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Wednesday, August 9, 2017

Birding Tour in Sorong Regency of West Papua

Rainbow bee-eater
Rainbow Bee-eater
Sorong regency is a nice destination for birdwatching especially for birds that live in lowland forest such as Golden Myna, Helmetted Friarbird, Lesser Birds of Paradise, Sulphur Crested Cockatoo, Red-cheeked Parrot and King Bird of Paradise. As a tour guide, I could organize rainforest birding and wildlife watching tour for visitors who want to explore the biodiversity of the lowland forest of West Papua.
ITINERARY
Day 1
I will meet you in a hotel or airport of Sorong city. After that we will go by 4wd car to a nearby market to buy food and other supplies for the tour. When everything is ready, we will go directly to Klasow valley. It takes approximately 1 .5 hours ride to reach the valley. The trip to our guesthouse located in the middle of the jungle can be carried out on foot for another 1.5 hours. Along the way, we can hear the sound of Eclectus Parrot, Black Butcherbird, Hooded Butcherbird, Pinon Imperial Pigeon or even the Magnificent Riflebird, and a lot of other birds that make the forest of Klasow valley as their natural habitat.
When we arrive in the guesthouse, we can take a rest and enjoy birding from the verandah. After that, we can watch birds in clearing area of the surrounding forest to watch Dollarbird, Moustached Treeswift, Yellow Faced Myna and etc.
A male Lesser Bird of Paradise (Paradisaea minor)
Lesser Birds of Paradise (Paradisea minor)
Day 2
We will wake up early in the morning at 04.30 to have tea or coffee and some bread or biscuits. After making preparation for a long forest walk, we shall leave our guesthouse for the the birding ground of the Lesser Birds of Paradise (Paradisaea minor). We will watch the bird until 09.00. When we walk back to the guesthouse, we will be able to watch Spangled Drongo, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, or Yellow-billed Kingfisher that are active in the morning.
Wild Northern Cassowary often comes out of the jungle to visit our guesthouse in search of fruits such as banana or papaya.
After lunch, we can continue our birding trip the eastern area of the forest to find such birds as Black Lory, Papuan Dwarf Kingfisher, Western Crowned Pigeon and Beautiful Fruit Dove.
At night, we could do night walk to watch wallaby or other birds that sleep in the lower branches of trees.
Day 3
Azure Kingfisher
Azure Kingfisher
This morning, we will enjoy easy birding to find King Bird of Paradise (Cicinnurus regius). Other birds such as Variable Goshawk, Large Fig Parrot, Rainbow Lorikeet are active in the nearby forest.
After lunch, we can explore the hill forest behind our guesthouse to watch such birds, butterflies, unique flower plants, lianas and big trees.

Day 4
We will slowly walk back to mainroad and return to Sorong city by a chartered 4WD car.

Cost: ... rupiahs
Cost includes: transportation by 4wd car between Sorong and Klasow valley food, payment to local guides, land owner, cook.
Cost does not include: accommodation in hotel and food in Sorong before and after the tour in Klasow valley, travel insurance and other personal expenses.

Golden Myna (Mino anais) in Klasow valley of Malagufuk village
A Couple of Golden Myna
Booking: Please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp: +6281332245180
Please bring:
  • Binoculars
  • Field guide book Birds of New Guinea written by Thane K. Pratt and Bruce Beehler.
  • Flashlight/ torch
  • Watershoes and flipflop
  • Clothing that is suitable for tropical climate
  • Anti-insect/ mosquito lotion

Extended Tour
You could extend your tour in West Papua by taking snorkeling tour in Raja Ampat where you could swim over pristine coral reef to see colorful coral reef and beautiful fish as well as wonderful marine landscape.

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