Saturday, December 31, 2016

Watching Birds and Flowers in Arfak Mountains

Arfak range is considered as the mecca of birdwatching. But it is also a must visit destination for those who want to see rhododendron flowers, orchid, nepenthes and myrmecophyte that grow in their natural habitat.
Little Paradise Kingfisher
The lower montane forest in Mount Mabowi is the site where visitors can watch Lesser Birds of Paradise (Paradisaea minor), various species of pigeons and kingfisher as well as Papuan Frogmouth. In addition to birds, there are cuscus possum, soa-soa lizard and wild pigs that made the jungle as their habitat. Bamboo trees are the best place for those who want to see glowing mushroom especially during rainy season.
Vogelkop Bowerbird in Arfak range
For Upper Montane Forest such as the jungle of Mount Soyti, visitors can watch Vogelkop Bowerbird (Amblyornis inornata), Western Parotia (Parotia sefilata), Magnificent Birds of Paradise (Cicinnurus magnificus). The jungle of Mount Soyti is also a good site for visitors who want to see New Guinea Impatient Flowers.
As a tour guide, I often arrange tours to Arfak mountains for visitors who want to see birds in Mount Mabowi, and Mount Soyti as well as flowers on tops of the mountains that surround Anggi lakes.
Myrmecophyte in Arfak mountains
Various species of flowers grow in the villages along the lakes, on steep slopes and on tops of Arfak mountains. From my previous trips, I saw giant Myrmecophyte on top of Mount Sensenemes at the elevation of 2730 meters above sea level. There were a lot of Rhododendron konori and Rhododendron laetum as well as terrestrial orchids and other tropical flowers in the region.
Sightseeing
Lake Anggi Giji
You will see magnificent scenery of the villages, the lakes, slopes and deep ravines when you stand on top of Mount Sensenemes or Mount Kobrey of Arfak range.

How to get there?
  • Fly from your country to Jakarta (the capital of Indonesia) or to Denpasar Bali (the tourism hub of Indonesia).
  • Fly to Manokwari, the capital of West Papua province
  • I could meet you in town and organize your trip to Arfak mountains.
Cost
The cost of traveling around Arfak mountains by chartered 4wd car is quite expensive. Therefore, I suggest that participants of the tour should be around 3 to 4 people to share the cost.
For customized itenerary and cost, please, contact me by email to Charles Roring: peace4wp@gmail.com if you are interested in traveling to Arfak mountains of Manokwari.

Friday, December 30, 2016

Wild Flowers in Arfak Mountains of Manokwari

Passion flower near Lake Anggi Giji
I made several trips to Arfak mountains recently where I guided some tourists from Australia, Indonesia, Austria and China. We visited the jungle of Mount Soyti, Mount Sensenemes, Mount Kobrey and Mount Mabowi. During the trips I saw a lot of beautiful flowers including Rhododendron konori, Rhododendron laetum, Myrmecophyte, orchid, nepenthes and a lot more.
Orchids in the jungle of Mount Soyti
The areas around Lake Anggi Giji and Lake Anggi Gida were full of wild flowers that grew on the elevation between 2,000 and 2,730 meters above sea level. We couldeasily find them in the slopes, on the road sides, and on top of the mountains. The indigenous people who live in the villages around the lake grow the flowers in the frontyards of their houses. There are a lot of flowers which I haven't been able to identify.
Visitors who joined my Arfak mountains tour were very to see the flowers and the beautiful scenery taken from the slopes and tops of the mountains above Anggi lakes.
Rhododendron konori
on top of Mount Sensenemes
After visiting Anggi lakes, we went down the steep slopes of Arfak and continued our trip to the jungle of Warmarway. There, we walked up very steep slopes to a basecamp and stayed for several days. This time the vocal points of the tour were not flowers but Birds of Paradise, Glowing Mushroom, and Butterflies.
Our basecamp was constructed near a stream whose water. We boiled its crystal clear water for our drinking water. We also took a bath in the stream. Early in the morning when it was still dark, we woke up at 04.30 to drink some tea or coffee. After that we left our tents for the lek of Lesser Birds of Paradise. It was a nice adventure because we could watch how male lesser birds of paradise performed their courtship dance to seduce or attract their female birds.
Traditional house of Sougb tribe
At the end of our trip in the jungle, we visited Warmarway village where we saw our local guide Yunus made fire using traditional matches. This Papuan matches were made of a piece of bamboo and palm fiber. It had been used by the indigenous Papuan people in the vogelkop region of West Papua before modern matches were introduced by the Dutch.

Tour Around Arfak Mountains
Lake Anggi Gida
I offer tour package around Arfak mountains where visitors will be able to explore the tropical rainforest, see beautiful scenery around Anggi lakes and interact with the indigenous people.

Wildlife
It is not only flowers that visitors will be able to see during the tour but also wild animals such as birds of paradise, vogelkop bower bird, western parotia, cuscus possum, butterflies and etc.

Meeting and Staying with the Indigenous People
During the trip, participants will meet indigenous people of Arfak mountains from several different tribes. We will even stay in their traditional house.

Interested?
I suggest the number of participants of the tour is 2 to 3 people to share the cost. If you are interested, please, contact me by e-mail to: peace4wp@gmail.com or whatsapp: +6281332245180 for the price and customized itinerary.

