Itinerary for the Rainforest Tour in Tambrauw Mountains of West Papua

Camping site at Cuan rive

I am going to conduct a rainforest trekking and camping tour in Tambrauw mountains based on the following details:

Activities: trekking, camping, riverwalk, swimming, wildlife/ birdwatching
Reservation is still open
Group Size Limit: 4 people
Price:  ...
Itinerary
Day 1 
We will meet you in Sorong city and transfer you to Tambrauw regency by 4WD car. It takes around 4 hours by car from from Sorong city to Sausapor town. We will inform local authorities and the local police about our rainforest tour activity and then continue our trip to the stop point in the forest edge of Tambrauw mountains and 30 minutes of walking along the bank of Syuan river to reach our first base camp. The rainforest which we will explore is  located in the bird's head (vogelkop) region of West Papua. Overnight stay in the jungle tents.

Soa-soa Lizard in Tambrauw Forest

Day 2
Trekking/ jungle walk, riverwalk, night walk, wildlife and birdwatching, swimming, camping
Day 3
Trekking/ jungle walk, riverwalk, wildlife and birdwatching, swimming, camping
Day 4
We still have time to enjoy the scenery of the river and rainforest. After breakfast, we will dismantle our tents and leave the forest.
A short tour around Sausapor town and its surrounding area
Transfer to Sorong city

How to get there?

• Fly from your country to Jakarta (the capital of Indonesia)
• Fly from Jakarta to Sorong city. Domestic airlines such as Garuda, Sriwijaya, Express Air, and Nam Air have got regular flights to Sorong.
• I will meet you in Sorong city and organize your trip to the rainforest.

Lowland forest of Tambrauw regency 

Rainforest along the side area of Cuan river

I highly recommend this site because very few tourists have been there. So, much of the forest areas are still unexplored. Nature lovers who go trekking in this region may see various species of herbal plants, wild flowers, giant trees, birds, marsupial and nocturnal animals.
Tambrauw regency is located between Sorong and Manokwari. To go trekking in the rainforest of Tambrauw, we need to charter a 4WD car from Sorong city. It takes approximately 4 hours from Sorong city to Sausapor town (the temporary capital of Tambrauw). After registering our names in the local police station, we can continue our trip to Cuan river where we will be able to stay for a few days in the jungle.

Wildlife

From my previous trips in this forest, we saw bandicoot, eupholus beetle, Swallowtail Blue Mountain butterfly (Papilio ulysses), Blyths hornbill (Rhyticeros plicatus), Sulphur Crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita), Spangled Drongo and Lesser Birds of Paradise (Paradisaea minor).
Binoculars and bridge camera such as Nikon Coolpix P900 will be useful for birdwatching and wildlife watching.
To enhance your birding experience, we will bring spotting scope, field guide book entitled, "Birds of New Guinea" written by Bruce Beehler and his friends.
We will also provide camping gear such as tents, cooking and eating utensils, and torch.

Please, book now
If you are interested in taking this rainforest tour in Tambrauw regency, please, contact me by e-mail: peace4wp@gmail.com or whatsapp: +6281332245180. I will compose an itinerary and calculate the cost of your tours that are suitable with your travel schedule.

Please, support our efforts in preserving the bio-diversity of tropical rainforest in Papua

Rainforest Camping Tour in Tambrauw Mountains

Blyth's hornbill (Rhyticeros plicatus).
This vector artwork was created by Charles Roring

Destination: Lowland rainforest near Syuan River of Tambrauw Regency
Duration: 5 days/ 4 nights
Availability: All year round
Cost: Please, send e-mail to: peace4wp@gmail.com for prices and customized itineraries

I have just returned from a camping tour in the lowland rainforest of Tambrauw mountains. I guided a tourist from Luxemburg who wanted to stay in the jungle for several nights. We built three tents at the bank of Syuan river and did some walks in the forest to see birds, butterfly and various vegetation of the tropical jungle. At night, the sounds of insects, and other nocturnal animals became our natural music that we enjoyed, together with the flow of the water in Suan river.

Preparations

There were things that I and my friends had to bring to the forest to serve our guest such as tents, air mattresses, rechargeable lamps, eating and cooking utensils, binoculars. We also contacted local people from the nearby village in Syuan river to work as guides and cooks. Several days before the trip, we contacted a driver to charter his 4WD car for this trip. 

The Rainforest trip

I met our guest at the airport of Sorong city. First, we went to my friend's house to put his bags which he did not need for the forest trip. After that we went to local market called Pasar Remu to buy fresh vegetables and other food materials that we would need in the jungle. I bought smoked fish, eggs, rice, fruits, and tempe.

