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Birding the Philippines
Tour Code: PHL01A 17-day birdwatching holiday in search of the endemic and other special birds of the Philippine regions of Bohol, Negros, Luzon and Palawan.
£6,995
£5,995
Highlights
Tour Itinerary and Reports
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Summary
This holiday takes in the best of the Philippines’ endemic birds and regional specialities across four islands — Luzon, Bohol, Negros, and Palawan — each offering a different and exciting blend of spectacular scenery and endemic wildlife.
Our journey begins in bustling Manila, with a welcome dinner and overnight stay to recover from international flights. The following morning, we make the short hop to Bohol, where we’ll enjoy a 3-night stay at riverside accommodation to explore the renowned Rajah Sikatuna National Park, home to a wealth of endemic birds such as Ivory-breasted Pitta, Black-faced Coucal, Visayan Broadbill, and the striking Yellow-breasted Tailorbird. We’ll visit the Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary and the iconic Chocolate Hills, with further chances to spot species like the Samar Hornbill and Rufous-lored Kingfisher.
A scenic ferry ride takes us to Negros, where we’ll be based for two nights to explore the forest reserves and lakes in search of Negros Scops Owl, Flame-templed Babbler, and Visayan Flowerpecker. The Twin Lakes and EDC forest offer further opportunities for rare and localised species.
Returning to Luzon for five nights, we’ll visit the verdant slopes of Mt Makiling — renowned for Luzon endemics such as Luzon Hornbill, Scale-feathered Malkoha, and Spotted Wood Kingfisher. The Infanta Road is a hotspot for Whiskered Pitta, Philippine Dwarf Kingfisher, and the elusive Luzon Bleeding-heart dove. Subic’s lowland forests and wetlands provide a final Luzon highlight, with chances to see Green Racquet-tail, Philippine Falconet, and White-fronted Tit.
The final leg of this special itinerary takes us for a 3-night stay on the enchanting island of Palawan, famed for its dramatic limestone scenery and exceptional wildlife. Here, we’ll have a special opportunity to search for Palawan Peacock Pheasant, as well as Palawan Hornbill, Blue-headed Racquet-tail, and the endangered Philippine Cockatoo. The UNESCO-listed Underground River National Park and surrounding forests are home to Palawan Scops-owl, Mantanani Scops-owl, and a host of other island specialities.
Throughout, the tour is paced to allow for both intensive birdwatching and moments of relaxation, with expert local guidance and a Naturetrek tour leader. This itinerary is designed for keen birders, with mouthwatering possibilities each day.
- See a fantastic selection of Philippine birdlife including a host of endemics
- Palawan Peacock Pheasant and Philippine Cockatoo on Palawan
- Ivory-breasted Pitta and Visayan Wattled Broadbill on Bohol
- Whiskered Pitta and Luzon Bleeding Heart on Luzon
- Endemic Owls such as Negros Scoops-owl, Palawan Scops-owl and Mantanani Scops-owl
- Hornbills including Samar, Luzon and Palawan
- Ashy Ground Thrush on Mount Makiling
- Led by local guides alongside a Naturetrek tour leader
Outline Itinerary
What's Included?
- Flights
- Accommodation:
Simple en suite accommodation throughout.
- Food:
All meals starting with dinner on Day 2 and ending with lunch on Day 16.
Dates & Prices
2027
Tour Leader: John Horton
John Horton is the warden of Europe’s best known bird observatories at Cape Clear Island in The Republic of Ireland. Prior to becoming a warden and member of the Bird Observatories Council of Britain & Ireland (BOC) he was a wildlife crime investigator for the Metropolitan police for 15yrs. Discovering Alderney Island and making it his home, he was instrumental in setting up the first bird observatory in the British Channel Islands, his endeavours featured on BBC Countryfile in the spring of 2016. Whilst birdwatching is John's forte, he is a proficient all-rounder, over nine years he added over 100 species of flora of fauna not previously recorded on the various Bailiwick Islands. He maintains close links with The Channel Islands as the Chairman of the Channel Islands Bird Ringing Scheme. He represented the British bird observatories delivering presentations at the 2019 International bird observatories council AGM in Israel, and at the 2025 Global Bird fair. He spent the winter of 2025/26 in South Africa where he compiled the framework and protocols for the launch of South Africa’s first ever bird observatory. He is sponsored by Zeiss optics. John has a world birding list of over 5000 species and his globetrotting working with and seeking wildlife has included several months exploring the wildlife of several Asian countries. John's most memorable wildlife moments are sitting amongst a family of Mountain Gorillas in the African Congo and the world’s first ringing of a Spoon-billed Sandpiper in Southwest India on Valentines Day in 1989. He loves leading our tours and derives great pleasure in sharing his experience and knowledge, playing his part in monitoring and protecting the natural world.
Prefer to Travel in a Private Group?
For any interested natural history club or society, we can arrange for a private departure of this tour.
Enquire
Why Naturetrek?
At Naturetrek we craft expertly-guided group and tailor-made wildlife holidays and cruises to all seven continents. On one of our holidays, you can be assured that our passionate team will enable you to experience and enjoy the best of the world's wildlife and natural spectacles in as comfortable and rewarding a manner as possible, caring as best we can for the environment in the process. We are proud to provide:
- The widest choice of wildlife holidays worldwide
- Tours managed and led by naturalists, for naturalists
- Outstanding value and exceptional customer service
Furthermore, as a Naturetrek client, our office team are always to on hand to help you – so if you have any queries about your holiday, whether before or after you have booked, we will be delighted to answer them on the phone. Please just give our team a call!
