Rainforest of Aiwatar Hill in District Senopi The Best Birding Destination in West Papua

I have traveled to many places in the bird's head region of New Guinea on various hiking and birding trips but the only place that I really admire for its abundance of birdlife is the Aiwatar Hill in District Senopi of Tambrauw Mountains.

When I was traveling with two European tourists in Senopi, I saw various species of birds such as the lesser bird of paradise (paradisaea minor), Blyth's hornbill (rhyticeros plicatus), yellow faced mina (mino dumontii), various fruit doves, goliath cockatoo (probosciger aterimus), great cuckoo dove (macropygia nigrirostris), rainbow lorikeet, and some other birds that I could not identify. The best way to watch birds in Aiwatar hill is by setting up a campsite at the foot of the hill. At dawn, you need to walk up the slopes of the hill to reach it before sunrise. When the sun light hits the tree tops and the ground of the hill, birds will begin to land on the ground to drink the warm salty water that springs out of the sharp porous rocks. Don't forget to bring extra batteries for your camera because you will have endless subjects to shoot. Bring your sleeping bag and tent if you want to stay for several days in Aiwatar.

During the hiking and rainforest tour in Senopi, I also saw snake, deers, cow and kangaroo. I consider my trip to Aiwatar hill of District Senopi as my best birding trip so far in my life. I have been to Arfak mountains, Numfor island, the Northern Coast of Manokwari, Bintuni and Kais river in the south of the bird's head region of New Guinea for exploring their tropical rainforests but I still consider Aiwater Hill of District Senopi as the richest place in terms of birdlife.

So, if you are interested in visiting Senopi for hiking, butterfly and birdwatching, you can contact me via email: peace4wp@gmail.com for detailed cost estimation and my guiding services.

Located between Sorong and Manokwari regencies, District Senopi is can be reached by car and airplane. The cheapest way to go to Senopi is by airplane. First, you need to fly with Susi Air from Manokwari to District Kebar before continuing your trip by car to Senopi. However, if you are traveling in a group of tree or four people with heavy camping gear and optical devices for hiking and watching birds, you can share the cost of the car transportation and accommodation during the trip. by Charles Roring

Also read:

• Hiking trip in the rainforest of Senopi
• Senopi village and a jungle walk to Aiwatar hill
• Birding in Aiwatar hill of Senopi
• Palm Cockatoo in Senopi forest

Rainforest Tour in Kais Village of West Papua

Rainforest tour is a kind of tour that is conducted inside a rainforest. As a complex environment, a rainforest is the natural habitat of various species of animals such as mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and insects. Trees that can be seen in the forest are more diverse and have got trunks whose diameters are bigger than 1 meter. The rainforest tour that I promote in this blog is aimed at providing alternative tourism scheme to travelers and at the same time promote the conservation of this precious environment.
The Lowland Rainforest of District Kais
I went to District Kais early this month for a 2-day tour in its lowland rainforest. I visited Kais as part of my survey trips in the bird's head region of West Papua for developing and promoting ecotourism. Kais administratively is under South Sorong regency whose capital is Teminabuan. The regency is a neighbor of Raja Ampat - a world class diving destination.

The southern land of New Guinea is more flat and swampy with sago and nipa palm trees grow along the banks of its rivers. Mangrove trees grow in the coastal area. The vegetation that I saw in the dry land of Kais was unique compared to other parts of the bird's head region of West Papua province.
Birdwatching

However, one thing that attracted me the most is the abundance of birdlife in Kais' rainforest. During a short tour through a small tributary river of Kais, I was able to see various species of birds including the Sulphur Crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita), Blyth's hornbill (Rythiceros plicatus), Pinon Imperial Pigeon (Ducula pinon) fruit doves, lorry, eagles, drongos, kingfisher and bats.

How to get there?

