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Indonesia - Highlights of the West: Greater Sundas & Dragons

© Crested Fireback by Glen Valentine
Indonesia - Highlights of the West: Greater Sundas & Dragons 2025

02 Jul 2025 - 15 Jul 2025 (14 days)

USD6,095 - No Spaces Available

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Tour Leader: Stephan Lorenz

Tour price (Per person): USD6,095 * GBP4,875 * EUR5,862 * AUD9,704

Single Supplement: USD610 * GBP488 * EUR587 * AUD971

Flight costs: USD490 * GBP392 * EUR471 * AUD780

Indonesia - Highlights of the West: Greater Sundas & Dragons 2026

18 Jul 2026 - 31 Jul 2026 (14 days)

USD6,300 - Spaces Available

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Tour Leader: Stephan Lorenz

Pricing notes : *Prices are estimated and dates may change*

Tour price (Per person): USD6,300 * GBP5,039 * EUR6,059 * AUD10,030

Indonesia, spread across 17,508 islands and boasting over 1,600 bird species and nearly 400 endemics (more than any other nation in the world), cannot be ignored by the international birder! Delving first into Western Indonesia, we base ourselves on the island of Flores in the Lesser Sundas. Here we search for an array of ornate species such as Glittering Kingfisher, sensational Elegant Pitta, Wallace’s Hanging Parrot, Leaf Lorikeet and the bizarre Bare-throated Whistler before embarking on one of the undoubted highlights of the trip to Komodo Island. Here, 10ft long Komodo Dragons roam this almost prehistoric paradise alongside Green Junglefowl and the beautiful, Critically Endangered Yellow-crested Cockatoo.

A short flight takes us to the island of Bali, most famous as a beach tourism Mecca. Situated near the famous Bali Barat National Park, we target the few remaining truly wild Bali Starlings, alongside a supporting cast of Black-winged Starling, Cerulean Kingfisher and Javan Banded Pitta! Departing Bali, we head to the Indonesian capital of Jakarta, to explore the Javan hot spots of Cibodas and Gunung Gede National Park. These fabulous montane birding spots host all the possible Javan endemics, and we shall bird diligently for such highlights as Javan Trogon, Javan Kingfisher, Flame-fronted Barbet, Pygmy Tit, Orange-spotted Bulbul, Javan Hawk-Eagle, Javan Tesia and Yellow-throated Hanging Parrots.

We depart Java on a short flight to southern Sumatra and head to Way Kambas National Park. Producing arguably the best nocturnal birding in the whole of south-east Asia, Way Kambas gives us excellent opportunities for such tantalising species as the bizarre Oriental Bay Owl, Sunda and Reddish Scops Owls and Buffy Fish Owl as well as Gould’s, Sunda, Blyth’s and the rare Large Frogmouth. Not that we will bird at night only, for the forests here hold many delights, including the marvellous Hooded and Malayan Banded Pittas, the strange mesite-like Rail-babbler, placed in its own monotypic family, Crested Fireback, Banded and Oriental Dwarf Kingfishers, White-crowned Forktail and Rufous-tailed Shama!

