SICKLEBILL SAFARIS Web: www.sicklebillsafaris.com

This two week tour visits the majority of the top birding sites on mainland PNG. including the Varirata National Park on the Sogeri Plateau above Port Moresby, Kumul Lodge in the Highlands and the lowland and hill forest destinations of Kiunga and Tabubil in Western Province. An extension to the world famous Ambua Lodge is also a possibility. While we will be concentrating on getting as many species of Birds of Paradise as possible, we will also be looking for other New Guinea specialities particularly the brighter and more colourful parrots,

opportunities at various locations during the tour

DifficultyParticipants need to be in good health and of a reasonable

clad mountainsides and, while we try to keep them at a minimum, there can be steep muddy trails to be negotiated somewhere during the trip.

Expect rain at various locations and while the area around Kumul at 2800m will be quite cool and even cold at night,. around Port Moresby and Kiunga it may be hot and humid.

AccommodationsIn Port Moresby Kiunga and Tabubil accommodation is in

comfortable western style hotels. Kumul Lodge is a well appointed westernised landowner lodge made of bush materials Kwatu Lodge up river in the Kiunga lowlands is a very basic landowner lodge also made of bush materials, with pit toilets and cold water showers. However its location, situated slap in the middle of some wonderful pristine lowland forest, more than makes up for its lack of facilities.

PNG - “GREATEST HITS”

Raggiana Bird of Paradise ⓒJun Matsui

Ke y S p e c i e s

Pi n k- s p o t te d Fr u i t-D o v e , Pa p u a n L o r i ke e t , Re d -c h e e ke d Pa r r o t , B l a c k-

c a p p e d L o r y, B r o w n -h e a d e d Pa r a d i s e & Ye l l o w -

b i l l e d K i n g f i s h e r s , C r e s te d S a t i n b i r d , B l u e , K i n g o f S a x o n y, L e s s e r,

K i n g , Ra g g i a n a a n d S u p e r b B o P, B r o w n S i c k l e b i l l ,

R i b b o n - t a i l e d & Pr i n c e s s S te p h a n i e ’s A s t r a p i a , Ti t-

B e r r y p e c ke r

Twelve -wired Bird of ParadiseⓒPhil Gregory

NG Highlands ⓒJun Matsui

Birds of Paradise andmuch more.

SICKLEBILL SAFARIS Web: www.sicklebillsafaris.com

This is a short tour designed for people who would like to get the greatest number of New Guinea specials in the shortest amount of time. With between 15-20 species of bird of paradise possible this is a great introduction to PNG birding.This tour offers a good chance for at least one member of all seven New Guinea endemic bird families.

Day 1 : Arrive in Port Moresby. A short tour of the Port Moresby area can be arranged for those who arrive in time to take advantage of it.Day 2 : Full day guided birding at Varirata National Park. Located on the Sogeri Plateau above Port Moresby this is a great birding spot. The Raggiana Bird-of-Paradise have a lek tree here, there are 6+ species of kingfisher including Brown-headed Paradise-Kingfisher and Yellow-billed Kingfisher, plus at least 7 species of dove not to mention Red-cheeked Parrots, Barred Owlet-nightjar and perhaps a Chestnut-backed Jewel-babbler or Painted Quail-Thrush.Day 3 : A second morning up at Varirata should prove very rewarding with an afternoon visit to the PAU ponds,where Wandering and Spotted Whistling Ducks, Papuan Frogmouth and Fawn-breasted Bowerbird are amongst the species which can be seen.Day 4 :We take the early plane over to Kiunga on the Fly River in Western Province. Located in the midst of a huge area of lowland rainforest this is a great birding destination. Palm Cockatoo, Greater Bird of Paradise, Trumpet Manucode and Obscure Honeyeater are all possibilities here.Day 5 : Taking a boat up the Fly and Elevala Rivers to Kwatu landowner lodge we enter an area of pristine rainforest. We will be looking for 12-wired and King Bird of Paradise , Channel -billed Cuckoo, Common and and Red-bellied Pittas, Blue Jewel-Babbler and the huge Southern Crowned Pigeon. Nightbirds can include the almost unknown Wallace’s and Starry Owlet-nightjars, and Marbled FrogmouthDay 6 : Full day birding the Kwatu area.Day 7 : Morning around Kwatu and then return to Kiunga by boat..Day 8 : With an early morning stop at the Flame Bowerbird lek, travel up the narrow winding road we will head towards the mining town of Tabubil in the foothills of the Star Mountains. Pesquet’s (Vulturine) Parrots Day 9 : Full day guided birding in the Tabubil area. Salvadori’s Teal,

Papuan FrogmouthⓒJun Matsui

Island Thrushⓒ Jun Matsui

G r e a t e s t H i t s It i n e r a r y

Kwatu Wharf ⓒJun Matsui

This tour can be extended by the addition of side trips to other great birding sites

depending on the availability of time and

budget constraints.

Why not consider Ambua Lodge in the Southern Highlands or perhaps a

complete change of scene with a visit to the islands of New Britain ,New Ireland,

Manus and/or Bougainville?

SICKLEBILL SAFARIS Web: www.sicklebillsafaris.com

and Obscure Berrypecker are amongst our target birds as is the crepuscular Shovel- .Day 10 :Taking the early flight over to Mt Hagen we will spend the next 3 nights at Kumul Lodge, a photographer’s dream where birds of paradise are amongst the visitors to the feeder. Brown Sicklebill, Ribbon-tailed Astrapia, Archbold’s Bowerbird, Brehm’s Tiger Parrot, Crested Berrypecker, Fan-tailed Berrypecker and Smoky Honeyeater can all be seen in the vicinity of the Lodge.Day 11 : Full day birding the Kumul area. Superb and perhaps Lesser Bird-of-Paradise likely.Day 12 : Morning birding the Kumul area, checking a site for the rare Blue Bird of Paradise and another trail for the spectacular King-of-Saxony Bird of Paradise, with the afternoon option of a cultural tour to the local village, with birding on the way. Day 13 : Leaving Kumul we take fly back to Port Moresby where we have lunch and then spend some time in the Port Moresby environs before taking our evening flight back to Cairns.

Please note that there may be no evening flight to your chosen destination and an extra overnight in Port Moresby may be required.

Cost includes: Flights ex Australia, accommodation, food, transport, guides and site fees. as per itinerary.

It does not include: visas, drinks and snacks, laundry, personal items.

Village HouseⓒJun Matsui

G r e a t e s t H i t s It i n e r a r y

OK Tedi ⓒPhil Gregory

Southern-crowned Pigeon near Kwatu LodgeⓒJun Matsui

Blyth’s HornbillⓒJun Matsui