Papua New Guinea | Clive Prior

This was a Rockjumper Birding Tours, Papua New Guinea “Highlights” tour, guided by Stephan Lorenz.

Day 1.We flew into Port Moresby from Sydney on Monday the 2nd of September 2019 arriving at 1pm. After a delay with Cassia’s visa, changing some money for Papua New Guinea kina and a flat tyre on our transport vehicle, we arrived at Raintree Lodge at 2:30 pm.

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Day2.The next morning at breakfast, we were informed that the flight carrying Stephan Lorenz and the 3 remaining members of our tour party from New Britain had been delayed and would only be arriving later in the day, so there would be no birding trip today. We would have to stay within the small Lodge gardens as it was unsafe to leave the Lodge on foot for a walk.

Day3.The next morning we were up at 04:30 for a 05:00 breakfast before departing on a one hour drive to spend the day in the Varirata National Park. Varirata National Park is Papua New Guinea’s first National Park. It was declared on December 10th, 1969 and was officially opened in October the 8th, 1973, just two years before PNG gained independence. The Park is located approximately 23 kilometres (14.30 miles) North-East from Port Moresby at the edge of the Sogeri Plateau. It occupies an area of 1,063 ha at an elevation of 630 to 833 metres giving it the most impeccable location to have an aerial view of Port Moresby from the Lookout point.

There vegetation around the park is made up of Eucalypt Savannah, Secondary Forest mainly consisting of native casuarina trees.

Then it was off to the Raggiana Bird-of paradise site, the national bird of Papua New Guinea.

Day4. We were up at 04:30 to leave for the airport in Port Moresby at 05:00 to fly to Mount Hagen Airport and then take a bus up to our next accomodation for the next few nights, Rondon Lodge on Rondon Ridge.