Also read:
Flowers from the rainforest of Arfak mountains
Scarlet jade Vine Flowers

Tuesday, December 27, 2016

Traveling around Arfak Mountains

I have just completed a tour for an Austrian family. We traveled around Arfak mountains to watch birds, see magnificent scenery of Anggi lakes, meet and stay with the indigenous people of Sougb tribe and explored the tropical jungle of Arfak mountains.

The Adventure
Day 1
The family arrived in Manokwari early in the morning. I met them at the airport and arranged their transfer to a hotel in the city. While they took a rest, I went to the police to get the Surat Jalan (travel permit). After getting the letter from Police Station, we visited Mansinam island to see its coastal village.

Day 2
We went to traditional market to buy food as contact materials and then continued our trip by 4WD car to Arfak mountains. Our first stop was Kwau village. After having lunch, we walked up steep slopes to watch Vogelkop Bowerbird (Amblyornis inornata). We spent one night in the guesthouse that was located in the jungle.

Lake Anggi Giji in Arfak mountains
Day 3
We woke up early in the morning and went hiking again to watch Western Parotia (Parotia sefilata). The visitors were surprised to see the dance performance of the birds. We continued our trip again to higher elevation area of Arfak mountains. We traveled around Lake Anggi Giji. I asked our driver to stop several times during the trip so that I could gave photographs from my previous trips to the villagers. I also bought some vegetables from local people. It was around 15.00 local time when we ascended the steep slopes of Gunung Maut (meaning Mount Dead). We saw wonderful scenery of the lake and the mountains that surround it. There was some rain. When we reached the higher slope (around 2,500 meters above sea level), we had sunlight coming from behind us. The sunlight created a big arch of rainbow. The rainbow over the lake with the background of the mountains gave us a fantastic view of Papua's nature. We continued our tour to Cirnov village and stayed there for one night in the house of a villager. Again, the mountainous scenery was spectacular. Cirnov village was a country above the clouds.

Lake Anggi Gida in Arfak mountains
Day 4
The next morning, we continued our trip to the top of Mount Sensenemes. We took a lot of pictures of the scenery, and flowers in the area. There were a lot of Rhododendron flowers, myrmecodia (ants plants), and orchid at the elevation between 2500 to 2730 meters above sea level. We traveled to along the villages of District Sururey and then up more steep slopes to Mount Kobrey where we were able to see both Lake Anggi Giji (meaning lake man) and Lake Anggi Gida (meaning lake woman). We stopped at a village to buy passion fruits. We went down steep slopes of Arfak range to Neney waterfall. There, we had our late lunch. We arrived in Ransiki before dark. We could feel the atmosphere of Christmas every where. We stayed at the house of a Papuan family who was the relative of our driver.

Cirnov village, a country above the clouds
in Arfak mountains
Day 5
It was around 08.00 in the morning when we left the house for the traditional market. We bought fruits and vegetables at the market and then continued our tour that day to Warmarway. We stopped at the entrance point of Mount Mabowi. I asked my guests to unload their bags. I asked them to wait for me at the foot of the mountains. After that I and Tobias (our driver) went to Warmarway village to pick up our local guides. We began trekking up the steep slopes of Mount Mabowi at 12.00 and reached our base camp one and a half hours later. We still had time to continue our rainforest tour to watch Birds of Paradise.
We decided to walk up steep slopes again to reach the lek of Lesser Birds of Paradise. I stopped just around 40 meters below the birding site and asked our local guide and our guests to continue walking to the display tree. I did this to increase the chance for them to spot the birds. Unfortunately, they could only see the tail of the male bird that was perching in high branch of the tree with a lot of twigs and leaves covering him.
While sitting and waiting for them, I sat on the ground. Suddenly, a bird was flying over my head and landed on a branch some 10 meters on the right of my head. I quickly turned on my camera and aimed it on the bird. I was lucky enough to make two or shots of the bird before he flew away and disappeared behind the dense trees of the jungle. It was Little Paradise Kingfisher. It was the first time for me to see the bird.
After dinner, they had another night walk with our local guide and successfully saw cuscus possum and numerous glowing mushrooms that were growing in the decaying segments of fallen bamboes.

Traditional house of indigenous people
Day 6
Christmas time. We took a rest and only explored the forest near our tent. We were able to see two pigeons in a tall tree near our tents using my spotting scope.

Day 7
Sergius, another local guide, accompanied our guests to the lek of birds of paradise. This time they were successful. We left the jungle of Arfak mountains for Manokwari after brunch.

Passion Flower in Arfak mountains
This was a long land tour covering the mountains and valley of Arfak mountains. Our tour participants were able to see beautiful scenery of islands and mountains in Manokwari. They also saw lesser birds of paradise, vogelkop bowerbird, western parotia, pigeons, cuscus possum, and glowing mushrooms and a lot of colorful flowers and unique plants. We met the indigenous people and stayed with them.

I offer this trip to any body who is interested in taking the Arfak range tour. If you are interested, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com
I suggest that visitors go in a group of at least 3 to 4 people to share the cost.


