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Indonesia - Remote West Papuan Islands Cruise

© Wilson's Bird-of-paradise by K. David Bishop
Indonesia - Remote West Papuan Islands Cruise I 2025

20 Oct 2025 - 02 Nov 2025 (14 days)

USD10,595 - No Spaces Available

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Tour Leader: Dušan Brinkhuizen

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Tour Leader: Glen Valentine

Tour price (Per person): USD10,595 * GBP8,457 * EUR10,187 * AUD16,978

Single Supplement: USD9,995 * GBP7,978 * EUR9,610 * AUD16,016

Can be linked with: Indonesia - Buru Extension I 2025

Indonesia - Remote West Papuan Islands Cruise II 2025

07 Nov 2025 - 20 Nov 2025 (14 days)

USD10,595 - No Spaces Available

Wait List
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Tour Leader: Dušan Brinkhuizen

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Tour Leader: Glen Valentine

Tour price (Per person): USD10,595 * GBP8,457 * EUR10,187 * AUD16,978

Single Supplement: USD9,995 * GBP7,978 * EUR9,610 * AUD16,016

Can be linked with: Indonesia - Buru Extension II 2025

Indonesia - Remote West Papuan Islands Cruise 2026

19 Oct 2026 - 01 Nov 2026 (14 days)

USD11,000 - Spaces Available

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Tour Leader: Nigel Redman

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Tour Leader: Paul Varney

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

Tour price (Per person): USD11,000 * GBP8,780 * EUR10,576 * AUD17,627

Can be linked with: Indonesia - Buru Extension 2026

Our fabulous and exhilarating Remote West Papuan Island cruise sets out to explore a myriad of isolated islands in this exceptionally beautiful part of Indonesia. We start the trip in Sorong, West Papua, where extensive lowland forests support spectacular New Guinea endemics like Magnificent and King Birds-of-paradise, Red-breasted Paradise Kingfisher, Blue-black Kingfisher a bounty of beautiful fruit doves, dozens of honeyeaters and the localised Black Lory. Thereafter, we board our vessel and enter the Raja Ampat Islands just west of mainland New Guinea. Here, we’ll seek out a vast array of further little-known and rare species with extraordinary gems including Red and Wilson’s Birds-of-paradise (regarded by many as the most spectacular bird on earth!), Waigeo Shrikethrush, Raja Ampat Pitohui, Western Crowned Pigeon and Island Whistler, while enjoying several snorkelling opportunities in the planet’s most pristine and prolific coral reefs. We then cross Lydekker’s Line, entering Wallacea where the island of Kofiau supports Kofiau Paradise Kingfisher and Kofiau Monarch, two species that have still only been seen by a handful of birders globally! Crossing the Halmahera Sea westwards towards Obi, we stand a chance at seeing some rare cetaceans and unusual seabirds, while the endemic-rich and seldom-birded island of Obi in the northern Moluccas harbours such delicacies as Carunculated Fruit Dove, Moluccan (Obi) Woodcock and Obi Paradise-crow among many others before moving southwards to the much larger island of Seram in search of an array of incredibly exciting endemics such as Salmon-crested Cockatoo, Lazuli Kingfisher, Purple-naped Lory, Seram Boobook and Long-crested Myna to mention but a few. To end the tour, the small island of Boano offers a final selection of fine Indonesian endemics that includes the little-known Boano Monarch before we arrive in Ambon where the tour concludes.

 

