Day 1: Arrival in Lae

We arrive in Lae and spend a night in this city on the north-east coastline of New Guinea. 

Day 2: Lae to Wasu

Early this morning we transfer to Wasu by charter flight. We will then be transferred from the Wasu airstrip where the great range of the Huon Mountains lies in front of us to the birding camp in the Huon Mountains. We will settle into the camp with its stand-up tents and cot beds – about as comfortable as one could expect in the wilderness that is surrounding us. Given that we are at medium-altitude the temperatures are comfortable. By this afternoon we will be birding, seeking out our first exciting Huon endemics!

Days 3-5: Full days birding Huon Peninsula

With our eyes on the enigmatic prizes of these highlands we will be focused on the big-3: the mornings yield our best chances for the inverted-displays of the Emperor Bird-of-paradise. Named after Wilhelm II, the last Emperor of Prussia, I think it’s a fair bit better-looking, and we hope to get great looks at these – the last BOP described to science, emphasizing the remoteness of this part of PNG. Next, we need to drive to higher-altitudes, and into the sub-montane Scheffleria-dominated scrub to look for the Huon Astrapia, a paddle-tailed beast of epic proportions. Our focus will then shift to Wahne’s Parotia. If we are very lucky our local guides will have found a display ground earlier in the season, and we may be able to approach that and hope for views of the males, maybe even doing a dance! Of course, while the BOPs are the main course, we will also be looking for the other montane endemics of this region including Huon Melidectes, Spangled Honeyeater, and several potential splits including the lucifer race of Cinnamon-browed (Lucifer’s) Melidectes, plumbeicollis race of Pink-spotted (Huon) fruit-Dove, amabilis race of the reclusive Spotted (Huon) Jewel-babbler, and the germana race of MacGregor’s (Huon) Bowerbird. This mountain range also holds some monotypic New-Guinea-endemic families that may be targets for some family-hunters and we’ll watching out for the somber but unique Mottled Berryhunter and Blue-capped Ifrit! Other New-Guinea-endemic families are represented by Streaked, Mid-mountain and Fan-tailed Berrypecker. Other “BOP”s on the mountain include the latipennis race of Superb BOP (or Lophorina) and Growling Riflebird. High-quality raptors include the low-density Papuan Harpy Eagle and Black-mantled Goshawk. Parrots and doves are well-represented with the odd-looking Pesquet’s (Vulturine) Parrot, Papuan and Orange-billed Lorikeet, Dusky Lory, Red-breasted and Buff-faced Pygmy Parrot, Double-eyed Fig Parrot, Great Cuckoo-Dove, Ornate Fruit Dove, and Rufescent Imperial Pigeon all present. Other great birds include Sclater’s, Brown-backed and Regent Whistler, Canary and Lemon-bellied Flyrobin, Mountain and Hook-billed Kingfishers, Papuan Sitella, Red-collared and Mountain Red-headed Myzomela, Black Monarch, Black-breasted Boatbill, Buff-faced Scrubwren, Brown-breasted Gerygone, Great Woodswallow, Blue-grey Robin and White-shouldered and Orange-crowned Fairywren.

Day 6: Huon to Lae

This morning we pack up and transfer back to the airstrip, where we return to Lae for another overnight, and the comforts of a city hotel. 

Day 7: Lae to Port Moresby

Depending on the flight times from Lae we may have some time for some local birding at the PAU gardens or some other forest on the outskirts of Port Moresby. Night in Port Moresby. 

Day 8: Port Moresby to Normanby Island

We fly to Gurney Airport in Alotau, and then transfer by vehicle to East Cape Point before boarding a small outboard boat for the two-hour transfer to Normanby Island, part of the D’Entrecasteaux Archipelago. On the crossing we might see Black and Brown Noddies, Bridled Tern, frigatebirds and boobies. We arrive at our simple guest house where we will be based the next few nights. After settling in, we will bird the nearby surroundings, and of course begin our search for our first endemic bird-of-paradise, the odd-shaped and very local Curl-crested Manucode giving its last moaning calls before the sunset, and maybe the very local Purple–bellied Lory or Yellow-billed Kingfisher. Post-dinner spotlighting may reveal Marbled Frogmouth, Barred Owlet-Nightjar and Jungle Boobook (endemic goldii taxon a potential split). 

Day 9: Normanby Island

After an early breakfast we head to the higher ground above Sibonia. It’s a tough walk with some river crossings but reaching the lek-tree of Goldie’s Bird-of-Paradise with several individuals displaying 8-10m above our heads is an epic and delightful experience making the walk all worthwhile. Up here Papuan Hornbill and Trumpet Manucode are also possibilities. After a picnic lunch, we walk slowly back down to the coast, looking for Louisiade Imperial-Pigeon (formerly lumped with Pinon), Spot-winged, Black-faced, Golden and Hooded monarchs, New-Guinea Dwarf Kingfisher, Papuan Pitta, Slender-billed and Grey-headed Cuckooshrike, Island Monarch, Torrent Flyrobin, Spectacled (endemic fergussonis spp) and Pygmy Longbills, Hooded Butcherbird and Grey Crow. Another night in the homestay. 

