked Whistler, Black-faced & Pale-headed Munias, Black‐ringed White‐eye, Sulawesi Ground Dove, Grey-headed & Silver-tipped Imperial Pigeons, Sulawesi Babbler, Fiery-browed Starling, Pale-bellied Myna, Sulawesi Myzomela, Sulawesi Thrush, Crimson-crowned Flowerpecker, Lilac, Scaly-breasted, Green-backed & Sulawesi Dwarf Kingfishers (amongst 12 species of possible kingfishers), Matinan Blue Flycatcher, Lompobattang Flycatcher.
Sulawesi Crested, Moor and Tonkean Macaques, Spectral Tarsier, Bear Cuscus
montane and lowland forests, volcanic mountains, rice paddies, rivers, islands, beaches
mostly hot to humid with cooler nights and mornings in the highlands
8 with 1 Rockjumper leader & local birding leader
moderate pace with some longer hikes
mostly rustic yet clean and comfortable, including some nights in excellent accommodation
moderate but can be challenging at times
+-240 (with over 80 possible endemics!)
average
Expert guiding by Keith and Glen Valentine, aided by fabulous local talent, ensured we saw the maximum number of endemics and other birds and mammals. Perhaps more importantly, these two brothers enjoyed their time together and provided a warm, friendly and caring environment in which we all had a good time with lots of laughs, and looked out for each other to ensure everyone got on the birds and did not falter on a tough hike or challenging car ride.
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!
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.
"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!
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!
17 Jul 2024 - 01 Aug 2024 (16 days)
IDR93,950,000 - No Spaces Available
Tour Leader: Forrest Rowland
Tour Leader: Ryan Tyrer
Tour price (Per person): IDR93,950,000 * USD5,785 * GBP4,633 * EUR5,408 * AUD8,854
Single Supplement: IDR7,250,000 * USD446 * GBP358 * EUR417 * AUD683
Flight costs: IDR8,500,000 * USD523 * GBP419 * EUR489 * AUD801
25 Jun 2025 - 12 Jul 2025 (18 days)
USD7,595 - No Spaces Available
Tour Leader: Glen Valentine
Tour price (Per person): USD7,595 * GBP6,083 * EUR7,100 * AUD11,624
Single Supplement: USD520 * GBP416 * EUR486 * AUD796
Flight costs: USD890 * GBP713 * EUR832 * AUD1,362
14 Jul 2025 - 31 Jul 2025 (18 days)
USD6,595 - Spaces Available
Tour Leader: Julian Parsons
Tour price (Per person): USD6,595 * GBP5,282 * EUR6,166 * AUD10,093
Single Supplement: USD520 * GBP416 * EUR486 * AUD796
Flight costs: USD890 * GBP713 * EUR832 * AUD1,362
Indonesia - Buru Island Extension II 2023 - November 2023
Indonesia - Remote West Papuan Islands Cruise II 2023 - November 2023
Indonesia - Buru Island Extension I 2023 - November 2023
Indonesia - West Papua: Arfak Extension 2023 - October 2023
Indonesia - Remote West Papuan Islands Cruise I 2023 - October 2023
Indonesia - Remote West Papuan Islands Cruise IV 2023 - October 2023
Indonesia - Buru Island Extension III 2023 - October 2023
Indonesia - Kai Islands Extension 2023 - September 2023
Indonesia - Banda Sea Cruise 2023 - August 2023
Indonesia - Allanson - Flores Endemics 2023 - August 2023
Indonesia - Sulawesi & Halmahera: Wallacean Endemics (Small Group) 2023 - July 2023
Indonesia - Highlights of the East: Sulawesi, Moluccas & Papua II 2023 - July 2023
Indonesia - Sulawesi & Halmahera: Wallacean Endemics 2023 - July 2023
Indonesia - Knox (Lesser Sundas) 2023 - January 2023
Indonesia - Remote West Papuan Islands Cruise III 2022 - November 2022
Indonesia - Buru Island Extension II 2022 - November 2022
Indonesia - Remote West Papuan Islands Cruise II 2022 - November 2022
Indonesia - Buru Island Extension I 2022 - November 2022
Indonesia - Remote West Papuan Islands Cruise I 2022 - October 2022
Indonesia - Sulawesi & Halmahera: Wallacean Endemics (Small Group) 2022 - August 2022