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SUMATRA

Birdquest's Sumatra, Indonesia birding tour explores this huge but fascinating island that is visited by few birdwatchers. Our Sumatra tour offers by far the most comprehensive coverage available on the main island and on the outlying Enggano Islands, and as a consequence produces more Sumatran endemics than any other.

Friday 8th June - Saturday 23rd June 2012
(16 days)

Southwestern Sumatra Pre-Tour Extension from Sunday 3rd June (5 days)

Enggano Island Post-Tour Extension to Wednesday 27th June (4 days)

Leader: János Oláh

Group Size Limit: 6

Tour Category: Easy to Demanding, but mostly Moderate

White-winged Duck is one of a number of lowland specialities that may be found on this tour. For a selection of other photos from this excellent destination, have a look at the tour reports (Pete Morris)

Lying at the northwestern end of the Indonesian archipelago, the fascinating and little explored island of Sumatra is the second largest of the Greater Sundas – one of the biologically richest areas on Earth. Stretching nearly 2,000 km from end to end, it is one of the world’s largest islands. Less populated than adjacent Java, Sumatra has an extraordinary wealth of natural resources which today form an integral part of the Indonesian economy. Its remote jungles, forested volcanoes and fascinating variety of peoples and cultures make any visit to this mystical island an unforgettable experience.

Sumatra boasts nearly 400 resident species, many of which are shared with the Malay Peninsula and the other Greater Sundas. Of primary interest, however, are the 29 or so (depending on which taxonomic authorities you believe) strict endemics, although some of these are known from just a handful of specimens or are from small offshore islands, and the several Sundaic endemics that are shared only with Borneo or Java.

Although this is primarily a tour for those who want to see the exciting endemics of this important island, our exploration of Sumatra will also give us the opportunity to see a wide variety of Indo-Malayan species, from the broadbills, trogons and hornbills of the lowland rainforest to the many montane species that inhabit the highland forests. Fortunately, Sumatra is endowed with some excellent national parks, and we will be concentrating on two of these; Way Kambas, a lowland rainforest in the south, and Gunung Kerinci, a forested volcano (still active!) in the centre of the island.

Our entry point to Indonesia will be Jakarta on Java from where we will first travel to Way Kambas, in the south of Sumatra. Way Kambas is perhaps best known ornithologically for its population of the endangered White-winged Duck, which we have a good chance of seeing. In addition, many lowland specialities occur here: storks, occasionally including the rare Storm’s Stork, frequently fly over the river and the dense forests hold a whole host of species ranging from the spectacular Green Broadbill and Banded Pitta to rare nocturnal denizens such as the remarkable Large Frogmouth.

Next we will travel to Padang from where we will make our way to Gunung Kerinci which, at 3805m, is the highest peak in Sumatra. This remote area has recently hit the headlines with detailed reports of a new terrestrial ape, as yet unknown to science. Here we will explore mist-clad montane forest as well as nearby submontane forest and waterfalls. During our visit to Gunung Kerinci we have a good chance of finding many of Sumatra’s endemic species including Pale-headed (or Sumatran) Frogmouth, Cream-striped and Spot-necked Bulbuls, Sumatran Drongo, Sumatran Treepie, Rusty-breasted and Sumatran Wren-Babblers, and Shiny and Sumatran Whistling Thrushes. We will also hope to find some Sundaic endemics including many of the following: Sumatran Green Pigeon, Pink-headed Fruit Dove, Sumatran Trogon, Sunda Cuckoo-Shrike, Sunda Minivet, Sunda Bulbul, Sunda Laughingthrush, Sunda Blue Robin, Lesser Forktail, Sunda Warbler, Indigo Flycatcher and Black-capped White-eye. We will also have a good chance of finding some of Sumatra’s rarest birds which include Salvadori’s Pheasant, Schneider’s and Graceful Pittas, and Sumatran Cochoa, though, as with many of these spectacular families, the dense forest makes them very difficult to find!

The optional pre-tour extension will visit Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park in the western coastal region of southern Sumatra. This remarkable park protects the southern end of the Barisan Mountain Range. It was here, after nearly a century, that the Sumatran Ground-Cuckoo was rediscovered as recently as 2007. Our primary goal is to see this rare ands shy forest denizen, but in addition we will be wanting to see the endemic Buettikofer’s Babbler, White-capped Munia and some other special birds.

