21 Nov 2024 - 10 Dec 2024 (20 days)
AUD16,395 - No Spaces Available
Tour Leader: Forrest Rowland
Tour price (Per person): AUD16,395 * USD10,935 * GBP8,326 * EUR9,861
Single Supplement: AUD2,300 * USD1,534 * GBP1,168 * EUR1,383
Flight costs: AUD1,700 * USD1,134 * GBP863 * EUR1,022
29 Nov 2025 - 18 Dec 2025 (20 days)
AUD17,295 - Spaces Available
Tour Leader: Erik Forsyth
Tour price (Per person): AUD17,295 * USD11,536 * GBP8,783 * EUR10,402
Single Supplement: AUD2,600 * USD1,734 * GBP1,320 * EUR1,564
Flight costs: AUD1,700 * USD1,134 * GBP863 * EUR1,022
29 Nov 2026 - 18 Dec 2026 (20 days)
AUD18,000 - Spaces Available
Tour Leader: Gregory de Klerk
Pricing notes : *Prices are estimated and dates may change*
Tour price (Per person): AUD18,000 * USD12,006 * GBP9,141 * EUR10,826
In another first of its kind, Rockjumper offers a tour like no other – an opportunity to see a representative of every family to be found in Australasia! Over the course of nearly three weeks, we will visit New Caledonia, Australia and New Zealand on our quest to find a representative of each family to be found over this diverse region.
We begin our tour with a pre-tour extension to New Caledonia, a rather large and ancient chip off the once enormous Gondwanaland block. Host to the highly sought after, and only surviving member of its family – the Kagu. In addition to Kagu, we will also seek out specialities such as Goliath Imperial Pigeon (the world’s largest arboreal pigeon), the lovely Cloven-feathered Dove, the rare Horned Parakeet and New Caledonian Cuckooshrike amongst many others.
We next head to the vast continent of Australia, which harbours 6 endemic families, as well as numerous endemic and bizarre wildlife found nowhere else on our planet. Traversing the eastern part of the country, we will cover an incredible variety of habitats ranging from lush expanses of dense tropical rainforest to the dry endless stretches of the desolate outback. Major targets we hope to find include Plains-wanderer, Southern Cassowary, Albert’s Lyrebird, Regent Bowerbird, Striated Pardalote, Australian Logrunner, Varied Sitella, Chowchilla, Atherton Scrubwren, Apostlebird, Spotted Quail-thrush and Rufous Bristlebird but the extended list of mouth-watering endemics is truly phenomenal!
We finish the main tour in New Zealand, which despite its small size is host to an incredible 6 endemic families! Beginning in Auckland, we search for North Island Brown Kiwi before spending a day on Tiritiri Matangi Island to find the prehistoric South Island Takahe, North Island Saddleback, the strange North Island Kokako and unique Stitchbird. Our final destination of the tour will be Stewart Island, home to Southern Brown Kiwi, Yellowhead, New Zealand Kaka and Rifleman.
Endemic Families: Apterygidae (Kiwis), Anseranatidae (Magpie Goose), Rhynochetidae (Kagu), Pedionomidae (Plains-wanderer), Strigopidae (New Zealand Parrots), Acanthisittidae (New Zealand Wrens), Menuridae (Lyrebirds), Atrichornithidae (Scrubbirds), Dasyornithidae (Bristlebirds), Pardalotidae (Pardalotes), Callaeidae (New Zealand Wattlebirds), Notiomystidae (Stitchbird), Mohouidae (Whiteheads), Corcoracidae (Australian Mudnesters) Kagu, Goliath Imperial Pigeon, New Caledonian Goshawk, Crow Honeyeater, Cloven-feathered Dove, Horned Parakeet, New Caledonian Cuckooshrike, Australian King Parrot, Plains-wanderer, Southern Cassowary, Albert’s & Superb Lyrebirds, Regent, Golden & Satin Bowerbirds, Paradise & Victoria’s Riflebirds, Striated Pardalote, Pale-headed Rosella, Chowchilla, Noisy Pitta, Australian Logrunner, Marbled Frogmouth, Magpie-lark, Australian Owlet-nightjar, Brolga & Sarus Cranes, Varied Sitella, Chowchilla, Australian Brushturkey, Diamond Firetail, Orange-footed Scrubfowl, Atherton Scrubwren, Apostlebird, Spotted Quail-thrush, Rufous Bristlebird, North Island & Southern Brown Kiwis, Wrybill, South Island Takahe, Fernbird, North Island Saddelback, Fiordland Penguin, North Island Kokako, Stitchbird, Yellowhead, New Zealand Kaka, Foveaux Shag, Rifleman.
