25 Jun 2025 - 10 Jul 2025 (16 days)
USD7,595 - No Spaces Available
Tour Leader: Glen Valentine
16 Jul 2025 - 31 Jul 2025 (16 days)
USD6,595 - 2 Spaces Available
Tour Leader: Julian Parsons
Tour price (Per person): USD6,595 * GBP5,269 * EUR6,342 * AUD10,157
Single Supplement: USD520 * GBP415 * EUR500 * AUD801
Flight costs: USD890 * GBP711 * EUR856 * AUD1,371
Can be linked with: Indonesia - Bali Birding Extension 2025
24 Jun 2026 - 09 Jul 2026 (16 days)
USD7,900 - 4 Spaces Available
Tour Leader: Glen Valentine
15 Jul 2026 - 30 Jul 2026 (16 days)
USD6,900 - Spaces Available
Tour Leader: André Bernon
Pricing notes : *Prices are estimated and dates may change*
Tour price (Per person): USD6,900 * GBP5,513 * EUR6,636 * AUD10,627
Can be linked with: Indonesia - Bali Birding Extension 2026
Nestled in the tropical waters of Wallacea, the islands of Sulawesi and Halmahera are seldom-visited parts of the Indonesian archipelago as varied in habitat as they are rich in special and endemic birds. From the highland mountains and luxuriant lowland rainforest of Sulawesi to the Australasian influenced Halmahera in the Moluccan ‘Spice Islands’, our tour covers a comprehensive view of the available habitats, maximising our chance of finding the more than one hundred range-restricted bird species confined to this region. A colourful host of parrots, fruit doves, and an awesome assortment of endemic kingfishers are combined with such sought-after avian gems as Ivory-breasted and Sulawesi Pittas, the incredible Maleo, brilliant Purple-bearded Bee-eater, remarkable Knobbed and Sulawesi Hornbills, Purple-winged Roller, monotypic Hylocitrea and an opportunity to watch an extraordinary bird-of-paradise, the Standardwing at its display site.
The largest island of the Moluccan Archipelago, Halmahera was once a vital part of the historical trade of cloves, nutmeg and mace that gave this region the nickname ‘Spice Islands’. The flight into Ternate is spectacular due to its location on an imposing cone-shaped volcanic island, rising over 1,700m above the surrounding sea.
Hylocitrea; Maleo; Geomalia; Malia; Standardwing; Sulawesi & Ivory-breasted Pittas; Knobbed & Sulawesi Hornbills; Moluccan & Sulawesi Scops Owls; Sulawesi Masked Owl; Ochre-bellied, Cinnabar, Halmahera & Speckled Boobooks; Sulawesi & Satanic Nightjars; Purple-bearded Bee-eater; Purple-winged Roller; Moluccan Goshawk; Sulawesi Serpent Eagle; Isabelline Bush-hen; Yellow-flanked Whistler; Black-faced & Pale-headed Munias; Black‐ringed White‐eye; Sulawesi Ground Dove; Grey-headed & Silver-tipped Imperial Pigeons; Sombre Pigeon; Sulawesi Babbler; Fiery-browed Starling; Pale-bellied Myna; Sulawesi Myzomela; Sulawesi & Red-backed Thrushes; Crimson-crowned Flowerpecker; Lilac, Scaly-breasted, Green-backed & Sulawesi Dwarf Kingfishers (amongst 12 species of possible kingfishers); Matinan Blue Flycatcher; Lompobattang & Sulawesi Streaked Flycatchers; Lompobattang Leaf Warbler; Ashy Woodpecker; Yellow-breasted & Golden-mantled Racket-tails.
Celebes Crested, Moor & Tonkean Macaques; Spectral Tarsier; Bear Cuscus; Sulawesi Dwarf Squirrel; Montane & Lowland Long-nosed Squirrels.
montane and lowland forests, volcanic mountains, rice paddies, rivers, islands, beaches
mostly hot to humid with cooler nights and mornings in the highlands
8 with 1 Rockjumper leader & local birding leader
moderate pace with some longer hikes
mostly rustic yet clean and comfortable, including some nights in excellent accommodation
moderate but can be challenging at times
+-240 (with over 80 possible endemics!)
average to reasonable
This was a fabulous tour! Living on the Seahorse and going ashore each day to explore, in many cases, remote and under-birded locations was a truly exciting and wonderful experience. In addition, it was a fabulous and memorable experience to have Glen and Keith Valentine as leaders. They teamed seamlessly and ensured that everyone had a wonderful and got on to the birds. Oh, and of course, the sight of at least 4 male Wilson's Birds-of-Paradise displaying to multiple females was the stuff of dreams! Truly spectacular! And the local guides and drivers were all great, not forgetting the Skipper and crew of the Seahorse! The Buru extension for the Madanga and some of the owls was also so memorable, as were the few days in West Papua. All things considered, a truly wonderful and memorable tour!
The ultimate birding trip: stunning destinations, endemics galore, cruising through the Raja Ampats and Maluku on a lovely wooden boat with wonderful crew and great food, gorgeous sunsets, awesome snorkelling and two of the best Rockjumper guides - Keith and Glen Valentine. And to top it off, Wilson's Bird-of-Paradise!!!!!!!!!
"Glen Valentine is an amazing guide and really made the trip special. He is personable, patient and unflappable. He did a fantastic job of getting everyone on the birds and this was really challenging in many cases. One of the best I’ve experienced. Our local guide was also very good at leading us to key areas and finding difficult birds. Some of the trip was challenging in Sumba, but well worth the effort. Overall, this was a fascinating and rewarding trip to a little known part of the world with lots of really exciting endemic birds!
Glen and Keith Valentine worked seamlessly together to make this one of the best Rockjumper trips! The logistics went well, local guides were great, and the boat was quite comfortable and offered good food and variety. Best of all, the birds were plentiful and everyone got lifers galore. The bros Valentine did everything possible to be sure that everyone got onto the birds and they worked tirelessly doing so. I would travel with either or both of them anywhere, thanks guys!
We had a fantastic time. Everyone looked after us so we’ll, very well organised! Many thanks for putting a together a brilliant birding tour. It was everything we hoped for and more
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
Indonesia - Sulawesi & Halmahera: Wallacean Endemics 2023 - July 2023
Indonesia - Knox (Lesser Sundas) 2023 - January 2023
Indonesia - Remote West Papuan Islands Cruise III 2022 - November 2022