EM7 EASY BIRDING TRIP WITH 3 STOPS FOR INDEPENDENT TRAVELLERS AND SMALL GROUPS 6 nights Tabubil, Mt Hagen, Port Moresby This hassle-free hotel-based tour is available year-round and offers easily accessible bird watching locations that do not require long road trips, jungle expeditions, swamp-stomping or sleeping in bush camps. Birding bliss without getting blisters and wet feet. Birding excursions include full catering, good quality vehicles and trained nature guides. Click here to download a more detailed itinerary for EM07 with prices, list of tour inclusions and trip notes, click here (Adobe Acrobat PDF file)
PNG's magnificent Victoria crowned Pigeon Red Cheeked Parrot Dwarf Kingfisher Papuan King Parrot Grey-headed Goshawk Shining bronze - Cuokoo Common Paradise Kingfisher	GENERIC ITINERARY DAY 1: PORT MORESBY / TABUBIL If you are arriving on an early morning international flight, Ecotourism Melanesia staff will meet you on arrival and take you for breakfast at the Airways Hotel (pay-as-you-go) then assist you to check in for your morning flight to Tabubil (Air Niugini or Airlines PNG). If you have already arrived in Port Moresby the day before, our staff will arrange to meet you at your hotel and transfer you to the airport to check in. On arrival at Tabubil airport you will be met at the small terminal by our local birding guide (details supplied upon confirmation of your tour) and transferred to the Hotel Cloudlands in time for lunch (pay-as-you-go or PAYG). 1300 Afternoon birding around Tabubil until sundown, includes afternoon tea. Hotel Cloudlands is a 2.5 star hotel located within Tabubil township, adjacent to the bowls club and recreation centre. Rooms are both cooled and heated to accommodate the daily fluctuations in temperature. The restaurant serves a variety of western, Asian and PNG-style cuisine. Tabubil is a neat and tidy mining town where everything runs like clockwork due to the pervasive influence of Ok Tedi Mining Limited (OTML), the company that employs most of the wage earners in the town and owns most of the houses and office buildings. The company runs the airport, maintains the roads and coordinates town services including electricity, water and garbage collection. Without OTML, Tabubil would be a ghost town. The open cut mine itself is located on Mt Fubilan about an hour’s drive (steep climb) to the north west of Tabubil, at such a high altitude of 6600 metres that it is usually covered in cloud and cannot be seen from the town. Although the copper mine has a limited life span, OTML is very involved in helping local people to develop alternative economic activities towards the goal of sustaining the community after the closure of the mine. Apart from the obvious huge open pit created by the decapping of Mt Fubilan, the rest of the Star Mountains area is largely virgin forest and populations of native birds thrive in the area, making bird watching an other nature-based activities ideal attractions for tourists. Local nature guides have been assisted by OTML to receive training in bird guiding and the best birding spots have been surveyed. Species in the high altitude Star Mountains differ markedly from the lowland and riverine species observed in the Ok Tedi River valley between Tabubil and Kiunga. If you are thinking of adding an extra night or two to this package, Tabubil would be an ideal place to do so as this would enable a full exploration of both upper and lower altitude habitats. [If you add 2 extra nights to the Tabubil stop, for example, you could take a full day birding along the Tabubil-Kiunga road, overnight at Kiunga Guest House (1st extra night) and bird your way back to Tabubil the next day, overnight Hotel Cloudlands (2nd extra night) and pick up the core package itinerary next day with onward flight to Mt Hagen. This would all be covered by the standard charge for “extra night at any