Birding Tour Sulawesi Halmahera 18 Days 17 Nights

BEST BIRDING TOUR SULAWESI & HALMAHERA, INDONESIA

The Best Birdwatching Tour in Sulawesi & Halmahera, Indonesia is the best short birdwatching tour in Indonesia that you can take. With more endemic birds than any other comparable area in this vast archipelago, our Best Birdwatching Tour in Sulawesi & Halmahera, Indonesia offers an incredible experience, with an extensive bird list and a huge number of birds.

This is a special itinerary for those who want to see as many of Sulawesi and Halmahera’s fascinating endemic birds as possible in an 18-day period.

This tour is customisable. Your agent will work with you to create the tour of your dreams.

Duration and timing

Tour duration

18 days

Group size

Minimum 2 people, maximum 6 people + Guide

These are flexible. Have a chat with this guide to make the tour your own

ITINERARY

Day 1

Meet at Hasanudin International Airport Makasar. Drive to Malino and it takes about 2 hours, do birding along the road, Stay in Selebes Hotel or similar in Malino.

Day 2

After breakfast, we will birding in Malino forest, target species: Lompobatang flycatcher, Piping Crow, Sulawesi Fantail and other birding. After lunch drive to Ramang-ramang, do afternoon birding, Target Species: Black ring white eye, Speckle Boobook, Sulawesi Maskowl, blue fronted flytacher and other birds. Stay in Ramang-Ramang Guest house. 

Day 3

Birding in the morning at Bantimurung National park, target species: Black headed Kingfisher, Black ring white eye, Sulawesi flycatcher and other birds. After lunch drive to the Airport to fly to Palu, then drive 3-4 hours to Lore Lindu National Park. Birding along the road. Stay in Nasional homestay.

Day 4

Birding along roadside and Lake Tambing to find Malia, Maroon-backed Whisler, Great Shortwing, Cerulean Cuckoo-shrike, Pygmy Cuckoo-shrike, Yellow-and-green Lorikeet, Barred Honey- buzzard, Purple-bearded Bee-eater, Western Superb Fruit-dove. Stay in Nasional homestay.

Day 5

Departs at 05:00 birding along Anaso track to find target species; Hylocitrea, Purple-bearded Bee-eater, Diabolical Nightjar, Geomalia, Sombre Pigeon, Red-eared Fruit Dove, Pygmy Cuckoo- shrike, Grey-headed Imperial Pigeon, Sulawesi Ground Dove, Great Shortwing, Maroon-backed Whistler, Hylocitrea, Sulawesi Lesser and Greater Honey-eater. Full day of birding in Anaso track! Stay in Nasional homestay.

Day 6

Birding in the morning at Lake Tambing n roadside to find species maybe still missing. After lunch drive to down to Palu, afternoon birding at Salt Field to see Javan Plover and other sea birds. Stay in Sutan Raja Hotel Palu

Day 7

Flight to Manado, then drive to Kotamubagu and it takes about 5 hour

Day 8

Depart early morning at 04:00 drive to Tambun for about 1.5 hour. Arrive in the park, your target species to find Maleo, Sulawesi Pitta, Sulawesi Hawk-cuckko, Black-billed Koel, Isabelline Bush- hen and Maroon-chinned Fruit-dove. Tambun is a place where located at Bogani Nani Nani Wartabone National Park formerly known Dumoga Bone. Stay in Sutan Raja Hotel.

Day 9

Today is birding early morning along Molibagu roadside. Departs at 04:30. Target species;Sulawesi, Barred Honey-buzzard, Ivory-backed Wood-swallow, Sulawesi Goshawk, Small Sparrow-hawk, Spot-tailed Goshawk and Vinous-breasted Sparrow-hawk. Stay in Sutan RajaHotel.

Day 10

Depart early morning at 04:00, then drive up 1,5 hour to Sinsingon village, then walk about 2 hours to reach spot of Matinan Flycatcher and Scaly-breasted Kingfisher. With a luck, can see Sombre Pigeon, Purple-bearded Bee-eater, Spot-tailed Goshawk, Sulawesi Goshawk. Other endemic species should be seen like Sulawesi Serpent Eagle, Sulawesi Hawk-eagle, Spotted Harrier, Black Eagle, Yellow-and-green Lorikeet. White-bellied Imperial Pigeon, Yellow- vented Whistler, Fiery-browed Starling, SLesser Sulawesi Honeyeater, Sulawesi Leaf-warbler, Streak-headed dark-eye, Crimson-crowned Flowerpecker, Sulawesi Myzomela, Sulawesi Sulawesi Thrush, Sulawesi Drongo, Sulawesi Blue-flycatcher and Cerulean Cuckoo-shrike. Lunch is served in birding site. Stay in hotel Tomohon.

