Hiking tours in Inggramui forest

As a new hiking destination, Inggramui forest is the natural habitat of various species of animals that are endemic to New Guinea island. Last October I conducted a tour for two Dutch tourists, Sandra and her father, to the area which lasted for 4 days/3 nights. It was really an amazing adventure for her because she was able to watch tens of blyth's hornbills (Rhyticeros Plycatus) flying back to their sleeping trees after sunset. I and the local Papuan guides who work together in developing the hiking tour program in this Inggramui forest built a small camp as a basic accommodation for tourists.

We don't use RV or recreational vehicles because such vehicles do not exist in Manokwari. This campsite is located near a river. This is an important place for watching birds, soa-soa (giant lizards) and snakes. Two days before our arrival, the Papuan guides had gone into the forest to set some animal traps. When we came, the traps got some animals such as soa-soa, fruit dove and deer. They were released after I and Sandra took pictures of them. The deer had died when the hunters found it so they cut its meat in pieces and brought them back to our camp. The next morning we were able to eat some noodle soup with chips of deer meat. The low elevation forest in Inggramui is rich in orchid flowers such as dendrobium and other tropical flowers that grow in high trees.

The Inggramui forest is a perfect destination for multiple day hiking trips. I don't recommend it for one day hiking trip because it is very far from Manokwari city. And also because there are a lot of things that you can see and do there.

The above glory vine (faradaya splendida) flower plant grows near the bank of a river around 300 meters from our base camp. Its flowers are fragrant and abundant. Because I saw it near the river, it must need a lot of water to grow.
Hikers who want to experience living in the middle of a tropical jungle should try visiting it.  The terrains are not steep in general although there are some slopes that are quite demanding to hike. Visitors do not need to bring their own tents if they want to go hiking in Inggramui forest of Manokwari. Things that they need to bring are food, sleeping bag, mosquito net and photographic equipment. A set of GPS and compass devices are also good if you want to find out where you are on the map while walking in the middle of no where. Raincoat is also needed especially during the rainy season. Hikers need durable footwear or hiking shoes that are resistant to water.
If you need a guided hiking tour in Inggramui forest of Manokwari regency, please, email at: charlesroring@gmail.com
Also read:
Hiking tours in the rainforest of Arfak mountains
Hiking and birdwatching in Arfak mountains

Hiking tour in the north coast of Manokwari

Hiking and birdwatching in Arfak mountains are two popular eco-tourism activities that tourists like to enjoy while traveling to Manokwari. As a matter of fact, there are other destinations that I offer to tourists who like hiking. One of them is the north coast of Manokwari. There are two hiking tour routes in the north coast of Manokwari that I have developed and promoted to visitors. The first one is in Asai and the second one is in Inggramui. The hiking track in Asai is more moderate for jungle explorer because it is located along a river and can be covered in one or two days hiking. Inggramui forest is more suitable for multiple day hiking. Both routes are unique and beautiful. As a hiking guide who have accompanied a lot of tourists, I highly recommend Inggramui forest due to its isolated location and abundance of wildlife. Last year I guided two Dutch travelers on a 4 day/ 3 night hiking tour in the tropical rainforest of Inggramui. This tour had been prepared for them two months earlier. During the jungle walks in Inggramui, we were able to see a lot of hornbills, sulphur crested cockatoo, fruit dove, two big soa-soa (giant lizards whose overall lengths were between 1.6 to 2 meters) and colorful orchids.

To make pictures of the birds in high trees, you will need a photo camera with telephoto or super zoom capability. If you don't have one, you can buy a Nikon Coolpix P510. It has got 42 x optical zoom (which is equivalent to 1,000 mm in 35 mm lens format) can easily magnify tiny subject such as the birds of paradise in tall trees. Nikon Coolpix P510 is a compact point and shoot camera that is suitable to hikers. It can produce images with 16.1 MP picture quality. This affordable camera will be available on the shelves of camera stores in March 2012.
The tropical rainforest of Inggramui, located in the northern area of Manokwari regency, is unknown to tourists because it is a new hiking destination in Manokwari. I highly recommend this forest as hiking tour destination to tourists to support my program in converting local hunters to become hiking guides so that the ecosystem of the Inggramui forest can be preserved for future generations of Papuan people.