Day 10: Duchess Island/Ulumwa

After breakfast we take the dinghy and transfer to Duchess Island where we hope to catch up with Claret-breasted Fruit-Dove (local vicinis spp) as well as Nicobar Pigeon, Island (Grey) Imperial-Pigeon (local postrema spp), ‘Grey-tailed’ Rufous Fantail, the local form of Golden Whistler (which is a surefire split) and Louisiade White-eye. If the birds fall fairly easily, this island is surrounded by pristine coral reefs and offers a wonderful snorkeling spot (gear and fees not included), which will be enjoyable after our picnic lunch. Once we are done for the day, we will return to Normanby and our guest house. Other good species on our wanderings here might include Stephan’s Ground-Dove, Orange-fronted and Superb fruit-doves, Zoe and Pied imperial-pigeons, Black-capped Lory, Double-eyed Fig-parrot, Dwarf Koel, Channel-billed Cuckoo, Yellow-billed, Little and Azure kingfishers, Leaden, Satin and Shining flycatchers, Little Shrike-thrush, Black-fronted White-eye, Papuan Black Myzomela, Puff-backed Meliphaga, and Varied, Tawny-breasted and Brown-backed honeyeaters. Overnight on Normanby Island.

Day 11: Normanby to Port Moresby

After a final night on the island paradise of the D’Entrecasteaux Archipelago we start our return journey to Port Moresby. The tour end here for except for those joining the optional New Britain extension, where the excitement continues.

PACE: Moderate. This tour will require long days in the fields and early starts on most days. On some portions of the trip, especially those spent in the hot lowlands, we will have some time off in the middle of the day. At higher elevations, in the Huon mountains, the birding can stay active all day, and we will have a more intense pace.

PHYSICAL DIFFICULTY: Moderate, occasionally difficult. A lot of the birding is on dirt roads and easy logging tracks and trails, although there will also be one difficult hike, which is optional. Most of the walking in the Huon is easy, as it is done from the roads. There are some short walks into the forest to get to territories for secretive or displaying birds at various locations. One challenging walk is required on Normanby Island to reach the lekking tree of the Goldie’s Bird-of-paradise. This requires a moderate level of fitness and involves a 400m elevational gain over 3 km on trails. The general birding is very challenging, but fortunately the birds-of-paradise are usually not difficult to see. There are no long drives on this tour (most are up to around 2-3 hours), but many of the roads are unpaved and in poor condition.

CLIMATE: Hot and humid around Port Moresby, D’Entrecasteaux Archipelago and New Britain (extension). Generally pleasant in the Huon mountains, and early mornings at higher altitudes can be downright cold. Expect some rain, often heavy, at any time.

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ACCOMMODATION: At Port Moresby and Lae, we’ll stay in fairly good hotels with air conditioning. New Britian is positively plush at the magical Walindi Dive Resort. All of these places have private bathrooms, hot water, and electricity. At Huon we stay in well-appointed tents (that you can stand up in) with cot beds. Generator electricity and solar ‘showers’ provide a surprisingly moderately high level of comfort considering the conditions. At Normanby we will be in a simple homestay, with thatched huts with cots. There is no electricity or running water. Cold water for showers, and bucket showers may be the only options. Very little wifi is available, even at the comfortable large town hotels.

ADVENTURE: This trip requires participants with an adventurous spirit. We are visiting some of the most remote parts of one of the wildest islands on the planet. Although physically things may be relatively easy, there may well be surprises during the travel and we will need to understand that things work differently in New Guinea to practically anywhere else on the planet. The accommodation is rustic. But the places we visit are wild, pristine and very seldom seen by anyone, including dedicated adventure naturalists.

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*Special Note for PNG Tours: Even though this tour starts in Lae, we strongly recommend that our office staff book your international flight to Port Moresby, which usually departs from Brisbane, and from there to Lae. This makes it easier to book some of the internal flights and usually gives you an additional luggage allowance. We do not include the cost of internal flights in the tour price due to fluctuations in airfares and exchange rates, and possible schedule changes. It is possible that the final itinerary for this tour will be different from the one given above. Flight schedules in Papua New Guinea are complicated and ever-changing. Most flights only operate only on certain days of the week, and the itinerary above is based entirely on those schedules. We will monitor the situation and adapt our itinerary as necessary. Flights can even change on a moment’s notice based on weather conditions (or even the whims of the airline!), so last-minute modifications are also a distinct possibility. Papua New Guinea is an underdeveloped country. While we endeavor to use the best providers possible, sub-par service (e.g. uncomfortable or poorly-maintained vehicles, fuel shortages, cancelled or redirected flights) can sometimes cause inconveniences to travelers. Every tour company running trips here has to deal with this, and we feel it is best to inform you beforehand, as it can be quite disconcerting considering the costs involved in visiting this country.

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