Sunday, November 20, 2016

Hiking in Anggi Lakes of Arfak Mountains

Lake Anggi Giji in Arfak Mountains
Magnificent Panorama
A few days ago I and some visitors from Australia and Indonesia went hiking in the hills around Anggi lakes that were located in southern region of Arfak mountains. We visited Gunung Maut (and walked to the top of Mount Sensenemes). The next day, we visited Mount Kobrey that is located between Lake Anggi Giji (Lake Man) and Lake Anggi Gida(Lake Woman). The elevation of the mountains were between 2,500 and 2,760 meters above sea level. It was very cold but it was also very beautiful.
Actually, we went there from Manokwari by a chartered 4WD car. It takes five hours from the city to our destination. We stopped several times along the way to take pictures and meet local people. Most often our car had to climb steep slopes that are dangerous. We felt our hearts were beating faster because of the dangerous terrains. Fortunately, our driver was an experienced one.
Flowers
While walking on tops of the mountains, we could see spectacular scenery of the lakes and the mountains that surround them. We also saw a lot of species of high altitude wild flowers and unique plants.
Rhododendron Flowers in Arfak range
There were rhododendron konori; rhododendron laetum, orchids, nepenthes, ants nests or Myrmecophyte and passion flower. We spent 5 days/ 4 nights traveling across the hills, slopes and valleys of Arfak range.
Staying in the house of the indigenous people
We met the indigenous people too. They were friendly and were very happy to receive us staying for a few days in their traditional houses. We cooked our food together using forewood. Their houses were made of wood and tree bark. In the past the roofs were made of leaves. Now, they have replaced the roofs with corrugated metal roof. Mostly they don't have rooms. The following picture show how the traditional house of the indigenous people of Arfak mountains looks like.
The indigenous people of Arfak mountains work as farmers and hunters. They sell their vegetables, fruits in Manokwari city. They raise pigs and grow spring onions, carrots, cabbage,  choy sum, passion fruits, and flowers.
Traditional house of Arfak tribes
Smokes
They burned firewood in their house to keep warm. Unfortunately, there was no chimney in the house. So, the smoke filled all of the spaces in the house. My eyes could not stand with the smokes, as a result, ears kept on forming in my eyes. There were two lakes in Arfak mountains, i.e. Anggi Giji and Anggi Gida. Both of them were very beautiful.
Interested?
As a tourist guide, I could organize hiking trips for tourists who want to visit Arfak mountains. I highly recommend that you come in a group of 3 to 4 people to share the cost. If you are interested, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or send whatsapp message to my number: +6281332245180.

Saturday, November 19, 2016

Traveling around Anggi Lakes of Arfak Mountains

Lake Anggi Gida in Arfak Mountains - West Papua
I have just completed a hiking-and-sightseeing tour around Anggi Lakes of Arfak Mountains today. I went there with several other visitors from Indonesia and Australia. It was a nice and unforgetable experience. We saw a lot of colorful flowers.

Hiking to the top of Mount Cirinohu
We visited Cirinohu village  and stayed with the indigenous Papua people from Sougb tribe. The villagers were very kind to us and received us to stay in their traditional house called Rumah Kaki Seribu (meaning a thousand leg house).  The village is located below the top of Mount Sensenemes (2760 meters above sea level). It was one of the tops of Arfak mountains. We went hiking to the top of the mountain the next day. It was very cold up there.
The scenery from the top was very beautiful with various high altitude flower shrubs thriving in the mountains. Some of them include rhododendron flowers, orchids, nepenthes and other unique plants that cover the steep slopes and hills of Anggi lakes.

Lake Anggi Gida in Arfak Mountains - West Papua
Tour Package
I often receive requests from visitors who want to visit Arfak mountains to see its wildlife, particularly its birds of paradise, wonderful scenery and meet the indigenous people of the region.
To meet the demand, I have prepared a tour around Arfak mountains. This tour is suitable for those who want to see unique birds of paradise, wonderful scenery, meet and stay with indigenous people and explore the tropical rainforest of the range for its vegetation and wildlife.
I recommend that visitors travel in a group 2 - 4 people to share the cost.

Itinerary:
Day 1
Arrive in Manokwari
Getting Surat Jalan from local police station
A short trip to Mansinam island

Wild Orchids at the slope of Mount Sensenemes
Day 2
Buying food at traditional market
Transfer by 4WD car to Arfak mountains
Birding in the jungle of Mount Soyti to see Vogelkop Bowerbird

Day 3
Watching Western Parotia
Leaving Mt. Soyti for Lake Anggi Giji by 4WD car
Sightseeing trip around the lake where there are several villages.
Ascending Gunung Maut (meaning Mount Dead) to see the magnificent scenery of the lakes and mountains as well as a lot of beautiful flowers such as Rhododendron and Orchids.
Continue trip by 4WD car to Cirnov village.
Staying with local people

Day 4
Hiking to the top of Mount Sensenemes to see flowers such as Rhododendron Konori and Myrmecophyte. After that, we will continue our trip to Mt. Kobrey that is located between Lake Anggi Giji and Lake Anggi Gida. After that we will go down the steep slopes of Arfak range to reach Ransiki town and spend one night at the house of a Papuan family.

Day 5
We will buy some food at the local market and then continue our trip to Mount Mabowi. Guided by local people, we will climb the mountain and stay in a base camp in the middle of the tropical jungle. We could do night walk to see glowing mushroom and to find cuscus possum.

Day 6
We could go trekking to watch Lesser Birds of Paradise
In the afternoon, we could go trekking to higher elevation area of the forest to see its unique trees, insects and other animals.

