Indonesia - Lesser Sundas Endemics 2025

06 Aug 2025 - 25 Aug 2025 (20 days)

USD7,195 - Spaces Available

Book Now

client-img

Tour Leader: Carlos Bocos

Tour price (Per person): USD7,195 * GBP5,542 * EUR6,619 * AUD10,933

Single Supplement: USD1,120 * GBP863 * EUR1,030 * AUD1,702

Flight costs: USD760 * GBP585 * EUR699 * AUD1,155

Can be linked with: Indonesia - Bali Birding Extension 2025

Indonesia - Lesser Sundas Endemics 2026

05 Aug 2026 - 24 Aug 2026 (20 days)

USD7,495 - Spaces Available

Book Now

client-img

Tour Leader: Adam Walleyn

Tour price (Per person): USD7,495 * GBP5,773 * EUR6,895 * AUD11,389

Single Supplement: USD1,180 * GBP909 * EUR1,086 * AUD1,793

Flight costs: USD900 * GBP693 * EUR828 * AUD1,368

Can be linked with:

Indonesia, spread across 17,508 islands and boasting over 1,600 bird species and over 600 endemics (far more than any other country on Earth!) should be at the forefront of every international birder’s destination list! Rockjumper is proud to offer an extensive suite of tours to this mind-bogglingly biodiverse region that includes this comprehensive exploration of the endemics-rich Lesser Sundas. This diverse and rugged chain of volcanic islands, stretching across the Java Sea between Bali and New Guinea, supports over 100 Indonesian endemics with more than 80 of these restricted to the Lesser Sundas. Our tour visits five of these islands (Sumba, Timor, Rote, Flores and Komodo) and targets every single one of the area’s localised and highly sought-after endemics occurring on these five islands, other than a few isolated species restricted to East Timor.

The Lesser Sundas fall within a region known as Wallacea and its avifauna is a startling mix of Asiatic and Australasian families. Starting and ending in Bali, we explore montane rainforests, lowland monsoon forests, wetlands, mangroves, coastal mudflats, grasslands, and dry scrub. We begin this epic birding adventure in eastern Sumba, where mouth-watering specialties include Red-naped Fruit Dove, Sumba Hornbill, Little Sumba Hawk-Owl, Sumba Boobook, Mees’s Nightjar, Sumba Green Pigeon, and the little-known Sumba Buttonquail. Our next leg of the tour takes us to West Timor and the tiny island of Rote, situated just off western Timor. Over the course of the next week, we hope to encounter avian specialties such as Timor and Rote Boobooks, Pink-headed Imperial Pigeon, Jonquil Parrot, Tricolored and the yet-to-be described Timor (Mt. Mutis) Parrotfinch, Flame-breasted Sunbird, Orange-sided and Chestnut-backed Thrushes, Cinnamon-banded Kingfisher, Black-banded Flycatcher, Timor and Black Cuckoo-Doves, Buff-banded Thicketbird, Timor Stubtail and Timor Sparrow to mention just a few!

We end the tour on Flores Island, where the magnificent Flores Hawk-Eagle, Glittering Kingfisher, sensational Ornate Pitta, Wallace’s Hanging Parrot, Leaf Lorikeet, Wallace’s and Flores Scops Owls, Flores Monarch and the superb Bare-throated Whistler will be among the many targets on the island. One of the undoubted highlights of the trip will be the visit to Komodo Island just off Flores, where 10ft (3m) Komodo Dragons roam this almost prehistoric paradise along with Green Junglefowl and Orange-footed Scrubfowl. Here we will also seek the beautiful and critically endangered, Yellow-crested Cockatoo. The Lesser Sundas has something very special to offer the keen birder and nature enthusiast and comprehensive, endemics-rich birding tour promises to be a classic among international birding adventures!

