... in the footsteps of Wallace. West Papua - Indonesia Arfak Mountains and Raja Ampat Birding Expeditions

Transcription

1 ... in the footsteps of Wallace West Papua - Indonesia and Raja Ampat Birding Expeditions 9 days / 8 nights ( birding) or 11 days / 10 nights ( & Raja Ampat) August 2017 November 2017 Western Parrotia - Long-Tailed Paradigalla - Superb Bird-of-Paradise - Vogelkop Bowerbird - Wilson s Bird-of-Paradise - Red Bird-of-Paradise - Magnificent Bird-of-Paradise - Imperial Pigeon - Astrapia - Raja Ampat coral reefs...

2 and Raja Ampat Birding Expeditions 9 days/8 nights ( birding) or 11 days/10 nights ( + Raja Ampat) An Mountain adventure On our West Papuan birding expeditions we will follow the footsteps of the great Italian Naturalists D Albertis and Beccari, who once collected in the Hattam tribe country only a few kilometers away from our base in the, located on the mid-slopes of majestic Mount Indon, which towers 2,425 m above the Prafi Valley. Nearly 150 years after D Albertis intrepid explorations of the region, birding these magnificent forests remains an irresistible adventure. It is also a privileged opportunity to be taken in tow by Hattam tribesmen across their ancestral lands, and marvel at endemic birdlife that few outsiders have ventured to come see before. Kalawai Adventure has designed two incredible trips for nature lovers with special emphasis on Papua s exceptional bird life. The first is an expedition into the heart of the cordillera, on West Papua s aptly named Bird s Head Peninsula. The second trip takes travelers to the same region, but on the way back makes an exclusive side-step to the fabled Raja Ampat islands, for two extra days of birding to see the endemic Red and Wilson s Birds-of-Paradise, and to snorkel on the richest reefs on Earth. Highlights Nine (!) species of Birds-of-Paradise, Bower Birds, Vogelkop and Raja Ampat endemics, the richest coral reefs on Earth, other New Guinea fauna (cuscus, tree kangaroos, bats, bird-wing butterflies ) Expedition dates Kalawai Adventure works with local Papuan partners. It has reserved two exclusive time-slots for the + Raja Ampat expeditions, for a total of 14 lucky birders. The trips officially start and end at the Bali Airport. 1) Saturday, August 12 th to Tuesday, August 22 nd, ) Sunday, November 5 th to Wednesday, November 15 th, 2017 Physical effort & health considerations West Papua is one of the last natural frontiers. As such, it is also one of the most challenging and rewarding! A close-up look at Western Parrotias displaying will make most adventurers forget the hardships they just endured!

3 and Raja Ampat Birding Expeditions 9 days/8 nights ( birding) or 11 days/10 nights ( + Raja Ampat) Our daily action radius from the guesthouse in the will be less than two kilometers, but slopes are generally steep (25-45 degrees with a few very short stretches up to 60 degrees). The height interval can be up to 400 meters on a daylong excursion and reach a maximum elevation of 2,000 m a.s.l. Collapsible hiking sticks are strongly recommended! Hattam tribesmen maintain our walking trails but occasional tree falls can hamper progress. With this mind, we recommend that our guests are fit to very fit with lots of solid hiking training prior to the trip. It is essential that, before booking, you inform us of any medical problems and/or dietary restrictions. We can then counsel you on whether the expedition is indeed appropriate for you. Persons over 70 years of age should only consider participating in any of our birding expeditions if exceptionally fit. For an extra fee, we will hire additional guides/porters to help you conquer the challenging terrain. Price The birding expedition is priced at USD 4,300, the + Raja Ampat expedition at USD 4,900. These are introductory rates, so take advantage of this opportunity! What is included in the price? A ll air, land & sea transportation from Bali to West-Papua and back to Bali, all accommodation (double occupancy rooms) during the trip (Bali, Makassar, Manokwasi, Sorong) and all breakfasts. Lunches and dinners in the and Raja Ampat are also included. Finally, we offer a courtesy luxury SPA treatment (foot massage, anyone?) upon your return in Bali to prepare body & soul for the long flight back home! What is not included in the price? International airfares (e.g. Australia to Bali)*, travel insurance, tips to guides, airport taxes, extra baggage fees, government permits and hotel lunches and dinners in Bali, Makassar, Manokwari and Sorong (indicated as optional in the detailed itineraries below). Individual taxi rides to/from Bali Airport will be reimbursed to a maximum of USD 20 per ride. Recommended pocket money to spend in Indonesia is USD 500 to 700, which should be enough to cover the extra costs listed above (except international tickets and travel insurance) as well as shopping in Bali (with an amateur-level shopper in mind!). It is best to bring cash, which can be exchanged in bulk by our guide at one of Bali s moneychangers. On the return, unspent rupiahs can be changed back into most major currencies. *Upon request, Kalawai Adventure can book your international tickets.

