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NEW CALEDONIA & FIJI including Vanuatu and Samoa

Birdquest's New Caledonia & Fiji including Vanuatu & Samoa birding tour takes you to the borderlands of Melanesia and Polynesia where we explore four different endemic-rich island groups. New Caledonia in particular is an essential place to visit if you want to see all the world's bird families, as it is the sole home of the extraordinary Kagu. It would be worth the effort just to see this delightful and charismatic bird, but the islands have a host of other great birds, amidst some beautiful tropical island scenery.

Sunday 9th September - Saturday 22nd September 2012
(14 days)

Vanuatu Pre-Tour Extension from Friday 31st August (9 days)

Samoa Post-Tour Extension to Friday 28th September (6 days)

Leader: Guy Dutson

Group Size Limit: 10

Tour Category: Easy for the most part, occasionally Moderate (and one optional Demanding hike on Samoa); the Vanuatu extension is Demanding

The wonderful Kagu – in a family all of its own and without doubt the avian highlight of a visit to New Caledonia. These two are displaying to each other, raising their extraordinary crests (Mark Beaman)

The words ‘South Pacific’ conjure up images of curving white sand beaches, sparkling turquoise seas, exotic coral reefs, swaying coconut palms, emerald green hills and soaring volcanoes under deep blue skies.

The various island groups, scattered throughout the vast Pacific Ocean, have been isolated for almost 80 million years. Despite their relative proximity to each other, a high degree of endemism has developed, especially in the larger, more diversified archipelagos. This is particularly evident amongst the island groups of New Caledonia and Fiji, both of which support endemic-rich avifaunas. These groups lie near the western edge of the South Pacific and are made up of numerous volcanic and coral islands which are inhabited by people of Melanesian origin. The moisture-laden southeast tradewinds have swept the islands for millions of years, ensuring that the many volcanic peaks are draped with lush, tropical rainforest. Scattered like pearls across the ocean, it is little wonder that these beautiful islands are thought of as a heaven on earth.

This is a tour for those keen to observe the many island endemics of this fascinating region, including the monotypic bird family Rhynochetidae, whose sole member is the renowned Kagu. Living costs are high in the area, but as compensation the standards of accommodation and food are good throughout and travelling conditions in general are well above average. For those who love tropical islands, beautiful scenery, unique endemic birds and that ‘get away from it all’ feeling, this is a wonderful experience.

We begin our travels in New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France, which comprises the large island of New Caledonia itself (known as Grande Terre) and a chain of much smaller islands, the Loyalty Islands, to the northeast, as well as a number of other small islands and islets. The main island is the largest island in the South Pacific, apart from New Zealand and New Guinea, being some 400 km long by about 50 km wide. The New Caledonia group has at least 23 endemic species, of which two are feared extinct, but we have a very good chance of seeing all but one of the others, including the spectacular Kagu, the sole member of the family Rhynochetidae.

Most of our time will be spent on the main island of New Caledonia itself, based at Noumea and La Foa, where, as well as enjoying the remarkable Kagu, we will be searching for such endemics as White-bellied (or New Caledonian) Goshawk, the exquisite Cloven-feathered Dove, New Caledonian Imperial Pigeon (the world’s largest arboreal pigeon), New Caledonian Parakeet (split from Red-fronted), New Caledonian Myzomela, Barred Honeyeater, the huge Crow Honeyeater, New Caledonian Friarbird, Yellow-bellied Robin, New Caledonian Whistler, New Caledonian Cuckoo-shrike, Striated (or New Caledonian) Starling, the tool-using New Caledonian Crow, Green-backed White-eye, New Caledonian Grassbird and the superb Red-throated Parrotfinch.

We will also make short explorations of the far less visited islands of Lifou (or Lifu) and Ouvea (or Uvea) in the Loyalty Islands for Small and large Lifu White-eyes and the beautiful Uvea (or Ouvea) Parakeet.

From New Caledonia we fly to Fiji, a group that comprises two large islands (Viti Levu and Vanua Levu), two medium-sized islands (Taveuni and Kadavu) and a large number of small islands and islets. We will visit three of the larger islands, where we should see all of Fiji’s 27 endemic birds except for two restricted to remote islets and four others that are exceedingly rare (and hardly ever observed).

