Raja Ampat – Birds of Paradise & The Coral Triangle, Gone With The Wynd Expedition Number XI — Nov 4–16, 2023, New Guinea, ID
“Raja Ampat – Birds of Paradise & The Coral Triangle
an expedition by boat on search of Red & Wilson’s Bird of Paradise. Dugongs, Cetaceans, Village Feasts, The World’s Best Snorkelling & Diving….
EXPEDITION
NOV 04TH 2023 – NOVEMBER 16, 2023
Gone With The Wynd Expedition Number XI – £2800 per person
Join Viktor Wynd on An expedition to Raja Ampat – The Four Kings Archipelago of over 1500 islands of New Guinea’s Bird’s Head Peninsular
Highlights include Red & Wilson’s Bird of Paradise. Dugongs, Cetaceans, Village Feasts, The World’s Best Snorkelling,
The name of Raja Ampat (Raja means king, and empat means four) comes from local mythology that tells of a woman who finds seven eggs. Four of the seven hatch and become kings who occupy four of Raja Ampat’s biggest islands whilst the other three become a ghost, a woman, and a stone.
Raja Ampat is often described as The Last Paradise, and whilst I do not know for certain if it is the most beautiful place on earth I have never been anywhere more beautiful – it is at the very heart of the Coral triangle – the global centre of marine bio-diversity with over 600 species of hard coral (75% of global total – compared to 70 or so in the Caribbean ) over 1700 fish , three different types of turtle, dugongs, whales, dolphins, orcas, 699 moluscs, wobbegong sharks, 250 different types of bird, orchids, carnivorous plants, rock paintings ….
This trip will be a twelve day meander around the islands, our powerful boat will take us to less frequented spots, staying both on the boat and home stays, every day we will wander, trek in the jungle, go birdwatching, snorkel, scuba dive, search for whales, manta rays and turtles meet the locals and join a village celebration where a whole pig is cooked underground with hot stones – a mumu, go fishing (or pig hunting for the brave), explore the mangrove forests, the extraordinary bays and inlets, the myriad islands & remote villages, spot cuscus, bats, forest dragons, monitor lizards & Eclectus parrots, swim in waterfalls or just relax on the world’s most beautiful beaches.”