20 Oct 2025 - 02 Nov 2025 (14 days)
USD10,595 - No Spaces Available
Tour Leader: Dušan Brinkhuizen
Tour Leader: Glen Valentine
Tour price (Per person): USD10,595 * GBP8,449 * EUR10,195 * AUD17,011
Single Supplement: USD9,995 * GBP7,971 * EUR9,618 * AUD16,048
Can be linked with: Indonesia - Buru Extension I 2025
07 Nov 2025 - 20 Nov 2025 (14 days)
USD10,595 - No Spaces Available
Tour Leader: Dušan Brinkhuizen
Tour Leader: Glen Valentine
Tour price (Per person): USD10,595 * GBP8,449 * EUR10,195 * AUD17,011
Single Supplement: USD9,995 * GBP7,971 * EUR9,618 * AUD16,048
Can be linked with: Indonesia - Buru Extension II 2025
19 Oct 2026 - 01 Nov 2026 (14 days)
USD11,000 - Spaces Available
Tour Leader: Nigel Redman
Tour Leader: Paul Varney
Pricing notes : *Prices are estimated and dates may change*
Tour price (Per person): USD11,000 * GBP8,772 * EUR10,585 * AUD17,662
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.
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
Rothchild's, Waigeo & Common Spotted Cuscus, Moluccan & Spectacled Flying Foxes, Short-finned Pilot Whale, Spinner & Indo-pacific Bottlenose Dolphin
primary and secondary moist lowland forest, hill forest, scrub, secondary woodland, islands, coastlines, mangroves, pelagic
hot and humid with tropical showers in the lowlands. Cooler in the mountains, rain and mist possible
14 with 2 Rockjumper leaders
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.
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.
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 /
230 - 260
pristine forests, unspoiled reefs, snorkeling, swimming, visiting remote, little explored islands and seeing their associated local communities.
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.
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!
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.
My thanks to Keith and Glen Valentine for taking so much time in getting me on the birds. They are so patient and really nice.
Both my husband and I found Lev to be an excellent guide. He was both personable and knowledgeable. I especially appreciated his calm demeanor when I was unable to immediately get on a bird in the field. His photographic skills also assisted in occasionally clinching an ID of a far-off bird. And, I and others on the Tour appreciated his willingness and ability to digiscope special birds - to be be later airdropped with each other! Lev is a real, and multi-faceted, gem.
"It was a wonderful adventure, fulfilling all the promises in your advertising. Adam is amazing. His knowledge of Indonesian birds and their vocalizations is phenomenal. He was extremely patient, waiting for endemics and other special birds to become visible and making sure that we could all see each and every one. Not only that, Adam was also an excellent travel companion."
Indonesia - Buru Extension II 2024 - November 2024
Indonesia - Remote West Papuan Islands Cruise II 2024 - November 2024
Indonesia - Remote West Papuan Islands Cruise I 2024 - October 2024
Indonesia - Sumatra & Java 2024 - August 2024
Indonesia - Lesser Sundas Endemics 2024 - August 2024
Indonesia - Bali Birding Extension 2024 - August 2024
Indonesia - Sulawesi & Halmahera: Wallacean Endemics 2024 - July 2024
Indonesia - Highlights of the East: Sulawesi, Moluccas & Papua 2024 - July 2024
Indonesia - Buru Extension II 2023 - November 2023
Indonesia - Remote West Papuan Islands Cruise II 2023 - November 2023
Indonesia - Buru Extension I 2023 - November 2023
Indonesia - West Papua: Arfak Extension 2023 - October 2023
Indonesia - Remote West Papuan Islands Cruise I 2023 - October 2023
Indonesia - Remote West Papuan Islands Cruise IV 2023 - October 2023
Indonesia - Buru Extension III 2023 - October 2023
Indonesia - Kai Islands Extension 2023 - September 2023
Indonesia - Banda Sea Cruise 2023 - August 2023
Indonesia - Allanson - Flores Endemics 2023 - August 2023
Indonesia - Sulawesi & Halmahera: Wallacean Endemics (Small Group) 2023 - July 2023
Indonesia - Highlights of the East: Sulawesi, Moluccas & Papua II 2023 - July 2023