Travelers who take hiking tour in Asai can also enjoy snorkeling on the second day of their trip in the northern coast of Manokwari particularly between May and October. The coral reef along the shore of Asai and Kaki island are worth snorkeling. Most tourists bring their own hiking shoes or camping boots when going to West Papua but I suggest that they buy a pair of jungle boots in Manokwari city for a price that is less than 7 Euro. The jungle boots are made of rubber and are more durable for walking in the river. If your feet size is larger than 42 (which is the maximum size of boots that are sold in Manokwari), you need to buy boots in your country. Or you can buy them through an online store. Please, try the following hiking boots by clicking on the picture below:

In addition to wearing hiking shoes or jungle boots and t-shirts, tourists need to apply insect repellent lotion all over their exposed skins to protect themselves from mosquito bites. Such lotion is sold in most of the shops in Manokwari. Mosquito net is also needed if they want to stay for several nights in the forest. I can provide mosquito net. You need a high quality waterproof backpack for hiking through the north coast of Manokwari. If you haven't got one, I recommend that you buy it from your local backpacking supply store. Or you can buy the following backpack from online store if you click on the image.
Because tours to the rainforest of Asai and Inggramui have been part of my eco-tourism program, transportation, local guides, and campsites (including tents) have been prepared for receiving tourists. Please, contact me via my email peace4wp@gmail.com or call me or send whatsapp message via my cell phone +62081332245180 if you are interested in hiking in Manokwari. by Charles Roring
Also read: Go hiking in the Table Mountain

Hiking tours in the rainforest of Arfak mountains of Manokwari

Hiking and camping tour
in the jungle of Arfak mountains

I have been guiding tourists on a lot of hiking tours in Arfak mountains since 2010. There are several destinations that I provide to tourists. The most popular location is in the jungle of Mount Mabowi, It is located in the lower montane forest of Arfak mountains. The hiking trips that have been developed are integrated with one or two hours birdwatching activities where travelers can watch endemic bird and butterfly species from the vogelkop region of New Guinea island. Four important bird species in high elevation forest of Arfak mountains are the magnificent bird of paradise, the bower bird and the western parotia and the owlet night jar. In low elevation rainforest of Arfak mountains and the northern coast of Manokwari, travelers can watch hornbills, cockatoo, and the lesser birds of paradise.

Other interesting destinations in the bird's head region are Klasow valley and Tambrauw mountains.

Our basecamp in the jungle of Susnguakti forest
of Arfak Mountains

There is a base-camp located in the middle of the jungle where hikers can stay for two or three nights while doing the hiking tours along the slopes and ravines of the Arfak mountains. Because the accommodation facilities are in basic condition, travelers are advised to bring their own sleeping bag. During the hiking tours, all travelers have to be guided by at least 2 people (an indigenous Papuan as local guide, and an interpreter - which is usually me). In addition to the sleeping bag, travelers need to bring extra batteries for their own camera, and watertight bags to keep their electronic devices during rainy days. Trekking shoes, t-shirts, and raincoats are needed for your journey through the tropical rainforest of New Guinea.
Travelers from Germany, the UK, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Australia and many other countries from around world have come to Manokwari city and enjoyed hiking tours with me. If you are a single traveler, you can take hiking tour with me to all of the destinations that I have promoted in this blog. As a guide for bird/ wildlife watching, hiking and camping tours in Manokwari, I could guide single traveler who wants to visit Arfak mountains in Manokwari or other parts in West Papua. I will adjust or adapt the trips that are more suitable for his or her budget. You need to be physically fit for taking this hiking tour package. Usually after joining the 3 or 5 day hiking tour in Arfak mountains, hiker will feel very exhausted and pains all over the body. So, make sure that you are physically fit for the tour. In addition to hiking or trekking along the steep slopes of Arfak mountains or moderate terrains in the north coast of Manokwari, other interesting ecotourism activities that tourists can enjoy in West Papua and its surrounding region are swimming, snorkeling and wave surfing (don't forget to bring your own gears).
Since the main goal of this ecotourism project is to empower the indigenous Papuan people, I will always try to hire local people as local guide, porter, or cook during the tour program that you take with me. All of the rainforest hiking tour packages in Arfak mountains, Tambrauw mountains and Klasow valley in Sorong regency or even the forest of Fish Lagoon in Raja Ampat islands have been developed in cooperation with the indigenous Papuan people who live in the area. For further information about hiking tour in Arfak mountains, the north coast of Manokwari and Numfor island, Tambrauw mountains and Sorong regency, please, email me at peace4wp@gmail.com or send text message/ whatsapp message to +6281332245180
Also read: Hiking and birdwatching in Arfak mountains

