Tufi has many nature trails that explore the forest flora and fauna, and over 120 bird species have been listed in the vicinity of Tufi resort (e-mail us for the list). Tufi is surrounded by a wide range of diverse habitats including beachfront coastal, mangroves, lowland rainforest, hill rainforests, littoral forests, coconut groves, plantations and grasslands. All have their own unique flora and fauna, but of particular importance are the butterflies and birds. We have a range of birdwatching itinieraries, from a 24-hour trip to see Raggiana Birds of Paradise performing their sunrise displays, to 12 night trips based partly in the resort and partly in village guesthouses.
Tufi is home to the world’s largest butterfly, the Queen Alexandra Bird Wing, that can have a wingspan of up to 28cm, and the males have a fantastic iridescent green and yellow colouring. The blue Ulysses butterfly and bright green Priam’s Birdwing are also common visitors to the grounds of the resort, attracted in by the variety of nectar bearing colourful plants, such as Hibiscus, Poinsettia and Frangipani.
The world’s largest grasshopper, longest stick insect and longest beetle also live in the Tufi area.
There is a stand of trees just above one of Tufi’s fjords where Birds Of Paradise display at dawn and at dusk each day. It is a fifteen minute boat ride from Tufi Resort to the sandy beaches at either Kaviana or Jebo village and then a forty five minute hike along a well-worn bush road to the hill village of Orotoaba, located immediately above the 150-metre high Jebo waterfall. An overnight tour to view the birds departs Tufi Resort immediately after lunch and returns at lunch-time the next day, with homestay accommodation in Orotoaba village.
Birds
Over 120 bird species have been identified within a few hours walk of Tufi including:
Tufi is home to the world’s largest butterfly, the Queen Alexandra Bird Wing, that can have a wingspan of up to 28cm, and the males have a fantastic iridescent green and yellow colouring. The blue Ulysses butterfly and bright green Priam’s Birdwing are also common visitors to the grounds of the resort, attracted in by the variety of nectar bearing colourful plants, such as Hibiscus, Poinsettia and Frangipani.
The world’s largest grasshopper, longest stick insect and longest beetle also live in the Tufi area.
There is a stand of trees just above one of Tufi’s fjords where Birds Of Paradise display at dawn and at dusk each day. It is a fifteen minute boat ride from Tufi Resort to the sandy beaches at either Kaviana or Jebo village and then a forty five minute hike along a well-worn bush road to the hill village of Orotoaba, located immediately above the 150-metre high Jebo waterfall. An overnight tour to view the birds departs Tufi Resort immediately after lunch and returns at lunch-time the next day, with homestay accommodation in Orotoaba village.
Birds
Over 120 bird species have been identified within a few hours walk of Tufi including:
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Whilst the mammal fauna of Papua New Guinea can be somewhat secretive, there is the opportunity to occasionally see cuscuses, wallabies, echidnas and tree kangaroos, some of which are kept as pets in local villages.
Orchids
The Tufi region and surrounding areas are renowned for their diversity and abundance of orchids, with common to extremely rare species in exotic abundance.
With perhaps ten percent of all known orchid species endemic to New Guinea and many of those existing within Oro Province, keen orchidists should definitely consider placing Tufi on their holiday wish list. Within a few minutes walk of the Resort, extensive colonies of Spathoglottis papuana can be seen growing on the rock faces of the fjord.
For more information on the orchids of New Guinea, please visit the Papua New Guinea Orchid News website.
Orchids
The Tufi region and surrounding areas are renowned for their diversity and abundance of orchids, with common to extremely rare species in exotic abundance.
With perhaps ten percent of all known orchid species endemic to New Guinea and many of those existing within Oro Province, keen orchidists should definitely consider placing Tufi on their holiday wish list. Within a few minutes walk of the Resort, extensive colonies of Spathoglottis papuana can be seen growing on the rock faces of the fjord.
For more information on the orchids of New Guinea, please visit the Papua New Guinea Orchid News website.