When everything was ready, we headed directly to Tambrauw regency. It was a long ride approximately 4 hours. We needed have lunch in Sausapor town and then went to inform the local police about our tour. When all the paper works were ready, we continued our trip to Jokte village to pick up our local guides. Then we left for Syuan river. The 4WD car stopped at the riverside near the road. The scenery of the surrounding forest, and mountains and the river was really beautiful and peaceful. We took all of our things from the car and guided by the villagers, we walked along the banks of the river deeper into the jungle. 

Sharing Food with Local People

We built our first camp at around 16.00 local time and then prepared our evening tea and coffee.  At night we had dinner. We shared them with the indigenous Papuan villagers who guided us in the jungle. They were really nice and were happy to share their foods with us too. During the whole jungle trip, they caught fish, shrimps in the river. The women who worked as cooks picked some vegetables and cassava in the garden for us. 

Our Tents at the bank of Cuan River
in Tambrauw Mountains of West Papua

Birdwatching
The rainforest on both sides of Syuan river was the natural habitat of such tropical birds as Blyth's hornbill, sulphur crested cockatoo, egrets, Goliath cockatoo, black capped lory and paradise birds.  Near our second camp was a deeper water. We liked to spend time there to swim and enjoyed the surrounding view of the forest. In the afternoon when all birds began to return to their nests, we saw two sulphur crested cockatoo at the tree close to our "swimming pool." They were so beautiful. Birding in Syuan river was very easy. We just need to walk along the sides of the river and observe the sky and the trees. To take picture, we used bridge camera with super telephoto lens such as Sony Cybershot H400 and Fujifilm Finepix H50EXR.

Sulphur Crested Cockatoo in the tree near
Cuan river of Tambrauw regency

On the last day of our jungle camping tour and while walking back to the main road, I saw a unique terrestrial orchid flowers whose color was white. I said it was unique because it emitted fragrant smell. Most orchids do not emit fragrant smell but these flowers were fantastic - very fragrant.

White terrestrial orchid flowers that were very fragrant

On the second day of our stay, the villagers presented cassowary meat to us. One of their dogs killed a young cassowary bird. We were quite concern but we realized that their traditional life is hunting. The meat was very delicious said our guest.
There are a lot of things which tourists can see or experience while exploring the rich bio-diversity of rainforest. The trip to this region is suitable for nature lovers.

Eupholus schoenherri beetle in the forest of Tambrauw regency

If you are interested in taking a rainforest camping tour in Cuan river of Tambrauw mountains, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by e-mail to: peace4wp@gmail.com. I will happy to arrange your trip and guide you in the jungle.

Wildlife Tour in Ases of Tambrauw Mountains

There is a place in Tambrauw mountains where tropical rainforest covers most of the terrains. It is called Ases. Because it is located in a very remote area, abundant wild animals live there. That's why I promote it as a new tourist destination this year for Wildlife Tour.

Road in Tambrauw Mountains of West Papua

Please, look at the map below. Ases is an oval green shape that is located in the south of Fef. To reach it, visitors have to walk for a whole day through dense rainforest. Ases is covered by pristine tropical rainforest that is the natural habitat of various species of animals such as deers, cassowary, wild pigs, snakes, soa-soa lizards, birdwing butterflies, and various species of birds of paradise. The minimum duration of the tour is 1 week. With 2 overnight-stays in Sorong before and after the tour in Ases.

ASES is the most recommended destination for visitors who want to take a wildlife tour in the rainforest of Tambrauw mountains.

Participants of the tour have to be fit physically. They need to bring head torch or flashlight, wear sport or water shoes, flipflops, t-shirt and long trousers for walking in the jungle. Insect repellent lotion will be needed too. Those who want to swim in the ponds of the rivers need to bring beach or swim suit. There is no cell phone coverage. So, if you need to keep in touch with the outer world, you could bring satellite phone. For participants of the tour who are interested in photography, please, bring D-SLR camera with telephoto lens or such bridge camera as Nikon P900 or Sony DSC H400 with extra batteries. As tour guide, we will provide complete camping gear such as tents, air mattresses, cooking and eating utensils, rechargeable lamps.

Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive in Sorong, Buying food and other logistical needs
Day 2 Transfer from Sorong to Fef by chartered 4WD car
Day 3 Trekking, Camping and Wildlife watching
Day 4 Trekking, Camping and Wildlife watching
Day 5 Trekking, and Wildlife watching, walking back to Fef
Day 6 Transfer from Fef  to Sorong by chartered 4WD car
Day 7 Transfer to Airport

Cost: Please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com for further information about Wildlife Tour in Ases of Tambrauw regency and other areas in West Papua.

