ALL TOURS ARE FULLY ACCOMMODATED, NO CAMPING. 1st of April every year the accommodation costs usually rise slightly, while increase in fuel and flight prices are unpredictable. I apologise in case of any increase in tours costs.
Prices are shown in Australian Dollars and are subject to change and include:
All meals / accommodation / transport / 10% GST (Goods & Services Tax) / some flights / guided tours / permit fees / boat cruises
Only tours with at least one vacancy are shown below, but please check the 'last updated' on the front page.
Cape York Bird Week (8 days)
Tour Dates & Prices
Cape York Bird Week (8 days)
5th
- 12th January, 2009
Twin share/double $ 3835.00, flights included.
Single supplement $ 770.00
North Queensland Bird Tour (11 days)
10th - 20th November, 2008
11th - 21st May, 2009
2008 cost:
Twin share/double $ 4775.00
Single supplement $ 686.00
Golden-shouldered Parrot Tour (5 days)
27th April - 1st May, 2009
2008 cost:
Twin share/double $1654.00
Single supplement $ 201.00
Gulf & Inland Bird Tour (13 days)
17th - 29th July, 2009
2008 cost:
Twin share/double $ 4767.00
Single supplement $ 645.00
Iron Range Tour (6 days)
4
th - 9th December, 2008Twin Share only $2364.00 + flights (appro.$ 708.40)
11th – 16th December, 2008
If possible to drive out - 18th December, 2008 (8 day tour as below)
3rd - 8th December, 2009
Twin Share only $2364.00 + flights (appro.$ 708.40)
10th – 15th December, 2009
If possible to drive out - 17th December, 2009 (8 day tour as below)
Iron Range Tour (8 days)
3rd - 10th August, 2009
2008 cost:
Twin Share only, $ 2992.00 + flight (appro.$ 354.20)
South-Western Endemics Tour (12 days)
17th - 28th March, 2009
2008 cost:
Twin share / double $ 3855.00
single supplement $ 645.00
Great Northern Bird Tour presently not offered
Black Grasswren Tour (12 days)
7th
- 18th September, 20092008 cost:
Twin share/double $ 5769.00
Single supplement $ 795.00
Golden Bowerbird Tour (6 days)
12th - 17th October, 2008
7
th - 11th November, 20092008 cost:
Twin share/double $1843.00
single supplement $ 340.00
Northern Endemics Tour (13 days)
25th June - 7th July, 2009
2008 cost:
Twin share/double $ 4165.00 + flight (appro.$ 354.20)
Single supplement $ 430.00
(except at Archer River & Iron Range)
Papua New Guinea Bird Tour (18 days)
31st May - 17th June, 2009
2008 cost:
Twin share / double $ 8736.25
single supplement $ 1213.00Flights are not included.
Cairns - Bamaga - Cairns (fly/fly)
21 birdwatchers maximum (3 guides)
This annual event takes place at Resort Bamaga, which is 33 km south of the Tip of Cape York, the northernmost point of the Australian Mainland. The Bird Week is timed just before the wet season and after the arrival of the last migrant from New Guinea, the beautiful Red-bellied Pitta. Only then are all migrants from New Guinea present, plus the other endemic birds of the upper Cape York region, including two species of Birds of Paradise.
South-Western Endemics Tour
(12 days)
The itinerary is set out to give us a chance of multiple
sightings, as some species can be difficult to find, depending on water and
food supply, which are unpredictable. The tour does not concentrate on
waders, shorebirds and pelagics, but of course when encountered we don't
ignore them.
Gulf and Inland Bird Tour
(13 days)
Mt Isa - Lawn Hill National Park - Karumba - Cloncurry - Mt Isa (Mini-Bus)
6 birdwatchers maximum
The distance from Cairns to Mt Isa is about 1400 km. Only the main
highways are sealed, and once away from the city you are again in the
'outback'. In these arid regions during an Inland Bird Tour birding takes
place mainly near dams, lakes, rivers and creeks.
The Kalkadoon and Carpentarian Grasswrens are some of the highlights of this region, but there are plenty more exiting birds around like the Purple-crowned Fairy-wrens, Painted Finches, Spinifex Pigeons, Spinifexbirds, Rufous-crowned Emu-Wrens, Sandstone Shrike-thrushes, Black-tailed Treecreepers and Ground Cuckoo-shrikes.
The mangroves at the coast of the Gulf are great for Red-headed Honeyeaters, White-breasted Whistlers, Broad-billed Flycatchers and Mangrove Golden Whistlers plus an assortment of Terns, Waders and Waterbirds. This is also one of the few regions in Australia where Star Finches occur.
Golden-shouldered Parrot Tour (5 days)
Cairns - Musgrave - Lakefield National Park - Kingfisher Park (Julatten)
- Cairns (Mini-Bus)
6 birdwatchers maximum
The Golden-shouldered Parrot is one of the endangered birds of Australia
and endemic to the Musgrave area on Cape York Peninsula. Only some 150 pairs
are estimated to live in that region.