• First you need to fly from your country to Indonesia. Jakarta is the capital of the state but Denpasar is the most popular tourist hub. 
• From these cities, take one of the domestic flights served by Batavia Air, Express Air, Sriwijaya Air, Lion Air or Merpati Air to Sorong city. You will need to stay for around 1 or 2 days in Sorong to get a Surat Jalan (Travel Permit) from the local police station and buy some food and gasoline. 
• Then you need to go to Teminabuan - a small town in South Sorong regency by car. 
• Before continuing your trip by a motorized outrigger boat to Kais village, make sure that you have got at least 120 liters of gasoline. The boat trip itself is a nice river tour that you will enjoy very much. The cost of this rainforest tour depends on how many days you want to explore the forest and how many of you who will take this tour. I can calculate it for you. So, if you are interested in taking this tour, please, contact me via my email: peace4wp@gmail.com. I will arrange your accommodation and transportation as well as contacting local people in Sorong, Teminabuan and Kais to support your birwatching trip to one of the most beautiful tropical rainforests in the world. I will also work as your guide, translating conversation between you and the local Papuan people. 

The easiest way to explore the rainforest was by using a boat. After conducting a little walk around the jungle in the vicinity of Kais village, I continued my day exploration of the forest by a small outrigger boat. Two Papuan guys paddled the boat with me sitting at its front. As we entered the Kerzek river which was the tributary of Kais river, we could hear the sounds of some sulphur crested cockatoes warning their friends about our arrival. These birds had got very sharp eyes. They could easily identify us even though we were rowing the boat quietly under the overlapping branches and leaves of the trees that cover the river.

The tropical rainforest of Kais is still in pristine condition. It is a nice destination for travelers who are interested in taking a rainforest and birdwatching tour in South Sorong regency for several days and nights. by Charles Roring
Also read: Tropical Rainforest of Numfor island

Hiking trip in rainforest of Senopi

Hiking trip through a pristine tropical rainforest is what a lot of travelers want to enjoy. As a hiking tour organizer, I have guided a lot of hikers on various hiking trips in the bird's head region of Irian Jaya. There is a place called Aiwatar in Senopi, a small village or district in Tambrauw regency of West Papua. It is a nice destination for travelers who want to go hiking along the tropical rainforest of New Guinea - the largest tropical island in the world. Aiwatar hill is also one of the best birding destinations in West Papua. The hiking trip in District Senopi should be prepared at least one month in advance to check for the transportation, accommodation and weather condition. Aiwatar is a hill in the interior of bird's head region of West Papua where most of the plants that grow there are the same as the plants that are found in coastal region.
In addition to this uniqueness, Aiwatar is also the best birdwatching spot for hikers who want to see various species of birds that are endemic to New Guinea including the Western Crown Pigeon and the Lesser Birds of Paradise.

For the hiking trip in District Senopi, backpackers or hikers need to prepare waterproof tents, hiking boots and food. Bring a waterproof GPS device or hiking watch if you have one. If you don't have such device, try to order it from Amazon online store.
After receiving your GPS device, try to use it several times in your country until you know all its features. Because the temperature in the tropical region is quite warm, hikers need to bring tents that have got windows to allow air to circulate naturally.
The Aiwatar hill can be reached within 5 to 6 hours walking from District Senopi depending on the physical condition of the hikers. Food such as bread and biscuits can be bought from supermarkets in Manokwari city. Cassava, sweet potatoes, fruits and vegetables are available in District Senopi. I recommend that travelers buy local produce from the villagers in Senopi to support the local economy. For serious birders, they need to bring extra batteries for their telephoto, and video cameras. Hire one or several villagers as guide and porters to show you the way to Aiwatar hill and to carry your heavy backpacks.

To get to Senopi, you need to fly to Manokwari city from Jakarta or Denpasar Bali, and then continue your trip by a chartered 4WD pick up truck to Senopi. If going by a rent truck is expensive for you, you can fly by Susi Air to Kebar. And then you can continue your trip backpacking or by truck to Senopi.
There is a guesthouse in Senopi. It is located across from Pastoran Katolik (Priest house) of Senopi.
If you contact me before your arrival in Manokwari, I can arrange the pick up truck for you and contact the priest in Senopi by SSB radio so that he will prepare the guesthouse for you. Unless you have tons of money in the bank, traveling alone is not recommended. You need to go to Senopi in a group of at least two people or more to enjoy your hiking tour in Senopi in a shared cost. If you need more information about hiking tours in Manokwari, please, read my other articles in this blog, or contact me via email: peace4wp@gmail.com.