Firstly we will explore Viti Levu, the main island, where we will be looking for such endemics as Fiji Goshawk, the dazzling Golden Dove, Peale’s (or Barking) Imperial Pigeon, Masked Shining-Parrot, Collared Lory, the extraordinary Giant Forest Honeyeater, Orange-breasted Myzomela, Slaty Monarch, Blue-crested Flycatcher, Fiji Bush Warbler, Layard’s White-eye, Fiji Woodswallow and Fiji Parrotfinch. We will also be hoping to see the rare and relatively recently rediscovered Long-legged Warbler.

After the harder work comes the relaxation as we head for the peaceful, beautiful and largely undeveloped islands of Taveuni and Kadavu. Here we will be looking for yet more endemics, including the outrageously-coloured Orange Dove, Red Shining-Parrot and the puzzling but exquisite Silktail on Taveuni and Velvet (or Whistling) Dove, Crimson Shining-Parrot (split from Red), Kadavu Fantail and Kadavu Honeyeater on Kadavu. It will be hard to drag ourselves away from such a paradise!

During the optional pre-tour extension we will travel to Vanuatu, a chain of 83 volcanic islands which were originally named the New Hebrides by James Cook in 1774. It was here on these idyllic islands that James A. Michener was inspired to write Tales of the South Pacific, the magical Bali Hai of his imagination. We shall explore the island of Espiritu Santo, which harbours all 11 of Vanuatu’s endemics. We should see nine of these, including New Hebrides (or Vanuatu) Scrubfowl, Tanna Fruit Dove, Baker’s (or Vanuatu) Imperial Pigeon, Chestnut-bellied Kingfisher, Santo Thicketbird (split from Guadalcanal), New Hebrides (or Vanuatu) Honeyeater, the attractive Buff-bellied Monarch, Rusty-winged Starling and Yellow-fronted White-eye, as well as Palm Lorikeet (species shared only with the Santa Cruz islands). We could also find Royal Parrotfinch and the rare Mountain Starling (the latter restricted to the highest peaks), but both are likely to remain beyond our grasp.

During the optional post-tour extension we shall visit Western Samoa, which became the first independent nation in Polynesia in the modern era in 1962, and which has the largest concentration of full-blooded Polynesians in the world. These verdant tropical islands lie in the very heart of the South Pacific and their inhabitants are amongst the most hospitable and friendly people in the world, with many still living in traditional villages and retaining their ancient ancestral customs and traditions. On the island of Upolu we should find seven out of the eight surviving Samoan endemics only a short distance from Apia, the main town, including Flat-billed Kingfisher, Samoan Whistler, Samoan Triller, Samoan Fantail, Samoan Flycatcher and Samoan Starling. The strange Tooth-billed Pigeon is sadly now almost certainly extinct. We will also visit the nearby offshore island of Aleipata in order to try to find the handsome Grey-backed (or Spectacled) Tern, and Savai’i, the biggest island in the Samoan archipelago, where we will explore the massif of Mount Silisili for our last endemic, the Samoan White-eye.

Birdquest has operated tours to the islands since 1996.

(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 are of normal Birdquest standard throughout. At Vatthe in Vanuatu, during the pre-tour extension, we will be staying in a basic village guesthouse or camping overnight. Bathroom facilities will be very simple and shared. For four nights in Vanuatu we will be camping in very basic conditions in the mountains, with two people in each tent. Washing/toilet facilities will be primitive. Road transport is by minibus and roads are rather variable in quality.

Walking: The walking effort on New Caledonia, Fiji and Samoa is mostly easy, but there are a few harder walks and there is one optional long and rather arduous trek available in Samoa for those who wish to search for Samoan White-eye. In Vanuatu the walking effort ranges from easy to arduous and a good sense of balance as well as a high level of physical fitness is required for the trek into the mountains.

Climate: It is generally hot and humid, with a mixture of dry and sunny weather and overcast, rainy periods, but it can be cooler at higher altitudes.

Bird Photography: Opportunities are worthwhile.

Part-Tour Option: Subject to space being available, we can accept bookings for any of the island sections on this itinerary (for example, New Caledonia and Vanuatu, or Fiji and Samoa). Please contact us for further information.

Tour Price: $6560 Noumea/Nadi. Pre-Tour Extension: $3210 (starting at Port Vila). Post-Tour Extension: $2720 (ending at Apia). Price includes all transportation (including all flights within each island group, plus Noumea-Nadi, Port Vila-Noumea and Nadi-Apia as appropriate), 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: $927. Pre-Tour Extension: $204 (excluding two nights at Vatthe and the four camping nights). Post-Tour Extension: $408.

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 wonderful Collared Lory is common and conspicuous on all the Fijian islands we visit, especially Kadavu. A brilliantly coloured monotypic endemic genus (Richard Thomas)