Reforestation of Arfai coastal area

One of the fishermen in Manokwari who works with me in developing the eco-tourism program is Kosal Welerubun. He lives in Arfai area which has been a tourist destination since early 2010. I have been promoting Arfai as the place for snorkeling for tourists. Here, coral reef extends for 2 kilometers from north to south across the Raimuti islet. On the northern part of Arfai beach, there is a small mangrove forest whose size is getting smaller day by day due to the expansion of human settlement along the shore line. As a fisherman, Mr. Welerubun knows that the mangrove forest and the coral reef are an integrated marine ecosystem. If the mangrove forest is healthy, more fish can be found living among the coral reef. In addition, the existence of the mangrove forest will protect the shore line of Arfai from erosion caused by big waves or even tsunami. So, Mr. Welerubun made a personal initiative to plant seedlings of mangrove trees at the beach near his house. When I saw where he planted the seedlings, I felt that it would be very difficult for the mangrove seedlings to grow because they have to grow on in thick layers of dead hard corals. But Mr. Welerubun knows that beneath the layers of the hard coral is soft soil. So, the planted the seedling between the cracks of the coral layer. Cracks in the coral layers are created when there are big earthquakes.

One year after he planted the seedlings, I see that they are now growing. They give us some hope that the reforestation of the coastal area of Arfai with mangrove trees is possible to be done. I hope that these mangrove seedlings will one day become a tropical rainforest that protects the marine ecosystem of the Manokwari. Without the mangrove forest, the number of fish in Dorey bay will decrease. If this happens, fishermen will have to spend more fuel to go out to the sea for catching fish. As a result, the price of fish will be more expensive than now.
Coral reef is the tropical rainforest of the sea. Coral reef absorbs CO2 gases during photosynthesis and releases Oxygen. According to Bert Harris (a biologist from the USA who conducted a snorkeling trip in 2010) the coral reef in Arfai area of Manokwari is home to around two hundred species of fish. This is considered very high for the coral reef that is located near a coastal city.
Both coral reef and rainforest are needed to absorb CO2 gas emissions that have been the major cause of global warming. The effort of Mr. Kosal Welerubun in reforesting the coastal area of Arfai with mangrove trees should be considered as a positive step from the fisherman in fighting global warming. The climate change has caused the melting of glaciers in the Alps. The melting of the ice is a very big problem for ski resorts that operate there. The lack of ice forces them to close their businesses. In tropical region, global warming also causes coral bleaching. The phenomenon could easily be seen during the el-nino, the long dry season. As a result the number of fish in bleached corals decreased significantly. Every body should participate in reducing the CO2 emissions through his or her own ways. The simplest thing that we can do to protect our environment is by treating our plastic, chemical and metal wastes responsibly.
Manokwari city has a population of around 200 thousand people. The Arfai hill is now being filled with big buildings that will become the administration center of the provincial government of West Papua. by Charles Roring
Related article: Mangrove forest of Numfor island

Mountain biking in the rainforest near Manokwari

There are several mountain bike groups in Manokwari. They regularly meet and have trips around the city or to the rainforest. One day, I joined some mountain bikers for a cycling tour in the rainforest behind Rendani and Wosi areas. The track there was very good although it is not covered with asphalt pavement. Mountain bikers who like traveling around this track come from various government and private institutions in Manokwari.

When I was mountain biking with them, we went to the Table Mountain and did some caving. When we ride our bicycles together, we often discuss things related to the maintenance of our bikes and the preservation of our nature especially the rainforest. These discussions often led to other cycling activities such as the cycling tour from Bintuni to Manokwari and cycling tour from Minyambouw to Manokwari. Because most of the routes that we go through are close to the rainforest, they are not hot. While we ride our mountain bikes through dense tropical jungle, we breath the fresh air which the forest produces. As a result, after the mountain bike tours, we feel more refreshed and healthy.

So, if you have not decided where you will go for this season's holiday, why don't you fly to Manokwari city for cycling with us? You will not only have the opportunities to enjoy the beauty of our rainforest but also the colorful life of the coral reef in the Dorey bay of this city. The tropical rainforest of Manokwari is rich of animals and plants. After enjoying mountain biking with the mountain bike clubs in Manokwari, I can guide you to Arfak mountains for 2 or 3 nights camping in the jungle. You will be able to see tree kangaroo, kuskus or watch the magnificent birds of paradise. Your trip to Manokwari will be a lifetime experience that you will never forget. by Charles Roring
Mountain bike tour from Bintuni to Manokwari
Mountain bike tour to Cape Bakaro