Day 7
We could do a second attempt of watching Lesser Birds of Paradise or try to find Western Parotia (Parotia sefilata).

If you want me to guide you for traveling around Anggi Lakes to see beautiful nature, meet and stay with  the indigenous people and see various colorful flowers, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email: peace4wp@gmail.com.

Saturday, October 29, 2016

Wildlife Watching in the Rainforest of Arfak Mountains

Arfak mountains have been an important destination for visitors who want to see wild animals of New Guinea. Most tourists who go to Arfak mountains are birdwatchers. Their main goal is to watch birds of paradise.
As a matter of fact, the are other animals which tourists can see while walking in the jungle. Some of them include soa-soa lizards, wild pigs, snakes, frogs, birdwing butterflies, cuscus possum, tree kangaroo, and bandicoot. Insects have also been the focus of attention of some scientists who travel to Arfak mountains.
Trekking and Camping
The best way to explore the bio-diversity of the rainforest environment of Arfak range is by camping in the jungle and do the exploratory walks during the days and nights. The chance to see wild animals is higher if we stay in the jungle and explore deeper forest area. As a tourist guide, I have accompanied a lot of visitors on trekking and camping trips in the forest. They usually stay between 3 to 5 days.

Mabowi Forest of Arfak Mountains
I highly recommend Mawowi forest because it is still in pristine condition. Here, visitors can watch Lesser Birds of Paradise in the morning, explore trees, shrubs, lianas and mushrooms during the day and do night walk to find cuscus possum and Papuan frogmouth bird at night.

Itinerary
Here is a typical itinerary for visitors who want to go trekking and wildlife watching in Arfak mountains:
Day 1
Arrive in Manokwari
Getting Travel Permit (Surat Jalan) from local police station
Transfer to Arfak mountains
Overnight stay in the jungle tent

Day 2
Wake up early in the morning at around 4.30
Drink tea, or coffee. Leave the camp at approx. 05.00 for the display trees of Lesser Birds of Paradise (Paradisaea minor). Watch birds until 09.00.
Return to base camp. Have breakfast. Take a rest.
At 11.00, we can do the exploratory jungle walk to see tropical trees, bamboo, lianas, wild flower plants on the ground and orchids in high trees.
We can return to our camp again during the day or continue our trekking tour deeper and higher into the mountains.

Day 3
We can walk down the forest and continue exploring the forest in the lowland area of Arfak mountains.
We can built tents by a small river and do jungle walk during the day and at night.
Overnight stay in the jungle.

Day 4
We can dismantle our tents and walk back to the main road and return to Manokwari city by car.

Lake Anggi Gida
Price: please, contact me by email
The cost includes transportation between Manokwari city and the entrance point at the foot of Arfak mountains, food in the jungle, local guides.
The cost does not include airfare, travel insurance and hotel accommodation in Manokwari city. I can help you book a room in a hotel in this city.

How to go there?
  • Fly from your country to Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia.
  • Continue your trip to Manokwari city by a domestic airline such as Garuda, Sriwijaya, Express Air, Nam Air. 
  • I can meet you at the airport or at the hotel where you stay and arrange your trip to the mountains.

Traditional house of Sougb tribe in Arfak range
Customized Itinerary
I could organize a trip for you to Anggi lakes where you could see the villages that exist around the lakes, beautiful flowers, also meet and stay with the indigenous people in their traditional house.
Booking
Please, use the contact form in the top right side of this blog or send your email directly to my email: peace4wp@gmail.com


Flowers and Butterflies in the Rainforest of Klasow Valley

The Great Eggfly butterfly (Hypolimnas bolina)
Butterfly Watching in the Flower Garden
I often organize tours for tourists who want to go hiking in the rainforest of Klasow valley - Sorong regency. Visitors who go there can see colorful flowers that grow in the clearing area of the jungle village and inside the forest. They attract various species of butterflies that come to collect their nectar.
Meadow Argus butterfly (Junonia villida)
It is not difficult to watch these butterflies. Tourists only need to walk around the garden and spot the butterflies that hop from one flower to another. The small one that I could identify is Junonia villida. There are also big butterflies such as Ornitopthera priamus and Papilio ulysses.

Large Fig Parrot (Psittaculirostris desmarestii)
Jungle Walk and Birdwatching 
Since its introduction as rainforest tour destination in 2014, I have written a lot of articles about Klasow valley as birdwatching destination. There are a lot of birds that live in the valley such as Sulphur Crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita), Moustached Tree-Swift, Papuan Hornbill (Rhyticeros plicatus), Pinon Imperial Pigeon and Pink Spotted Fruit-Dove. From my previous tours, visitors like to do jungle walk during the day to find birds especially the Lesser Birds of Paradise (Paradisaea minor), Yellow-billed Kingfisher and Dollarbird, Northern Cassowary, Helmetted Friarbird, Orange-bellied Fruit Dove, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra and a lot more.
Wild Flower in the Jungle of Klasow Valley

How to get there?
  • Want to visit this forest and see its flowers, butterflies and birds? Here is the flight paths for you:
  • Fly from your country to Jakarta (the capital of Indonesia)
  • Take a domestic airline such as Garuda, Sriwijaya or Express Air to fly to Sorong city. 
  • I can meet you at the airport, arrange your accommodation in the city and organize your tour to Klasow valley.

