ITINERARY (18 DAYS / 17 NIGHTS)

Friday 26 June – Arrival in Makassar via Bali

Possibly some birding near Denpasar if time allows. Flight JT740 to Makassar with Lion Air leaves Denpasar at 18.40, arrives 19.20. Drive to Rammang-Rammang, night birding for owls. Overnight: Rammang-Rammang Ecolodge.

Saturday 27 June – Rammang-Rammang, Karaenta Forest - Malino

Leave 7 am by minibus for 1 & half hours to Karaenta Forest to find key species in South Sulawesi including Black-headed Kingfisher, Black-ringed White-eye, Sulawesi Pitta, Sulawesi Babbler, Piping Crow, Red-backed Thrush, Spot-tailed Goshawk, Sulawesi Dwarf Kingfisher, Sulawesi Streaked Flycatcher, Sulawesi Malkoha, Grey-sided & Yellow-sided Flowerpeckers, Sulawesi Serpent Eagle, Sulawesi Hawk-Eagle, Knobbed & Sulawesi Hornbills. After lunch drive 4-5 hours to Malino for tomorrow.s birding, chance tonight to see Makassar Myna & Pale-headed Munia. Night birding for Speckled Boobook, Sulawesi Masked Owl and Minahasa Masked Owl. Overnight: Syafirah Guest house.

Sunday 28 June – Malino - Lompobattang Forest - Makassar

Birding early morning at Lompobattang Forest for Lompobattang Flycatcher & Fruit Dove; and along the logging road for a selection of species including Sulawesi Myzomela, Crimson-crowned Flowerpecker, Turquoise Warbling-Flycatcher, Citrine Flycatcher, Sulphur-bellied Whistler, Sulawesi Swiftlet, Sulawesi Grasshopper Warbler, Sulawesi Brush Cuckoo, White-necked Myna, Meyer’s & Ornate Lorikeets, Black-ringed & Black-crowned White-eyes, Ashy & Sulawesi Pygmy Woodpeckers, Sulawesi Drongo & Piping Crow.

Back to Makassar via Patene Ponds for a chance of Makassar Myna, Pale-headed Munia, Lemon-bellied white-eye & Savanna Nightjar. Overnight: Dalton Hotel (near airport).

Monday 29 June – Makassar – Ternate – Sidangoli (North Moluccas)

Transfer to the airport for Batik Air flight ID6192 leaving for Ternate at 09.50. Arrive Ternate 12.40 pm. Drive to harbour for hour’s boat trip across to Sidangoli. Afternoon birding at Kali Batu Putih (KBP).

Target species on Halmahera include Beach Kingfisher, Sombre, Blue-and-White and Common Paradise Kingfishers, Ivory-breasted & Moluccan Pittas, Rusty-breasted Triller, Scarlet-breasted, Grey-headed and Blue-capped Fruit Doves, Chattering Lory, Paradise Crow, Streak-headed Friarbird, Halmahera white-eye, White-naped Monarch, Drab Whistler and Halmahera and Moluccan Cuckoo-Shrikes. Night birding for Moluccan Owlet-Nightjar, Molucan Scops Owl & Halmahera Boobook. Overnight: either at Sidangoli Homestay or Wosa Ino Homestay.

Tuesday 30 June – Sidangoli – KBP – Gunung Roni – Buli roadside - Wasile

Drive to Gunung Roni via early stop at km 12 for possible Halmahera Boobook. Possibilities at Gunung Roni include Azure Dollarbird, Moluccan Goshawk, Ivory-breasted Pitta, Halmahera Oriole, Chattering & Violet-necked Lories, Long-billed Crow, Red-flanked Lorikeet, Black-chinned Whistler, Umbrella Cockatoo, Blyth’s Hornbill, Moustached Tree Swift, Moluccan Hanging Parrot, Halmahera Flowerpecker, Cinnamon-bellied Imperial Pigeon & Spectacled Imperial Pigeon.

Afternoon drive to Wasile, rest at accommodation. Overnight: Wisma Kita Guesthouse, Subaim.

Wednesday 1 July – Wasile – Foli - Buli roadside 

Very early departure at 3.30 am in 4WDs to foli Forest. 30 minute walk to the lek of a Wallace’s Standardwing which we hope will display for us. 8.00 am back to vehicles for breakfast. Birding down logging road for any species missed earlier.

Return to accommodation for lunch& siesta. Afternoon along Buli roadside to check for Moluccan King Parrot, Moluccan Hanging Parrot, Scarlet-breasted Fruit Dove, Halmahera Flowerpecker, etc. Overnight: Wisma Kita Guesthouse, Subaim.

Thursday 2 July - Wasile - Birding at Foli area

More birding along Buli roadside and at Gunung Roni, another chance for Azure dollarbird. Afternoon drive to Binagara to look for Invisible Rail, Moluccan Dwarf & Azure Kingfishers. Evening drive to Sofifi to catch boat back to Ternate, arriving after dark. Overnight: either at Batik Hotel or at Villa Marasai.

