Day 1: Evening arrivals into Jakarta International Airport (CGK). Night in Jakarta at a hotel near the airport. If anyone wishes to arrive the previous evening to allow a boat trip into Jakarta Bay for Milky Stork early in the morning of Day 1, please let us know at the time of booking.

Day 2: Early morning departure towards Gunung Halimun-Salak National Park, arriving in time for an afternoon and evening session of birding. Night at Ceikini Research Station.

Day 3: Full day inside the national park with an abundance of native species to see. Most important is the beautiful Spotted Crocias which are often difficult elsewhere, alongside Javan Trogon, Javan Leafbird, Javan Hawk-Eagle, Flame-fronted Barbet, White-breasted, White-bibbed and Crescent-chested Babblers, Javan Bulbul, Javan Spiderhunter, Javan Sunbird, Melodious Bulbul, “Javan” Banded Broadbill, “Javan” Brown Prinia, with an outside chance for the rare endemic Zebra Woodpecker. Spotlighting gives us our first chance for the fiery-eyed Javan Scops Owl, and lovely Javan Frogmouth. Mammals could include Javan Surili, Javan Lutung, Javan Gibbon, and Javan Small-toothed Palm Civet. Night at Ceikini Research Station.

Day 4: We will spend some time this morning in search of species we missed the previous day before driving east to Cibodas at the base of Gunung Gede to prepare for our overnight expedition up the slope. We will try to see Salvadori’s Nightjar tonight, just behind our rooms! Night at Cibodas.

Day 5-6: Exploring the hiking trail towards the summit of Gunung Gede is likely to be a highlight of the tour, with the majority of Java’s endemic birds found here. The walk up is steep in places, but at a leisurely birding pace we expect to search out the Critically Endangered Rufous-fronted Laughingthrush, Javan Cochoa, Chestnut-bellied Partridge, Javan Scimitar Babbler, White-flanked Sunbird, Pygmy Tit, Javan Tesia, Javan Fulvetta, Javan Shortwing, Rufous-tailed Fantail, Pink-headed Fruit Dove, Sangkar White-eye, Trilling and Pied Shrike-babblers, “Javan” Sunda Blue Robin, Tawny-breasted Parrotfinch, Blue Nuthatch and Fire-tufted Barbet with a slim chance for Indonesian Serin.

Day 7: We have the morning to bird around Cibodas in search of Sunda Thrush, Javan Kingfisher, Yellow-throated Hanging-parrot and “Javan” White-crowned Forktail before making our way to Bandung for an overnight stay. 

Day 8: Early this morning we will ascend Gunung Tangkuban to see the enigmatic Volcano Swiftlet, and maybe Sundaic Island Thrush with a bit of extra luck. We'll then take a long drive east to Pekalongan. 

Day 9: Morning visit to the new feeding hide for a pair of Critically Endangered Javan Blue-banded Kingfisher, which have been reliable for the last few years. Nearby forest is particularly good for Brown-throated Barbet, and we have our first chance for Javan Bush Warbler. We may see Javan Munia in the area before heading east again, bound for Surabaya. 

Day 10: At a patch of mangroves on the edge of town we will search for the rapidly declining Javan White-eye, which we will hopefully still be able to find alongside Javan Plover, Javan Coucal, White-headed Munia, and the beautiful Cerulean Kingfisher. We will then embark on one last long drive to the east coast. Night in Banyuangi.

Day 11-12-13: Using our comfortable hotel as a base, we will spend three full days dividing our time between Baluran National Park, Alas Purwo National Park, and the Ijen Plateu. Nights in Banyuangi.

The dry savannah of Baluran is characterised by an abundance of Green Junglefowl, Green Peafowl, and Timor Deer, but our primary target will be the Critically Endangered Black-winged Myna, with a dozen or so pairs still surviving in the park. We also hope to encounter Java Sparrow, Javan Flameback, Javan Banded Pitta, Javan Cuckooshrike, Grey-cheeked Tit Babbler, the recently split Javan Black-capped Babbler, Grey-cheeked Green Pigeon, the lowland “Javan” Scarlet Minivet, and Sunda Collared Dove. Alas Purwo holds many similar species, but is noteworthy in being the last remaining stronghold for Javan Blue Flycatcher, and also a good spot to see Ruby-throated Bulbul. 

Beautiful hill forest at Ijen offers some very pleasant roadside birding, but with luck the new feeding stations will allow us to obtain some excellent views of the East Javan endemic Grey-breasted Partridge alongside usually skulky "Horsfield’s" Scaly Thrush and Javan Whistling Thrush. We also have a second chance for several species we may have missed in the west, including Dark-backed Imperial Pigeon, Orange-spotted Bulbul, White-bellied Fantail, Black-banded and Yellow-eared Barbets, Javan Helia (aka Mees’s White-eye), Javan Bush Warbler, and Javan Owlet.

Day 14: After some final birding we will catch the ferry across the Bali and begin our exploration this afternoon. Night in Gilimanuk.

Day 15: Bali Barat National Park at the far north-west of the island is most famous for a protected population of beautiful Bali Myna, surely one of the most beautiful birds in Asia. During our day birding we will also keep an eye out for a few species we may still need such as Javan Banded Pitta, Ruby-throated Bulbul and Fulvous-chested Jungle Flycatcher. Night in Gilimanuk.

Day 16: After a final morning session to target Javan Owlet and White-capped Munia (which are always tricky and we may still need to see!), we will drive to Denpasar International Airport (DPS) where the tour ends this afternoon.

Read our 2023 trip report here!

JAVAN WOODCOCK EXTENSION

Currently there is a reliable site to see Javan Woodcock, but it requires a lengthy hike and a few extra days. Please let us know at the time of booking if this is of interest to you, and we will provide an update closer to the date.