Guadalcanal and Rennell are both islands in the Solomons archipelago. Honiara, the nation’s capital city is situated on Guadalcanal. This island saw heavy fighting during the second world war. Fierce sea battles left a number of sunken warships in Iron Bottom Sound  which are now a magnet for divers. The battlefields around the town and the old US airbase and its museum have long been the centre of a busy World War 2 tourism industry. However, a  recent growth of interest in Nature tourism has opened up a new market.  The Solomons are just beginning to wake up to its potential.

The Black-faced Pitta is a rarely viewed bird best seen on the Solomons island of Santa Isabel. Pittas are regarded amongst the jewels of the avian world. Brightly coloured and secretive they are one of the most sought after bird families on the planet! They are found throughout Africa, Asia and Australasia. This is the only pitta found in the Solomons.

Gizo and Kolombangara are two neighbouring islands in the Solomons archipelago. Gizo is already well known as an outstanding destination for divers. It has a busy airport and pre-pandemic,  flying from Brisbane to Gizo, via Honiara, was possible in one day. Kolombangara is a much larger island. It is a dormant volcano and is still largely covered in thick primary rain forest. An agreement between the local landowners has meant that the hill forest on the island has not been open to logging or large scale clearance for agriculture. While Gizo serves as a hub for visiting other islands, Kolombangara is rich ecologically. It has a large and interesting avifauna including 3 endemics.

This 10 day tour takes you to an island of forested mountains which support the most single island endemics in the Solomons archipelago. With a total of 13 species, of which two are basically unknown, it is necessary to hike right up into the mountains to see them all. Previously known as San Cristobal, Makira is a must visit destination for the serious birder. However, good birding can be had in the lowland area around Kirakira, especially if combined with a day trip over to nearby Ugi Island.

Our Gentle Solomons birding tour is designed an introduction to Solomons birding for that is manageable by people with only an moderate level of fitness. The Solomons archipelago stretches from Bougainville (PNG) in a south-west arc across the Pacific. It consists of several large islands and numerous small ones. Many of these are uninhabited, it is a must see destination for serious birders. It has a high degree of endemism amongst pigeons, monarchs, fantails, myzomelas and white-eyes. It also has a couple of near legendary flightless rails and some of the least known birds on the planet.