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Itineraries  /  Bird Photography Expedition
PG11 · PNG · Photography Expedition

Bird Photography Expedition

Port Moresby · Kiunga · Tabubil · Tari Valley · Kumul Lodge
Duration
15 Days · 14 Nights
The route
Port Moresby · Kiunga · Tabubil · Tari Valley · Kumul Lodge
Style
Birds-of-paradise for the camera
Best season
May – October · best
The route

14 nights, 5 stops — birds-of-paradise for the camera.

Port Moresby → Kiunga → Tabubil → Tari Valley → Kumul Lodge.

Round trip · returns to Port Moresby

Port MoresbyKiungaTabubilKumul Lodge
What you're tracking

What you'll see

Raggiana bird-of-paradise
PNG's national bird, at Varirata.
Growling riflebird
In the forest.
Brown-headed paradise-kingfisher
At Varirata.
Greater bird-of-paradise
At its lowland lek.
Day by day

The journey, one day at a time

01Arrive Port Moresby

Arrive Port Moresby

The journey begins.

Arrive in Port Moresby, met and transferred to your accommodation. Port Moresby keeps the logistics working, and Varirata gives a first, accessible bird-of-paradise.

02Port Moresby

Port Moresby

A full day in the field.

Bird Varirata's forest edge and connect onward to the regions. Explore the capital and its Nature Park between flights.

03Port Moresby → Kiunga

To Kiunga

On to the next.

Transfer to Kiunga. River and forest birding for the greater and twelve-wired birds-of-paradise. Arrive at Port Moresby and transfer to Kiunga.

04Kiunga

Kiunga

A full day in the field.

Search the lowland forest for the king bird-of-paradise and bowerbirds. Boat the Fly River tributaries into pristine rainforest. Kiunga's birds-of-paradise are among the most coveted lowland species in all of New Guinea.

05Kiunga

Kiunga

A full day in the field.

Boat the Fly River tributaries into pristine rainforest. Dawn leks and a full day of lowland forest specialities.

06Kiunga → Tabubil

To Tabubil

On to the next.

Transfer to Tabubil. Bird the foothill forest for the flame bowerbird and Carola's parotia. Arrive at Port Moresby and transfer to Tabubil.

07Tabubil

Tabubil

A full day in the field.

Work the Ok Tedi roads for forest birds across elevations. A full day of foothill specialities between the showers. Tabubil's mid-elevation forests fill the gap between lowland Kiunga and the high valleys, adding species found at neither.

08Tabubil

Tabubil

A full day in the field.

A full day of foothill specialities between the showers.

09Tabubil → Tari Valley

To Tari Valley

On to the next.

Transfer to Tari Valley. Bird the cloud forest for King of Saxony and blue birds-of-paradise. Arrive at Port Moresby and transfer to Tari Valley.

10Tari Valley

Tari Valley

A full day in the field.

Visit a Huli wigmen village, then the highland display trees. Work the high forest for astrapias and parotias. Nowhere fuses extraordinary culture and extraordinary birds like the Tari Valley.

11Tari Valley

Tari Valley

A full day in the field.

Work the high forest for astrapias and parotias. Dawn at the BoP display trees and a full highland birding day.

12Tari Valley → Kumul Lodge

To Kumul Lodge

On to the next.

Transfer to Kumul Lodge. Watch ribbon-tailed astrapias and sicklebills at the feeders, then the trails. Arrive at Port Moresby and transfer to Kumul Lodge.

13Kumul Lodge

Kumul Lodge

A full day in the field.

Bird the montane forest around the lodge for highland species. Relaxed feeder birding and gentle forest walks. Kumul's feeders turn a usually difficult quarry into close, repeatable views.

14Kumul Lodge

Kumul Lodge

A full day in the field.

Relaxed feeder birding and gentle forest walks.

15Depart Kumul Lodge

Departure

The journey ends.

A final morning in Kumul Lodge — a last outing or a slow start as time allows — before the transfer onward and the journey home.

When to travel

The season changes what you see.

May – October

Peak season

Drier season — best for the Varirata birding and travel.

Year-round

Good season

A transit hub usable in any season.

Wildlife you may see
Birds

Make it yours.

Add nights, swap a park, extend to the coast — this route is a starting point, not a fixed menu. Tell us how you travel and we'll route the rest.

Field notes, now and then.

Where to go · When to go · Wildlife in season

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