Papua New Guinea holidays
| country: | Papua New Guinea |
| departures: | Departs every Friday throughout the year |
| price: | From £1225 - £2699 (14-18 days) excluding flights. Price includes all transport including domestic flights, accommodation on a twin basis, transfers, tours, guides and most meals. We can arrange flights from the UK |
the amazing things you'll be doing
Papua New Guinea has it all; the scenery is as diverse as it is majestic. The Sepik River is reminiscent of the Amazon with its huge jungle while the Highland region is a mixture of crisp mornings, beautiful sunsets and vibrant wildlife, including the fabulous Birds of Paradise. In New Britain Province we find smouldering volcanoes and highly acclaimed coral reefs. Culturally it is one of most extraordinary places on earth as the range of distinct languages (over 800!) and people groups is scarcely believable. As colourful and exotic as many of their names - Huli wigmen, Asaro mud men - suggest, many of these people groups have only come into contact with the West in the past 50 years and remain refreshingly traditional in their outlook. The fact that you will be seeing all this far away from any tourist hordes is just another element of this trip that makes it so special.
our tours
Our 18 day discovery tour gives you the opportunity to experience all aspects of this truly undiscovered country. From the stunning rivers and rainforest to the cultural cities and vilages. itinerary
| Day 1: | Papua New Guinea. We depart Port Moresby at 11:15 arriving in Wewak at 13:05. After arrival in Wewak, transfer to the In Wewak for check in. Overnight at the In Wewak. |
| Day 2: | Travel the Sepik River. This morning we depart Wewak by road and transfer to Pagwi for a canoe trip along the Sepik river. We travel from Pagwi to Ambunti in our motorised canoe. After our lunch, we have a further half day canoe trip to Wagu Lake, a WWF Nature Conservation area. |
| Day 3: | The villages of the Upper Sepik River. Today we visit Upper Sepik area including the villages of Maliwe, Yesan and the Swagap. The Swagap is the home of the Insect Tribe people. Their unique art usually incorporates the figure of a dragonfly, sago beetle, praying mantis or other insects. |
| Day 4: | The villages of the Middle Sepik River. The tour continues today when we visit the Middle Sepik area and the villages of Korogu, Palimbe and Aibom. Korogu has a very impressive haus tambara, while Palimbe is a beautiful village built around several small lagoons full of water lilies. |
| Day 5: | Port Moresby and Mt. Hagen. An early morning flight from Wewak takes us to Port Moresby. After arrival in Port Moresby, we take a city tour including the National Parliament and the National Museum. We then head back to the airport for our flight to Mount Hagen. After arrival in Mt Hagen, transfer to Kumul Lodge where the Bird of Paradise can be viewed from your bedroom window. |
| Day 6: | Mt. Hagen. This morning we have a guided walking tour around Kumul Lodge. You will get to see the breathtaking views of the Hagen mountain (3,727 metres / 11,181 feet) in front of you. There are over 220 species of birds which can be seen in the grounds of the lodge and nearby areas. This comprises 75% of all Bird of Paradise species in Papua New Guinea. After Lunch, we will visit a nearby village for cultural show. You will meet and chat with the friendly people and visit their village communities. |
| Day 7: | The Asaro Mudmen. Depart Mt Hagen by road to Goroka via the Scenic Highlands Highway. We visit Asaro Mudman in their village and enjoy Mudman performance. Asaro is famous for its mudmen, warriors who traditionally covered themselves in grey mud and wore huge mud masks before heading on raids. |
| Day 8: | Goroka. Today we take a trek around the Goroka area and enjoy breathtaking scenery and the mysterious lime stone caves. This is a moderate trek and suitable for most people, no specific training is required. |
| Day 9: | The Highlands Highway. A morning departure from Goroka by road takes us to Madang via the Highlands Highway. On our way, we stop off at the Kainantu Pottery Centre and Yonki dam. The dam provides power for Lae, Madang and the Highlands. We arrive into Madang in the afternoon. |
| Day 10-11: | Madang. In the morning we take a tour of Madang. Colourful Madang has been called the "prettiest town in the South Pacific". Its peninsula setting is a show-place of parks, waterways, luxuriant shade trees and sparkling tropical islands. Although small, the town has modern urban facilities, including hotels, department stores, markets and artefacts shops. After your tour the rest of the day is free to explore the area or relax on the beach and snorkel. On the second day here we visit a local village for a performance by the local people. In the afternoon your time is free to enjoy the area. |