Day 11

After breakfast, drive up to Mahawu Mountain target species are Scaly Kingfisher, Sombre Pigeon and other birds. After lunch drive to Tangkoko. Afternoon birding go down to the beach and go by boat to Great bill Kingfisher, white rumped Cuckoo shrike and other endemic birds Stay in Tangkoko Hill Cotage.

Day 12

After breakfast, go Tangkoko Park. Target species; Green-backed Kingfisher, Lilac-cheeked Kingfisher, Ruddy Kingfisher, Dwarf Kingfisher, Sulawesi Pitta, Spotted-tailed Goshawk, Sulawesi Goshawk, Blue-backed Parrot, Philippine/Tabon Scrubfowl, Minahasa Masked Owl, Bay Coucal, Pied Cuckoo-shrike, Stephan's Dove, Emerald Dove, White-necked Myna, Finch-billed Myna, Red- backed Thrush, Grey-sided Flowerpecker, and Yellow-sided Flowerpeker. Stay in Tangkoko Hill Cotage.

Day 13

After breakfast, drive to Temboan hill, target birds are blue back parrot, Sulawesi n Minahasa rocket tail, piad cuckoo shrike and other birds, then drive to Airport to fly to Ternate and cross to Sidangoli by Speedboat. Birding in Sidangoli. Stay in Resident Hotel Sofifi.

Day 14

Birding in Sidangoli, Target species: Ivory breasted and North Maluku Pittas, Sombre, Common Paradise, blue and white, Mollucan Dwarf, beach Kingfishers, blue capped and Grey headed fruit doves, after lunch drive to Subaim. Stay in Wisma kita or Balis Homestay in Subaim.

Day 15

Depart early morning, drive up to Foli on watching Wallace's Standardwing displays. then birding continues along logging road for chance to see Azure Dollarbird, Drab Whistler, Dusky Myzomela, White Cockatoo, Chattering Lory, Violet-necked Lory, Cream-throated White-eye, Cinnamon- bellied Imperial Pigeon, Spectacled Imperial Pigeon, Halmahera Oriole, White-naped Monarch, and other birds. Night birds are Mollucan Boobok, mollucan owlet nightjar and Mollucan scops owl. Stay in Wisma kita or Balis Homestay in Subaim.

Day 16

Departat 5:30 to Buli roadside, target species: Halmahera Goshawk, Mollucan and Halmahera Cuckooshire, white cuckatoo, white naped Morach, Moluccan imperial pigeon, cinnamon imperial pigeion, scarlet breasted fruit dove and other endemic species of Halmahera. Stay in Wisma kita or Balis Homestay in Subaim.

Day 17

Drive to Roni Mountain, target species are Azure Dollarbird and other endemics birds, after lunch drive to Sidangoli and cross to Ternate by Speedboat. Stay in Villa Marasai.

Day 18

Transfer you to the Airport to your flight.

Tour includes:

Bird guide, transfers, entry fee into all National parks, accommodation, domestic flight based on the itinerary, transportation, lunch on day 1 and dinner in the last day of the trip.

Excludes: 

Items of personal nature, international flights, gratuities, beverages ( Alcohol)

Accommodation & Road Transport: The hotels used are of good or medium standard. In several locations, we will stay in simple or sometimes basic guesthouses (sometimes with shared bathroom facilities). Road transport is by small coach, minibus/passenger van or cars. Roads are variable in quality.

Walking: The walking effort during our Best of Sulawesi & Halmahera tour is mostly easy to moderate, but there will be at least one harder day in Lore Lindu (where a two or three hour walk is now required to reach some of the birding areas owing to the road no longer being passable to vehicles).

Climate: Most days in the lowlands will be hot, dry and sunny, but overcast conditions are fairly frequent and some rain, heavy at times, can be expected. In montane areas it will range from very cool to warm. The humidity is often rather high.

Bird Photography: Opportunities during our Best of Sulawesi & Halmahera tour are worthwhile.