We search for these parrots and other birds in the vast Lakefield National Park. At Kingfisher Park Birdwatcher's Lodge and nearby forests on Mt Lewis we look for the endemic highland birds plus the boat cruise with Chris Dahlberg shows us birds at the Daintree River. The Golden-shouldered Parrot Tour is a short tour and a great supplement to your visit to North Queensland.
Golden Bowerbird Tour (6 days)
Cairns - Kingfisher Park (Julatten) - Yungaburra (Tablelands) - Mission
Beach - Cairns
6 birdwatchers maximum
The Wet Tropics World Heritage area between Cooktown and Townsville is one of the best and most famous birding regions in Australia. 14 species of birds are endemic to the highland and lowland rainforests, which receive the highest rainfall of the Australian mainland. That accounts for its natural beauty, clear rivers and creeks with Platypus and a large number of endemic frogs and possums.
Habitats include woodland and swamps, but we mainly concentrate on lowland and highland rainforests, plus birds at the Daintree River on the famous Chris Dahlberg dawn cruise. The Golden Bowerbird only occurs above 800 meters sea level.
North Queensland Bird Tour (11 days)
Cairns - Musgrave - Lakefield N.P. - Julatten - Atherton Tablelands - Georgetown
- Undara - Mission Beach - Cairns (Mini-Bus)
6 birdwatchers maximum
A high number of species are seen on the North Queensland Bird Tour, which
covers an area of about 350 km around Cairns, which includes the Atherton
Tablelands, Musgrave, Georgetown and Mission Beach regions. These are the
important key areas for Australian birds.
The diversity of habitats in this region makes birdwatching very versatile
and enjoyable, and specially the Tablelands offers a high number of endemic
birds. Cairns is now a major tourist attraction, situated close to World
Heritage Rainforests and the Great Barrier Reef. Most roads are sealed and
accommodation is of good to high standard.
Papua New Guinea Bird Tour
(18 days)
Port Moresby - Kiunga - Tabubil (Ok Tedi Valley) - Mt Hagen
(Kumul Lodge) - Tari (Ambua Lodge) - Port Moresby – New Britain
(fly & drive)
8 birdwatchers minimum / 12 birdwatchers maximum
This itinerary is prepared by Brian Coates, the main guide on this tour. Please
click here for more information about your guides.
Our tour will begin in Port Moresby where we will stay for two nights. We will
visit hill forest habitat in Varirata National Park to look for Raggiana Bird of
Paradise and Hooded Pitohui, plus other birds. We will also visit eucalypt
savannah to look for various species including Fawn-breasted Bowerbird and
Grey-headed Mannikin.
From Port Moresby we will fly to Kiunga, a port town located on the upper Fly
River not far from the Irian Jaya border and surrounded by a vast expanse of
lowland rainforest and swamp forest. We will stay for four nights in the Kiunga
area, including a trip by boat up the Elevala River, where we will look for
birds in the surrounding forests. Southern Crowned Pigeon, Palm Cockatoo,
Pesquet's (Vulturine) Parrot, Little Paradise-kingfisher, White-bellied Pitohui,
Flame Bowerbird, and Twelve-wired, King and Greater Birds of Paradise are just
some of the many splendid species resident in this wonderful area.
From Kiunga we will travel by road to Tabubil in the Ok Tedi Valley where we
will stay for two nights. Here we will explore the hill and lower montane
forests for a range of species including Striated Lorikeet, Blue-collared
Parrot, Black-bellied Cuckoo-shrike, White-rumped Robin, Obscure Berrypecker,
Carola's Parotia, and Magnificent and Greater Birds of Paradise.
We fly from Tabubil to Mount Hagen where we transfer to Kumul Lodge. The Lodge
is located in upper montane forest. Most of the birds found here are not present
in the lower elevations visited so far. As a further attraction, some of the
birds around the Lodge are very confiding.
Next we will fly to Tari where we will transfer to the world famous Ambua Lodge,
situated at the edge of cool montane forest at an altitude of 2130 m (7000 ft).
Here we look for birds in the surrounding forest, ranging up to Tari Gap, and
also in the Tari Valley. The many special birds present in this splendid area
include New Guinea Eagle, Papuan Lorikeet, Whiskered Lorikeet, Brehm's
Tiger-parrot, Blue-capped Ifrita, Spotted Jewel-babbler, Regent Whistler,
Wattled Ploughbill, Belford's Honeyeater, Red-collared Myzomela, Crested
Berrypecker, Archbold's Bowerbird, Macgregor's Bowerbird, Loria's Bird of
Paradise, Crested Bird of Paradise, Short-tailed Paradigalla, Ribbon-tailed
Astrapia, Stephanie's Astrapia, Brown Sicklebill, Lawes' Parotia, King of Saxony
Bird of Paradise, Superb Bird of Paradise, Brown Sicklebill and Blue Bird of
Paradise.