stop” x 2 nights.] Tabubil is a high rainfall area so be prepared for one or more of your birding excursions to be modified or abandoned. Bird list for Tabubil (Star Mountains and Ok Tedi River Valley): Intermediate Egret, Long-tailed Buzzard, Brahminy Kite, Whistling Kite, Bat Hawk, Great Cuckoo Dove, Victoria’s Crowned Pigeon, Blue Eyed Cockatoo, Southern Cassowary, Black Billed Brush Turkey, Common Scrub Fowl , Darter, Little Black Cormorant, Black Bittern, Forest Bittern, Rufous Night Heron, Striated Heron, Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Great Billed Heron, Green Pygmy Goose, Wandering Whistling Duck, Brown Goshawk, Coloured Sparrow Hawk, Grey-headed Goshawk, Grey Goshawk, Black Winged Kite, Australian Kestrel, Crested Hawk, Long tailed Buzzard, Doria’s Hawk, Little Eagle, Gurney’s Eagle, White Billed Sea Eagle, New Guinea Harpy Eagle, Oriental Hobby, Red Necked Rail, Bare Eyed Rail, New Guinea Flightless Rail, Bush hen, Common Sandpiper, Common Tern, New Guinea Bronzewing, Thick Billed Ground Pigeon, Emerald Ground Dove, Stephan’s Ground Dove, Bar shouldered Dove, Southern Crowned Pigeon, Pheasant Pigeon, Cinnamon Ground Dove, White Bibbed Ground Dove, Great Cuckoo Dove, Black Billed Cuckoo Dove, Brown Cuckoo Dove, Beautiful Fruit Dove, Ornate Fruit Dove, Wompoo Fruit Dove, Pink-spotted Fruit Dove, Orange Bellied Fruit Dove, Superb Fruit Dove, Dwarf Fruit Dove, Zoe Imperial Pigeon, Purple Tailed Imperial Pigeon, Papua Mountain Pigeon, Collard Imperial Pigeon, White Throated Pigeon, Red Flanked Lorikeet, Western Black Capped Lory, Dusky Lory, Rainbow Lorikeet, Papuan King Parrot, Eclectus Parrot, Greater Streaked Lorry, Red Cheeked Parrot, Vulturine Parrot, Sulphur crested cockatoo, Palm Cockatoo, Yellow Capped Pygmy Parrot, Large Fig Parrot, Double Eyed Fig Parrot, White caned Bronze Cuckoo, Malay Bronzed Cuckoo, Chestnut Breasted Cuckoo, Brush Cuckoo, Long Billed Cuckoo, Dwarf Koel, Common Koel, Oriental Cuckoo, White Crown Koel, Channel Billed Cuckoo, Lesser Black Coucal, Greater Black Coucal, Little Paradise Kingfisher, Common Paradise Kingfisher. Overnight Hotel Cloudlands, Tabubil (room only – pay as you go for meals and drinks, cash or card)
Intermediate Egret	DAY 2:TABUBIL 0400 Depart for an early morning birding excursion around Tabubil with packed breakfast. 0900 Return to hotel for rest. It often rains at this time of the day and is a good time to lie low. 1300 After lunch (PAYG), a full afternoon birding excursion further afield into the Star Mountains (highland species) OR Ok Tedi River Valley (lowland species). Overnight Hotel Cloudlands, Tabubil (room only – pay as you go for meals and drinks, cash or card)
Astrapia Bird of Paradise Blue - Brested Pitta Dusky Lory	DAY 3: TABUBIL / MT HAGEN 0400 Depart for an early morning birding excursion around Tabubil with packed breakfast, then transfer to the airport in time for your late morning flight from Tabubil to Mt Hagen (exact flight times vary with the day of the week). Our local guide will meet you on arrival in Mt Hagen and transfer you to the Highlander Hotel in time for lunch (PAYG). 1300 Afternoon birding excursion with local bird guide around Mt Hagen. Bird list for Mt Hagen area: Long-tailed Buzzard, Brahminy Kite, Whistling Kite, Papuan Harrier, Wattled Bush Turkey, Pheasant Pigeon (Baiyer River), Victoria’s Crowned Pigeon (Baiyer River), Dusky Lory, Goldie’s Lorikeet (Baiyer River), Dwarf Cassowary (Baiyer), New Guinea Tiger Heron (Baiyer), Papuan King Parrot (Baiyer), Blue Collared Parrot, Eclectus Parrot, Pesquet’s Parrot (Baiyer), Sooty Owl (Waghi Valley), Blue Breasted Pitta, Pacific Swallow (Waghi Valley), Long Tailed Shrike, Pale Billed Scrub Wren, Willie Wagtail, Wattled Ploughbill, Long Bearded Honeyeater, Mountain Red Headed Honeyeater, Hooded Butcherbird, Archbold’s Bowerbird, Crested Bird of Paradise, Ribbon Tailed Astrapia, Astrapia Bird of Paradise, Brown Sicklebill, Lawes Parotia, Superb Bird of Paradise, Lesser Bird of Paradise, Raggiana Bird of Paradise, Blue Bird of Paradise, Bar Eyed Crow (Baiyer), Peregrine Falcon. Overnight Highlander Hotel, Mt Hagen (room only – pay as you go for meals and drinks, cash or card)