Musky Rat Kangaroo, Red-legged Pademelons, Sugar Glider, Striped Possums, Long-nosed Bandicoots, Lumholtz’s Tree Kangaroo, Duck-billed Platypus, Lemuroid Ringtail & Herbert River Ringtails, New Zealand Fur Seal, Tongan Flying Fox.
Woodland, tropical and temperate forest, swamps, riverine woodland, grasslands, coastal bush, estuaries and ocean
New Caledonia: mostly tropical conditions; warm and humid with some rain expected, Australia: hot and humid in the north, cooler in the interior mountains of the central areas New Zealand: largely temperate with mild temperatures and moderate rainfall
8 with 1 Rockjumper leader and local leaders at some sites
Moderate to brisk paced tour suited for those in good health with goof level of stamina. Not suited for anyone with mobility challenges or serious medical conditions. Several very long days. Easy to moderate. Mostly easy and undemanding walking and trails. Some walks (like those for Plains-wanderer and Rufous Scrubbird) are longer along uneven and sometimes muddy terrain and require good fitness, ability and stamina.
Comfortable
Easy to moderate. Several difficult target species, both diurnal & nocturnal.
Very good and worthwhile throughout but limited by tour pace,
It was a fantastic trip. Very satisfying and Angus did a great job : he really showed us the birds and took great care that we had everything we wanted and were able to enjoy our tour.
Erik Forsyth went above and beyond to give personal attention to each participant. How does he do it? Lack of sleep and a packed itinerary would challenge the best guide, but he seems to always be positive and light-hearted. Cracking dry jokes and comments – loved it!
Steve Davidson is a superb guide. He has a vast knowledge of Australian birds, other wildlife, and plants. He has a keen ear and I appreciated that he described what he was hearing. We had challenges in terms of Covid and flooding, and he very responsibly addressed both issues. I truly don't know how he had the stamina to guide, drive the extra miles on detours, and organize the needed diversions from the itinerary.
Glen was excellent at finding the birds and keeping track of who had not yet seen specific birds. By the end of the tour there were very few birds not seen by all in the group.
Erik Forsyth did a great job, and both his remarkable knowledge and his unflagging good humor were indispensable; I look forward to traveling with him again in the future.
Australia, New Zealand & New Caledonia - Bird Families of Australasia 2023 - November 2023
Australia - Tasmania Extension II 2023 - October 2023
Australia - East Coast II 2023 - September 2023
Australia - Southwest Extension II 2023 - September 2023
Australia - Cape York Extension 2023 - July 2023
Australia - The Queensland Outback 2023 - July 2023
Australia - Tasmania Extension I 2022 - October 2022
Australia - East Coast I 2022 - September 2022
Australia - Southwest Extension I 2022 - September 2022
Australia - Kakadu & the Top End 2022 - August 2022
Australia - East Coast II 2019 - September 2019
Australia - East Coast II 2018 - September 2018
Australia - East Coast I 2018 - September 2018
Australia - Southwest Extension I 2018 - September 2018
Australia - Kakadu & the Top End 2018 - July 2018
Australia - East Coast 2017 - September 2017
Australia - East Coast I 2016 - October 2016
Australia - Southwest Extension I 2016 - September 2016