Hiking Tour and Birdwatching in Sonder of Minahasa

Most visitors who travel to North Sulawesi want to spend their holiday doing scuba diving and snorkeling in Bunaken, Siladen and Lembeh Strait. As a matter of fact, there are a lot of other tourist attractions in the region. One of them is the natural landscape, flora and fauna of the mainland Sulawesi. The highland of Minahasa is a beautiful destination for visitors who love hiking, birdwatching, butterflywatching or wildlife watching in general. 

Walking tour in Sonder town of Minahasa Highland

Sonder town in Minahasa regency is a good destination. It is a recommended base for visitors who want to explore the nature, and culture of the Minahasan people. Sonder has got forest, farmlands and rice fields and villages which tourists can visit. 

Terraces of Paddy Fields in District Sonder of Minahasa

The small forest of Tounelet Slope in Sonder is the habitat of various species of birds including Chestnut Munia, Scaly-breasted Munia, Black-naped Oriole, Sulawesi Cuckoo Dove, Slender-billed Crow, Sulawesi Hanging Parrot, Sahul Sunbird, Slender-billed Crow, Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Grey-sided Flowerpecker, Yellow-sided Flowerpecker, Black-crowned White-eye, Collared Kingfisher, Grey-cheeked Green Pigeon, Eurasian Treesparrow, and etc. 

Farmlands, and villages in District Sonder of Minahasa

In the rice field areas of Sonder, visitors could walk along the road to enjoy the beautiful view of the agricultural land with the background hills and mountains of Minahasa. Birds such as Barred Rail, Cinnamon Bittern, Black Bittern, White-breasted Woodswallow, Chestnut Munia, Scaly-breasted Munia, Eastern Yellow Wagtail and White-browed Crake are some of the birds that can be watched in the area. 

More birds could be watched in the forest. They include such birds as Crimson Sunbird, Mountain White-eye, White-faced Cuckoo Dove.

Walking Tour Routes

Hiking trails to a lot of directions of Minahasa can be organized for visitors. One that is good for watching birds and butterflies is the route of Sonder to villages of Rambunan - Sawangan - Pinaras - Rambunan and then back to Sonder. Another interesting route for sightseeing is Sonder - Tincep - Kengkang Waterfall - Timbukar (by White Water Rafting) - Tangkuney. After that visitors can return to Sonder by car. 

Tincep is the village of flowers and butterflies

Tincep is a village that is famous for its colourful flowers, butterflies, water birds and and ricefields. Short trails for guided walking tour and birdwatching can be organized around Sonder farmlands. The walking tour route from Tounelet village to Lalek Forest - Talikuran village and back to Tounelet village is good for sightseeing. 

Tincep village, flowers and waterfall

Lalek forest is also suitable for nature lovers who want to see forest and farmland as well as birds and butterflies. Trees in this forest are tall and are the habitat of Black-naped Oriole, Hair-crested Drongo, Grey-cheeked Green Pigeon, Sahul Sunbird, Hair-crested Drongo, Sulawesi Cuckoo Dove Yellow-billed Malkoha, and a lot more.

Grey-cheeked Green Pigeon

If you are interested in taking a tour in Minahasa and want me to organize your trip, please, contact me by whatsapp to: +6281332245180 or by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com.

Also read:

• Walking Tour in the Farmland of Sonder Town of Minahasa
• Nature Tour in North Sulawesi
• Manado City Tour
• Tour around the farmland of Minahasa
• Trip to Minahasa Highland