Following our stay at Ambua Lodge we will reluctantly transfer to Tari and then
return to Port Moresby to continue with the four day extension to New Britain
Island. New Britain is the largest island in the Bismarck Archipelago. Here are
found a number species that are endemic, and species to be found here include
Melanesian Scrubfowl, New Britain Buzzard, Red-knobbed Fruit-dove, Red-knobbed
Imperial-pigeon, Blue-eyed Cockatoo, Eastern Black-capped Lory, Violaceous
Coucal, Pied Coucal, Black-headed Paradise-kingfisher, White-mantled Kingfisher,
Bismarck Pied Monarch, Ashy Honeyeater, Bismarck Flowerpecker, Buff-bellied
Mannikin and White-backed Wood-swallow.
We will also visit two or three small islands in Kimbe Bay to look for
small-island specialists, including Nicobar Pigeon, Beach Kingfisher and Island
Monarch.
Black Grasswren Tour (12 days)
Darwin - Kakadu National Park - Katherine - Darwin - Kununurra - Lake Argyle
- Kununurra - Darwin (drive / fly)
11 birdwatchers maximum.
A well-known highlight in northern Australia for birdwatchers is Kakadu
National Park near Darwin in the Northern Territory as part of the Great
Northern Bird Tour and Black Grasswren Tour. In late winter to early summer
the few remaining lagoons attract a vast number of waterbirds, and the escarpment
and monsoon forests offer interesting and often endemic birds. Kakadu, Darwin
and Katherine are well developed and have great accommodation.
The Black Grasswren Tour ends in the Kimberley, after the northern part
of Northern Territory, where we fly by light plane into the Mitchell Plateau
and transfer by helicopter right to the area of the Black Grasswren. This
avoids travelling on one of the roughest roads for two days, and you get
a scenic flight at the same time.
Cairns - Musgrave - Lakefield National Park - Iron Range - Cairns (fly
/ drive)
6 birdwatchers maximum
Visitors to Cape York on the Cape York Bird Week (fly/fly) and Iron Range
Tour (drive/fly) usually have a 'hit' or 'wish list'. The distance by road
from Cairns to the Tip of Cape York is 1000 km, almost all of it unsealed
and rugged. During summer (wet season) the river and creek crossings make
this journey, even by 4WD vehicle, virtually impossible. Consequently, during
this time of the year only fly/fly tours take place.
Accommodation in these areas is often basic, roadhouses or guesthouses,
and it is not uncommon to encounter only one or two cars per hour. It's
definitely worthwhile to visit this area, as birds like Palm Cockatoos,
Eclectus Parrots, Magnificent Riflebirds and many more are only found in
New Guinea and here in the upper Cape York region.
We also watch the birds of Lakefield National Park and the Golden-shouldered
Parrot on this tour. On an Iron Range Tour we average about 170 - 200 bird
species.
Cairns - Iron Range - Cairns (fly / fly)
Special Tour for the summer migrants from New Guinea with the best chance
of seeing all endemic birds and more at Iron Range.
Itinerary
Northern Endemics Tour (13 days)
Cairns - Iron Range - Archer River - Musgrave - Kingfisher Lodge (Julatten)
- Yungaburra - Mission Beach - Cairns (Fly/Drive)
6 birdwatchers maximum
This tour covers the most important key areas of North Queensland with the chance of seeing all endemic birds on one tour.
Iron Range is our first destination, and this National Park is one of the important birding locations in Australia. Eclectus Parrots, Red-cheeked Parrots and Green-backed Honeyeaters are only found in this region, plus the other endemic birds of upper Cape York, which also occur in New Guinea.
We then travel south and spend some time around Musgrave and Lakefield National Park, where Black-backed Butcherbird, Golden-shouldered Parrot, Star Finches and many more are the highlights, plus a chance to see the Red Goshawk, Australia's rarest Raptor.
The Wet Tropics World Heritage area between Cooktown and Townsville is one of the best and most famous birding regions in Australia. 14 species of birds are endemic to the highland and lowland rainforests.
Kingfisher Park Birdwatcher's Lodge and the birdwatching cruise on the Daintree are important features of this comprehensive tour.
Itinerary
Great Northern Bird Tour (16 days)
*** Presently not offered ***
Cairns - Atherton Tablelands - Mission Beach - Bamaga (Cape York) - Darwin
- Kakadu National Park - Katherine - Darwin. (fly / drive)
8 birdwatchers maximum
The Great Northern Bird Tour covers a huge area with the potential to see
virtually every northern endemic bird and has definitely the highest bird
count of about 270 - 300 species. This tour is highly recommended for overseas
birdwatchers.
The first part of the Great Northern Bird Tour takes place in the Atherton
Tablelands, at Bamaga on Cape York and in Mission Beach and includes an all-day excursion
for seabirds and snorkelling at the Great Barrier Reef.
The second part includes Darwin, Kakadu National Park and the Katherine
area. We concentrate on all endemic birds of this region. A well-known highlight
in northern Australia for birdwatchers is Kakadu National Park near Darwin
as part of the Great Northern Bird Tour and Black Grasswren Tour.
In late winter to early summer the few remaining lagoons attract a vast
number of waterbirds, and the escarpment and monsoon forests offer interesting
and often endemic birds. Kakadu, Darwin and Katherine are well developed
and have great accommodation for us to choose from.
All photos on these pages by Klaus Uhlenhut © 1996
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