Cost: On the average, the cost of traveling in Klasow valley is 10 million rupiahs (approximately 697 Euros) for 2 people on the duration of 4 days/3 nights in the valley. I can prepare a customized itinerary with cost calculation if you need one.

Where to stay?
If you want to visit the jungle village of Klasow valley, you can stay at our hut that has been prepared by villagers for guests. It is not a luxurious accommodation like what you see in big hotels in Sorong city but it can be a basic accommodation for anyone who wants to see and experience this full service rainforest  tour.

Contact:
This is my cell phone: +6281332245180 and my email: peace4wp@gmail.com

Wednesday, October 26, 2016

Rainforest Flowers in Klasow Valley of Sorong Regency

I often see wild flowers in the rainforest of Klasow valley when I guide tourists on hiking and birdwatching tours in West Papua. There are tens of villages in the valley including Malagufuk, Klatomok, Klayeli, Malagubtuk, Klabili, Klasow, and etc. The valley is located in the east of Sorong city around 1.5 hours by 4WD car and then another 1.5 hours on foot through the jungle to reach a small village near Klabolo stream. Tropical plants such as iron wood tree, pandanus, ficus tree, lianas, and various shrub plants grow along the paths that lead visitors to the jungle village. Everything looks green in the jungle. However, if we do careful exploration of the forest, we will be able to see various species of flowers that can only be seen in tropical rainforest.
Big Flowers from the Jungle
Rainforest Red Flower Uvaria papua
Early this month I saw a big flower whose petals were red. Its stigma was yellow. I never saw it before so I uploaded on my Facebook account and ask my friends to help me. Some people said that it was Uvaria grandiflora but based on my obsevation, the leaves are different and this flower does not have white color at the base of its petals that surrounds the stigma.  After reading their comments and suggestions, I decided to name: Uvaria papua.

Zinnia Flower and Blue Tiger Butterfly
There are a lot of other flowers that we can see in the forest of Klasow valley. The main problem that I face is the lack of field guide books for Flowers of New Guinea. So, I could only upload them in this blog and hope that readers will help me identify them.

Birdwatching
There are a lot of birds that we can see in the valley. As a matter of fact, I have organized birding trips to this forest numerous times. Some of the birds that I and the birdwatchers saw or heard during the trips are listed below:
Western-crowned Pigeon (Goura cristata)
Western Crowned Pigeon in
the jungle of Klasow valley
  • Lesser Birds of Paradise (Paradisaea minor)
  • Magnificent Riflebird (Ptiloris magnificus)
  • Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise (Seleucidis melanoleuca)
  • King Bird of Paradise (Cicinnurus regius)
  • Lowland Peltops (Peltop blainvilii)
  • Shining Flycatcher (Myiagra alecto)
  • Frilled Monarch (Arses telescophthalmus)
  • Helmetted Friarbird (Philemon buceroides)
  • White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike (Coracina papuensis)
  • Glossy Swiftlet (Collocalia esculenta)
  • Moustached Tree-swift (Hemiprocne mustacea)
  • Papuan Frogmouth (Podargus papuensis)
  • Dollarbird (Eurystomus orientalis)
  • Papuan hornbill (Rhyticeros plicatus)
  • Rufous-bellied Kookabara (Dacelo gaudichaud)
  • Shovel-billed Kingfisher (Clytoceyx rex)
  • Forest Kingfisher (Halcyon macleayii)
  • Dwarf Kingfisher (Ceyx lepidus)
  • Yellow-billed Kingfisher (Halcyon torotoro)
  • Black Lory (Chalcopsitta atra)
  • Eclectus parrot (Eclectus rotatus)
  • Sulphur Crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita)
  • Red-cheeked Parrot (Geoffroyus geoffroyi)
  • Western Black-capped Lory (Lorius lory)
  • Large Fig Parrot (Psittaculirostris desmarestii)
  • Pinon Imperial Pigeon (Ducula pinon)
  • Pink-spotted Fruit Dove (Ptilinopus perlatus)
  • Wompoo Fruit-Dove (Ptilinopus magnificus)
  • Beautiful Fruit-Dove (Ptilinopus pulchellus)
  • Western Crowned Pigeon (Goura cristata)
  • Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus)
  • Grey-headed Goshawk (Accipiter poliocephalus)
  • Dwarf Cassowary (Casuarius bennetti)
  • Hooded Pitta (Pitta sordida)
  • and etc.

Rainforest Tour
Interested in visiting rainforest in Klasow valley to see flowers and butterfly? Please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com, whatsapp: +6281332245180 or use the contact form in the top right side of this blog.

