Recommended Trekking and Birding Sites in Arfak Mountains

Arfak range is located in the south of Manokwari city. It has been a famous destination for naturalist who wants to see the beauty of Papua's nature.

I often receive emails from tourists and researchers who want to go to Arfak mountains of Manokwari. They ask for a good trekking and birding site. From my personal experience, I highly recommend such villages as Mupi Gunung, Warmarway, and Kwau. These villages have got large rainforest areas that are suitable for anybody who is interested in exploring the biodiversity of Arfak range.
Birds of Paradise
There are tens of species of birds of paradise that visitors can see in the jungle. Some of them are western parotia, lesser birds of paradise, black sickle bill, king birds of paradise, and the magnificent birds of paradise.
Tropical birds
In addition to paradise birds, other species that can be watched include sulphur crested cockatoo, pasquet parrots, pinon imperial pigeon, blyth's hornbill, pygmy parrots, vogelkop bowerbirds and flame bowerbirds.
Marsupial Animals

West Papua and Australia are the natural habitat of various species of marsupial animals. Some that visitors can see in Arfak mountains are tree kangaroo, cuscus, and bandicoot.
Recommended Trekking Site in Bird's head region
There are several locations of trekking sites in Vogelkop or bird's head region. Some of them are as follows:

• Aiwatar hill of District Senopi in Tambrauw mountains (whic is also the best birdwatching site I have ever seen in my life); 
• Rainforest of Warmarway village in the eastern region of Arfak mountains,
• Klasow valley in Sorong regency (where you can see wallaby, cuscus, birds of paradise)
• Mupi Gunung hamlet whose trails are very steep and are only suitable for visitors who are physically fit.

Preparations
Visitors need to make certain preparations prior to their trip to Arfak range. Here are some of them:
- Bring only clothes you really need. These include some T-shirts, long trousers, underwear, running shoes or trekking boots.
- Bring mosquito net, and some insect repellent lotion.
- Extra batteries, telephoto lens for your photographic activities.
- Buy food in Manokwari city.
If you want to visit it and need my guiding service, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com

Visiting Koroway Tribe

by Charles Roring
Early this month, I made an exploratory trip to the land of Koroway tribe in South Papua. I went there because I heard that this tribe built houses high above the ground. I took nearly two weeks to do the trip. I was really happy to see the river scenery where the indigenous Papuan people rowing their boats while standing. The southern region of Papua was flat land. Most of the land consisted of swamps, rivers and dense tropical rainforest.

I had the chance to visit several hamlets of Koroway tribe and met the indigenous people who lived in their traditional wooden houses deep in the jungle.
In order to survive, they built their houses on high poles so that enemies, snakes, mosquitoes would not easily reach them. They hunt wild pigs, caught fish in the river, and extracted flour from sago trees. They also worked in their garden. They grew taro, banana and vegetable plants. They were very simple people but I saw that they were happy with their modest lifestyle. They wore traditional clothing that was very minimum or almost naked. Forest was their home, their playground and their fortress. They knew their forest very well and could tell when the right time to hunt for pigs or cut sago trees.

I stayed in their traditional houses for several nights and had the chance to eat grilled pork, and sago worm. The taste of sago worm was delicious. Everybody who plans to go to West Papua should consider visiting the Koroway tribe.

I met with Daud, their village head and talked to him several times. He said that Koroway tribe in his village was open to tourists. He hopes that eco-tourism could bring positive impact to his people. 

They could generate some income to buy salt, farming and cooking tools. So, if you are interested in visiting Koroway tribe, and need me to be your private guide, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com

Mansinam Island

by Charles Roring
Mansinam is a small island located in Dorey bay of Manokwari city. The island is considered as The Island of Civilization by the indigenous Papuan people. Christianity was introduced for the first time to the indigenous people on 5 February 1855 by three German evangelists C.W. Ottow and his wife, and Geissler. At that time, they were still involved in tribal wars. The evangelists and their successors built schools, health clinics, and churches that have now become GKI (Gereja Kristen Injili di Tanah Papua) - one of the largest Christian denominations in West Papua. They were able to stop tribal wars, slavery and introduced education.

White Sandy Beach of Mansinam Island

Every year, on 5 February, pilgrims visit Manokwari city and Mansinam island to celebrate the landing of the missionaries as the date when the indigenous Papuan people began to embrace modern civilization.
Tourism Activities
In addition to visiting Cross Monument and Giant Jesus statue, visitors can enjoy swimming, snorkeling and scuba diving along the coastal area of the island. Coral reef can easily be found around the island. The government build concrete road that circles the island.  It is suitable for visitors who are interested in nature walk or birdwatching walk particularly on the south-eastern region of the island.

Reef Flat area in Mansinam island

Snorkeling or Scuba Diving
Coral reef is the tropical rainforest of the ocean. It is the natural habitat of thousands of species of fish. Mansinam island has got several sites that are suitable for snorkelers and scuba divers. Visitors could see various species of fish including damsel fish, grouper, butterfly fish, jack fish, that live in the coral reef of the island.

