Photography Tour of New Guinea

On your way to the hotel, make sure to notice the incredible surroundings and natural landscape of New Guinea. A small slice of paradise is right here with a tropical vibe, palm trees, and sandy beaches. While you’re at it, take a glance and see if you can spot any interesting wildlife on the way to study photography!

Once you arrive at your hotel, settle in and chat with your local guides. If you’re up for exploring, ask your local guides where they’d recommend you go for some interesting nature watching. You can also take some time to relax and soak up some sun while enjoying a local meal.

Today, we’ll be traveling to Varirata National Park, home to 400 different species of birds. This national park is a favorite for bird watchers and it’s no surprise why with how many different species you can find. If you choose to visit the national park early in the morning, you’ll see an incredible view of the morning mist settling gently over the vast mountain region. A truly gorgeous sight that you don’t want to miss. 

There are a few different walking trails to pick from that range from 45 minutes to 3 hours. Each pathway is clearly marked and leads you through the tall and wonderful pine trees that make up this forest area. Some birds you may come across include kingfishers, Raggiana birds of paradise, hooded pitohuis, and dwarf cassowaries. Keep your camera ready and be on the lookout for these magnificent birds.

It’s time to explore the area around Mount Hagen, a gateway to even more fantastic birds. Mount Hagen is the capital of the Western Highlands Province and is the third-largest city in Papua New Guinea. It’s also a wonderful place to snag some excellent photographs of birds. On your way through the city, keep an eye open because many birds like to perch and observe inside the city as well as out. 

You’ll be heading up to Kumul Lodge, a great place to find some unique birds. The natural setting is breathtaking and provides a good opportunity for some beautiful landscape pictures. Walk along the guided trails and you’ll find quite a few different birds to photograph. In this area you can find Brehm’s tiger parrot, Loire satin birds, and Princess Stephanie’s astrapia.

Mendi is the capital of the Southern Highlands and a beautiful town where Lai River flows by. Nestled away in a long green valley that is surrounded by limestone hills, Mendi is a small but charming town. While this town is lovely, we’ll only be passing by on our way to exploring further into the wilderness. 

You’ll be wandering into the Southern Highlands and heading to Ambua Lodge today where you’ll be seeing quite a few more species of birds. Ambua Lodge is tucked into the Doma Peaks with a spectacular view of the Tari valley below. From here, you can make an excursion into the jungles, mountains, and rainforest to capture some amazing pictures. In this area, keep an eye out for brown sicklebill, King of Saxony bird of paradise, and blue bird of paradise.

Today you’ll be taking a boat out to the island of New Britain, the largest island in the Bismarck Archipelago. We’ll be doing our bird watching and photography in Walindi Resort that’s located in the coastal rainforest. This area is full to bursting with exotic and beautiful wildlife! 

Notice the awe-inspiring volcanoes that lie in the background of the palm trees and forest. This tropical island is popular among tourists for the beautiful coral reefs, exotic wildlife ranging from birds to bandicoots, along with a many different varieties of orchids. Thanks to that coastal rainforest, Kimbe is teeming with biodiversity. In this area, you’ll find melanesian scrubfowl, red-knobbed imperial pigeon, and bismarck kingfisher.

Enjoy a day where you do what you want to! There are many activities to enjoy in Kimbe. If you’re feeling more adventurous, take a dive to explore the beautiful coral reefs in Kimbe Bay.  In this bay exists 60 percent of the coral species in the Indo-Pacific region. This means there are many amazing tropical fish to see along with some amazing corals to discover. 

You can also hike up a volcano such as Tavurvur and enjoy the wonderful view from its peak. You’ll be able to see pristine waters and beautiful forested areas from the top. There’s a local market set up at the bottom of the volcano that sells young coconut water. Served inside the coconut, you can sip on Kulua to quench your thirst.

If you’re wanting to just relax and soak up some sun, take the day to go to the beach. The waters are warm and inviting and it’s a wonderful place to rest after so much exploring on the island. If you’re still wanting more to do, talk to your local guides who can point you to locations of interest. 

Spend your last day enjoying the tropical climate of New Guinea. Chat with your local guides and tell them about your incredible encounters with the wildlife. Show them some of your pictures and listen to their stories as they tell you about their adventures as well. New Guinea is an incredible place that’s bursting with biodiversity. You’ll have explored quite a bit of New Guinea and will have learned a lot about the birds, wildlife, ecosystem, and cultures.