Our post-tour extension will visit the island of Enggano, which lies approximately 100 kilometres (60 miles) southwest of the mainland and is about 35 kilometres (22 miles) long and about 16 kilometres (10 miles) wide. This Indian Ocean island has an area of roughly 500 square kilometres, yet the highest point is only 281m above sea-level. This remarkable but rarely visited place has several types of forest habitat, some of which are still intact. Our prime targets here will be the four endemics; Enggano Scops Owl, Enggano Thrush, Enggano Myna and Enggano White-eye. In addition to these little-known birds we may find the distinctly different island forms of Long-tailed Parakeet and Ruddy Cuckoo-Dove, both of which potential future splits. Other interesting birds on the island include Red-legged Crake and Sunda Thrush.

Birdquest has operated tours to Sumatra since 1984.

(Note: The above is a summary of the tour. For more information please download the detailed, day-by-day itinerary. The button is at the top right of the page.)

Accommodation & Road Transport: The hotels/lodges are of mostly of normal Birdquest standard. In Sungai Penuh (3 nights) we will be staying in a fairly basic but adequate hotel with rooms with private bathrooms. At Keresek Tua (5 nights) we will be staying in a basic but friendly family guesthouse with very basic shared bathroom facilities and no hot water. During the pre-tour extension three nights will be spent camping in basic conditions under tarpaulins with rattan beds. Washing facilities are the nearby stream! At Liwa, we will spend one night in a simple hotel with private bathrooms but no hot water. During the post-tour extension we will spend two nights in twin-berth cabins on the Enggano ferry and two nights in a basic losmen (guesthouse) on the island (with basic shared bathroom facilities). Road transport is by small coach or minibus and roads are variable in quality.

Walking: The walking effort during the main tour is mostly easy, except at Gunung Kerinci where the walking is fairly strenuous. During the pre-tour extension the walking in the forest at Way Titias is easy to moderate, but the 6-hour trek to and from our campsite in the forest is strenuous, with some steep and slippery sections of trail and walking along a stream bed for up to two hours, sometimes in water up to knee deep. The walking during the post-tour extension is mostly easy.

Climate: At Way Kambas the weather should be mainly hot and dry with perhaps an occasional, sometimes prolonged shower. At Gunung Kerinci the weather will be warm or hot lower down, but may be quite cool higher on the mountain. At this time of the year the weather is often largely dry, though afternoon showers are a common feature. At Way Titias and Enggano the weather will be warm or hot and regular late afternoon/evening rain is to be expected.

Bird Photography: Opportunities are worthwhile.

Tour Price: $4670 Jakarta/Jakarta. Pre-Tour Extension: $1250. Post-Tour Extension: $1250. Price includes all transportation (including all flights inside Indonesia), all accommodations, all meals, bottled water, some drinks, all excursions, all entrance fees, all tips for local drivers/guides and for accommodations/restaurants, leader services.

Single Room Supplement: $389. Pre-Tour Extension: $91 (Bandar Lampung and Liwa only). Post-Tour Extension: $62 (excluding the ferry nights). Single rooms may not be available at Keresek Tua for all those requesting them, as the lodge has only a limited number of rooms. Anyone having to share unexpectedly will be given an appropriate small refund.

Deposit: 10% of the tour price (excluding any single supplement).

Air Travel To & From The Tour: Our in-house IATA ticket agency can arrange your air travel in connection with the tour from a departure point anywhere in the world, or you may arrange your own air travel if you prefer. We can tailor-make your itinerary to your personal requirements, so if you would like to travel in advance of the tour (and spend a night in an hotel so you will feel fresh when the tour starts), or return later than the end of the tour, or make a side trip to some other destination, or travel business class rather than economy, we will be happy to assist. Please contact us about your air travel requirements.

The lowland forests of Way Kambas have a rich variety of spectacular Sundaic species such as this Rufous-collared Kingfisher (Pete Morris)

... and this Black-and-yellow Broadbill (Pete Morris)

The fantastic Oriental Bay Owl is one of several nocturnal denizens that we target. (János Oláh)

View Map Download Detailed Itinerary 488kb

Report From June 2008/July 2008 Report From June 2010/July 2010 41 photos View Gallery Photos From SUMATRA

Sumatra is, without question, one of our best tours for nightbirding. The fantastic Large Frogmouth is one of several nocturnal denizens that we target (János Oláh)