19 Jul 2028 - 01 Aug 2028 (14 days)
USD10,550 SPACES AVAILABLE
Tour Leader: Christian Artuso
Tour Price (Per person): USD10,550 (GBP8,123 * AUD15,702)
Single Supplement: USD690 (GBP531 * AUD1,027)
Flight costs: USD1,760 (GBP1,355 * AUD2,619)
Pricing notes : Due to the extremely limited availability of inter-island flights, deposits must be paid 9 months prior to the departure date of the tour and are non-refundable. Single Room supplement is for Honiara only.
20 Aug 2029 - 02 Sep 2029 (14 days)
USD11,250 SPACES AVAILABLE
Tour Leader: Stephan Lorenz
Tour Price (Per person): USD11,250 (GBP8,661 * AUD16,744)
Single Supplement: USD760 (GBP585 * AUD1,131)
Flight costs: USD1,950 (GBP1,501 * AUD2,902)
Pricing notes : *All prices are estimated, and dates may change* Due to the extremely limited availability of inter-island flights, deposits must be paid 9 months prior to the departure date of the tour and are non-refundable. Single Room supplement is for Honiara only.
For the adventurous birder, few destinations offer the excitement, isolation and exceptional endemic birdlife of the Solomon Islands' remote forested interior. Our Santa Isabel & Makira Mega Endemics tour ventures well beyond the usual birding circuit, exploring two of the archipelago's most fascinating and biologically distinctive islands. Cloaked in extensive tropical rainforest, these rugged landscapes harbour an extraordinary collection of highly localised species, many found nowhere else on Earth. This is a dedicated expedition for serious birders and world listers, combining challenging forest exploration with opportunities to encounter some of the rarest and least-known birds in the Pacific.
Our adventure begins on Guadalcanal before heading north to Santa Isabel, where the remote highland forests surrounding Tirotonga provide access to several exceptional species. Foremost among these is the spectacular and notoriously elusive Black-faced Pitta, undoubtedly one of the most desirable birds in the Solomon Islands. Other outstanding targets include Fearful Owl, West Solomons Owl, Solomons Frogmouth, White-eyed Starling, North Solomons Dwarf Kingfisher and the exceptionally scarce Imitator Sparrowhawk. Working alongside experienced local guides, we will explore remote forest trails and search carefully for these highly sought-after species.
Black-faced Pitta; Fearful Owl; Solomons Frogmouth; West Solomons Owl; Imitator Sparrowhawk; Guadalcanal Dwarf Kingfisher; North Solomons Dwarf Kingfisher; Red-capped Myzomela; Yellow-throated White-eye; White-eyed Starling; Makira Owl; Makira Dwarf Kingfisher; Makira Honeyeater; Makira Thrush; Makira Fantail; Makira Flycatcher; Makira Leaf Warbler; Makira White-eye; Makira Cicadabird; Makira Starling; Sooty Myzomela; Shade Bush Warbler; White-collared Monarch; White-headed Fruit Dove; Crested Cuckoo-Dove; Yellow-legged Pigeon; Silver-capped Fruit Dove; Mottled Flowerpecker; Solomons Robin; Chestnut-bellied Imperial Pigeon; Duchess Lorikeet; Yellow-bibbed Lory; Solomons Corella; Ultramarine Kingfisher; Black-headed Myzomela; Chestnut-bellied Monarch; Brown-winged Starling; White-billed Crow; Midget Flowerpecker; Finsch's Pygmy Parrot; Solomons Cuckooshrike; Red-knobbed Imperial Pigeon; Solomons Brush Cuckoo.
Solomons Flying Fox; Pacific Flying Fox; Makira Flying Fox (rare).
Primary lowland and montane tropical rainforest, cloud forest, secondary woodland, forest edges, village gardens and coastal vegetation.
Hot, humid tropical conditions, generally 24–31°C at lower elevations, with frequent rainfall, potentially muddy trails and cooler conditions in the highlands.
6 with 1 Rockjumper tour leader
DIFFICULT: This is a high-intensity “mega” tour designed for passionate listers and serious birders who enjoy a fast-paced schedule. Due to its demanding nature, it’s not recommended for avid photographers, inexperienced birders, or anyone with mobility or health limitations.
Demanding to strenuous. A physically challenging tour requiring excellent fitness, stamina & mobility. Multiple lengthy hikes, remote locations & very basic facilities. Only suitable for experienced, adventurous travellers.
Comfortable hotels in Honiara. Very basic village homestays & forest lodges on Santa Isabel & Makira, with shared facilities, limited electricity & in some locations, no running water or conventional
Demanding to very demanding. Numerous elusive, highly localised forest endemics requiring considerable patience & persistence. Dense vegetation, difficult terrain & occasional nocturnal birding.
Remote Melanesian highland villages; traditional homestays and local cultural encounters; spectacular rainforest-covered mountains; pristine tropical island landscapes; community-guided forest exploration.
Challenging but potentially rewarding. Many targets inhabit dense, poorly lit rainforest & are difficult to observe/photograph.
Paul brought in his wealth of experience. He worked well with Ashoka to make sure nothing was lost in translation. One member sustained an injury on day 1, probably because he declined the extra help offered on a slightly slippery walk. Paul and Ashoka took charge of the situation immediately, made sure the rest of the group was comfortable while getting help. It was incredible that the injured person managed to complete the trip with a walker. Ashoka is a highly experienced local guide. He went out of the way to accommodate our birding and non-birding (request to try local food) requests. Both Paul and Ashoka were always calm and very pleasant, paying individual attention to every person and ensured we had a memorable experience.
This was a great tour and exceeded all my very high expectations. Having both Glen and Dušan as leaders was like having two olympians on your high school basketball team. As usual, the vehicles were too small for me, but Glen kindly allowed me to ride in the seat with the most legroom when possible. I have subsequently found out that I am definitely an outlier as far as client size is concerned. The tour was well planned, the schedule and guides flexible enough to work around complications, and the logistics aside from a glitch picking us up at the airport well executed.
What a great experience! Everything was as you told us in the pre-departure literature, so we were well-prepared. Rob was an excellent tour leader. His vast experience in conservation, core knowledge of birds and bird behavior, and his enthusiasm was generously shared with the group. He modeled proper trail behavior and made sure that everyone “saw the bird”. The local guides were top-notch and took good care of the group. I also learned so much from the better birders in the group. Highly recommended!
This tour group was very eclectic but really worked well together. The leaders including the van driver did an exceptional job.
An excellent trip. Good list of birds even though it was the relaxed itinerary. Rob’s recounting some of his excellent adventures was an added bonus.
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