Related article:

• Hiking Tour in the North Coast of Manokwari
• Birding Tour in Tambrauw Mountains

Hiking tour from Mokwam to Anggi Lakes

The mountain range of Arfak is a great hiking tour destination. There are three hikers from Poland who are now hiking through the Arfak mountains from Mokwam village to Anggi Lakes and then down to District Ransiki. The terrains in Arfak mountains are quite demanding and often muddy due to high rainfall.
The Polish backpackers contacted me a few days ago asking whether I could arrange a 4WD car to transport them from Manokwari city to Mokwam region. After making a few phone conversations with car driver in Wosi area of Manokwari city and guesthouse owner in Kwau village, finally, I could send a green light signal to the Polish travelers that they could go to the mountains early the next morning.

They spent 2 nights in Kwau village where they enjoyed their hiking tour and birdwatching. Kwau is a small village in Mokwam region of Arfak mountains that has been listed in my eco-tourism program for tourists who want to watch the magnificent birds of paradise, the western parotia, the vogelkop bower bird.
The main goal of the ecotourism program is to empower the indigenous Papuan people so that they can economically improve their standards of living and at the same time preserve their natural environment. New Guinea is the largest tropical island in the world. Much of its territory is still covered by tropical rainforest. Yet, the rate of deforestation, particularly in West Papua province is high. Large areas of flat land in Prafi and Masni are being cleared for logging industry and palm oil plantation. The hiking tour packages that we provide to tourists will provide jobs to the indigenous Papuan people so that they will get economic benefits from their pristine rainforest and the wealth of bio-diversity in their natural surroundings without having to destroy them.

All travelers who want to go hiking or trekking through Arfak mountains must prepare enough warm cloth and food. Normally, it takes 2 days from Kwau to Anggi lakes but hikers with good physical condition and better preparation can do it in just one day walking from morning to evening.
Don't forget to bring matches, and if necessary some kerosene. Head light is also recommended but the most important thing is the food and warm clothing. Water proof sleeping bag and tents are needed especially when you have to sleep in outdoor environment by a river or in the forest.
Vegetables, sweet potatoes and fruits can be purchased from the local villages along the road from Kwau village to Anggi Lakes. Tourists must bring small bank notes for that purpose. The hiking trip from Anggi lakes to Ransiki is a down hill walk and can be accomplished in one whole day walking.
For safety reason, don't walk alone. You need to walk in a group of at least two persons (more is better) accompanied by 1 local guide/ interpreter.
Recommended Hiking Tent
Most often, hikers need to take a rest a places where there are no local villagers around. In other words, hikers need to spend one or two nights camping in the jungle. The wet climate of the tropical rainforest in West Papua will be a challenging experience for most of the hikers particularly during the rainy days. When it rains, the ground can be muddy. So, hikers need tent that is water resistant, and big enough to accommodate several people inside it. In addition, it will not soaked in muddy soil when the rain comes. As a tour guide, I recommend the following tent which you can buy it online by clicking the image of the tent. This hiking tent will keep hikers dry and away from snakes and bugs.

If you are interested in taking a hiking tour in Arfak mountains of Manokwari regency, please, contact me via email: peace4wp@gmail.com

Hiking Tour in the higland forest of Arfak mountains

The mountain range of Arfak has been a hiking and bird watching tour destination for tens of years. Ornitologists go there to see various species of the birds of paradise that live in the tropical rainforest of the mountains. Arfak is also the natural habitats of birdwing butterfly - one of the largest butterflies in the world.
How to get there?