4 W E S T P A P U A

5 Kalawai Dr. Geoffrey Gearheart is Kalawai Adventure B W Kalawai Adventure I W Kalawai Adventure

6 and Raja Ampat Birding Expeditions 9 days/8 nights ( birding) or 11 days/10 nights ( + Raja Ampat) Detailed itinerary 9 - day Birding Expedition D a y 1 Australia/ Bali 2 Bali/ Makassar Location 3 West-Papua 4 West-Papua 5 West-Papua 6 West-Papua Activities & Bird Species Travel to Bali, airport transfer in bus, dinner at Taman Ayu Hotel or elsewhere in Seminyak/Legian/Kuta (optional). Overnight at Taman Ayu Hotel, Seminyak (double occupancy rooms). Breakfast and early morning briefing, moneychanger to change foreign currency to Rupiah. Lunch at Taman Ayu Hotel or in vicinity of the hotel (optional). Travel to Denpasar airport, and late afternoon flight to Makassar/Ujung Pandang, dinner (optional) and overnight at Makassar Ibis Airport Hotel (double occupancy rooms) Early morning flight from Makassar to Manokwari, 0930 arrival in Manokwari. Airport pick up in 4WD-vehicle to a community-owned guesthouse located at 1,600 m elevation in the Mount Indon area of the. Here we shall start our exploration of these fabled mountains after a packed lunch with a gentle introduction to the commoner or more conspicuous species of the garden clearings and roadside tree- gaps: Variable Goshawk, Slender-billed and Bar-tailed Cuckoo-Dove, White-bibbed Fruit Dove, Papuan Mountain Pigeon, White-eared Bronze Cuckoo, Chestnut-breasted and Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Plum-faced and Yellow-billed Lorikeet, Red-collared Myzomela, Rufous-sided and Honeyeater, Vogelkop and Ornate Melidectes, Vogelkop Scrubwren, Brownbreasted and Mountain Gerygone, Mid-mountain Berrypecker, Black- breasted Boatbill, Sclater s Whistler, Black and Friendly Fantail, Western Parotia, Blue-grey Robin, Canary Flyrobin, Capped White-eye, and Olive-crowned Flowerpecker. Other goodies we may come to grips with here include Long-tailed Honey Buzzard, Metallic Pigeon, Pesquet's Parrot, Pygmy, Fairy and Josephine's Lorikeet, Blue-collared Parrot, Spotted Berrypecker, Longtailed Paradigalla, Superb Bird-of-paradise, and both Blue-faced and Papuan Parrotfinch. A nocturnal excursion after dinner could produce Greater Sooty Owl, Papuan Boobook, and Feline and Mountain Owlet-nightjar. Overnight in community guesthouse. After a pre-dawn breakfast, we shall monitor nearby display courts of the Western Parotia from well-appointed palm-frond hides. The wacko ballet performance of the court-tending male of this species simply has to be witnessed to be believed, and invariably ranks as the highlight of a birding trip to the s. Besides the not-tobe-missed display performances of the parotias, the hides potentially also offer an intimate window of observation into the secretive lives of habitual ground-dwellers as Wattled Brushturkey, White-striped Forest Rail, Cinnamon and Bronze Ground Dove, Mountain Mouse-warbler, Spotted Jewel-babbler, Ashy and Green-backed Robin, and Lesser Ground Robin. Following lunch back at the guesthouse, there shall be further opportunities to spend potentially rewarding time with the parotias, or to get up close and personal with the highly entertaining Vogelkop Bowerbird from one of the palm-frond hides set up in front of its formidable so-called roofed maypole bowers in the area. The last hours of light shall see us birding around the garden clearings. Dinner and overnight in community guesthouse. Following a hearty nocturnal breakfast, we shall proceed pre-dawn to an area of secondary forest where numerous display courts of the Magnificent Bird-of-paradise are to be found. Here we stand an excellent chance of witnessing the full array of display postures of this beautiful species at close range from well-appointed palmfrond hides. Other birds often in evidence around the courts here include Cinnamon Ground Dove, Spotted Catbird, Rusty Mouse-warbler, Pale-billed Scrubwren, Green-backed Robin, and Trumpet Manucode. In adjacent tracts of primary forest we may see White-striped Forest Rail, Wallace's Fairywren, Red, Papuan Black and Mountain Myzomela, Marbled, Long-billed and Mountain Honeyeater, Perplexing and Grey-green Scrubwren, Goldenface, Dwarf and Yellow-bellied Longbill, Chestnut-backed Jewel-babbler, Mountain Peltops, Vogelkop and Sclater's Whistler, Little Shrikethrush, Hooded Pitohui, Pygmy Drongo, Black and Black-winged Monarch, White-rumped and White-faced Robin, Yellow-legged Flyrobin, Northern Scrub Robin, Island Leaf Warbler, and Black-fronted White-eye. After a packed lunch on site, there shall be further opportunities to spend potentially rewarding time with the Magnificent Bird-of-paradise, or we could continue our search of the vicinity for some of its more elusive species already mentioned above. Dinner and overnight in community guesthouse. After a pre-dawn breakfast, we shall bird all day along a loop ascending to a high point at c. 2,000 m elevation in search of three potentially highly elusive species of bird-of-paradise present here: Astrapia and Black and Black-billed Sicklebill. Most of the trail follows gently sloping ridgetop cloud forest but we shall also be traversing some challenging and steep terrain. Other goodies we may come across along the loop include Wattled Brushturkey, New Guinea Eagle, Ornate Fruit Dove, Rufescent Imperial Pigeon, Rufous-throated

