HUON ADVENTURE - SICKLEBILL SAFARIS
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S I CK LEBILL
S A FAR IS Email: info@s2travel.com.au
Website: www.sicklebillsafaris.com
www.s2travel.com.au
www.birder.travel
Phone: 0413 66 12 13
(Int. +61 413 66 12 13)
HUON
ADVENTURE
I TINERARY
15TH - 21ST JULY 2020
S ICKLEBILL
S AFA RIS
PAPUA NEW GUINEA: A BRIEF OVERVIEW
The country of Papua New Guinea comprises of the eastern half the island of New Guinea and a number of
smaller islands and archipelagoes in the seas around it. In the past New Guinea has been joined to Australia by
a land bridge and indeed shares many plants and animals, including marsupials, with it’s southern neighbour.
People are thought to have first reached Papua New Guinea some 50,000 years ago settling first on the coast
and then moving slowly up into the Highlands where individual clans got so isolated in tiny valleys divided by
knife edge ridges that they each developed their own distinctive languages. Papua New Guinea has more
languages (700+) than anywhere else in the world but today the language of education and government is
English while Tok Pisin, a mixture of English, German and local languages is commonly spoken except in the
most isolated areas.
In New Guinea all land is owned by someone, however this did not stop the western powers annexing it. The
Dutch claimed the western half as part of the Dutch East Indies early in the 19th century , and an arbitrary line
was drawn down the centre of the island splitting clans and language groupings and making no effort to
conform to topography or social structure. The Germans meanwhile annexed the top eastern quarter because it
seemed like a good idea and the British the southern eastern quarter to act as a buffer for the newly emerging
Australia. After the end of the First World War the entire eastern portion was put under an Australian mandate.
On the 15th September 1975 Papua New Guinea was given independence.
New Guinea’s avifauna is one of the most exciting in the world. The island of New Guinea has more endemics
than any other country (400+) and is home to some of the world’s most exotic and sought-after birds, the family
Paradisaeidae. There are some 43 members of this family, 36 of which can be found in Papua New Guinea, the
rest being in the Indonesian province of West Papua, on the island of Halmahera and in Australia. Many of these
birds are restricted to very limited areas and some are extremely hard to see so that special expeditions are
needed to find them.
S ICKLEBILL
S AFA RIS
TOUR INFORMATION
This 7 day/6 night birding and photography Meals are basic as this is a remote area and food
tour visits a recently opened area that has for many needs to be brought in. All special dietary
years been off limits. requirements need to be advised well in advance.
This tour starts and ends in Port Moresby, Papua
New Guinea.
Costs will include:
6 nights accommodation as per itinerary, meals
as per itinerary, 1 bottle water per day, airport
transfers within Papua New Guinea, transport for
duration of the tour, site fees, local guides,
guide services of tour leader, bird list.
Cost does not include:
Drinks, snacks, visas, laundry and items of a
personal nature are not included.
DIFFICULTY
Access to birding is relatively easy with vehicle Emperor Bird of Paradise
access along unsealed roads up to a height of
2000m. Some easy to moderate walking is also
involved.
Mountain weather can be unpredictable and we
can expect clouds and possibly wind and rain at
least some of the time.
ACCOMMODATION
At Kabwum accommodation is in safari style tents.
The camp is basic but comfortable with hot
showers and long drop toilets. Camp beds are
provided but guests must bring their own sleeping
bags. Electricity will be provided by a small
generator so equipment can be charged. Huon Bowerbird Bower
The Lae hotel is western style motel type
accommodation.
S ICKLEBILL
S AFA RIS
TOUR PRICE & INFORMATION (GROUP OF 6)
TOUR DURATION:
6 Nights, 7 Days
LAND COST:
AUD$5,895.00 per person Twin Share.
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT:
AUD$300.00
FLIGHTS:
Only the charter flights to the Huon are included in
the cost. All other flights would be in addition to the
land cost.
GROUP SIZE:
6 Clients + Sicklebill Safaris Guide
Plane to the Huon
ABOUT YOUR GUIDE
JUN MATSUI
With a lifetime interest in wildlife in general Jun started bird guiding in
1993 when he worked as a volunteer ranger at the Hikarigaoka nature
park in Tokyo, Japan. After working for the Japanese Environment
Agency where he collected and managed data and at several reserves
where he was involved in setting up environmental education projects
and guiding as well as general management, he first arrived in Australia
in 1999.