Related articles:
  • Birding in Malagufuk Village of Klasow Valley
  • Malagufuk's Birds
  • Tropical Birding Tour in Sorong Forest
  • Birdwatching Tour in Klasow Valley of Sorong Regency

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Birdwatching in Lowland Forest of Sorong Regency with Swedish Tourists

I have just returned from birdwatching tour with two Swedish tourists in the lowland forest of Sorong regency. It was a full service birding tour in Klasow valley of West Papua. I picked them up from Waigo hotel in Sorong city and transferred them by a 4WD car to the valley. It took around 1.5 hours by car. We still need to walk through the forest to reach our birding hut located near Klabolo stream.
Birdwatching
Male Lesser Bird of Paradise
One of the participants was a mature lady Inggrid Timle. She used a pair of Swift binoculars to see birds in distant trees. She said that she saw Lowland Peltops (Peltops blainvillii), Papuan hornbill (Rhyticeros plicatus), White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike (Coracina papuensis) around the clearing area near our hut.
We also saw Glossy Swiftlet (Collocalia esculenta), Moustached Tree-swift (Hemiprocne mystacea), Dollarbird (Eurystomus orientalis), Yellow-billed Kingfisher (Halcyon torotoro), Lesser Birds of Paradise (Paradisaea minor), Forest Kingfisher (Halcyon macleayi), Rufous-bellied Kookaburra (Dacelo gaudichaud), Western Black-capped Lory (Lorius lory), Large Fig-Parrot (Psittaculirostris desmarestii), Sulphur Crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita), Black Lory (Chalcopsitta atra), Pinon Imperial Pigeon (Ducula pinon), Orange-bellied Fruit-Dove (Ptilinopus iozonus), Pink-spotted Fruit-Dove (Ptilinopus perlatus), and a lot of other birds which I cannot mention in this post.

Pinon Imperial Pigeon in Klasow Valley
Night Walk
In addition to birding, we did a short night walk in search of wallaby. It was a kind of Ground Kangaroo but had smaller body. We saw two wallabies in separate locations. To do the night walk, participants need to bring torch, wear trekking boots or sport shoes and apply insect repellent lotion on their exposed skins. There were also nocturnal animals such as Papuan Frogmouth (a kind of owl), Fruit Bats that we could find in the jungle. However, we felt that we need to sleep early for watching Lesser Birds of Paradise. That's why we returned to the village early.

Flowers and Butterfly
Flowers were blooming along the path of the village
The Swedish visitors saw various colorful butterflies that fly around the clearing area of the lowland forest to collect nectar from flowers that were blooming everywhere. The villagers planted a lot of zinnia and other flowers in front of their jungle huts, church and along the path that connect their village and the main road. Some of them which I could identify were Blue Mountain Swallowtail (Papilio ulysses), Cruiser Butterfly (Vindula arsinoe), Great Egg butterfly (Hypolimnas bolina),  Taenaris catops, and birdwing butterfly (Ornitopthera priamus).

Jungle hut as our simple accommodation in
the forest of Klasow valley
Accommodation
Our accommodation in the jungle was a simple hut made of wood and palm leaves as roof. But there was a toilet with clean water. We provide mattresses, mosquito net. Villagers work as cooks, local guides and porters during the jungle tour.

ITINERARY
Rainfores Tour in the forest Sorong regency
As a tour guide, I offer a full service rainforest tour in Klasow valley of Sorong regency. For 3 days/ 2 night tours, typical itinerary is usually described as follows:
Day 1 -  I will pick you up in Sorong regency. By 4wd car, we will go to a lowland forest outside of the city. It will take around 1.5 hours. We will go hiking to the jungle hut. After taking a rest, we will walk around to find Magnificent Riflebird which is a species of bird of paradise. We will do general birding to watch Yellow-faced Myna, Golden Myna, Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Large Fig Parrot, Common Paradise Kingfisher, Yellow-billed Kingfisher, Oriental Dollarbird, and etc.
Magnificent Riflebird
Magnificent Riflebird (Ptiloris magnificus)
Day 2 - Early in the morning at 05.00, we will leave our hut for the forest to find Lesser Birds of Paradise, Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise as well as Red-breasted Paradise Kingfisher. We will return to the jungle hut again at noon. After taking a rest, we will do general birding to find Wompoo Fruit Dove, Pink-spotted Fruit Dove, Black-browed Triller, Black Lory, Grey-headed Goshawk, and etc.
Day 3 - Our target in the morning is King Bird of Paradise. We will also find other tropical birds as well including Lowland Peltop, Shining Flycatcher, Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Helmetted Friarbird, Red-breasted Paradise Kingfisher, and a lot more. At 13.00, we will walk back to main road and return to the city by 4wd pick up car.
King Bird of Paradise (Cicinnurus regius)
King Bird of Paradise


Our birding hut in Klasow valley near Klabolo stream
How to get there?

  • Fly from your country to Jakarta city (the capital of Indonesia)
  • Fly from Jakarta to Sorong city (daily flights between these cities are served by Garuda, Batik Air, Sriwijaya Air, Nam Air)
  • I will meet you at the airport or at the hotel where you stay and arrange your trip into the jungle of Sorong regency.
Contact Person
Please, contact me, Charles Roring, using the contact form in the top right side of this blog or to my email: peace4wp@gmail.com

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Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Birdwatching in Lower Montane Forest of Arfak Range