7 and Raja Ampat Birding Expeditions 9 days/8 nights ( birding) or 11 days/10 nights ( + Raja Ampat) 6 (cont d) Bronze Cuckoo, Red-breasted Pygmy Parrot, Papuan Lorikeet, Brehm s and Modest Tiger Parrot, Vogelkop Bowerbird, Papuan Treecreeper, Orange-crowned Fairywren, Olive Straightbill, Black-throated Honeyeater, Cinnamon-browed Melidectes, Mountain Mouse-warbler, New Guinea Logrunner, Fan- tailed and Tit Berrypecker, Spotted Jewel-babbler, Black-bellied Cicadabird, Papuan Sittella, Mottled and Rufous-naped Whistler, Black Pitohui, Regent Whistler, Dimorphic Fantail, Lesser Melampitta, Ashy, Black- throated, Smoky and Garnet Robin, and Lesser Ground Robin. We shall enjoy a packed lunch in a natural forest clearing in which Archbold's Nightjar has been found to nest, and where Black-mantled and Meyer's Goshawk, Mountain Swiftlet, and Great Woodswallow may be seen flying overhead. Dinner and overnight in community guesthouse. 7 West-Papua montane forests and Manokwari. Following a pre-dawn breakfast, there shall be a final opportunity for an observation session at either the Vogelkop Bowerbird, Western Parotia or Magnificent Bird-of-paradise, or we could bird in the wider vicinity in search of some of the more elusive species already mentioned above. After lunch back at the guest house and a final afternoon's birding, we shall drive back to Manokwari in the late afternoon. Dinner and overnight in Manokwari hotel. 8 Bali Early morning breakfast at hotel then transfer to Manokwari airport. Travel back to Bali. Late afternoon arrival in Bali, dinner at Taman Ayu Hotel or or elsewhere in Seminyak/Legian/Kuta (optional), night at Taman Ayu Hotel (double occupancy rooms). 9 Bali/ Australia Breakfast at hotel, get pampered at SPA, rest or shopping, lunch at hotel or elsewhere in Seminyak/Legian/Kuta (optional), late afternoon airport transfer and departure from Bali to Australia. Detailed itinerary and Raja Ampat 11-day Birding and Reef Expedition D a y 1 Australia/ Bali 2 Bali/ Makassar Location 3 West-Papua 4 West-Papua Activities & Bird Species Travel to Bali, airport transfer in bus, dinner at Taman Ayu Hotel or elsewhere in Seminyak/Legian/Kuta (optional). Overnight at Taman Ayu Hotel, Seminyak (double occupancy rooms). Breakfast and early morning briefing, moneychanger to change foreign currency to Rupiah. Lunch at Taman Ayu Hotel or in vicinity of the hotel (optional). Travel to Denpasar airport, and late afternoon flight to Makassar/Ujung Pandang, night at Makassar Ibis Airport Hotel (double occupancy rooms) Early morning flight from Makassar to Manokwari, 0930 arrival in Manokwari. Airport pick up in 4WD-vehicle to a community-owned guesthouse located at 1,600 m elevation in the Mount Indon area of the. Here we shall start our exploration of these fabled mountains after a packed lunch with a gentle introduction to the commoner or more conspicuous species of the garden clearings and roadside tree- gaps: Variable Goshawk, Slender-billed and Bar-tailed Cuckoo-Dove, White-bibbed Fruit Dove, Papuan Mountain Pigeon, White-eared Bronze Cuckoo, Chestnut-breasted and Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Plum-faced and Yellow-billed Lorikeet, Red-collared Myzomela, Rufous-sided and Honeyeater, Vogelkop and Ornate Melidectes, Vogelkop Scrubwren, Brown-breasted and Mountain Gerygone, Mid-mountain Berrypecker, Black- breasted Boatbill, Sclater s Whistler, Black and Friendly Fantail, Western Parotia, Blue-grey Robin, Canary Flyrobin, Capped White-eye, and Olive-crowned Flowerpecker. Other goodies we may come to grips with here include Long-tailed Honey Buzzard, Metallic Pigeon, Pesquet's Parrot, Pygmy, Fairy and Josephine's Lorikeet, Bluecollared Parrot, Spotted Berrypecker, Long-tailed Paradigalla, Superb Bird-of-paradise, and both Blue-faced and Papuan Parrotfinch. A nocturnal excursion after dinner could produce Greater Sooty Owl, Papuan Boobook, and Feline and Mountain Owlet-nightjar. Overnight in community guesthouse. After a pre-dawn breakfast, we shall monitor nearby display courts of the Western Parotia from well-appointed palm-frond hides. The wacko ballet performance of the court-tending male of this species simply has to be witnessed to be believed, and invariably ranks as the highlight of a birding trip to the s. Besides the not-tobe-missed display performances of the parotias, the hides potentially also offer an intimate window of observation into the secretive lives of habitual ground-dwellers as Wattled Brushturkey, White-striped Forest

