Birding Tour in Sorong Regency of West Papua

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.

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

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.

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.

Tour to Uninhabited Islands of Raja Ampat

Uninhabited island in Raja Ampat

Raja Ampat is one of the richest islands in the world in terms of their marine bio-diversity. Pristine tropical rainforest and beautiful coral reef cover the tropical archipelago and its surrounding coastal areas. As a tourist guide, I offer adventure tours to nature lovers who are interested in snorkeling, swimming, sunbathing as well as hiking, camping and birdwatching in Raja Ampat. My tour routes will lead participants to uninhabited islands and tropical rainforest where visitors can enjoy nature in its fullest.
Itinerary

Uninhabited Island in Raja Ampat

Destination: Raja Ampat islands
Activities: Multi-sport (swimming, snorkeling, camping, birdwatching, village tour, jungle tour, fishing)
Cost: depending on the number of visitors
Booking: Please, contact Charles Roring by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com whatsapp: +6281332245180
Day 1
We shall start our tour by leaving Sorong city by a motorized wooden boat that is operated by local people. Our first destination will be northeast region of Raja Ampat. We will put our bags and logistical supplies at a village and then continue our trip to Isanak beach. We will enjoy snorkeling to see parrotfish, moorish idol, butterflyfish, anemonefish, grouper, and lionfish. After snorkeling, we will walk inside the forest of the island to see its unique plants, flowers, butterflies, lizards and birds. We will return to the village before dark. We could explore the village to see how people live in their daily life. After dinner we will spend one night in a villager's house.

Day 2

Raja Ampat Archipelago Tour

We will continue our previous snorkeling tour to see the underwater marine environment on the other side of the island, we will go back to the village. After lunch, we will continue our adventure by going into the jungle of Mamdifu river to see its rainforest ecosystem. Using binoculars, we shall watch birds such Pink-Spotted Fruit Dove, Kingfisher, Sulphur Crested Cockatoo, Red Bird of Paradise and other tropical birds that live in the forest. We could spend one night camping in the jungle.

Day 3
Early in the morning, we will wake up and go hiking to watch Red Bird of Paradise (Paradisaea rubra). Male paradise birds like to dance in the mornings and in the afternoons to attract their female counterparts for mating. Paradise birds, together with other birds, play important roles in supporting rainforest ecosystem. They spread the seeds of fruits that they eat throughout the forest.
After watching birds of paradise, we shall return to the village for taking a shower and a little rest. We will continue our trip to another small island where we will enjoy snorkeling, sunbathing or catching and grilling fish at its white sandy beach. Overnight stay in the island

Day 4
We will leave the island for a sand bank that is located in the middle of the sea to take pictures of its beautiful scenery, swim or do some birdwatching. After that we will go to Fish Lagoon whose waters are protected by numerous karst islets. We will stop in another coastal village for lunch. Before dark, we will explore the village life.

Day 5
Early in the morning we will return to the Fish Lagoon and climb one of its islands. After taking pictures of its beautiful scenery, we shall leave Raja Ampat for Sorong city again.

Optional: Upon special request with additional cost, we can extend our tour  for several more days in the island. Or we could continue our trip by taking rainforest tour in Klasow valley.

Raja Ampat Adventure Tour

a village in Waigeo island

Raja Ampat islands are located in the western waters of West Papua. The archipelago has become the most recommended destination for visitors who want to see the wealth of marine and forest bio-diversity of the tropical environment.
As a tourist guide, I organize tours to the islands for visitors who want to enjoy snorkeling and free-diving over its pristine coral reef as well as birding and wildlife watching in its rainforest.
Snorkeling

Coral Reef in Raja Ampat

Raja Ampat has got the best coral reef with the highest marine biodiversity in the world. Visitors who go there can enjoy snorkeling and freediving to see turtles, parrotfish, butterflyfish, grouper and surgeonfish, anemonefish, parrotfish, wrass, lionfish, manta and wobbegong sharks.
Birdwatching
There are a lot of birds that live in the forest of Raja Ampat. Some of them that have attracted the attention of birdwatchers include Pink-spotted Fruit Dove, Sulphur Crested Cockatoo, Raja Shelduck, Island Kingfisher, Wilson Bird of Paradise (Cicinnurus respublica) and Red Bird of Paradise (Paradisaea rubra) and a lot more.
Village Tour

Tern

In addition to exploring the coral reef and the tropical rainforest, I also organize trips to some coastal villages where tourists could see how local people live in their daily life.
Empowerment of Local People
For the whole duration of the Adventure Tour in Raja Ampat, we will be fully served by villagers. We will stay at their houses, our food will be cooked by them. We will also explore the sea and the forest with them.
We cannot provide luxurious boat and hotels but we will do our best to serve our customers hoping that local people will get the economic benefits of ecotourism and at the same time preserve the rainforest and marine environment.
What to bring
There are some equipment which visitors need to bring if they want to take this Raja Ampat Adventure Tour

• Snorkeling gear (mask, snorkel, and fins) 
• Life jacket
• Flashlight/ torch
• Binoculars/ Spotting scope (for birdwatchers)

Booking
For customized itinerary and cost of the tour, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com

Birding and Riverwalk Tour in Manokwari Lowland

Birding Tour in Manokwari

As an important destination of birdwatching in West Papua, Manokwari has got several sites for birdwatching. One of them is Mesirrokow forest. It is a lowland area in the west of the regency and suitable for tourists who want to see tropical jungle and watch such birds as Sulphur Crested Cockatoo, Hornbill, Rainbow Lorikeet, Dollarbird, Rainbow Bee-eater, Variable Goshawk, Willie Wagtail, Little-ringed Plover, Eclectus Parrot, and a lot more.