Lower Montane Forest of
Arfak Mountains
in Warmarway village
Arfak range has been famous as birdwatching destination in West Papua. Most visitors go there to watch birds of paradise. There is a village called Warmarway in the eastern region of Arfak. It is a recommended area for visitors who want to watch such birds as Lesser Birds of Paradise (Paradisaea minor), Sulphur Crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita), Papuan Hornbill (Rhyticeros plicatus), Pinon Imperial Pigeon (Ducula pinon), Palm Cockatoo (Probosciger aterrimus), and a lot of other birds which I cannot mention one by one.
Local villager Yunus Sayori could guide visitors in the jungle and stay in a camp for several days to watch birds and other wild animals.
Male Lesser Birds of Paradise
He has got special skill in immitating the sound of female cuscus possum to attract the male possum during night walk. When he calls, all torches have to be off. When the cuscus possum has come, he will tell every visitor to turn on the light and take pictures of the possum.
On the average, visitors stay for 3 to 6 days in the jungle. Most of them are interested in everyrhing rainforest.
Itinerary
Day 1
Arrive in Manokwari city
Getting Surat Jalan from local police station
Buying food, bottled water and other goods needed for the trip in traditional market and supermarket.
Transfer to Warmarway village at the foot of Arfak mountains
Walking up steep slopes into the jungle.
Setting up tents
Birding and wildlife watching around the campsite area
Overnight stay in the tent in the jungle

Cuscus Possum
Day 2
Wake up early in the morning at 05.00, have some tea or coffee.
We will leave for the display tree of Lesser Birds of Paradise
We will watch the birds until around 09.00 and then return to basecsmp.
After breakfast will walk up the slopes to explore the forest for its insects, birds, reptiles and other wild animals.

Day 3
We may build tents in higher elevation forest to explore the jungle. We can do night walk to find Papuan frogmouth.

Day 4
We can walk down to our first camp again to take arest before going back to the village to explore its lowland forest. There are orchids, unique glowing mushroom as well as colorful insects.

Day 5
Walking down the jungle and explore the lowland forest. Built tent near the river. Birding and wildlife watching.

Day 6
Walking back to the main road and return to the city.

For price, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email: peace4wp@gmail.com.

Related Post:
Rainforest Tour in Arfak Mountains near Warmarway Village

Saturday, October 8, 2016

Birding with Two British Birdwatchers in Sorong regency of West Papua

From the sea of Raja Ampat to the jungle of Sorong
From 2 to 4 October 2016 I guided two British tourists in the jungle of Sorong regency. They were Brian and Claire. Previously, they spent several days snorkeling and birding in Raja Ampat. After that they crossed the sea between Waisai harbor and Sorong town by fast passenger ferry Marina Express. I met them in the afternoon at Pelabuhan Rakyat and transferred them to the rainforest of Klasow valley. We went there by a 4WD car and arrived at the edge of the forest at 19.00 local time. It was dark and raining when we began walking into the jungle to reach a village that was located near Klabolo stream. I carried two bags loaded with food, clothes, and birding devices, other local guides also helped me. Together with the British tourists, we walked along muddy path to the village. It took around one and a half hour to reach it.
Watching Paradise Birds
We had simple food that night. Our meals were rice, noodle and sardine. Because we were so tired, we slept early. The next morning, we woke up early at around 04.30. It was still dark when we left the village. We were guided by two young men from the village. They were Daniel and Yulianus. We turned on our torches and began walking up steep slopes in the south of the village. We reached the display trees of the paradise birds at around 06.15. When we stopped under one of the trees, we saw two males of Lesser Birds of Paradise and several female birds. Brian and Claire took their binoculars and watched the birds. They also took their digital camera and video recording device. I saw Brian recorded the sounds of the birds using a special recording device with a microphone that looks like a long stick.
Because I had seen the birds during my previous trips, I decided to sit on the ground. It was good to keep the birds in the trees. The male birds of paradise were dancing from one branch to another and showing their beautiful feather in order to attract their female counterparts. It was a competition among the male birds. Sometimes they were fighting.
Birding Walk
After watching the morning performance of the paradise birds, we walked back to the village. We still did the birdwatching along the way. We saw brown cuckooshrike, rainbow lorikeet, palm cockatoo, spangled drongo, pinon imperial pigeon, and a lot of other birds both at the bank of the Klasow river and under the canopy of the forest. Claire said that she saw a King Bird of Paradise. She also said she saw a female Magnificent Riflebird flying across the river. Our local guide Yulianus confirmed that he saw King Bird of Paradise (Cicinnurus regius) dancing on the branch of a tall tree. At the hill near the village, we saw a wompoo fruit dove, and beautiful fruit dove.
In addition to birds, we also saw colorful butterflies such as Ornitopthera priamus and Taenaris catops in the jungle. After having brunch, they weather suddenly changed and rained for around 1 hour. But we saw glossy swift, moustached treeswift and a forest kingfisher in the clearing area of the village. Brian told me that the forest kingfisher was a migrant bird coming from Australia and is usually found in southern New Guinea. It's good to see it here in the northwest region of the island.
The Biggest and the Smallest Birds of the Day
In the afternoon in the final day of our birding trip in Sorong, we saw cassowary, yellow billed kingfisher, black lory, eclectus parrot. While we were sitting on a log at the bank of a river in the north of the village, we successfully spotted a Papuan Dwarf Kingfisher. It was amazing to see the biggest (Cassowary) and the smallest bird (Papuan Dwarf Kingfisher on the same day.
I could not take pictures of all the birds because my camera was not equipped with super telephoto lens. So, I was satisfied enough with some pictures of wildflower, butterfly, and paradise bird. As of today, I still cannot identify the species name of the red flower that is shown above.
Want me to be your private guide?
As a tour guide, I offer birding, snorkeling, camping and sightseeing tours for visitors who want to visit West Papua region especially in areas like Raja Ampat, Sorong and Manokwari, Triton bay, and Numfor island. If you are interested, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by cell phone/ whatsapp +6281332245180.