8 and Raja Ampat Birding Expeditions 9 days/8 nights ( birding) or 11 days/10 nights ( + Raja Ampat) 4 (cont d) Rail, Cinnamon and Bronze Ground Dove, Mountain Mouse-warbler, Spotted Jewel-babbler, Ashy and Greenbacked Robin, and Lesser Ground Robin. Following lunch back at the guesthouse, there shall be further opportunities to spend potentially rewarding time with the parotias, or to get up close and personal with the highly entertaining Vogelkop Bowerbird from one of the palm-frond hides set up in front of its formidable socalled roofed maypole bowers in the area. The last hours of light shall see usbirding around the garden clearings. Dinner and overnight in community guesthouse. 5 West-Papua 6 West-Papua 7 West-Papua Following a hearty nocturnal breakfast, we shall proceed pre-dawn to an area of secondary forest where numerous display courts of the Magnificent Bird-of-paradise are to be found. Here we stand an excellent chance of witnessing the full array of display postures of this beautiful species at close range from wellappointed palm-frond hides. Other birds often in evidence around the courts here include Cinnamon Ground Dove, Spotted Catbird, Rusty Mouse-warbler, Pale-billed Scrubwren, Green-backed Robin, and Trumpet Manucode. In adjacent tracts of primary forest we may see White-striped Forest Rail, Wallace's Fairywren, Red, Papuan Black and Mountain Myzomela, Marbled, Long-billed and Mountain Honeyeater, Perplexing and Grey-green Scrubwren, Goldenface, Dwarf and Yellow-bellied Longbill, Chestnut-backed Jewel-babbler, Mountain Peltops, Vogelkop and Sclater's Whistler, Little Shrikethrush, Hooded Pitohui, Pygmy Drongo, Black and Black-winged Monarch, White-rumped and White-faced Robin, Yellow-legged Flyrobin, Northern Scrub Robin, Island Leaf Warbler, and Black-fronted White-eye. After a packed lunch on site, there shall be further opportunities to spend potentially rewarding time with the Magnificent Bird-of-paradise, or we could continue our search of the vicinity for some of its more elusive species already mentioned above. Dinner and overnight in community guesthouse. After a pre-dawn breakfast, we shall bird all day along a loop ascending to a high point at c. 2,000 m elevation in search of three potentially highly elusive species of bird-of-paradise present here: Astrapia and Black and Black-billed Sicklebill. Most of the trail follows gently sloping ridgetop cloud forest but we shall also be traversing some challenging and steep terrain. Other goodies we may come across along the loop include Wattled Brushturkey, New Guinea Eagle, Ornate Fruit Dove, Rufescent Imperial Pigeon, Rufous-throated Bronze Cuckoo, Red-breasted Pygmy Parrot, Papuan Lorikeet, Brehm s and Modest Tiger Parrot, Vogelkop Bowerbird, Papuan Treecreeper, Orange-crowned Fairywren, Olive Straightbill, Black-throated Honeyeater, Cinnamon-browed Melidectes, Mountain Mouse-warbler, New Guinea Logrunner, Fan- tailed and Tit Berrypecker, Spotted Jewel-babbler, Black-bellied Cicadabird, Papuan Sittella, Mottled and Rufous-naped Whistler, Black Pitohui, Regent Whistler, Dimorphic Fantail, Lesser Melampitta, Ashy, Black- throated, Smoky and Garnet Robin, and Lesser Ground Robin. We shall enjoy a packed lunch in a natural forest clearing