Papua New Guinea Highlights - July 2026
Dates: July 13-25, 2026
Leader: Max Breckenridge
E-bird
Total Species: 250 birds
Click Here to view list.
Overall Summary
Seven eager travellers and I assembled in Brisbane for a tantalising journey to intriguing and endemic-rich Papua New Guinea. This year's itinerary would prove to be somewhat different from tours of previous years due to the unexpected airport closure in Kiunga and the added challenges posed by especially dry conditions across the southern watershed. It turned out to be a highly successful trip with countless highlights across a variety of excellent locations and a great array of the island’s quintessential species encountered.
As always, we stayed at the very comfortable Airways Hotel during our time in the capital. From there, we ventured out to Varirata NP in the hills overlooking Port Moresby for what is always a very enjoyable first tour day. We relished a particularly good performance by the male Raggiana Birds-of-Paradise to start the day, followed by a string of excellent sightings that included displaying Growling Riflebird; uncharacteristically good looks at Yellow-billed, Papuan Dwarf, and Brown-headed Paradise Kingfishers; roosting Barking Owl and Barred Owlet-Nightjar; several frantic mixed flocks in the forest; and excellent views back down to Port Moresby as Brahminy Kites and a Pygmy Eagle circled overhead.
Leaving Port Moresby for now, we flew to the main city in the highlands of PNG—Mt Hagen. From there, it was a short drive up to the lovely Rondon Ridge Lodge. Sunny and windy conditions made the birding a bit tough in the cloud forest, but a stunning male Greater Lophorina put on a show for us in the afternoon, and around the rooms, Ornate Melidectes, Elfin Myzomela, and White-shouldered Fairywrens presented nicely.
After a short but lovely stay at Rondon Ridge, it was time to take our private charter flight from Mt Hagen to Lake Murray. Located in the lowlands of PNG in the Western Province, Lake Murray is a large freshwater lake surrounded by lowland forest. Lake Murray Lodge provided more than suitable accommodation for our four-night stay. Our three full days there were spent exploring various inlets and tributaries by boat, with forays into rich forests. Dry conditions meant the lake was at its lowest level in 10 years, but this didn't prevent us from enjoying some excellent birding. Over the next few days, we enjoyed wonderful looks at displaying King Bird-of-Paradise; 14 species of dove; Common Paradise-Kingfisher; cute Dusky-cheeked Fig-Parrots; flocks of Black Munia; regal Papuan Harrier; several Great-billed Herons; tiny Little Kingfisher; and huge Palm Cockatoos and Blyth’s Hornbills overhead.
The lovely Ambua Lodge in the Western Highlands above the Tari Valley was our next port of call. After a pleasant charter flight, we soon found ourselves in cooler climes among beautiful mossy cloud forest. Birding around the lodge was as good as ever this year, with several species of bird-of-paradise; the rare Papuan Treecreeper; beautiful White-breasted Fruit-Doves; vociferous Black Pitohui; and the lovely family of Great Woodswallows that reside there. Birding along the Highlands Highway between the lodge and Tari Gap was productive despite continued logging by the locals. Wattled Ploughbill and Mottled Berryhunter were the big scores, supported by wonderful Ribbon-tailed Astrapia; close looks at Mountain Firetail; cute Black-breasted Boatbill; King-of-Saxony Bird-of-Paradise; and the scarce Goldie's Lorikeet, among many others.
Our final stay in the highlands of PNG was at the rustic Kumul Lodge, famed for its wonderful feeders, where we enjoyed up-close looks at breathtaking Ribbon-tailed Astrapia and Brown Sicklebill, along with countless Belford’s Melidectes and Smoky Honeyeaters, Brehm’s Tiger-Parrot, Fan-tailed Berrypecker, Papuan Island Thrush, and even a Speckled Dasyure—a small carnivorous marsupial that sometimes gets a taste for free papaya. On a couple of outings from the lodge, we tracked down Lesser Bird-of-Paradise, Torrent Flyrobin, a beautiful hybrid Stephanie’s × Ribbon-tailed Astrapia, cute Plum-faced Lorikeets, a sneaky Lewin’s Rail, gorgeous Stella’s Lorikeets, and great looks at Yellow-breasted Bowerbird.
Day-by-Day Summary
July 13 - AM: Fly from Brisbane (Australia) to Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea); PM: Afternoon birding around hotel; night: Airways Hotel.
July 14 - AM/PM: Full day birding around Varirata National Park (approx. 1 hr drive from hotel) returning to Port Moresby in the mid-afternoon; night: Airways Hotel.
July 15 - AM: Morning flight from Port Moresby to Mt Hagen and transfer to lodge (approx. 0.5 hr drive to hotel); PM: afternoon birding around lodge; night: Rondon Ridge Lodge.
July 16 - AM: Morning birding around lodge and transfer to Mt Hagen Airport for private charter flight to Lake Murray; PM: afternoon birding around lodge; night: Lake Murray Lodge.
July 17 - AM: Morning birding by boat and on foot in lowland forest; PM: afternoon birding by boat; night: Lake Murray Lodge.
July 18 - AM: Morning birding by boat along the Kaim River; PM: afternoon birding by boat; night: Lake Murray Lodge.
July 19 - AM: Morning birding by boat and on foot in lowland forest; PM: afternoon birding by boat; night: Lake Murray Lodge.
July 20 - AM: Morning birding around lodge and transfer to Lake Murray Airport for private charter flight to Tari; PM: transfer from Tari Airport to Ambua Lodge (approx. 45 mins drive to hotel) and afternoon birding around lodge; night: Ambua Lodge.
July 21 - AM: Morning birding along the Highlands Hwy below Tari Gap; PM: afternoon birding at Tari Gap and along the Highlands Hwy; night: Ambua Lodge.
July 22 - AM: Morning birding at Tari Gap and along the Highlands Hwy; PM: afternoon birding along the Highlands Hwy below Tari Gap; night: Ambua Lodge.
July 23 - AM: Morning birding around lodge and transfer to Tari Airport for private charter flight to Mt Hagen; PM: transfer from Mt Hagen Airport to Kumul Lodge (approx. 1hr drive to hotel) and afternoon birding around lodge; night: Kumul Lodge.
July 24 - AM: Morning birding at Kama Village, Lai River, and around lodge; PM: afternoon birding at Tomba and Murmur Pass; night: Kumul Lodge.
July 25 - AM: Morning birding at Tonga and transfer to Mt Hagen Airport for flight to Port Moresby; PM: transfer from Port Moresby Airport to hotel; night: Airways Hotel.
Wildlife Seen:
MAMMALS:
Speckled Dasyure
Agile Wallaby
Lesser Bare-backed Fruit-bat