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Trekking and Watching Birds in Imubri Forest of Arfak Range

Arfak range is a very popular birdwatching site in the world. Thousands of tourists have visited it since tens of years ago. There is a new wildlife/ birdwatching site in Arfak range that I am now introducing to all rainforest lovers or birdwatchers. Its name is Imubri. It is located in the south of Manokwari around one hour ride from the city. Most of the birdwatching activities are conducted along steep slopes of the mountains from lower to middle elevation montane forest. A few days ago, I guided two tourists from the UK and Portugal. We went there to watch birds, butterflies and see various species of unique trees, creeping plants and shrubs.
Birdwatching
During the trip, we were able to watch Lesser Birds of Paradise (Paradisaea minor), Moluccan King Parrot (Alisterus amboinensis), Papuan hornbill (Rhyticeros plicatus), Grey Crow (Corvus tristis), Sulphur Crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita). There are also other birds that we could not identify because they were too far from us and I did not use binoculars to magnify their images. We heard the sound of Magnificent Riflebird (Ptiloris magnificus). Unfortunately, we were not able to find the bird.
In addition to birds, the jungle of Imubri is also the natural habitat of tree kangaroo, and cuscus possum.
Trekking
The rainforest of Imubri is now open to tourists who are interested in rainforest, wild animals of New Guinea and birds. Those who want to go there have to be physically fit. The forest consists of very steep slopes and deep ravines.  Visitors need to wear durable trekking shoes. We often walk along the ridge of the mountains, and climb steep slopes of the mountains with elevation up to 75 or even 80 degrees. In this case, visitors are highly advised to walk slowly and carefully.

What you need to bring
  • Portable folding/ dome tent
  • Sleeping bag
  • Mosquito net
  • Biscuits, water and other kind of ready prepared food
  • Binoculars
  • Camera with superzoom lens such as Nikon Coolpix P900 or other D-SLR camera with telephoto lens
  • Insect repellent lotion
If you are interested in trekking in Imumbri forest of Arfak range of Manokwari, and need me as your guide, please, contact me by cell phone/ whatsapp to +6281332245180 or email to: peace4wp@gmail.com

Monday, August 22, 2016

Birdwatching in Manokwari

Manokwari has been a popular destination for visitors who are interested in birdwatching. As a tourist guide, I have accompanied a lot of visitors on various birding trips in Arfak mountains and lowland rainforest of Manokwari.
Birding Sites
There are several birding sites in Manokwari which birdwatchers can choose. Some of them are listed below:
Lowland Forest of Manokwari
Large-tailed Nightjar in Lowland Forest of Manokwari
This is located in the west of Manokwari city. Visitors can walk along the banks of Mesirrokow river-forest area to find tropical birds such as the Lesser Birds of Paradise, Yellow Billed Kingfisher, Yellow Capped Pygmy parrots, Rainbow Lorikeet, Blyth's hornbill, Western Crowned Pigeon, Sulphur Crested Cockatoo, Dollarbird, Beautiful Fruit Dove, Large-tailed Nigtjar, Yellow-faced Myna, Moustached Treeswift, Variable Goshawk, and a lot more. The lowland rainforest of Manokwari is also the natural habitat of various colorful flowers, and butterflies.
Birding in Lowland Forest of Manokwari
Flowers such as Monochoria vaginalis, Faradaya splendida,  Spathodea campanulata grow near the shore of the river.
Birdwatchers can spend between 3 to 5 days birding in the lowland forest of Manokwari to see those birds. As of today, there are no guesthouses in the area. As tour guide, we provide tents for visitors. Cooking and eating utensils as well as the solar powered lamps will be provided.
Birding in lowland forest of Manokwari, particularly, along the sides of Mesirrokow river-forest area is very easy to be done. Visitors can enjoy walking along the shore of the river and watch the birds using binoculars and spotting scopes.
Susnguakti Forest of Arfak Mountains
Susnguakti forest is Lower Montane Forest of Arfak mountains. It is the natural habitat of Lesser Birds of Paradise, Papuan Frogmouth, Blyth's hornbill, Western Parotia, Sulphur Crested Cockatoo and a lot more. Visitors can spend between 2 to 3 days in Arfak range to watch birds and other wild animals.
In addition to birds, it is also a nice place for watching beetles, butterflies, and other insects. Warmarway is located in the south of Manokwari. Its forest is also the natural habitat of cuscus possum which visitors can watch a night.
For Booking your Birding Trip in Manokwari, here is my contact details:
Charles Roring, Email: peace4wp@gmail.com Cell Phone: +6281332245180 (whatsapp)

Merchandise

Please, support this blog by buying art drawings and illustrations of wild animals and plants in the form of prints on various products as follows:

Watercolour Sketch of Bird

Watercolour Sketch of Bird
Fruit Dove from Tropical Rainforest

Vector Art Drawing in Inkscape

Vector Art Drawing in Inkscape
Swimming with Whaleshark

Vector art illustration in Inkscape

Vector art illustration in Inkscape
Baby leatherback turtle was reaching for the sea

Drawing of Paradise Bird

Drawing of Paradise Bird
Lesser Birds of Paradise art print on classic T-shirt

Digital Drawing in Autodesk Sketchbook

Digital Drawing in Autodesk Sketchbook
A Couple of Red Bird of Paradise