Tour Leader: Dušan Brinkhuizen
Tour Leader: Glen Valentine
Pricing notes : Internal flights or ferry between Ambon & Buru are included in the tour price.
Tour price (Per person): USD4,295 * GBP3,418 * EUR4,118 * AUD6,871
Single Supplement: USD360 * GBP286 * EUR345 * AUD576
Tour Leader: Dušan Brinkhuizen
Tour Leader: Glen Valentine
Pricing notes : Internal flights or ferry between Ambon & Buru are included in the tour price.
Tour price (Per person): USD4,295 * GBP3,418 * EUR4,118 * AUD6,871
Single Supplement: USD360 * GBP286 * EUR345 * AUD576
Tour Leader: Nigel Redman
Tour Leader: Paul Varney
Pricing notes : *Prices are estimated and dates may change* Internal flights or ferry between Ambon & Buru are included in the tour price.
Tour price (Per person): USD4,500 * GBP3,581 * EUR4,314 * AUD7,199
Our Buru Extension explores a beautifully forested island hosting 20 currently recognised endemic species plus several very distinctive, endemic subspecies and localised regional endemics. Some of Buru’s most prized species include Buru Green Pigeon, Buru Racket-tail, Moluccan Masked Owl, Buru Boobook, Buru Dwarf Kingfisher, Buru Thrush, Buru Monarch, Buru Cuckooshrike, Buru Honeyeater and Tawny-backed Fantail among many others, and if we are very lucky, we may even find the strange, once mythical and reputedly nocturnal Black-lored Parrot! Before the tour is finally over, we will have a chance to search for some birds on Ambon, targeting the endemic Ambon White-eye and an evening excursion to Haruku Island for the amazing spectacle of Moluccan Megapodes attending their breeding area.
Endemics: Buru Green Pigeon, Buru Mountain Pigeon, Buru Racket-tail, Black-lored Parrot, Blue-fronted Lorikeet, Buru Dwarf Kingfisher, Buru Cuckooshrike, Buru Golden Bulbul, Black-eared Oriole, Buru Thrush, Black-faced Friarbird, Buru Honeyeater, Black-tipped Monarch, Streak-breasted Jungle Flycatcher, Flame-breasted Flowerpecker, Buru White-eye, Tawny-backed Fantail, Madanga Additional targets: Dusky (Forsten’s) Megapode, Hantu (Buru) Boobook, Moluccan King Parrot, Red Lory, Moluccan Masked Owl, Moluccan Cuckoo, Moluccan Scops Owl, Great-billed Parrot, South Moluccan Pitta, Claret-breasted Fruit Dove, Metallic Pigeon, Chestnut-backed (Buru) Bush Warbler, Island (Buru) Leaf Warbler, Wakolo (Buru) Myzomela, Cinnamon-chested Flycatcher, Moluccan Flycatcher, Pale Cicadabird, Drab Whistler, (Buru) Spangled Drongo, Mountain White-eye & Black-faced Munia
tropical lowland evergreen & semi-evergreen rainforest, montane forest, woodland, savanna, scrub, coastline
hot and humid with tropical showers in the lowlands, cooler in the mountains with showers and fog possible
8 with 1 Rockjumper leader / 14 with 2 Rockjumper leaders
Moderate, suitable for most birding / wildlife interest levels. Many early starts & late endings to the day since the tour operates during the austral summer. Several night birds to be found. Hot & humid conditions throughout, coupled with low-density birding. Most island birding sessions are optional, so one can stay on the vessel and relax instead.
Comfortable to very comfortable. The rooms on the ship are somewhat on the small side with limited storage room. Otherwise, everything on board is extremely comfortable & well organised.
Mostly moderate but varying from challenging at times to easy & rewarding. Many target species do show well. However, mostly forested habitat coupled with low density means that birding can be slow /
80 - 90
Ranges from very good to challenging, depending on habitat & situation. Some dedicated hides at bird-of-paradise display leks provide for superb photography. Mostly rewarding / worthwhile.
This is a fantastic tour and it gave us a rare, unique and unforgettable experience. We are in awe of the complex logistics required to make this tour run so smoothly. Everything ran like clockwork. The leaders, Lev and David, the ship’s crew, the local teams of guides and the lovely drivers were amazing. Everyone was so friendly. The efforts that everyone went to to find the special birds of these remote islands were above and beyond! The food was very good throughout, in summary the experience was amazing!
Both my husband and I found Lev to be an excellent guide. He was both personable and knowledgeable. I especially appreciated his calm demeanor when I was unable to immediately get on a bird in the field. His photographic skills also assisted in occasionally clinching an ID of a far-off bird. And, I and others on the Tour appreciated his willingness and ability to digiscope special birds - to be be later airdropped with each other! Lev is a real, and multi-faceted, gem.
This was an adventure to be sure. The places we traveled were indeed remote and with the exception of larger cities like Ambon & Sorong inhabited by few people. This was my first trip to Indonesia and was an adventure to even get to Ambon. However, the Indonesian people must be the kindest most helpful people in the world. The boat was lovely and this amazing trip had so many interworking pieces -- moving from the Indo Seamore to the shore for the next adventure, disembarking at various kinds of dock, piers, rocks, etc, meeting up with our vehicles for rides up into the hills -- everything worked like clockwork. We saw so many fabulous birds thanks to our super guides, David Hoddinott and Lev Frid. The two guides were so helpful and informative; I would gladly travel with either of them or both in the future. However, I have to say that this trip was just about at the limit of my ability. I would never have seen the birds I did without the help of David & Lev and our various local guides and drivers. I think only Rockjumper could have pulled this tour off.
"It was a wonderful adventure, fulfilling all the promises in your advertising. Adam is amazing. His knowledge of Indonesian birds and their vocalizations is phenomenal. He was extremely patient, waiting for endemics and other special birds to become visible and making sure that we could all see each and every one. Not only that, Adam was also an excellent travel companion."
My thanks to Keith and Glen Valentine for taking so much time in getting me on the birds. They are so patient and really nice.
Indonesia - Buru Extension II 2024 - November 2024
Indonesia - Remote West Papuan Islands Cruise II 2024 - November 2024
Indonesia - Remote West Papuan Islands Cruise I 2024 - October 2024
Indonesia - Sumatra & Java 2024 - August 2024
Indonesia - Lesser Sundas Endemics 2024 - August 2024
Indonesia - Bali Birding Extension 2024 - August 2024
Indonesia - Sulawesi & Halmahera: Wallacean Endemics 2024 - July 2024
Indonesia - Highlights of the East: Sulawesi, Moluccas & Papua 2024 - July 2024
Indonesia - Buru Extension II 2023 - November 2023
Indonesia - Remote West Papuan Islands Cruise II 2023 - November 2023
Indonesia - Buru Extension I 2023 - November 2023
Indonesia - West Papua: Arfak Extension 2023 - October 2023
Indonesia - Remote West Papuan Islands Cruise I 2023 - October 2023
Indonesia - Remote West Papuan Islands Cruise IV 2023 - October 2023
Indonesia - Buru Extension III 2023 - October 2023
Indonesia - Kai Islands Extension 2023 - September 2023
Indonesia - Banda Sea Cruise 2023 - August 2023
Indonesia - Allanson - Flores Endemics 2023 - August 2023
Indonesia - Sulawesi & Halmahera: Wallacean Endemics (Small Group) 2023 - July 2023
Indonesia - Highlights of the East: Sulawesi, Moluccas & Papua II 2023 - July 2023