To go to Arfak mountains, you need to fly from your country to Jakarta (the capital of Indonesia) or Bali (a tourist hub in Asia). After that you can take a domestic flight served by Express Air, Sriwijaya Air, or Batavia Air to Manokwari city - the capital of West Papua province. From this city, you need to rent a car to bring you to Arfak.
There are some hotels in the city. But I recommend that you stay in Swiss-Belhotel or Mansinam Beach Hotel. If you travel on a limited budget, you can stay at Losmen Kagum.
Preparation Prior to Your Hiking Trip
Before you go hiking in Arfak mountains, you need to make some preparations such as getting the "surat jalan" (walking permit) from the police station, buying foods at the supermarket and traditional market of Sanggeng or Wosi and contact local guide, if you do not have hiking gear (such as backpack, boots - I recommend vasque breeze or vasque vista ultra dry, sleeping bags, head lamps and mosquito net). You can buy them in the city. I, as a hiking tour guide, know several places that sell such equipment in affordable prices.
Going to Arfak mountains by a 4WD pick up truck

When you are ready with your hiking gear, you can now begin your trip to the mountains. If you travel with me, I will contact my coleague who has a 4WD pick up truck. It is a Toyota Hilux G series. The truck is powerful in climbing the steep slopes of the Arfak mountains.
With that car, we will stop for a while at the supermarket of Orchid or Hadi to buy some noodles, rice, coffee and milk and other food stuff. If you need fresh vegetables, fish or meat, we can go to the traditional market of Sanggeng or Wosi to buy them. I know how to preserve the fresh fish when hiking in the mountains. I learned it from the indigenous Papuan people who live in Kwau village. To preserve the fish, I need to boil it in a cooking pan and after that put it into a string bag. Then, the bag will be hanged above the fire to preserve it for a few days or even a few weeks.
Hiking Tour Destination

There are three destinations for hiking tours in Arfak mountains that I promote,i.e. Kwau, Syioubri and Anggi. The most popular one is Kwau. Before leaving the city of Manokwari, I usually call my friend in Kwau village to prepare some porters who will carry our food and backpacks to a guesthouse located in the middle of the forest. Car cannot reach the tourist house because there is no road leading to it. So, we will stop at certain place in the jungle before continuing our trip by walking through the jungle. It takes around 45 minutes to 1 hour walking from the main road to the guesthouse. It is a basic accommodation facility for hikers. There are plates, cooking and eating utensils and water. Three rooms can be used by hikers.
Watching the Birds of Paradise
When we have arrived, we need to take a rest for a while, drinking some tea and eating some bread. At 2 p.m. we can begin our hiking tour around the tropical rainforest to watch the magnificent birds of paradise (cincinnurus magnificus). If we are lucky, we will be able to see male magnificent birds of paradise display his beautiful plume to several female ones as his way of attracting them. The terrains in the highland of Arfak are quite steep. You need to wear a pair of hiking footwear that are light but durable enough for walking along the steep and muddy path. We will walk back to the guesthouse again at around 5.30.
The next morning, we have to wake up early at around 4.30 to have some breakfast and make preparation before continuing or hiking trip to watch western parotia. Before dawn we will leave our guesthouse. This is a unique bird that perform his courtship dance like Michael Jackson. You need to be patient if you don't want to miss the natural dance performance. Most often hikers have to sit inside a blind (birdwatching hut) for several hours to wait for the birds to come. You can listen to music (use headphones) or read e-books (from the screen of your cellphone). Don't forget to turn off the flash feature of your camera and if possible carry a tripod with you to make high quality photographs and videos. some extra batteries are also needed if you want to spend several nights in the mountains. Another hiking tour attraction in Arfak mountains is a village tour where we can see the indigenous Papuan people in their daily activities.
The mountain range of Arfak is not crowded with tourists so, don't expect to see hundreds of travelers when you visit it. You may see some European hikers there particularly during holiday seasons.
Going back to Manokwari

When the whole hiking trips have been completed (usually in 3 days/ 2 nights), we will go back to Manokwari by the same pick up truck. Your vacation in Manokwari can be extended to another hiking tour in the lowland rainforest or a snorkeling trip in one of the islands near Manokwari. I can arrange it for you. Some travelers ask me to bring them to Ransiki, and Oransbari. If you are interested in hiking in Arfak mountains, contact me via email: peace4wp@gmail.com. I will be happy to arrange your trip in Manokwari. by Charles Roring
Related article: Hiking tours in the rainforest of Arfak mountains