Spending a year traveling around and volunteering at various bird
hotspots including Broome Bird Observatory he eventually took a job as a specialist bird tour guide for
inbound Japanese groups, based in the tropical Far North Queensland town of Cairns. He has been involved
in several bird publications and is the author of the very popular Japanese language field guide to the birds
and wildlife of the Cairns/Atherton Tablelands area. He provided the majority of the photographs for the New
Holland Field Guide to the Birds of Northern Queensland written with fellow sicklebill guide Phil Gregory and
published in 2019. He takes regular tours to around Australia, New Guinea, Japan, the Solomon Islands and
S. East Asia. Jun joined Sicklebill Safaris in 2007.
S ICKLEBILL
S AFA RIS
ABOUT THE BIRDING AREAS
Kabwum area – 1800m
The Huon Peninsula of PNG is an area of steep
rugged mountains covered in rainforest. It is only
reachable by boat or plane. Roads are extremely
limited within the peninsula and often not in very
good condition. We fly into Kabwum way up in the
Saruwaged Range where some excellent birding
can be found in the rainforest covered mountains.
It has four really special birds which are found
nowhere else in New Guinea. They are Emperor
Bird of Paradise, Huon Bowerbird, Huon
Astrapia and Wahnes’ Parotia. Hides have been
built for the Wahnes Parotia at a dance site. Mountain Kingfisher
Wahnes’ Parotia Dancing area Wasu
S ICKLEBILL
S AFA RIS
HUON ADVENTURE 2019 TOUR PLAN
Day 1 – Wednesday 15th July 2020
Meet with guide in Port Moresby and take afternoon flight from Port Moresby to Lae. Transfer to
accommodation.
Accommodation: Crossroads Hotel, Lae
Meals included: Dinner
Day 2 - Thursday 16th July 2020
Take early flight over to Kabwum on the Huon Peninsula. Target birds here will be the Emperor Bird of
Paradise, the Huon Astrapia, the Wahnes’ Parotia, the Huon Bowerbird and the Huon Catbird.
Accommodation: Huon
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3 – Friday 17th July 2020
Full day on Huon. Early morning is usually the best time for the target birds. There are hides available for some
species notably the Wahnes’ Parotia. The hides are quite small and with larger groups not everyone will be
able to get into them at once so it may be best that the group will split up and go after different birds on
different days
Accommodation: Huon
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4 – Saturday 18th July 2020
Second full day on Huon. The target birds are of course not the only birds available and the extensive forest
allows for lots of other birding. Black-mantled Goshawk, Mottled Berrypecker, Mountain Kingfisher,
Mountain and Ornate Fruit Doves, Black-billed Cuckoo-Dove, Pesquet’s Parrot, Spangled and Rufous-
backed Honeyeaters, Friendly fantail, Buff-faced Scrubwren, Slaty and Black-throated Robins, and
Highland Peltops are amongst the other birds recorded here.
Accommodation: Huon
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5 – Sunday 19th July 2020
Final full day on the Huon.
Accommodation: Huon
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6 – Monday 20th July 2020
Fly back to Lae and then on to Port Moresby. While the flight out of Kabwum usually goes early in the morning
mountain weather can cause delays and so we have booked the afternoon flight out of Lae and might have to
spend some time around the airport.
Accommodation: Port Moresby
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7 – Tuesday 21st July 2020
After breakfast transfer to the airport for your onward flights.
Meals included: Breakfast
S ICKLEBILL
S AFA RIS
FURTHER USEFUL INFORMATION FOR PAPUA NEW GUINEA
Further information about this tour will be sent to prior to making full payment for the tour or at the
people once registration is confirmed. This includes: time you purchase airline tickets, depending upon
• General information for travellers to Papua New the airlines restrictions.
Guinea The right is reserved to cancel any tour prior to
• Contact list departure, in which case full refund will constitute full
• Checklist of birds. settlement to the passenger. The right is reserved to
Tour Inclusions and Exclusions - The tour fee is in substitute another guide for the original one. Where
AUD and is based on twin occupancy. Cost includes this is necessary, notification will be given to tour
accommodation as per itinerary, transfers, meals as members, and they will have the right to cancel their
per itinerary, site fees, guide services & bird list. participation and receive a full refund.
