The island of New Guinea is surely one of the world’s outstanding bird photography locations. In particular, New Guinea is home to the “otherworldly” Birds-of-Paradise and it is their distinctive and unique combination of colours, plumes, calls and courtship displays which marks out this destination as one of the avian wonders-of-the-world. Furthermore, with a supporting cast of birds that includes Owlet-Nightjars, Bowerbirds, Frogmouths, Owls, Monarchs, Fruit-Doves, Kingfishers, Honeyeaters, Pittas and Parrots, this Bird-Photo-Tour to Papua New Guinea has so much to offer the bird photographer.
Birds-of-Paradise: King of Saxony Bird-of-Paradise / Princess Stephanie’s Astrapia / Ribbon-tailed Astrapia / Brown Sicklebill / Black Sicklebill / Short-tailed Paradigalla / Lesser Bird-of-Paradise / Greater Lophorina / Magnificent Bird-of-Paradise / Blue Bird-of-Paradise / Raggianna Bird-of-Paradise
Kingfishers: Mountain Kingfisher / Azure Kingfisher / Brown-headed Paradise Kingfisher
Others: Papuan Lorikeet / MacGregor’s Bowerbird / Barred Owlet-Nightjar / Papuan Frogmouth
Guiding Fees / Ground Transportation / Accommodation / Meals / Entrance Fees / Tipping for Drivers, Boatsmen, Hotel and Restaurant Staff.
International Flights / VISA Fees / Travel Insurance / Tips for Local Guide / Alcohol / Laundry / Items of a Personal Nature
Days 1-6 Western Highlands Province, Mount Hagen [5N, 4D, 9S]. Arrive Port Moresby, Domestic Flight to Mount Hagen. Photographic Targets: King of Saxony Bird-of-Paradise / Princess Stephanie’s Astrapia / Brown Sicklebill / Short-tailed Paradigalla / Ribbon-tailed Astrapia / Lesser Bird-of-Paradise / Crested Satinbird.
Days 6-8 Western Highlands Province, Mount Hagen [2N, 1D, 3S]. Drive 2-hours, 80-km to second location at Mount Hagen. Photographic Targets: Brown Sicklebill / Short-tailed Paradigalla / Ribbon-tailed Astrapia / Papuan Lorikeet.
Days 8-15 Western Highlands Province, Mount Hagen [7N, 6D, 13S]. Drive 2-hours, 80-km to third location at Mount Hagen. Photographic Targets: Blue Bird-of-Paradise / Raggianna Bird-of-Paradise / Magnificent Bird-of-Paradise / King of Saxony Bird-of-Paradise / Princess Stephanie’s Astrapia / Greater Lophorina / Lesser Bird-of-Paradise / Brown Sicklebill / Black Sicklebill / MacGregor’s Bowerbird / Mountain Kingfisher / Azure Kingfisher.
Days 15-17 Central Province, Varirata National Park [3N, 2D, 5S]. Domestic Flight to Port Moresby. Photographic Targets: Raggianna Bird-of-Paradise / Brown-headed Paradise Kingfisher / Magnificent Bird-of-Paradise / Barred Owlet-Nightjar.
Day 17 National Capital Province, Port Moresby [0N, 0D, 0S]. Transfer to Port Moresby Airport for International Departures [END].
[Key: N: Night / D: Full Day / S: Session / Half-Day]
Nick Ludovic Green has been living in Asia for over 15-years and in this time has conducted over 125 bird photography trips across the whole of the Asian continent ranging from Kazakhstan in the west, through India and China to Japan in the east, and from the Kamchatka coastline in the north to as far south as Indonesia. In China alone Nick has photographed to portrait-quality standard over 1,200 of China's bird species taking him to all of China's provinces as well as most of those nations bordering China. These bird photography trips have ranged in length from a few days to many months, including a three-month bird photography expedition to China's Xinjiang Autonomous Region, becoming quite possibly the most travelled foreigner in this region over the past decade. Nick has also conducted a four-month bird photography trek across the Himalayas, ranging from the Indian States of Ladakh and Kashmir in the west, into the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan, then onto the Indian States of West Bengal and Sikkim, ending in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam in the eastern Himalayas. Nick has had his images published across numerous media channels including the BBC and Chinese state-owned media outlets, various bird magazines and journals including the Oriental Bird Club's BirdingASIA. He has his own website on the Birds of China and his book 'Portraits of the Birds of China' is due for publication in 2026. Furthermore, Nick has presented films on photographing birds both in Asia and Europe, has his bird images published across many social media platforms within and outside Asia, and has led a number of bird photography lectures and walks, particularly targeted at children. Consequently, Nick has accumulated significant experience of photographing birds within the Asian continent and this expertise has formed the backdrop to setting up Bird-Photo-Tours Asia, trips designed by bird photographers for bird photographers.
(i) The guesthouses are all in close proximity to the bird photography locations. At one guesthouse there may be a requirement to share a room (ii) Walking is at a light pace (iii) There is one location where there is a requirement to hike and climb. (iv) None of the locations are at altitude (v) There is no camping. Summary: at one location it may be necessary to share a room and at another site there is a requirement to hike. Therefore, for these two reasons this trip has been has been graded as 'Medium'.