Top Birds

Red-naped, Banded, Rose-crowned & Black-naped Fruit Doves; Sumba Hornbill; Great-billed & Jonquil Parrots; Sumba, Flores, Timor, Least & Rote Boobooks; Mees’s & Timor Nightjars; Flores, Wallace's & Moluccan Scops Owls; Marigold, Leaf, Olive-headed & Iris Lorikeets; Sumba & Flores Green Pigeons; Pale-shouldered Cicadabird; Sumba & Red-backed Buttonquails; Wallacean Cuckooshrike; Sumba, Black-breasted & Rote Myzomelas; Sumba, Sumba Brown, Sumba Jungle, Flores Jungle, Timor Blue & Black-banded Flycatchers; Pink-headed & Timor Imperial Pigeons; Metallic Pigeon; Flame-breasted & Apricot-breasted Sunbirds; Orange-sided, Chestnut-backed & Chestnut-capped Thrushes; Cinnamon-banded & White-rumped Kingfishers; Buff-banded Thicketbird; Timor Sparrow; Timor Stubtail; Elegant & Ornate Pittas; Flores Crow; White-browed (Flores) Shortwing; Black, Timor, Ruddy & Eucalypt Cuckoo-Doves; Wallace’s Hanging Parrot; Flores Monarch; Cream-browed & Yellow-ringed White-eyes; Crested & Thick-billed Heleias; Bare-throated, Rusty-breasted, Yellow-throated & Fawn-breasted Whistlers; Rote, Timor & Brown-capped Fantails; Blue-cheeked, Black-fronted, Golden-rumped & Blood-breasted Flowerpeckers; Tricolored & Timor (Mount Mutis) Parrotfinches; Pale-headed, Black-faced & Five-colored Munias; Streak-breasted & Flame-eared Honeyeaters; Green Junglefowl; Orange-footed Scrubfowl; Beach Stone-Curlew; Great-billed Heron; Yellow-crested & Orange-crested Cockatoos.

Habitats Covered

montane rainforests, lowland monsoon forests, wetlands, mangroves, coastal mudflats, grasslands and dry scrub

Expected Climate

mostly hot and humid in the lowlands, being very cool to warm in montane areas. Some rain can be expected in the highlands

Max Group Size

8 with 1 Rockjumper leader & local birding leader

Tour Pace & Walking
warning-icon

WARNING: This tour involves strenuous activities and is intended for experienced adventurers. If you prefer a more relaxed experience, please check out our [Explore Relaxed Tours]

Moderate to challenging birding, some basic lodging, one difficult hike (optional) & hot, humid conditions are taxing. Our Mega tours are very fast-paced birding adventures designed for the dedicated lister and serious birder. The focus of the tour is to see as many of the endemics and area specials as possible in our given time. In order to cover the necessary route to maximise the species list we tend to spend a single night at most sites and travel large distances. There is very little down time aside from that spent driving from one site to the next. These tours are not suitable for dedicated or avid photographers; inexperienced or new birders; as well as anyone with serious mobility or health challenges.

Accommodation

Most accommodations are reasonable to comfortable, but those in the Lewa area are basic.

Ease of Birding

Birding can be demanding at some locations. Low density of several key species. Others require repeat efforts. Several late evening/early mornings for nocturnal species.

Number of Species Expected

200 to 240 depending on time of year. Over 100 Indonesian endemics & over 80 endemic to Lesser Sundas

Other Attractions

large tracts of forest, rolling forested hills scenery, beautiful beaches and tropical island scenery, 10ft (3m) Komodo Dragons!

Photographic Opportunities

Photography can reasonable, despite the lack of hides & predominant forest birding.

What our clients say about us

David Hoddinott
EL, Indonesia 2022

David and Lev are exception leaders and worked very hard to find the birds and get everyone onto them. A remarkable trip.

Glen Valentine
JA, Remote West Papua 2017

Expert guiding by Keith and Glen Valentine, aided by fabulous local talent, ensured we saw the maximum number of endemics and other birds and mammals. Perhaps more importantly, these two brothers enjoyed their time together and provided a warm, friendly and caring environment in which we all had a good time with lots of laughs, and looked out for each other to ensure everyone got on the birds and did not falter on a tough hike or challenging car ride.

Glen Valentine
MB - Lesser Sundas 2022

"This trip was my very first with Rockjumper and I was not disappointed. Birding and logistics were very well organized and everything was done to optimize our time in order to see as many species as possible while naturally giving priority to endemics. Glen Valentine is not only a top guide and a top birder, he is also a nice person excellent in communication, very friendly with a good sense of humor. I really enjoyed doing this trip with him as well as the good state of mind of the group. As a Frenchman I sometimes had difficulties speaking or understanding English and everyone was patient and helpful with me. Great! I got a large number of lifers in this trip and the search for endemics was exciting. A big thank you to Glen, our group members and Rockjumper!"

Glen 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
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!

  • Your details

  • Hidden
  • Contact permission

    We would love to send you Newsletters (twice yearly).via Type a message, Promotions/Discounts (weekly), Blog Articles/Image of the Month (monthly) and other content that we think you would find interesting. If you are happy with this then please select your preferences below. If you would like to unsubscribe from previous subscriptions, or leave our mailing list entirely, then please do so by visiting the Preference Centre link at the bottom of these emails.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Route Map

Tour Route Map

English