Bensbach Wilderness Lodge is possibly Papua New Guinea's premier wildlife location, and here you'll find wide, sweeping floodplains with an abundance of wildlife and birds.
The lodge accommodates 16 people in two separate wings, linked to the main building that houses the dining area, a well-stocked bar and comfortable lounge. Built entirely from local materials, Bensbach caters for international visitors with comforts such as electricity, ceiling fans, and hot and cold water.
The grasslands teem with herds of deer, wallabies, snakes and monitor lizards, and the floodplains are a vital stopping point for migratory birds on their journey between their breeding grounds to the north and their feeding areas in the southern hemisphere. Curlew sandpipers, ruddy turnstones (which breed in Arctic Siberia) and yellow wagtails (which breed in Eurasia) are some of the more special visitors found among the 191 species recorded here. The wetlands are also home to massive flocks of pelicans, pygmy geese and sea eagles, and other raptors hunt fish from the skies above.
At Bensbach, however, wildlife is also abundant below the water. This is a paradise for sports fishermen – renowned as one of the world’s barramundi capitals. Catering for serious fishermen, as well as anyone who simply wants to experience catching one of these magnificent fighting fish, Bensbach practises sustainable catch-and-release fishing – only what is needed for that night’s meal is kept. All birding, fishing and cultural trips are done in small powerboats with experienced skippers and accompanied by knowledgeable local guides.
Bensbach is located within the Tonda Wildlife Management Area, in the southwestern corner of the country.
Located in the Western Province of Papua New Guinea, the Tonda Wildlife Management Area is a wetland of international importance and the largest protected area in the country. It has a diversity of birdlife, with 250 species of resident and migratory birds, including most of the world’s population of little curlew.
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Where: Western Province
Ideal for viewing: little curlew, bronze quoll, chestnut dunnart, false water rat, spectacled hare-wallaby
