New Guinea Birding Tours
Our birding and logistics experience across the island of New Guinea is unrivalled, and tours run by us have recorded a higher total of endemics than any other operator. Divided into two regions (Indonesia-administered West Papua and the independent nation of Papua New Guinea), the diverse set of spectacular birds found here is unparalleled anywhere else on the planet. At last count, a truly astonishing 490 of them are endemic to the region between Waigeo and Bougainville!
This birding tour company was founded with the incomparable Blue Bird-of-paradise as our logo, a species we have always considered to be one of the most amazing things that evolution has ever produced. Of course it follows that we believe New Guinea to simply have the best birding in the world, and the region is a must for any intrepid global birder.
Indonesia: Central West Papua
From the high Snow Mountains with Macgregor's Honeyeater and Splendid Astrapia, the Nimbokrang Lowlands with Victoria Crowned Pigeon, Shovel-billed Kookaburra and Pale-billed Sicklebill, to the Geelvink Islands of Biak and Numfor with their endemic Paradise Kingfishers.
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Indonesia: Vogelkop West Papua
It is impossible to forget the first time you see a Western Parotia dance, a Black Sicklebill transforming at dawn, or a Wilson’s Bird-of-paradise glowing like fire in the dark forest understory. This is the true “Attenborough Experience"!
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Papua New Guinea: Highlights
In this shortened version of our classic PNG: Mainland tour, over the course of just twelve days we can offer many of the most phenomenal birds found here at a significantly reduced cost. This tour features an excellent chance at seeing all seven endemic bird families, plus more than fifteen dazzling bird-of-paradise species.
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Papua New Guinea: Islands
This unique birding cruise comprehensively explores the archipelagos east of New Guinea, all on a comfortable liveaboard boat with two land-based nights at the end on Manus Island. We expect to record over 65 endemics during the tour, including Superb Pitta, Goldie's Bird-of-paradise, and Mussau Fantail!
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Papua New Guinea: Mainland
Our comprehensive birding tour around classic PNG in search of more than twenty dazzling bird-of-paradise species, and all the hardest endemics to be found in this exciting but challenging country. We should see all seven families endemic to New Guinea, plus other stunners like Spangled Owlet-nightjar and Flame Bowerbird!
Papua New Guinea: Remote Expedition
We periodically offer tours to visit the most remote corners PNG, searching for some of the least-observed birds in the world. Here you will be able to find itineraries for all the expeditions we have previously run, and we encourage you to contact us if any are of particular interest.
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The Ornis Birding Strategy in New Guinea
The eastern half of the island is Papua New Guinea: an independent country which also encompasses the Bismarck Archipelago. We cover all of the top birding sites on our PNG: Mainland tour, and offer a shorter version called PNG: Highlights for those with limited time. Both tours include all seven endemic bird families (we have never failed to get the full set on these itineraries), plus of course a dazzling array of birds-of-paradise and other endemic species.
Our PNG: Islands tour complements these classic trips by visiting the entire Bismarck and Admiralty Archipelago (New Ireland, New Britain, Manus, and Mussau), while sporadic PNG: Remote Expedition trips following varied itineraries have seen us visit almost every possible birding area in the country in recent years (like Bougainville, Rossel, Sudest, the Huon Peninsula, and the Kokoda Track). Thanks to thorough coverage of this challenging but exciting destination, we have seen and photographed numerous species on our tours no other birding company has ever recorded.
On the other side of the border lies Indonesia-administered West Papua: recent ecotourism developments have made it a very comfortable place to visit these days, and birding tours here are much cheaper than in Papua New Guinea. Our most popular itinerary here is Vogelkop West Papua, which visits three different sites (Arfaks, Malagufuk, and Waigeo) where excellent photography hides have been erected at bird-of-paradise display areas. We usually dedicate the first hour after dawn watching these spectacular species attend their courts, and then spend the remainder of the day (and night) looking for all the other endemics to be found in the forests.
Those who can't get enough of New Guinea will inevitably be interested in our complementing Central West Papua trip (to Nimbokrang and the Snow Mountains, plus islands of Biak and Numfor). It is astounding in that even for someone who has done all of our other tours across the island, you could still expect to see around 40 new endemics not gettable on any other itinerary. That is not to mention star species like Victoria Crowned Pigeon, Numfor Paradise Kingfisher, and Macgregor's Honeyeater, three more outstanding birds on the island that has it all. Our bird quests take us on tour to the country's most exciting habitats in search of fascinating species, including several places that few foreigners ever venture!