in which Archbold's Nightjar has been found to nest, and where Black-mantled and Meyer's Goshawk, Mountain Swiftlet, and Great Woodswallow may be seen flying overhead. Dinner and overnight in community guesthouse. montane forests and Manokwari. Following a pre-dawn breakfast, there shall be a final opportunity for an observation session at either the Vogelkop Bowerbird, Western Parotia or Magnificent Bird-of-paradise, or we could bird in the wider vicinity in search of some of the more elusive species already mentioned above. After lunch back at the guest house and a final afternoon's birding, we shall drive back to Manokwari in the late afternoon. Dinner and overnight in Manokwari hotel. 8 Raja Ampat Early morning breakfast at hotel then transfer to Manokwari airport. Travel to Sorong. Airport pick-up and transfer to Sorong harbour. We will board a chartered speedboat, which will take us on a 2-hour trip to the Island of Gam (Raja Ampat), near the village where Alfred Russell Wallace lived in In the early afternoon, after lunch at the beachside community lodge, we will snorkel on some of Raja Ampat s fabled reefs. While guests can dedicate the full afternoon to snorkeling some can also elect to visit the local village or discover the birdlife around the lodge. Dinner and overnight in community lodge. 9 Raja Ampat/ Sorong After a pre-dawn breakfast, we shall walk to the Red bird of Paradise display trees, located approximately 45 minutes from the lodge on sloping terrain. We will return to the lodge area at around 09:00 AM and board 4WD vehicles, which will take us to the display area of Wilson s Birds of Paradise. Return to lodge at around noon, lunch and speedboat transfer to Sorong harbour. Dinner at Sorong s SwissBel Hotel or the Boulevard s picturesque seafood restaurants (optional). Overnight at the SwissBel Hotel (double occupancy rooms). 10 Bali Early morning breakfast at SwissBel Hotel then transfer to Sorong airport. Travel back to Bali. Late afternoon arrival in Bali, dinner at Taman Ayu Hotel or elsewhere in Seminyak/Legian/Kuta (optional), night at Taman Ayu Hotel (double occupancy rooms). 11 Bali/ Australia Breakfast at Taman Ayu Hotel, get pampered at SPA, rest or shopping, lunch at hotel or elsewhere in Seminyak/Legian/Kuta (optional), late afternoon airport transfer and departure from Bali to Australia.

9 and Raja Ampat Birding Expeditions 9 days/8 nights ( birding) or 11 days/10 nights ( + Raja Ampat) Detailed booking information To hold your spot, Kalawai Adventure requires a 50% deposit. The remaining amount should be transferred to our bank account latest 90 days before the start of the expedition. Failure to do so -and for any reason- may cause us to cancel your participation, but we will refund your deposit (minus transfer costs). The required number of participants per trip is 7. If that number hasn t been attained 15 days prior to the start of the expedition, the trip will be cancelled and you will be refunded in full. To increase the chances of the expedition actually happening, book as soon as possible! Why? Because Kalawai Adventure works with local Papuan partners who commit time slots for a limited period. If no deposits have been paid, the time slot is allocated to someone else!