D a y 1
- On the first day of our birding adventure You will be met at the airport or hotel by your SeaTrek Tour Leader and taken straight to the Katharina, which will be anchored in the bay.
- As you settle into your new home, we will get underway for a five-hour cruise to Mioskon Island, which is home to a number of special bird species. It also provides us with the first chance to snorkel.
- At dusk we can see thousands of flying foxes head out from their forest home on their nightly forage
D a y 2
- Starting well before dawn, we will go ashore in tenders to meet with our local guides who will lead us through the forest to the lekking trees of the Red Bird of Paradise, where we will be witness to their outlandish courtship display.
- On the way back through the forest we will be on the lookout for many other bird species native to the area.
- After a late breakfast on the boat we will move to another nearby island where we can snorkel and relax. Come late afternoon we will enter the forest once again in search of more endemic bird species.
D a y 3
- Today will bring us an encounter with one of the most beautiful birds in the world, the Wilson’s Bird of Paradise. Rising once again before the dawn we will walk through the forest to a hide, where we can hopefully see the male’s elaborate forest floor mating display, and maybe even see a female or two come and join in.
- On the way back to the boat we will be on the look out for more birds in the busy forest canopy and floor.
- We will spend the afternoon on a nearby island exploring and snorkelling and birding, before heading off in the evening towards Salawati Island further south.
D a y 4
- Today with the help of local guides we hope to see the beautiful yet elusive King Bird-of-Paradise, which can be seen high in the canopy. We will also have the possibility to see the Western-crowned Pigeon as well.
- Later that day, if sea conditions allow, we will go ashore on the north-east corner of Salawati and look for the Northern Cassowary, which is known to roam freely in the forest here.
- In the afternoon we will relax on board as we make the long crossing towards the island of Misool.
D a y 5
- Long before dawn we start our trekking near the village of Kapatcol, partly by dingy and partly on foot, towards one of the leks of the Lesser Bird of Paradise.
- On our return, we will see other special birds of the region, and hopefully also the King Bird of Paradise again.
- In the afternoon, we have the chance to go snorkelling on a local reef before heading back into the forest for more birding. Early in the evening we will head north towards to island of Kofiau.
D a y 6
- Kofiau is home to two wonderful endemics, not least the Kofiau Paradise Kingfisher, which we hope to see on a long early morning visit to the forest along with many other birds.
- In the afternoon we can snorkel and explore the island before birding again in the evening. Overnight we will head towards the island of Gebe.
D a y 7
- The island of Gebe is situated halfway between northern Raja Ampat and Halmahera, and is home to a plethora of birds from both regions. We will go ashore early to a local village and meet our local guides who will show us many parrots, imperial pigeons, fruit doves, kingfishers and other local birds, and if w are lucky we will see the Glossy-mantled Manucode.
- At dusk we will start the long crossing to Weda on the east coast of Halmahera, where we will wake early and go ashore into the forest.
D a y 8
- Early in the morning, we will begin our bird-watching expedition in the Weda Forest with the first port of call being a meeting with Wallace’s Standardwing Bird of Paradise. The forest is alive with many beautiful species and we can expect a full morning of bird spotting.
- After lunch back on the boat, we will say farewell to our crew as we disembark the vessel and check-in at the Weda Resort, where in the late afternoon we will go venturing back into the forest in search of more spectacular species.
D a y 9
- At dawn, we will set off for more trekking around Weda rainforest looking for more birds of Halmahera, including another spot where we can watch the Wallace’s Standardwing Bird of Paradise once more.
-Back at the resort, after lunch you can snorkel or kayak or relax before we venture back into the forest for more magnificent birding at dusk.
D a y 1 0
- After breakfast we will set off by car in the direction of Ternate, keeping our eyes open for any birds and wildlife we may encounter on the way for the journey through the fascinating landscapes of Halmahera.
- Once back on Ternate we will take you to the airport for your departing flight or to your hotel if you have opted to stay on and do some more birding in the forests of this volcanic and historically rich island.
