Indonesia - Highlights of the East: Sulawesi, Moluccas & Papua 2025

15 Jul 2025 - 31 Jul 2025 (17 days)

USD7,795 - 3 Spaces Available

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Tour Leader: Stephan Lorenz

Tour price (Per person): USD7,795 * GBP6,014 * EUR7,180 * AUD11,860

Single Supplement: USD820 * GBP633 * EUR755 * AUD1,248

Flight costs: USD1,300 * GBP1,003 * EUR1,197 * AUD1,978

Indonesia - Highlights of the East: Sulawesi, Moluccas & Papua 2026

31 Jul 2026 - 16 Aug 2026 (17 days)

USD8,100 - Spaces Available

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Tour Leader: Stephan Lorenz

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

Tour price (Per person): USD8,100 * GBP6,249 * EUR7,461 * AUD12,324

As a result of the remarkable biogeography of the region, our Highlights of the Eastern Indonesian archipelago provides very little overlap in bird species to our Highlights of Western Indonesia, with a phenomenal number of special and endemic birds.

We begin by exploring the prime highland site of Lore Lindu National Park on the island of Sulawesi. Boasting over 70 endemic species, the exceptional range of highly desirable birds we will seek include the endemic Hylocitrea, now placed in its own monotypic family, the indescribable Purple-bearded Bee-eater, bizarre and unique Geomalia, Fiery-browed Starling, Satanic Nightjar, Ivory-backed Woodswallow and the impressive Knobbed Hornbill.

We then wing our way to the nearby island of Halmahera, where we visit a lekking site for the highly sought-after Standardwing, surely one of the most bizarre birds-of-paradise! Here we also seek a mind-boggling number of Moluccan endemics including the spectacular Ivory-breasted Pitta, White (Umbrella) Cockatoo, Azure Dollarbird, Chattering Lory, Halmahera Boobook and Moluccan Owlet-Nightjar.

Moving further eastwards, we again enter a completely new biological zone as we arrive in Sorong, on the extreme western tip of New Guinea. Here we bird the famous Vogelkop, hosting a veritable feast of incredible highlights such as Magnificent and King Bird-of-paradise, numerous imperial pigeons, fruit doves (Wompoo, Superb, Orange-bellied and Pink-spotted Fruit Doves to name a few), parrots (including the localized Black Lory and Moluccan King Parrot) and kingfishers (Red-breasted Paradise and Blue-black Kingfishers being two of the prime targets.)

We conclude our tour on the Raja Ampat Island of Waigeo, famed for the best snorkelling in the world! Here our targets in this tropical island paradise include Red Bird-of-paradise, the incredible Western Crowned Pigeon, Palm Cockatoo, Raja Ampat Pitohui, Waigeo Shrikethrush, Brown-headed Crow and much besides. And, as a way of celebrating the finale of this remarkable tour we will visit the display ground of quite possibly the most spectacular bird on Earth – Wilson’s Bird-of-paradise!

Top Birds

Wilson’s, King & Red Birds-of-paradise; Glossy-mantled Manucode; Standardwing; Paradise-crow; Papuan Dwarf, Blue-and-white, Lilac, Yellow-billed, Green-backed, Hook-billed, Beach & Blue-black Kingfishers; Red-breasted Paradise & Common Paradise Kingfishers; Rufous-bellied Kookaburra; Scarlet‐breasted, Blue‐capped, Grey‐headed, Wompoo, Superb, Pink-spotted, Orange-fronted, Beautiful, Dwarf & Orange-bellied Fruit Doves; White‐bellied, Purple-tailed, Pinon’s, Zoe’s & Grey-headed Imperial Pigeons; Western Crowned Pigeon; Yellow-capped Pygmy Parrot; Moluccan & Great Hanging Parrots; Orange-breasted & Large Fig Parrots; Palm & White Cockatoos; Emperor Fairywren; Black Berrypecker; Pygmy Longbill; Southern Variable, Raja Ampat & Rusty Pitohuis; Lowland Peltops; Golden & Pale-blue Monarchs; Sulawesi & White-necked Mynas; Sulawesi Serpent Eagle; Sulawesi Hawk-Eagle; Barred Honey Buzzard; Yellow-sided, Crimson-crowned, Olive-crowned & Halmahera Flowerpeckers; Fiery-browed, Moluccan & Grosbeak Starlings; Ivory-backed Woodswallow; Golden-mantled Racket-tail; Malia; Black-billed Koel; Black Lory; Sulawesi Myzomela; Lemon‐bellied, Mountain, Streak-headed, Cream-throated & Black-crowned White‐eyes; Sulawesi Blue, Blue-fronted Blue & Turquoise Flycatchers; Sulawesi Cicadabird; Purple-winged Roller; Azure Dollarbird; Cinnabar, Papuan & Speckled Boobooks; Eastern Grass Owl; Great Eared & Satanic Nightjars; Wallace's & Moluccan Owlet-nightjars; Great Shortwing (Heinrichia); Pygmy, Halmahera, Golden & Cerulean Cuckooshrikes; Sulphur-vented, Island & Maroon-backed Whistlers; Rusty-bellied & Arafura Fantails; Citrine Canary-flycatcher; Dark-eared & White-eared Myzas; Purple-bearded Bee-eater; Chestnut-backed (Sulawesi) Bush Warbler; Geomalia; Citrine, Red-flanked & Ornate Lorikeets; Hylocitrea; Sulawesi Thrush; Ivory-breasted, Papuan & North Molucccan Pittas; Eclectus & Great‐billed Parrots; Dusky Friarbird; Goliath Coucal; Long‐billed & Brown-headed Crows; Moustached Treeswift; Gurney’s Eagle; Yellow‐billed Malkoha; Sulawesi Pygmy & Ashy Woodpeckers; Spot-tailed & Dwarf Sparrowhawks.

Top Mammals

Sulawesi Crested Macaque; Spectral Tarsier; Pantropical Spotted & Spinner Dolphins.

Habitats Covered

Montane and lowland forests, flooded rice paddies & wetlands, islands, beaches, mangroves

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, with long days. Optional early starts and late finishes to days due to night-birding options.

Accommodation

Most accommodations are reasonable to comfortable, but those at Lore Lindu & Subaim area are basic.

Ease of Birding

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

Number of Species Expected

+-300

Photographic Opportunities

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

What our clients say about us

Stephan Lorenz
PG, West Papua 2018

Stephan Lorenz was excellent in all respects, he went out of his way to try and find a way for me to continue with the tour and then helped with my arrangements in getting home.

Glen Valentine
NH, Indonesia - West Papua Cruise 2016

I have been on birding trips for many years, but this is the first time with Rockjumper. The trip was easily the best birding trip I have ever been on. In particular, both David and Glen made life so easy and their birding knowledge was remarkable. Other members of the group were very easy to get on with. The birding was quite remarkable and it is difficult to pick out a highlight from the Birds of Paradise, the Chinese Crested Tern or the Madanga. There is no doubt that I will travel with Rockjumper again.

David Hoddinott
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
SP - Indonesia 2019

Glen and Paul did a fantastic job on this tour. Glen is an excellent birder, guide and a wonderful personality. This is the second trip I have done with Glen and hope to join many more in the future.

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.

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