Birding Guides: Papua Expeditions

Any birders out there used the birding guides Papua Expeditions? They do long term bird intensive expeditions. Any recommendations of others?

I haven't used them personally.

The birding I did in PNG was mainly at Kumal Lodge in the Highlands with a guy who worked there called Max - he was pretty hot.
Bruce Beehler stayed there because I saw his name in the guest book. I just turned up with bins & my guide book & Max walked me through the trees picking stuff out.

Simon Lusam was the guy I used in Madang, but this was 8 years ago & again it was a case of going out to see birds for a day rather than a full on tour.

I've David Attenborugh uses Ambua Lodge in Tari Gap when he goes

Sorry I can't be of more help.

The Wau Ecology Institute in Wau is always a good bet.....and have been for 35 years...google them and they will be there...homesteader

Hello: I saw your questions regarding Papua Expeditions. My friend and I have been considering a birding trip to PNG. Have the responses to your questions been favorable regarding this company?

Sue

In March, I visited the Arfak Mountains (near the town of Manokwari, on the eastern side of West Papua's Bird's Head peninsula) using the services of Papua Expeditions. Their web site (http://www.PapuaExpeditions.com or http://www.bird-watching-papua-adventure-travel.com) is a treasure trove of information on visiting this little-known territory, and right from the first contact I found them really adept at guiding me through the many peculiarities of traveling in West Papua, and helping me decide how to make the most of my limited time there. So I ended up visiting an entirely uninhabited region of the Arfak Mountains on a birding trek covering virtually untouched tropical rainforests from the foothills all the way to the highlands. This was the same area where Papua Expeditions previously had assisted a team of the acclaimed BBC Natural History Unit in producing the now famous Vogelkop Bowerbird sequence in the birds episode of 'Life' (see http://www.PapuaExpeditions.com/amblyornisinornatus.html for the full story). Of course, we all enjoyed glorious moments with this iconic Arfak specialty, besides getting up close and personal with the entire suite of so-called "Vogelkop" endemic birds. Perhaps the absolute highlight for me, as a life-long birder, was to witness the ballerina-display of the adult male Western Parotia on its meticulously cleared ground court, high up in the splendid montane forests. This member of the fabled bird of paradise family is still heavily persecuted throughout the Arfak Mountains, so it was fantastic to see the species thriving here. What really made the trip for me was the expertise of the resident guides, and the fact that all our porters were indigenous Papuans entitled to ancestral land rights in the area visited. As such, there were plenty of opportunities to interact with the people of Papua. Compared to other trips I've taken elsewhere in Indonesia, I have to say that the meals prepared under difficult conditions on a simple camp fire were quite simply outstanding. I certainly can recommend Papua Expeditions as the first choice to anyone wanting to learn about the birdlife and ecology of West Papua firsthand.

Really appreciate the nod. I'm off to Turkey next week, hope to do PNG next year.

I so want to go to PNG! It is the apex of my bucket list!
Does Papua Expeditions go to the Mt Hagen Sing-Sing?

A friend in my birding club went with International Expeditions and had good things to say.