On day 3 we shall be camping on the upper slopes of Gunung Gede, on day 4 night back at Cibodas. The walk up is steep in places but well worth the effort as we look for such gems as Javan Cochoa, Rufous-fronted Laughingthrush, Chestnut-bellied Partridge, White-bibbed Babbler, Javan Trogon, Spotted Crocias, Tawny-breasted Parrotfinch, Javan Whistling-thrush, White-flanked Sunbird, Pygmy Tit, Javan Tesia, Horsfield's Thrush, Pink-headed Fruit Dove, Javan Blue Robin, Javan Shortwing, Sunda Warbler, Rufous-tailed Fantail, Javan and Sunda Scops Owls and Sunda Thrush. ‍ Days 3-4: Cibodas is the starting point for our exploration of Gunung Gede, home to the vast majority of Javan endemics. Following our visit here we drive south to the lower slopes of Gunung Gede, at Cibodas in preparation for the following two-days on the mountain. Day 2: Early morning visit the mangroves east of Jakarta in search of White-capped Munia, Javan Plover and the Endangered Javan White-eye. Day 1: Arrivals into Jakarta International Airport, Java. We will concentrate our time at three of Sumatra's most accessible birding sites - two in the Barisan Mountain range within the huge Kerinci-Seblat National Park and at Way Kambas National Park in the southern lowlands.

Sumatra is the largest island in Indonesia at over 1,000km in length, and still has large tracts of rainforest remaining, which are some of the richest on earth. Finally, visiting the coastal forest will give us the opportunity for Javan Frogmouth, Black-banded Barbet and Javan Banded Pitta. On Java we will work our way clockwise around the western half of the islands, ranging from the coastal mangroves for Javan White-eye and White-capped Munia, to the volcanic interior that hosts the majority of endemics including a trogon, cochoa, scops owl, swiftlet, robin, shortwing, two shrike-babblers, two fantails and two sunbirds amongst others.

Though many species are shared between the two islands, the landscapes are quite a contrast between the lush, green forests of Sumatra and the dry islands and volcanic mountains of west Java. The huge islands of Java and Sumatra (+Bali) share around 60 endemics, and we can hope to see the majority of these.

Java and sumatra