Friday 3 July – Ternate – fly to Manado - Tangkoko

Time after breakfast to take photos of Ternate & Tidore Islands, maybe visit World War II memorial. Wings air flight IW1173 departs 8.35, arriving Manado 9.08 am. Drive 1 & half hours (& birding) to Tangkoko. Afternoon birding in Tangkoko Park, look for Green-backed & Sulawesi Lilac Kingfisher, chance of Tarsier & Sulawesi Crested Macaque.

Night birding for Sulawesi Nightjar & owls. Overnight: Tangkoko Hill Resort near the Park.

Saturday 4 July - Tangkoko

Full day birding in the Tangkoko Nature Reserve for several kingfisher species – Green-backed, Lilac, Ruddy and Sulawesi Dwarf. Also Sulawesi Pitta, Spot-tailed Goshawk, Blue-backed Parrot, Tabon Megapode, Stephan’s Dove, Ashy Woodpecker, Sulawesi Pygmy Woodpecker, Minahasa & Golden-mantled Racquet-tails, Finch-billed, Short-crested & White-necked Mynas, Sulawesi Triller, Sulawesi Roller, Red-backed Thrush, Pied Cuckoo-Shrike & night birds like Ochre-bellied Boobook & Minahasa Masked Owl. Overnight: Tangkoko Hill Resort.

Sunday 5 July - Ternate – fly to Makassar / Karaenta Forest

Morning at Temboan hill hopefully for good views of hornbills, pigeons, Hanging Parrots & perhaps Sulawesi Pitta.

Later we will go out in an outrigger canoe across the mangrove forest to look for Great-billed Kingfisher, White-rumped Cuckoo-Shrike, Great-billed Heron, Frigatebirds, Pied Imperial Pigeon & a number of terns. Overnight: Tangkoko Hill Resort.

Monday 6 July – Tangkoko – Tomohon - Manado

After breakfast drive 2 & a half hours to Mahawu, birding there & at Gunung Mahawu to look for Scaly Kingfisher, Sulawesi Myzomela, Sulawesi Bush Hen, Crimson-crowned Flowerpecker & Superb Fruit Dove. Late evening drive to Manado. Overnight: Novotel near the airport.

Tuesday 7 July – Manado – fly to Luwuk - Taima

Fly out from Manado to Luwuk on Wings Air flight IW1189 at 6 am, arriving 7.20; drive on 3 – 4 hours to Taima, birding on the way. The site to find the Maleo, at a white sandy beach location. Night birding in evening. Overnight: ‘Home Sweet Home’ near the beach.

Wednesday 8 July - Taima Forest - Luwuk

Second day at Taima, more time for watching the Maleo. Drive back to Luwuk after lunch. Overnight: Santika Hotel.

Thursday 9 July - Luwuk – fly to Palu – Lore Lindu

After breakfast take Wings air flight IW1147 at 7.45 am, arriving Palu at 8.55. Drive 3 – 4 hours to Lore Lindu National Park. Stop at Lake Tambing for a chance to see Geomalia and Sulawesi Thrush. Night birding to look for cinnabar Boobook. Overnight: National Lodge, near the Park.

Friday 10 July - Lore Lindu (Lake Tambing + roadside)

Morning in Lore Lindu National Park, some roadside birding and more time at Lake Tambing. Possible birds: Geomalia, Purple-bearded Bee-Eater, Maroon-backed Whistler, Malia, Heleia, Heinrichia, Dwarf  Sparrow-hawk, Sulawesi Ground Dove, Meyer’s Lorikeet, Red-eared Fruit-Dove, Mountain Cicadabird, Cerulean Cuckoo-shrike, Flame-browed Myna, Sulawesi Drongo, Sulawesi Goshawk, Sulawesi Cuckoo, Hoevel’s Flycatcher, Sulawesi Grasshopper Warbler and Sulawesi Thrush.

After lunch check rice fields in Wanga for Eastern Grass Owl, Glossy Ibis & Spotted Harrier. Night birding near the Lodge for Speckled Boobook, then early night. Overnight: National Lodge.

Saturday 11 July – Lore Lindu, along Anaso track

Unless we have already seen Geomalia, depart very early morning at 04:00, hike up along Anaso track for about 4 hours, other species possible: Purple-bearded Bee-eater, Sombre Pigeon, Grey-headed Imperial Pigeon, Satanic Nightjar at day-roosting, Greater Myza, Hylocitrea, Mountain Serin and Sulawesi Thrush.

After lunch drive back to the accommodation to have a rest. In the afternoon we can visit the megaliths at Tamadue village. Overnight: National Lodge.

Sunday 12 July - Lore Lindu – Biromaru/Paneki forest

Another morning in Lore Lindu, afterwards drive down to Biromaru for another chance to see Makassar Myna, Pale-headed Munia, Red-backed Buttonquail and Leuseur’s Triller. On the way back we can visit places where Palu was affected by the tsunami and liquifaction last year. Overnight: Swiss-bel Hotel, Palu

Monday 13 July - Palu - fly to Denpasar via Makassar for departures home

After breakfast transfer to the airport to catch flight with Lion Air, flight number JT781 departs from Palu at 06:10, arrives in Makassar at 07:10, then connect with flight JT741 departing at 09:10 from Makassar, arriving in Denpasar, Bali at 10:30 am. Onward connections home.

NOTE:

This itinerary is subject to change & depends on flight schedules, road & weather conditions.