Mountain Owlet nightjar	DAY 4: MT HAGEN 0400 Depart on a full day birding excursion with packed breakfast. Our local bird guide will take you to one or more birding spots around Kumul Lodge, Magic Mountain, Baiyer River, Rondon Ridge or other locations depending on species of interest to you. Mid-morning, transfer to a local village for a village tour, colourful sing-sing performance and traditional style lunch, then resume birding in the afternoon until sundown. Overnight Highlander Hotel, Mt Hagen (room only – pay as you go for meals and drinks, cash or card)
Withe-winged Robin Eclectus Parrot Little Kingfisher awake at night Crested Berrypecker	DAY 5: MT HAGEN / PORT MORESBY 0400 Early morning birding excursion around Mt Hagen with packed breakfast, then transfer to Mt Hagen airport to check in for your morning flight from Mt Hagen to Port Moresby. Ecotourism Melanesia staff will meet you on arrival and assist you to check in at the Gateway Hotel in time for lunch (PAYG). 1300 Afternoon birding trip to Laloki River and Pacific Adventist University campus area OR botanical gardens bird aviary (closes at 1630). Bird list for Port Moresby area: Bar Eyed Rail, Beach Stone Curlew, Brahminy Kite, Bridled Tern, Brown Noddy, Buff Banded Rail, Buff Faced Pygmy Parrot, Cinnamon Ground Dove (Brown River), Comb Crested Jacana, Common Tern, Emerald Dove (Brown River), Intermediate Egret, Large Fig Parrot (Upper Brown River), Little Ringed Plover, Long-tailed Buzzard, New Guinea Bronzewing (Brown River), New Guinea Eagle, Orange Bellied Fruit Dove, Papuan Harrier, Purple Swamphen, Red Necked Crake (Brown River), Sandpiper Group, Stephen’s Dove (Brown River), Swinhoe’s Snipe, Thick Billed Ground Dove (Brown River), Variable Goshawk, Whiskered Tern, Whistling Kite, Yellow Legged Brush Turkey (Brown River), Streaked Shearwater, Brown Bobby, Darter, Little Black Cormorant, Pied Heron, Rufous Night Heron, Black Bittern, Spotted Whistling Duck, Green Pygmy Goose, Red Checked Parrot, Blue Collared Parrot, Eclectus Parrot, Shining Bronze Cuckoo, Papuan Hawk Owl, Barred Owlet Night Jar, Uniform Saiftlet (riverine areas), Papuan Spine Tailed Swift (riverine areas), Variable Dwarf Kingfisher (riverine areas), White Throated Needletail, Little Kingfisher (riverine areas), Azure Kingfisher (riverine areas), Blue Winged Kookaburra, Rufous Bellied Kookaburra (riverine areas), Hooked Billed Kingfisher, Common Paradise Kingfisher, Common Dollarbird (riverine areas), Rainbow Bee Eater, Noisy Pitta, Hooded Pitta, White Bellied Cuckoo Shrike, Golden Cuckoo Shrike, Chestnut Backed Jewel Babbler, Brown Capped Jewel Babbler, Blue Jewel Babbler, Painted Quail Thrush, Rufous Babbler, White Shouldered Fairy Wren, Emperor Fairy Wren (riverine areas), Yellow Bellied Gerygone (riverine areas), Australian Reed Warbler, Golden Headed Cisticola, Sooty Thicket Fantail, Rufous Backed Fantail, Rufous Fantail, Willie Wagtail, Spangled Drongo (riverine areas), Golden Monarch (riverine areas), Black Faced Monarch, Spot Winged Monarch (riverine areas), Frilled Monarch (riverine areas), Yellow Breasted Boatbill (riverine areas), Shining Flycatcher (riverine areas), River Flycatcher, Olive Flycatcher, Black Sided Robin (riverine areas), Banded Robin (riverine areas), White Faced Robin, White Rumped Robin,White-Winged Robin,Mangrove Golden Whistler, Grey Whistler (riverine areas), Crested Pitohui, Rusty Pitohui, Helmeted Friarbird, Plain Honeyeater (riverine areas), Tawny Breasted Honeyeater, Puff Backed Honeyeater (riverine areas), Yellow Caped Honeyeater (riverine areas), Silver Eared