Top Birds

Wilson’s, Red, King, Magnificent & Lesser Birds-of-paradise, Magnificent Riflebird, (Obi) Paradise-crow, Glossy-mantled Manucode, Moluccan (Obi) Woodcock, Barred Rail, Beach Stone-curlew, Moluccan Masked Owl, Hantu (Seram) and Papuan Boobooks, Dusky Megapode, Red-billed Brush Turkey, Pygmy Eagle, Spotted Kestrel, Grey-headed Goshawk, Rufous-necked Sparrowhawk, Chinese-crested Tern, Western Crowned Pigeon, Carunculated, Orange-fronted, Dwarf, Claret-breasted, Scarlet-breasted & Coroneted Fruit Dove, Spice, Spectacled, Seram & Purple-tailed Imperial Pigeon, Seram Mountain Pigeon, Salmon-crested and Palm Cockatoos, Black, Red, Violet-necked (Scaled), Blue-eared & Purple-naped Lory, Moluccan King & Great-billed Parrots, Orange-breasted & Large Fig Parrots, Red-flanked Lorikeet, Red-breasted & Yellow-capped Pygmy Parrot, Marbled Frogmouth, Moluccan Scops Owl, Moluccan Cuckoo, Dwarf Koel, Black-billed Coucal, Kofiau & Red-breasted Paradise Kingfishers, Lazuli, Blue-and-white & Blue-black Kingfishers, Moluccan & Papuan Dwarf Kingfishers, Papuan & North Moluccan Pittas, Wallace's & Emperor Fairywrens, Kofiau, Golden & Black-chinned (Boano) Monarchs, Black-sided Robin, Black Berrypecker, Black-browed & Rufous-bellied Trillers, Moluccan & Golden Cuckooshrikes, Black & Pale Cicadabirds, Raja Ampat & Southern Variable Pitohuis, Brown-headed & Violet Crows, Northern Golden & Seram Golden Bulbuls, Grey-collared (Seram) Oriole, Spotted, Olive & Seram Honeyeaters, Drab & Wakolo Myzomelas, Seram Friarbird, Black-chinned, Yellow-throated, Island, Cinnamon-breasted & Drab Whistlers, Streak-breasted Fantail, Grey-hooded, Seram & Ambon White-eyes, Rufescent Darkeye, Cinnamon-chested and Turquoise Flycatchers, Long-crested & Golden Mynas, Moluccan Starling, Halmahera, Ashy & Olive-crowned Flowerpeckers, Streak-headed Mannikin, Papuan Babbler, Yellow-bellied and Pygmy Longbills & Lowland Peltops

Top Mammals

Rothchild's, Waigeo & Common Spotted Cuscus, Moluccan & Spectacled Flying Foxes, Short-finned Pilot Whale, Spinner & Indo-pacific Bottlenose Dolphin

Habitats Covered

primary and secondary moist lowland forest, hill forest, scrub, secondary woodland, islands, coastlines, mangroves, pelagic

Expected Climate

hot and humid with tropical showers in the lowlands. Cooler in the mountains, rain and mist possible

Max Group Size

14 with 2 Rockjumper leaders

Tour Pace & Walking

Moderate, suitable for most birding / wildlife interest levels. Many early starts & late endings to the day since the tour operates during the austral summer. Several night birds to be found. Hot & humid conditions throughout, coupled with low-density birding. Most island birding sessions are optional, so one can stay on the vessel and relax instead.

Accommodation

Comfortable to very comfortable. The rooms on the ship are somewhat on the small side with limited storage room. Otherwise, everything on board is extremely comfortable & well organised.

Ease of Birding

Mostly moderate but varying from challenging at times to easy & rewarding. Many target species do show well. However, mostly forested habitat coupled with low density means that birding can be slow /

Number of Species Expected

230 - 260

Other Attractions

pristine forests, unspoiled reefs, snorkeling, swimming, visiting remote, little explored islands and seeing their associated local communities.

Photographic Opportunities

Ranges from very good to challenging, depending on habitat & situation. Some dedicated hides at bird-of-paradise display leks provide for superb photography. Mostly rewarding / worthwhile.

What our clients say about us

Glen Valentine
TJ & AJ - Indonesia 2019

Glen was again a wonderful guide who has excellent field skills and is always willing to help clients who are struggling to find the birds or who have other ‘issues’..

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
LH & MN - Indonesia: Western Highlights 2019

We really enjoyed this tour, it felt like a holiday as well as a bird watching experience. Glen Valentine was an excellent guide, both in terms of bird spotting/knowledge, and also his affability and management of the group, and we will try to travel with him again.

Glen Valentine
JA & DR, Remote West Papuan Islands 2018

Glen Valentine and Adam Walleyn were superb guides — honestly, they saw birds before they appeared! The local guides were outstanding and the logistics and accommodations were exceptional given our locations.

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!

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