Flights are given as a separate cost and this is not Trip Cancellation and Emergency Insurance -
guaranteed until booked and paid for. We strongly recommend you consider purchasing
The fee does not include airport taxes, visa fees comprehensive trip insurance, which includes trip
(you will need to check your visa requirements for cancellation, loss or damage to baggage and
Papua New Guinea), drinks, optional tips to local property, missed fl ights and also medical insurance
drivers and guides, phone calls, laundry, or other (including a medical evacuation option), to cover
items of a personal nature. your investment in case of injury or illness to you or
Tour Registration – To register for this tour let us your family prior to or during a trip. Because we must
know you would like to join us and we will send you remit early (and substantial) tour deposits to our
the Registration/Release and Indemnity forms and an suppliers, we cannot offer any refund once we have
invoice for your deposit. Please fi ll in the forms and paid for items.
return them along with a deposit of AUD$500.00 When making a decision regarding health
per person. If registering by phone, a deposit must insurance you should consider that many foreign
be received within fourteen days, or the space will be doctors and hospitals require payment in cash prior
released. Full payment of the tour fee is due 120 to providing service and that a medical evacuation to
days out from the tour start date. your home country may cost well in excess of
Cancellation Policy – Refund of deposit and AU$50,000. Uninsured travellers who require medical
payment, less AU$100 handling fee and airfares if care overseas often face extreme difficulties. When
already purchased, will be made if cancellation is consulting with your insurer prior to your trip, please
received up to 120 days before departure. If ascertain whether payment will be made to the
cancellation occurs between 119 and 70 days before overseas healthcare provider or whether you will be
the departure date, 50% of the tour fee is refundable. reimbursed later for expenses that you incur.
Thereafter, all deposits and payments are not
refundable as we will have to pay in advance for
services.
This policy only applies to payments made to
Sicklebill Safaris for the tour (and any services
included in those fees). Airline tickets not included in
the tour fee and purchased separately often carry
penalties for cancellation or change, or are
sometimes totally non-refundable. Additionally, if you
take out trip insurance the cost of the insurance is not
refundable so it is best to purchase the policy just
S ICKLEBILL
S AFA RIS
FURTHER USEFUL INFORMATION FOR THIS TOUR (CONT.)
You are strongly advised to take out personal, health, Sicklebill Safaris accepts no responsibility for losses or
baggage and holiday insurance before travelling. additional expenses due to delay or changes in air or
Please note Sicklebill Safaris does not accept other services, sickness, weather, strike, war,
responsibility or liability for any acts, omissions or quarantine, or other causes. The tour participant shall
defaults of service providers such as airlines, hotels, bear all such losses and expenses. Sicklebill Safaris
sightseeing, transfer, vehicle car hire services, or cruise reserves the right to substitute hotels of a similar
lines and the like, whether negligent or otherwise, or category for those indicated and to make any changes
for your acts, omissions, defaults, conduct, state of in the itinerary where deemed necessary or caused by
health, conditions or other circumstance or for any changes in air schedules. Sicklebill Safaris reserves the
events beyond Sicklebill Safaris control. We will right to decline to accept or to retain any person as a
prepay your tour in advance and are happy to provide member of any tour. Baggage is at owner’s risk
documentation for insurance purposes to prove we entirely.
have paid for these services but will be unable to
Participants should be in good health and should
reimburse you ourselves. We will have paid the money
consult a physician before undertaking a tour. If you
you paid us out in good faith and will no longer have it
have questions about the physical requirements of a
at our disposal to refund you.
tour, please contact our office for further information.
Responsibility – For and in consideration of the Participants should prepare for the tour by reading the
opportunity to participate in the tour, each tour detailed itinerary, the information bulletin, and other
participant and each parent or legal guardian of a tour pertinent matter provided by Sicklebill Safaris. Each
participant who is under 18 agrees to release, participant is responsible for bringing appropriate
indemnify, and hold harmless Sicklebill Safaris, its clothing and equipment as recommended in our
agents, servants, employees, shareholders, offi cers, bulletins.
directors, attorneys, and contractors as more fully set
THE RECEIPT OF YOUR TOUR DEPOSIT SHALL BE
forth in the Release and Indemnity Agreement on the
DEEMED TO BE CONSENT TO THE ABOVE
reverse side of the registration form. Sicklebill Safaris
CONDITIONS. EACH TOUR PARTICIPANT AND EACH
acts only as an agent for the passenger in regard to
PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN OF A TOUR
travel, whether by railroad, motorcar, motorcoach,
PARTICIPANT WHO IS UNDER 18 SHALL SIGN AND
boat, airplane, or other means, and assumes no
DELIVER THE RELEASE AND INDEMNITY AGREEMENT
liability for injury, damage, loss, accident, delay, or
AT THE TIME OF REGISTRATION.
irregularity caused by defect in such vehicles or for
any reason whatsoever, including the acts, defaults, or
bankruptcies of any company or person engaged in
conveying the passenger or in carrying out the
arrangements of the tour.
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