31 Jul 2025 - 09 Aug 2025 (10 days)
PGK19,950 - 4 Spaces Available
Tour Leader: Daniel Danckwerts
Tour price (Per person): PGK19,950 * USD4,955 * GBP3,955 * EUR4,759 * AUD7,630
Single Supplement: PGK2,500 * USD621 * GBP496 * EUR596 * AUD956
Flight costs: PGK1,174 * USD292 * GBP233 * EUR280 * AUD449
Our Papua New Guinea Highlights tour has been specifically crafted to take in the region’s very best sites, from Mount Hagen and Rondon Ridge to the lowlands of Varirata, and is designed for those with less time to spare in the field, yet still wishing for a comprehensive overview of this exceptional land. Time is spent in areas rich with avian diversity giving ample opportunity for finding many of the area’s most sought-after species including representatives from all of Papua New Guinea's endemic bird families. Fabulous birds-of-paradise will also feature highly, while we will also enjoy some incredible fruit doves, kingfishers, parrots, honeyeaters, and bowerbirds.
15+ Bird-of-paradise species!, Zoe’s Imperial Pigeon; Pheasant Pigeon, Wattled Ploughbill, Crested Satinbird, Painted Quail-thrush, Brehm’s Tiger Parrot, Papuan Lorikeet, Lesser Melampitta, Emperor Fairywren, Crested Berrypecker, Mottled Berryhunter, Mountain Firetail
Spectacled Dasyure, Black-tailed Giant Rat, Agile Wallaby
lowland and montane rainforest, secondary forest, Eucalyptus savanna, mangroves, grasslands, wetlands
hot and humid with tropical showers in the lowlands, cooler in the highlands
8 with 1 Rockjumper leader
moderate pace with some longer hikes
comfortable to luxurious hotels and lodges
moderate, can be challenging at times
worthwhile
Birding in PNG was a little more challenging that expected, ..... the birds are as shy as anything I've experienced and the bird densities were extremely low. Of course that is not the fault of Rockjumper or the guides. The tour was excellent overall. The main guide, Stephan Lorentz, was really top class. His knowledge of the birds and calls and the fine id details was exceptional and his field skills were awesome, outdoing the local guides at times. And he is extremely personable and friendly. The local guides were also excellent and provided an exceptionally high level of field skill and support, and great enthusiasm in getting pax onto the more challenging birds. And physical support also, including even helping some of the pax on slippery slopes and cutting stairs on river landings at times!! The landed arrangements were generally slick and the accommodation of good quality. Some delays in getting collected at Kiunga airport were I think down to some communication issues with the local agent (Samuel) regarding the rerouting of our flights from Mt Hagen. And the offloading of three of our bags from the plane at Kiunga and delay in getting them back to us in Port Moresby was an Air Niugini issue. Overall it was an exceptional and really memorable tour with superb birds and birding, much or most of which would not have been possible without the Rockjumper team, slick tour planning and arrangements, Stephan and the local guides.
Both Lev Frid and Andre Bernon were excellent guides. Lev was particularly emphatic about the vagaries of travel in PNG and the propensity for things to go wrong. Despite his warnings, the trip went extremely smoothly; the accommodation was all great be it the highly rustic (Kwatu) or high end (Walindi); the Papuan guides and ground team were very good; it was nice to see that Rockjumper was clearly supporting the local organisations; and overall both the Rockjumper guides and the Papuan bird guides were very knowledgeable. Overall, a really excellent experience on the ground.
This was my first birding tour ever, so I wasnt sure what to expect. The tour leader, Paul, was so amazing, there are not enough superlatives. All of the other participants had been on birding trips before, and Paul was very gracious to make sure I had the opportunity to see as many birds as possible and know what to expect. He was very conscientious, and prepared for almost anything. The trip was physically challenging due to the steep muddy trails, high and low temperatures, and oh yeah, the earthquakes. I wasnt sure what to expect, although the descriptions were pretty accurate, but I was ready to stop hiking by the 11th day. Thank you for the recommendation of collapsible walking sticks. Those were very useful. I am very glad I had the opportunity to take this trip. I cant say enough good things about Paul as the trip leader. I hope he gets to lead all of his first choice tours in the future!
Adam Walleyn is an amazing birder, I'm quite experienced but I literally have no idea how he knows, hears and can engage with so much of the wildlife and particularly birds around, that was all great.
I thought Lev Frid did a great job in managing the tour.
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Papua New Guinea - Birding in Paradise (Small Group) II 2024 - September 2024
Papua New Guinea - Highlights II 2024 - September 2024
Papua New Guinea - New Britain Extension III 2024 - August 2024
Papua New Guinea - Bird Families 2024 - July 2024
Papua New Guinea - Birding in Paradise (Small Group) I 2024 - June 2024
Papua New Guinea - New Britain Extension I 2024 - May 2024
Papua New Guinea - Birding in Paradise (Small Group) II 2023 - August 2023
Papua New Guinea - Highlights II 2023 - August 2023
Papua New Guinea - New Britain Extension III 2023 - August 2023
Papua New Guinea - Birding in Paradise IV 2023 - August 2023
Papua New Guinea - Adelbert Range & Huon Peninsula 2023 - July 2023
Papua New Guinea - Birding in Paradise III 2022 - July 2022
Papua New Guinea - New Britain Extension II 2022 - July 2022
Papua New Guinea - Birding in Paradise II 2022 - June 2022
Papua New Guinea - Huon Peninsula Extension I 2022 - June 2022
Papua New Guinea - Highlights I 2019 - September 2019
Papua New Guinea - New Britain III 2019 - August 2019
Papua New Guinea - Birding in Paradise V 2019 - August 2019
Papua New Guinea - Huon Peninsula Extension II 2019 - August 2019