Riverwalk Tour in Manokwari

The lowland forest of New Guinea is a very rich environment. It is the one that exists in northwest region of Manokwari. To explore the forest, the best way is by walking along the sides of a river that passes through the forest. Recently I guided 3 French visitors on a 3-day/ 2-night riverwalk and birdwatching tour to the lowland forest of Manokwari. The name of the forest was Mesirrokow. It was the natural habitat of a lot of species of birds including Sulphur Crested Cockatoo, Eclectus Parrot, Palm Cockatoo, Blyth's Hornbill, Yellow-faced Myna, Little-ringed Plover, Dollarbird, Brahminy Kite, and etc.
Other animals such as wallaby, wild pigs, deer, cuscus possum, and soa-soa lizard, as well as beetles and butterflies also live in the forest. The variety of the vegetation is very high including iron wood tree, pandanus tree, creeping plants, shrubs and grass.
Camping and Riverwalk

We built tents on higher ground near the river and then did the riverwalk tour every mornings and afternoons-before sunset time. When the weather is good, we can walk along the banks of the river easily.  One of the guests brought his Swarovski Spotting Scope and Leica binoculars. They greatly enhanced our birding experience. I personally carried my Visionking 10x42 mm binoculars. With these birding optics, we could watch Glossy-mantled Manucode (Manucode ater), Lowland Peltop (Peltops blainvillii), Pink-spotted Fruit Dove (Ptilinopus perlatus), Little Egret (Egretta garzetta), Variable Goshawk (Accipiter hiogaster).

Our Camping Site in Lowland Forest of Manokwari

We bring big size 8x6 meters waterproof plastic sheet as our roof tent, several dome tents, mattrasses, and pillows. We also bring cooking and eating utensils to serve our customers. Food such as noodles, canned fish, coffee, tea, and fruits are bought from the supermarket but we get most of our vegetables from the surrounding forest. Our guests said they really enjoyed the camping trip in open nature. In addition to camping, riverwalk and bird/ wildlife watching, they could enjoy swimming as much as they liked.
Preparations

Riverwalk Tour in Manokwari Lowland Forest

Visitors need to bring a good pair of binoculars, a waterproof spotting scope is also needed. For riverwalk, please wear a good pair of watershoes, t-shirt and short pants. Some visitors apply sunblock lotion. I recommend anti-insect lotion.

How to get there?

• First, visitors need to fly from their country to Jakarta (the capital city of Indonesia)
• After that they could take a domestic flight to Manokwari city. Airlines such as Garuda, Sriwijaya, Batik and Lion/ Wings Air have got regular flights to Manokwari. 

Booking
Please, contact me (Charles Roring) by e-mail to: peace4wp@gmail.com or whatsapp: +6281332245180.

Also read:

• Birding and Photography Tour in Tangkoko and Minahasa Highland
• Birdwatching and Photography Tour in Minahasa Highland

Birding and Wildlife Watching in Lowland Forest of Manokwari

I often receive request from tourists who are interested in birding in Manokwari. There are several places in the regency that are good for birdwatching and wildlife watching. I highly recommend 2 places, the Lowland Forest of Manokwari and the Lower Montane Forest of Arfak mountains.

Birding in Lowland Forest of Manokwari

Yellow-capped Pygmy Parrot (Micropsitta keiensis)

There is a forest area in north-west region of Manokwari. Its name is Mesirrokow. It is a good site for visitors who want to watch such birds as Sulphur Crested Cockatoo, (Cacatua galerita), Moluccan King Parrot,  Eclectus Parrot (Eclectus roratus), Palm Cockatoo (Probosciger aterrimus), Pequet (Vulturine) Parrot (Psittrichas fulgidus), Yellow Faced Myna, Rainbow Bee-eater, Dollarbird, Little-ringed Plover, Willie Wagtail, Large tail Nightjar, Brahminy Kite, Variable Goshawk, and a lot more.
The river is also the natural habitat of a lot of species of butterflies, beetles, lizards, cuscus possum, deer, wildpigs and wallaby. The Mesirrokow forest is devided by a large river that flows to north coast of Manokwari. Various kinds of flowers can be seen growing on both sides of the river.
Since the birding site is located in the middle of the jungle, there is no guesthouse or homestay that are available at the moment. Visitors who go there will have to stay in tents. As a tourist guide, I can provide tents for visitors who want to take birding tour in this lowland forest of Manokwari.

Arfak Mountains

Lesser Birds of Paradise

The slopes and ravines of Arfak mountains have been famous as birding and wildlife watching destination since long time ago. As a tour guide, I often organize hiking and birding tours to Mount Mabowi in Arfak mountains for people who are interested in watching cuscus possum, Lesser Birds of Paradise, Magnificent Riflebird, Magnificent Bird of Paradise, Common Paradise Kingfisher, Hooded Butcherbird, Sulphur Crested Cockatoo, Dwarf Cassowary, Papuan Frogmouth, and etc.
In addition to watching birds, visitors who go hiking in Mount Mabowi will be able to watch cuscus possum, soa-soa dragon lizard, birdwing butterflies, and fireflies. The rich ecosystem of tropical rainforest in the region is a nice site for those who want to experience hiking, camping, and wildlife watching in Arfak mountains.

Lowland Forest of Manokwari

What you need to bring
There are no guesthousee in the forest that I mention above. Tourists who want to take the tour will stay in tents that have been prepared by I and the local villagers for tourists. However, there are things which visitors need to bring:

• Water shoes and flip-flop
• Flashlight/ torch
• Binoculars
• Insect repellent lotion
• Sun-block lotion
• Field guide book "Birds of New Guinea" written by Thane K. Pratt, Bruce Beehler and etc.

Common Paradise Kingfisher

How to go there?

• You could fly from your country to Denpasar city in Bali island.
• I could meet you in Bali to do some birding in the forest of the island before continuing our flight to 
• Take a domestic flight to Manokwari city for birding and wildlife watching trip in lowland forest and Arfak mountains. 

For further info, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180