Honeyeater, Green Backed Honeyeater (riverine areas), Tawny Straightbill (riverine areas), Black Berrypecker (riverine areas), Crested Berrypecker, Grey Headed Mannikin, Hooded Mannikin, Grand Mannikin, Brown Oriole, Green Figbird, Singing Starling, Metallic Starling, Yellow Faced Myna, New Guinea Wood Swallow, Black Butcherbird (riverine areas), Fawn Breasted Bowerbird, Crinkle Collared Manucode, Magnificent Rifflebird, King Bird of Paradise (riverine areas), Raggiana Bird of Paradise, Orange Footed Scrubfowl, Japanese Snipe. Overnight Gateway Hotel, Port Moresby (room only – pay as you go for meals and drinks, cash or card)
Sooty Honeyeater Regent Whistler Beautiful White-Brested Fruit Dove Whiskere Lorikeet	DAY 6: PORT MORESBY (VARIARATA) 0400 Depart on a full day birding excursion with local bird guide to Variarata National Park. Includes packed breakfast and picnic lunch. Variarata National Park is located on the Sogeri Plateau above Port Moresby. A 45 minute drive up the winding main road from the city brings you to the turnoff to the national park which is another 30 minutes along sealed feeder road. The park and the surrounding country is set on a region of uplifted igneous intrusive rock complexes which rises to an elevation of 800-1000m above sea-level, and is like a natural border marking where the dry savannah scrublands of coastal Port Moresby end, and the mid-montane forests and grasslands of the Sogeri plateau begin. Birdlife at Variarata is prolific. There is a mixture of upland as well as lowland species. There are side tracks that lead to particular spots where certain types of birds can be observed. The splendid Raggiana Birds of Paradise can be observed performing their conspicuous courtship dance from one of these side tracks. Bird list for Variarata: Beautiful White-Brested Fruit Dove, Black Kite, Brahminy Kite, Whistling Kite, Variable Goshawk, New Guinea Eagle, Gurney’s Eagle, Brown Falcon, Peregrine Falcon, Chestnut Forest Rail, Forbes’s Forest Rail, Buff Banded Rail, Japanese Snipe, Great Cuckoo Dove, Brown Cuckoo Dove, Bar Tailed Cuckoo Dove, Stephen’s Dove, New Guinea Bronzewing, Papuan Lorikeet, Whiskere Lorikeet, Yellow Billed Lorikeet, Brehm’s Tiger Parrot, Papuan Boobook, Sooty Owl, Mountain Night Jar, Archbold’s Owlet Night Jar, Mountain Owlet Night Jar, Glossy Swiftlet, Blue Winged Kookaburra, Marbled Frogmouth, Brown Headed Paradise Kingfisher, Lemon Bellied Flycatcher, Magnificent Bird of Paradise, Raggiana Bird of Paradise, Alpine Pipit, Spotted Jewel Bubbler, Painted Quail Thrush, Logrunner, Blue Capped Ifrita, White Shouldered Fairy Wren, Orange Crowned Fairy Wren, Mountain Mouse Warbler, Papuan Scrun Wreu, Large Scrub Wreu, New Guinea Thornbill, Brown Breasted Gerygone, Dimorphic Fantail, Spangled Drongo, Friendly Fantail, Black Monarch, Black Breasted Boatbill, Canary Flycatcher, Mountain Robin, Greater Ground Robin, White Faced Robin, Regent Whistler, Lorentz’s Whistler, Rufous Naped Whistler, Crested Pitohui, Belford’s Honeyeater, Sooty Honeyeater, Short Bearded Honeyeater, Orange Checked Honeyeater, Streaked Berrypecker, Tit Berrypecker, Hooded Mannikin, Metallic Starling, Mountain Firetail, Crested Bird of Paradise, Raggiana Bird of Paradise. Overnight Gateway Hotel, Port Moresby (room only – pay as you go for meals and drinks, cash or card)
Raggiana Bird of Paradise	DAY 7: PORT MORESBY / FLY OUT 0400 Half day birding excursion with local bird guide to Goldie River or Brown River. Includes packed breakfast and picnic lunch with optional stops at the Bomana War Cemetery, Schwimmer Drome war relics display and the botanical gardens bird aviary if time allows before your flight. Return to the city in time to check in for your international flight. Click here to download a more detailed itinerary for EM07 with prices, list of tour inclusions and trip notes, click here (Adobe Acrobat PDF file)