Top Birds

Bali Starling, White-winged Duck, Flores, Wallace’s, Reddish and Moluccan Scops Owls, Yellow-crested Cockatoo, Rail-babbler, Crested Fireback, Crested Partridge, Banded, Black-and-yellow, Black-and-red, Dusky & Green Broadbills, Javan Kingfisher, Javan Banded, Malayan Banded, Hooded & Elegant Pitta, Java Sparrow, Javan Plover, Javan, Scarlet-rumped, Diard’s & Red-naped Trogon, Oriental Bay Owl, White-browed Shortwing, Rusty-breasted, Violet & Sunda Cuckoo, Sunda Thrush, Dark-backed & Green Imperial Pigeon, Bare-throated Whistler, Leaf Lorikeet, Russet-capped Tesia, Thick-billed Heleia, Wallace’s Hanging Parrot, Flores Monarch, Chestnut-capped Thrush, Green Junglefowl, Orange-footed Scrubfowl, Little Cuckoo-Dove, Blue-tailed Bee-eater, Beach Thick-knee, White-tailed Tropicbird, Bulwer’s Petrel, Black-thighed Falconet, Pink-necked Green Pigeon, Chestnut-breasted, Raffles’s & Chestnut-bellied Malkoha, White-shouldered Triller, Racket-tailed Treepie, Olive-backed Tailorbird, White-breasted Woodswallow, Large-tailed, Malaysian & Bonaparte’s Nightjar, Lemon-bellied White-eye, Black-banded Barbet, Javan Flameback, Javan Cuckooshrike, Scarlet Minivet, Ruby-throated Bulbuls, Pale-bellied (or Javan) Myna, Sunda Teal, Javan Owlet, Buffy Fish Owl, Sunda Coucal, Javan White-eye, Yellow Bittern, White-flanked Sunbird, Trilling Shrike-Babbler, Salvadori’s Nightjar, Brown-throated & Flame-fronted Barbets, Pygmy Bushtit, Mees’s White-eye, Javan Hawk-Eagle, Javan Trogon, White-flanked Sunbird, Volcano Swiftlet, Yellow-throated Hanging Parrot, Blue Nuthatch, Crescent-chested Babbler, Orange-spotted Bulbul, Rufous-tailed Fantail, Chestnut-bellied Partridge, Javan Scops Owl, Javan Owlet, Spotted Crocias, Rufous-fronted Laughingthrush, Gould’s, Sunda, Blyth’s & Large Frogmouth, Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot, Slender-billed Crow, Javan Munia, Lesser Adjutant, Storm’s Stork, Black, Bushy-crested, Wrinkled, White-crowned, Cinnamon-headed Green Pigeon, Purple-naped, Ruby-cheeked, Plain & Crimson Sunbird, Orange-bellied, Golden-rumped, Scarlet-headed, Crimson-breasted & Yellow-breasted Flowerpecker, Checker-throated, Crimson-winged, Rufous, Buff-necked, Grey-and-buff, Maroon & Sunda Woodpecker.

Top Mammals

Asian Palm Civet, Bottle-nosed Dolphin, Dugong, Crab-eating, Long-tailed & Pig-tailed Macaque, Ebony, Mitred & Sundaic Silvered Leaf Monkey, Javan Rusa Deer, Asian Palm & Black Giant Squirrel, Indian Muntjac, Barking Deer, Sunda Pangolin, Agile Gibbon, Siamang, Greater & Lesser Mouse Deer, Sunda Clouded Leopard, Asiatic Golden, Leopard, Marbled, Fishing and Flat-headed Cats, Binturong, Sunda Colugo, Malayan Porcupine and Sunda Slow Loris, Banded, Masked & Small-toothed Palm Civets, Malay Civet, Red Giant Flying Squirrel and Yellow-throated Marten

Habitats Covered

montane and lowland forests, volcanic mountains, rice paddies, rivers, islands, beaches

Expected Climate

mostly hot to humid with cooler nights and mornings in the highlands

Max Group Size

8 with 1 Rockjumper leader and 1 local leader

Tour Pace & Walking

relaxed pace with some longer hikes

Accommodation

variable between rustic and excellent

Ease of Birding

moderate but can be challenging at times

Other Attractions

Komodo Dragon

Photographic Opportunities

good to very good

What our clients say about us

Lev Frid
FH, Indonesia 2022

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.

Keith Valentine
RB, Remote West Papuan Islands 2017

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!

Lev Frid
EL, Indonesia 2022

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.

Glen Valentine
CM, Remote West Papuan Islands Cruise & Buru Extension 2017

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!

Glen Valentine
MM, Remote Indonesian Islands Cruise 2017

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.

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