| Day 1 | Port Moresby |
Upon arrival in Port Moresby you will be met and transferred to the Holiday Inn. Enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure. Meals: Lunch, Dinner Lodging: Holiday Inn | |
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| Day 2 | Port Moresby/Mt. Hagen |
In the morning you are transferred to your flight to Mt Hagen. Upon arrival in Mount Hagen, you will be transferred to your onwards charter aircraft to Ambua over some of the most rugged and impressive landscapes in the world. Ambua Lodge is high on the slopes of the Tari Valley – home of the Huli, a colorful and proud people who still live largely the same way that their ancestors did. The afternoon is spent exploring the area surrounding Ambua – high mountain forests with roaring waterfalls beckon the intrepid traveler.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Lodging: Ambua Lodge | |
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| Day 3 | Mt. Hagen |
Continue exploring the Mt. Hagen area today. In contrast to the Sepik people, whose art is manifested in ceremonial and decorative carvings, the Highlands people employ body decoration, face painting, and human hair wigs decorated with feathers, flowers and moss as their art. The Huli culture is the most vibrant, intact and colourful to be experienced anywhere. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Lodging: Ambua Lodge | |
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| Day 4 | Mt. Hagen/Sepik River |
Today you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Sepik region. From the Timbunke airstrip, you will be transferred to the air-conditioned comfort of the MV Sepik Spirit. Inspired by the architecture of the "haus tambaran," or spirit house, the MV Sepik Spirit has a truly unique design. With its shallow draught, it allows travel to rarely visited areas of the Sepik River and its tributaries in comfort. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Lodging: MV Sepik Spirit | |
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| Day 5 - 6 | Sepik River |
Two full days are spent exploring the many waterways of the Sepik and its tributaries, including visits to traditional Sepik Villages. The Sepik River is one of the largest rivers in the world in terms of flow. Steeped in mystery, the people of the Sepik area have fascinated anthropologists like Margaret Mead since the area was first visited. Part of the mystery and attraction of the Sepik peoples is their amazing carvings, now famous all over the world. The river banks where the vessel operates are dotted with many large traditional villages each with its own unique "haus tambaran," or spirit house, decorated with ancestral figures, carvings, massive garamut drums, and secretive ritual flutes. The Sepik is a gallery of tribal art: each village boasts a unique style, and every villager is an artisan. Mingle with the friendly people and experience a culture that encounters few outsiders each year. Long after you have left the lush jungle, raucous birds, spirit houses, carvings, and endless waterways, the mysticism of the Sepik will remain unforgettably etched in your memory. Meals: 2 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches, 2 Dinners Lodging: MV Sepik Spirit | |
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| Day 7 | Sepik River/Karawari |
You will be transferred to Karawari Lodge today. Sitting on a ridge above the Karawari River, Karawari Lodge boasts a spectacular view over hundreds of kilometers of dense tropical jungle. Inspired by local architecture and built with traditional materials, the lodge still provides modern comforts. You are now in the middle of “Arambak” country, where locals pole dug-out canoes, the drums throb, the wild birds call, and traditional village lifestyles continue unchanged. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Lodging: Karawari Lodge | |
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| Day 8 | Karawari/Mt. Hagen |
Fly from Karawaria to Mount Hagen today. Upon arrival in Mount Hagen you will be met and transferred to Rondon Ridge, nestled on the edge of Wahgi Valley – a valley with some of the oldest evidence of the region's agriculture. Rondon Ridge is the premier accommodation in the Western Highlands. A full day is spent exploring the Hagen area and the Wahgi Valley. The Mount Hagen area is the home of the Melpa people, who still live traditional lifestyles in the face of modernity. A stunning array of birds, orchids, and plant life live in the mountains surrounding the Wahgi Valley.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Lodging: Rondon Ridge | |
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| Day 9 - 10 | Goroka Show |
For both of these days, you will be transferred from Rondon Ridge to the Mt. Hagen airport to catch your private flight to Goroka. Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to the Goroka Show for the day. In the afternoon, you will fly back to Mt. Hagen. Spend these two days enjoying the Goroka Show and surrounding area. The shows were first held in the 1950s as a means of gathering together the different tribes and clans. At times there could be more than 40,000 painted warriors dancing to the beat of the Kundu drums. Amongst the performers are the legendary mud men of Asaro. Tribal folklore records that centuries ago the warriors of Asaro were defeated in a tribal fight "payback" raid, and, to make themselves look fierce in the process, covered their bodies with grey mud. According to legend, the ruse worked. Their enemies fled at the sight of these ghostly apparitions. The mud men recreate the drama at the Goroka Show
Meals: 2 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches, 2 Dinners Lodging: Rondon Ridge | |
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| Day 11 | Port Moresby/Madang |
Today you leave Rondon Ridge and transfer to Mount Hagen Airport for your flight to Port Moresby. Upon arrival in Port Moresby you will be met assisted with transferring to your flight to Madang. Upon arrival in Madang you will be met and transferred to the Malolo Plantation Lodge, which boasts a picturesque seaside setting.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Lodging: Malolo Plantation Lodge | |
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| Day 12 | Madang |
Today's drive takes you past villages and copra and cocoa plantations before your arrival at Siar Village, an example of a "modern day" village. Pass the roadside markets in Siar, then visit the town's main market, Coastwatchers Memorial Lighthouse, the small Madang Cultural Museum, and the waterfront harbor. Next, leave town for a 45-minute drive south to Balek Nature Sanctuary. After a picnic lunch in the grounds, explore the Sanctuary, which has a collection of exotic tropical plants, orchids, and hot sulphur springs. Eels and tortoises can also be found here. Your final stop is Bilbil Village, where you will have a chance to view a demonstration on crafting clay pottery.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Lodging: Malolo Plantation Lodge | |
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| Day 13 | Madang/Port Moresby |
Drive along the scenic North Coast highway, stopping at Bagildig village to see a cooking demonstration using traditional cooking pots. Native foods such as taro, cooking bananas, yams and greens, along with fish, prawns, or chicken are combined in a clay pot and boiled in coconut milk over a fire. Then proceed to Sokaka village, which offers a demonstration of traditional costumes and an explanation of the regions herbal/plant medicines. Depart Sokaka village for the short drive back to your hotel for lunch. In the afternoon, you will be transferred to your flight to Port Moresby. On your arrival in Port Moresby, you will be met and transferred to your hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Lodging: Holiday Inn | |
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| Day 14 | Port Moresby/Onward |
Transfer to your flight home today. Meals: Breakfast | |
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