Birding in Mesirrokow forest is relatively easy because most of the activities will be done along the riverside. As visitors walk along the banks, they will be able to watch birds that sit on the branches of big trees or fly over the rivers.

Camping

Sulphur Crested Cockatoo

I provide tents, sleeping bags, cooking and eating utensils, for tourists who want to take the birding and riverwalk tour with me. We will stay in several different campsites during the trip. The longer we stay, the deeper will be the forest that we are going to explore. 

Birding Optics

Birdwatching tourists usually bring binoculars, spotting scope, and telephoto camera such as Nikon Coolpix P900 or Canon SX60HS. Professional photographers usually bring D-SLR camera with telephoto lens and tripod that are heavy. As a tourist guide, I provide a pair of binoculars for visitors who want to see birds in the jungle if they do not have such devices.

What to bring
Most of our activities will be carried out along the river. Here are some articles that visitors should bring or wear: water shoes, flash light/ torch, bathing suit if you want to swim in the river, anti insect-mosquito lotion, sunscreen lotion, clothing that is suitable for tropical weather.
Flights to Manokwari

Birdwatching in Manokwari

Domestic Airlines that fly to Manokwari from Jakarta include Garuda, Xpress Air, Sriwijaya Air, Wings Air and Batik Air and Nam Air.

• Fly from your country to Jakarta or Denpasar in Indonesia
• After that fly to Manokwari city 
• I will meet you at the airport or hotel in Manokwari and organize your trip into the jungle. 

Field Guide Book

Birds of New Guinea written by Thane K. Pratt and Bruce Beehler is the most recommended book for visitors who want to go birding in West Papua.

Please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or whatsapp message to +6281332245180 if you are interested in taking this tour.

Birding in Sorong Regency

Male Lesser Birds of Paradise

Sorong regency has got a nice birding site that is located in Klasow valley. The tropical rainforest that exists in the region is the natural habitat of a lot of species of birds such as Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Beautiful Fruit Dove, Great Cuckoo Dove, Pink-spotted Fruit Dove, Golden Myna, Large Fig Parrot, Red-cheeked Parrot, Moustached Treeswift, Helmetted Friarbird, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, King Bird of Paradise, Lesser Bird of Paradise, Magnificent Riflebird, Northern Cassowary and a lot more.
Visitors usually spend between 3 to 5 days in the jungle of Sorong regency to see these unique New Guinea birds that live in lowland forest of the island. Tourists who go to the valley can stay in a wooden house that was constructed by local people.
As a tourist guide, I organize birding tours for visitors who come from various countries including the United Kingdom, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Indonesia, Sweden, Switzerland, Australia and other countries from North America.

Birding Gear

Wompoo Fruit Dove

To go birding in Klasow valley, visitors need to bring binoculars and if possible, a good spotting scope with at least 20-60×60 magnification. Birds of New Guinea by Thane K. Pratt and Bruce Beehler is a highly recommended field guide book for tourists who want to watch birds in the valley and other places in this region.
Two Different Administrations
New Guinea as the largest tropical island in the world, administratively is devided into 2 territories. The first one is Papua New Guinea - which is an independent state and second one is West Papua - which as the territory of the Republic of Indonesia. There are two provinces in West Papua, i.e. Papua Province with Jayapura as its capital and Papua Barat with Manokwari as its capital. Sorong is part of Papua Barat province.

Nankeen Night Heron

How to reach Klasow valley in Sorong regency

• First, you need to fly from your country to Jakarta (the capital of Indonesia), 
• After that you could choose a domestic airline such as Sriwijaya Air, Garuda, Sriwijaya Air, Lion Air, Nam Air or Batik Air to fly to Sorong city
• I could meet you at Domine Eduard Osok (DEO) airport of Sorong city and organize your trip to Klasow valley.

Alternative flight route:

You could fly from your country to Singapore. After that you could use Silk Air to fly to Manado city in the North Sulawesi province of Indonesia and then continue your trip by Wings Air to Sorong city.

Itinerary

Day 1 Arriving in Sorong city, buying food supply from local market, transfer by 4wd car to Klasow valley in Sorong regency, birding and wildlife watching

Day 2 Birding and wildlife watching

Day 3 Birding and Wildlife watching

Day 4 Birding and Wildlife Watching, return to Sorong city

If you still want to continue your birding trip in other areas of West Papua, I could organize your birding tours to Raja Ampat and Manokwari or even to Numfor island

Booking

Please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by sending whatsapp text message to: +6281332245180