Marine Life in drop off area of Mansinam Waters

In addition to tourism activities in the island, we could also organize trekking and birding tours in Arfak mountains for visitors who want to see biodiversity of tropical rainforest.
For further information about traveling to Mansinam island, Manokwari and its surrounding areas, please, contact me by Email to: peace4wp@gmail.com.

How to get there?

• Fly from your country to Jakarta city
• After that fly from Jakarta to Manokwari city
• We will be happy to meet you at the airport and transfer you to the island.

We also provide tour hiking and wildlife watching tour in the jungle for visitors who want to see rainforest ecosystem with unique trees, flowers, butterflies, and birds.
Also read: Snorkeling Tour in Coral Reef of Manokwari

Birding in Sorong regency of West Papua

Two most recommended birding sites in West Papua are Mount Soyti and Mount Susnguakti in Manokwari. There is also a famous site in Sorong. I visited it two weeks ago. The valley is located in the east of Sorong city and can be reached by 4WD Pick up truck. I have organized and guided birdwatchers from various countries in this valley. We stayed for several nights in a jungle village located in the middle of the valley. There was a simple wooden house that was built by the villagers for tourists.

Birdwatching

Northern Cassowary in Klasow valley

During my birding trip in Sorong regency, I was able to hear and watch Lesser Bird of Paradise (Paradisaea minor), Moustached Treeswift, Eclectus Parrot (Eclectus rotatus), Blyth's hornbill (Rhyticeros plicatus), Pink-spotted Fruit Dove, Pinon Imperial Pigeon (Ducula pinon) and Rufous-bellied Kookaburra, Sulphur Crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita), Goliath Cockatoo, Western Crowned Pigeon (Goura cristata), Spangled Drongo, Golden Myna (Mino anais) and large fruit eating bats.

The Western Crown Pigeon may be seen when we walk silently through small river. The bird likes to eat small shrimp or fish. 

It was a nice trip and I highly recommend it for anybody who is interested in birdwatching, Papuan wildlife and rainforest ecosystem.

Lesser Birds of Paradise (Paradisaea minor)
in Klasow valley

Other Activities in the forest

In addition to watching birds, visitors who explore the jungle of Klasow valley will be able to experience:

• Night walk in the jungle to find wallaby (this animal is similar to kangaroo but has got smaller body)
• A visit to a place where women were processing sago flour from grating the pith to squeezing the sago juice to extract its flour
• A day walk to see medicinal herbs, plants that contain water, plants that are used as materials for constructing the traditional houses, plants that are used to make hunting gear, traps.



Large Fig Parrot in the jungle of Klasow valley

• Javelin throwing practice tragetting a distant tree (in the past men from Moi tribe did this as a competition to win a girl if they love the same girl).

Extension

Some visitors combine the trekking and birding trip in Klasow valley with snorkeling, island tour, camping and fishing in Raja Ampat islands. I could organize tours to the archipelago for duration of 3 to 5 days. Visitors will be able to watch birds and see coral reef or enjoy fishing and eating fresh grilled fish that has just been caught from the sea by our local guides.

Other Alternative Destinations
In addition to rainforest of Klasow valley, there are several tour destinations that can be arranged from Sorong city.
Visitors can extend their tour to this destination.

• Rainforest of Sausapor - This is a lowland forest that is similar to Klasow. Visitors can enjoy birdwatching and wildlife tour in the jungle along the banks of the rivers. As of today, there is no guesthouse in the forest. As a tour organizer, we provide dome tents for visitors who want to take a jungle tour to this area.
• Rainforest of Ases valley - This forest is located in the highland of Tambrauw mountains. There are no villages in the jungle so the wildlife is abundant. Because of its remote location, the minimum duration of rainforest tour in Ases valley is 6 days. We need to go by car from Sorong city to Fef.
• Rainforest of Waigeo island in Raja Ampat. The birding site is located in the northeast region of the island especially along Warebar river. Visitors will be able to watch birds along the banks of Warebar river. To increase the chance to see more birds, tents will be set up in the jungle where birdwatchers could stay for several days to see birds, butterflies and other wild animals of the island.

Rainforest of Klasow valley

Grey-headed Goshawk in the jungle of Klasow valley

Birds

• 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)
• Rainbow Bee-eater
• 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)
• Northern Cassowary
• Hooded Pitta (Pitta sordida)
• and etc.

If you are interested in birdwatching and exploring the rich tropical rainforest ecosystem of Sorong regency and its surrounding areas, you could contact me (Charles Roring) by e-mail to peace4wp@gmail.com or send text/ whatsapp message to my cell phone: +6281332245180

Please, support this blog by clicking and buying the following paradise birds prints and my other artworks:

Paradise Birds

Birds of New Guinea

The newest edition of Birds of New Guinea by Thane K. Pratt, Bruce M. Beehler, Anderton, Szabolcs Kokay has been released Princeton Field Guides.
Birdwatchers and nature lovers who plan to visit West Papua and Papua New Guinea can now order this book from Amazon.

I hope that more visitors will be interested taking birding tour in this island.