Birdwatching in Tambrauw regency

Tambrauw regency is located between Sorong and Manokwari. Most of its land area is covered by pristine tropical rainforest which is the natural habitat of various species of birds. Last week, I visited the regency and had a birdwatching trip in its forest particularly along the bank of a river. I chose river because its sides had got a wide open space that was suitable for birdwatching. I saw various species of birds that were perching on the branches of trees, flying over my head or walking on the stony ground of the river.

Watching birds along the banks of a river is highly recommended

I highly recommend Tambrauw mountains as a destination for avid birdwatchers because their huge rainforest area.

Sulphur Crested Cockatoo in the jungle of Tambrauw Mountains

The local government of Tambrauw regency declared their forest for conservation. So, they will not allow any destructive activities in the forest. Since birdwatching is considered as an environmentally friendly tourism activity, the government encourage eco-tourism as an alternative solution for the villagers who live around or in the forest to generate alternative income instead of logging, slash and burn farming practices and hunting.

Blyth's hornbill can easily be recognized by its fluttering sound when flying

Where is Tambrauw regency and how to get there?
Look at the following Map. Tambrauw can easily be reached by 4WD car from Sorong city. For land tour, it is important to go by 4WD car because the terrains to Fef are very steep. The roads are unpaved. For those who are interested in snorkeling and other marine tourism activities, they can go by passenger boats from Sorong city to Sausapor. KM. Sunlia and KM. Ave Maria go back and forth to Sausapor three times a week with ticket price is  between 100,000 and 150,000 rupiahs for economy class per passenger.

Traditional village of Abun tribe in Tambrauw mountains

Most of the mountains in Tambrauw are still covered with tropical rainforest. As of today the main challenge to reach the mountains is the cost of transportation which is very expensive. 

If you are interested in birdwatching in Tambrauw mountains, and need me to arrange your trip, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com.

Rainforest Tour in Tambrauw Mountains of West Papua

Coral reef in the waters of Sausapor town

Last week I had a survey trip with seven foreign visitors to Tambrauw regency that was located between Sorong and Manokwari. We visited its coastal town, Sausapor, and stayed for one night in Ef We island. The next morning, we went snorkeling at the western tip of  the island and northeastern area of Ef Nay island.
Coral Reef
There were several coral reef areas in Tambrauw regency that were potential to be developed as tourist destinations. In this post, I presented the underwater picture of coral reef environment which was taken a few days ago near Sausapor town. For more articles related to coral reef, and marine tourism, please, visit my personal blog: charlesroring.blogspot.com.
Watching Leatherback Turtle
In the afternoon, we continued our trip to Batu Rumah where we did a short rainforest tour and a long overnight turtle watching trip at Jen Womom beach. Leatherback was the largest turtle in the world and its population was shrinking. Many of them die after eating transparent plastic shopping bags that are drifting in the ocean. They considered them as their food, i.e. jellyfish.

Sujak River in Tambrauw Mountains of West Papua

Rainforest Tour
The last segment of the trip was done in the forest areas near Fef in the highland of Tambrauw mountains. Fef was located in a valley in the south of Tambrauw mountains. It is the capital of Tambrauw regency. Visitors who want to reach it had to go by 4WD car. The slopes were very steep and could not be climbed by ordinary city cars. The scenery of Tambrauw mountains was really magnificent.

A traditional village in Tambrauw mountains

Activities
Most of the areas of the mountains are covered by pristine rainforest. There are a lot of things that visitors can enjoy including sightseeing, trekking, camping, birding, swimming, and wildlife watching.
In addition to birds of paradise, visitors may see deers, wild pigs, cuscus possum, snake, soa-soa lizard, colorful butterflies, unique beetles, and exotic wild orchids.
Tambrauw is a place that I highly recommend to all tourists who are interested in exploring the rainforest ecosystem particularly its wildlife. All participants of the tour were impressed with the courtship dance of Lesser Birds of Paradise in the last morning of their rainforest tour in Tambrauw mountains.

Tour Package for June, July, August, and September 2016
Rainforest Tour Itinerary
Day 1. Arrive in Sorong city
Day 2. Transfer to Fef, overnight stay in the town
Day 3. Trekking to Ases valley
Day 4. Trekking, camping, birding and wildlife tour in Ases
Day 5. Trekking, camping, birding and wildlife tour in Ases
Day 6. Walking back to Fef, overnight stay in the town
Day 7. Return to Sorong city
Please, contact Charles Roring for the price by sending email to: peace4wp@gmail.com



Although the capital was Fef. But the town is being constructed. So, it is still not ready to function as the administrative center of the local government. Today, Sausapor is the temporary capital of Tambrauw regency.
If you are interested in traveling to Tambrauw mountains and need me to be your guide, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com