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
6 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
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!
I am writing to let you know what an amazing trip we had with David Erterius and Tuomas Seimola. They are both outstanding bird guides and a pleasure to travel with.
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.
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.
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!
25 Jun 2025 - 12 Jul 2025 (18 days)
USD7,595 - No Spaces Available
Tour Leader: Glen Valentine
Tour price (Per person): USD7,595 * GBP6,099 * EUR7,096 * AUD11,706
Single Supplement: USD520 * GBP418 * EUR486 * AUD801
Flight costs: USD890 * GBP715 * EUR831 * AUD1,372
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