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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 * GBP4,864 * EUR5,859 * AUD9,773

Single Supplement: USD610 * GBP487 * EUR586 * AUD978

Flight costs: USD490 * GBP391 * EUR471 * AUD786

Can be linked with:

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 * GBP5,027 * EUR6,056 * AUD10,101

Can be linked with: Indonesia - Highlights of the East: Sulawesi, Moluccas & Papua 2026

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 & 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 Pittas; Javan Sparrow; Javan, Scarlet-rumped, Diard’s & Red-naped Trogons; Bare-throated Whistler; Wallace’s Hanging Parrot; Flores Monarch; Chestnut-capped Thrush; Green Junglefowl; Blue-tailed Bee-eater; Pink-necked Green Pigeon; Javan Flameback; Salvadori’s Nightjar; Javan Hawk-Eagle; Javan Trogon; Blue Nuthatch; Spotted Crocias; Gould’s, Sunda, Blyth’s & Large Frogmouth; Storm’s Stork; Black, Purple-naped, Ruby-cheeked, Plain & Crimson Sunbirds; Orange-bellied, Golden-rumped, Scarlet-headed, Crimson-breasted & Yellow-breasted Flowerpeckers.r.

Top Mammals

Asian Palm Civet; Bottle-nosed Dolphin; Dugong; Crab-eating, Long-tailed & Pig-tailed Macaques; Ebony, Mitred & Sundaic Silvered Leaf Monkeys; Javan Rusa Deer; Asian Palm & Black Giant Squirrels; Barking Deer; Agile Gibbon; Siamang; Greater & Lesser Mouse Deer; Sunda Clouded Leopard (rare); Asiatic Golden, Leopard, Marbled, Fishing and Flat-headed Cats (All rare); Binturong; Sunda Colugo.

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

Moderately difficult birding, combined with some basic accommodations are taxing. Some steep hikes.

Accommodation

Most accommodations are reasonable to comfortable hotels, some simple lodges (ie: Way Kambas)

Ease of Birding

Birding can be demanding at some locations. Low density of several key species. Others require repeat efforts.

Other Attractions

Komodo Dragon

Photographic Opportunities

Photography can reasonable, some basic hides, predominant forest birding.

What our clients say about us

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!

Tuomas Seimola
SC & IC - Sulawesi

I am writing to let you know what an amazing trip we had with David Erterius and Tuomas Seimola. They are both outstanding bird guides and a pleasure to travel with.

Glen Valentine
JK - Indonesia: Western Highlights 2019

Glen Valentine our leader really delivered. He was ultra-patient making sure everyone was comfortable and that everyone got on the bird.

Glen Valentine
SL - Indonesia: Sumatra & Java 2019

This [was] my second tour with Glen Valentine and he is the most professional guide I have ever traveled with. It goes without saying (but shouldn't) that he knew every single species on the tour including all their calls. He found birds when I saw nothing and then managed to get all guests onto the birds. This was impressive in itself, however there were many secretive birds that made guiding much harder. We had few problems on the tour, but I don't doubt that he would have handled it without problem. He is to be highly commended for his guiding on this very tiring trip, especially considering he was not well. Paul was also a really great training guide and I thoroughly enjoyed his company.

Lev Frid
MT, Indonesia 2022

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!

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