Destination: Mount Hagen, Papua New Guinea Duration: 5 Nights / 6 Days Start: Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea End: Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea Best Time to Visit: Year-round
This specialist 6-day tour has been carefully designed to provide one of the most efficient opportunities to observe representatives of all seven endemic bird families found only in New Guinea. Concentrating on just two outstanding birding locations in the Mount Hagen Highlands—Kumul Lodge and Rondon Ridge—we maximise our chances of encountering this remarkable group of birds while minimising travel time.
Rather than attempting to record the greatest number of species, this tour has a very specific objective: to find at least one representative from each of New Guinea's endemic bird families. To improve our chances, we target multiple members from several families, including Crested Berrypecker, Tit Berrypecker, Fan-tailed Berrypecker, Blue-capped Ifrit, Mottled Berryhunter, Wattled Ploughbill, Lesser Melampitta, Crested Satinbird and Loria's Satinbird.
Although the emphasis is firmly on these unique endemic families, the Highlands are home to an exceptional diversity of other birds. Throughout the tour we also expect to encounter numerous birds-of-paradise, tiger parrots, honeyeaters and many other New Guinea endemics, making every day rewarding even while searching for our specialist targets.
This itinerary is best suited to experienced birders and those wishing to complete one of New Guinea's most distinctive birding challenges. However, the same destinations also offer an excellent introduction to the remarkable birdlife, scenery and culture of the Papua New Guinea Highlands.
This tour starts and ends in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.