Travel To Papua New Guinea

Our journey begins at the airport of Port Moresby, the capital and largest city in Papua New Guinea. Annexed by the British Empire in the late 19th century, the city today is an unusual mix of styles and traditions, with the distinctive architecture of its modern parliament building sharing the landscape with stilt villages that jut out into the surrounding harbour. Depending on our internal flight schedule we may have the opportunity to take a short orientation walk around the city this morning, before taking an onward flight to the coastal town of Wewak, our gateway into the rich and fascinating landscapes and cultures of the Sepik River. We will pack our "overnight" bags tonight for the canoe safari. Main luggage can be stored at the hotel in Wewak.

Overnight Standard Hotel

The Sepik River flows for some 1,126 kilometres, passing from the central highlands of Papua New Guinea and through one of the largest freshwater wetland systems on earth. This morning we drive from Wewak and over the Prince Alexander Range, to the river station at Pagwi. From here we take motorized canoes up river, towards a cluster of villages where Haus Tambarans (spirit houses) still dominate and manhood initiations still prevail. We spend tonight close to the village of Palimbe, home to an ancient and still active crocodile cult.

Our simple village house tonight has partitioned off rooms each with two mattresses on the floor and mosquito nets are provided. You will need to bring your own sleeping sheet and as the mattresses here are quite thin, you may wish to bring an additional "Thermarest" type mattress although this is not essential. The family here live communally in a large open plan room. Washing facilities will be limited to water for hand and face washing and we will share the villagers' basic toilet.

Our meals throughout the canoe safari will be cooked by our local guide from provisions brought in from Wewak.We can expect a cooked western breakfast, a packed lunch of sandwiches and fruit and simple cooked dinner each evening.

Our motor driven canoes are fitted with cane chairs for seating and life jackets are provided. As there is no shade a sunhat is essential. 

Overnight Simple Village House Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today we continue our exploration of the Sepik River. After breakfast we plan a walk around the nearby village of Kanganaman which has one of the oldest and most interesting spirit houses in the middle Sepik region before continuing our journey upwards towards Wasui Lagoon. Later in the afternoon we approach the lagoon through narrow tributaries that feed the main waters of the Sepik , set against the majestic backdrop of the Hunstein Range. As the sun sets the lagoon erupts into life with hundreds of bird species including herons, cormorants, wild ducks, egrets, kites and jacanas.

Accommodation tonight is in a similar style to the previous night although beds, and once again mosquito nets, are provided.

Overnight Simple Village House Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Established by the local villages under the guidance of the WWF, The Hunsetin Range Wildlife Management Area was set up in 1998 to protect one of the most important areas of forest and wetland biodiversity in the Pacific. This remarkable river basin is also home to an incredible mix of cultures and one of the most linguistically diverse region in the world with nearly 300 different languages being spoken. This morning we take a short trip up into the rainforest in search of birds of paradise, before continuing our river journey downstream to Ambunti. Today we also plan to stop at Tongajan village, where local missionaries adopted Sepik architecture into their church buildings.

Our guesthouse tonight although simple, has en suite bedrooms and air-conditioning.

Overnight Standard Guest House Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

There may be an opportunity for some early morning bird watching before departing Ambunti. We canoe back up to Pagwi, where we rejoin our vehicle for the drive back to Wewak. The return journey takes us through the tribal communities of Malu and Avatip, home to the Manambu speaking people of the eastern Sepik. Our journey affords us some spectacular views of the rugged coastline.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

We catch an early flight back to Port Moresby and then another on to Kokopo. This former German trading post has developed into the new regional centre following the volcanic eruption which all but destroyed Rabaul in 1994. Our accommodation beside the sandy beach looks out over the rich waters of Simpson Harbour onto a backdrop of volcanic peaks towering over the remains of the old town. The traditional heartland of a number of ethnic tribes, the town’s fascinating heritage and historical past presents us with one of the most interesting towns on the entire island.Today we will take a tour to explore the surrounding surreal moonscapes that are still covered in thick black volcanic dust. Near the shoreline, hot springs feed boiling water into the ocean, creating some spectacular colourful rock formations. We pay a visit to the old Rabaul Hotel which was dug out of the ask and is one of the towns few still functional buildings. The Guinea Club documents the town's wartime history when Rabaul served as Japan's main base in the South Pacific. Towards the evening we also get the opportunity to explore the intricate networks of tunnels and caves dug by the Japanese to protect their troops from the Allied bombing. A visit to the local market and the volcano observatory concludes a fascinating days sightseeing.

Overnight Standard Resort Included meals: Breakfast

This morning we arrive by boat on Matupit Island, where German settlers set up their first trading post. Lying at the base of the now dormant ‘Mother ‘volcano, Matupit island was until recently a separate land mass, now the seismic activity in the area has created a narrow causeway between Matupit and the mainland. The island was originally home to the indigenous Tolai, a people whose traditions and beliefs still persist to this day amongst the secret ceremonies of their Duk-Duk society. Our visit is part of a developing initiative to engage local islanders into promoting their unique Tolai culture.  Island guides will show us around in small groups, explaining about traditions and crafts, there will be practical displays and we may enjoy some impromptu ‘sing sing’ performances en route! After spending the morning with the islanders there is the option of observing them searching for Megapode birds’ eggs buried deep in the incubating sands of volcanic ash, beside the smouldering crater of Tavurvur.We spend the afternoon exploring the waters and landscapes of Simpson Harbour, on a cruise around the bay.We also sail on to Pidgeon Island, to enjoy some superb snorkeling, before heading back to shore with the setting sun.

Overnight Standard Resort Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

An early morning flight back to Port Moresby then sees us transferring on to another plane for the onward journey to Goroka, the capital of the Eastern Highlands and our base for the next three nights. Rest of the day is left free to relax.

Overnight Standard Resort Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Today morning we visit the excellent J.K. McCarthy Museum which houses a number of tribal artefacts as well as a collection of photographs that portray the early meetings between the highland tribes and Europeans. Goroka is the centre of Papua New Guinea's lucrative coffee trade and we also have the opportunity to visit a roasting house. We also get to see the famous Raun Raun Theatre formed originally to travel with 'maket raun' a suggested scheme for taking public services, private sector activities and entertainment to a circuit of large village centres around the area. This theatre group has now toured both nationally and internationally and boasts of a superb building with a nice blend of modern and traditional architecture. After the visit rest of the day is left free to explore this town on your own.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Probably the most famous tribal gathering in Papua New Guinea, the Goroka Show is held every year and brings together over 100 different tribes from around the country.  The show presents us with a rare opportunity to witness what is a truly unique exhibition of some of Papua New Guinea’s most colourful tribal cultures. By lunch time the traditional ‘sing sings’, dancing, music and extraordinary displays of tribal rituals, reach a crescendo with over a thousand performers filling the showground. This spectacle is without doubt one of the cultural highlights of this incredible journey.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning we enjoy some more of the Goroka show performances before flying back to Port Moresby in the afternoon. Our destination is the tiny island of Loloata, just 15 minutes drive from the airport it's a tranquil alternative to the bustle of Port Moresby and a relaxing place to spend our final night.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning we take a ferry for the short journey back to the mainland and drive to Port Moresby for a short sightseeing tour of the capital. We will visit the National Museum, the downtown area and the Paha Hill lookout, before driving to the International airport where the tour ends. If timings allow, it's possible we may be able to do this sightseeing on the first day of the tour.

Included meals: Breakfast