| Day 12: | East New Britain. Early this morning, we depart Madang to fly to Rabaul, in East New Britain province. On arrival you will be met and transferred to you hotel in Kokopo. Kokopo is a friendly beach town with a laid back feel. After lunch, there is a half day tour of Kokopo including Kokopo Museum, Queen Emma step, Vunapope Church and the Coconut & Cacao plantation. |
| Day 13: | The Gazelle Peninsula. Today we have a full day tour of the Gazelle Peninsula including the Japanese Burge Tunnel, Volcanological Observatory, Malmalan Lookout, the Submarine Base and a visit to a colourful local market. |
| Day 14: | Kavieng. Mid morning today, we leave Rabaul on a flight to Kavieng. On arrival in Kavieng, we check in at our hotel and have a town tour. Kavieng is the quintessential South Pacific town; an outpost in a tropical paradise and the perfect place to dive, relax on a beach or discover an amazing tropical world. The scenery is stunning and contrasting - low lying coral islands surrounded by golden beaches and pretty fringing reefs and mountainous islands which drop sharply into the sea. |
| Day 15: | The Bulminski Highway. Today we take a full day tour along the Bulminski Highway. The coast consists of one breathtaking beach after another with limestone pinnacles jutting out of the ocean and lagoons of surpassing beauty. Stops along the way include an Eel Farm and a Malagan artefact factory. This evening after dinner, we take a Fire Fly Tour to view nature’s spectacular show. |
| Day 16: | West New Britain. At midday we leave Kavieng to fly to Hoskins, in the West New Britain Province. After arrival in Hoskins, we transfer to Walindi Plantation Resort. |
| Day 17: | Talasea. The Talasea area is an active volcanic region. Lake Dakataua at the tip of the Willaumez Peninsula was formed in a colossal eruption in 1884. This morning we take a tour to the Garu hot river, heated by the volcanic activity where you can swim. The afternoon is free to relax. |
| Day 18: | Return to Port Moresby. An early morning departure from Walindi Resort for Hoskins Airport and a flight to Port Moresby. Lunch is taken in Port Moresby before your tour ends. |
For those who wish to truly immerse themselves in the cultures of Papua New Guinea, we recommend our 14 day people and villages tour. One of the highlights of the trip is the opportunity to stay with local people in their village and experience their way of life first hand. We also take time to discover the fabulous flora and fauna with visitors also exploring a wealth of tropical scenery, from the jungle-clad mountains of the highlands to the sandy white beaches and atolls of the coastal and island provinces.
itinerary
| Day 1: | Papua New Guinea. We take an internal flight to Rabaul. On arrival in Rabaul, you will be met and transferred to your hotel in Kokopo, about 1 hour from the airport. Kokopo is a friendly beach town with a laid back feel. After lunch, there is a half day tour of Kokopo including Kokopo Museum, Queen Emma step, Vunapope Church and the Coconut & Cacao plantation. |
| Day 2: | Duke of York Island. Today we head out to Duke of York Island by speed boat. The Duke of York islands consist of a total of thirteen islands and cover 58 km² in area. The largest island of the group is Duke of York Island. Once on the Island, you will meet your host family that you will be staying with while in the local village. |
| Day 3: | Life in a local village. The day is spent with the local villagers. You will get to experience how life really is for the people of the village. These are a very special couple of days that few people have or will ever the chance of experiencing. |
| Day 4: | Return to Kokopo. Today, after saying our fond farewells, we return by speed boat to the relative comfort of Kokopo. Depending on the tides and weather we arrive in Kokopo mid-afternoon where the rest of the day is free time to relax. |
| Day 5-6: | Madang. An afternoon flight from Rabaul takes us to Madang. On arrival we transfer to our hotel. Colourful Madang has been called the "prettiest town in the South Pacific". Its peninsula setting is a show-place of parks, waterways, luxuriant shade trees and sparkling tropical islands. Although small, the town has modern urban facilities, including hotels, department stores, markets and artefacts shops. On our second day here we head to a local wildlife reserve, about 10k south of Madang. It is ‘famous’ for featuring in scenes from the 1996 film ‘Robinson Crusoe’ featuring Pierce Brosnan. A sulphur creek flows from a huge limestone formation and it is said that spirits inhabit the site and that the water has curative properties. |
| Day 7: | The Highlands Highway. An early morning departure from Madang by road takes us to Goroka via the Highlands Highway. On our way, we hope to stop off at a sugar plantation, the Kainantu Pottery and culture centre and Yonki dam. The dam provides power for Lae, Madang and the Highlands. We arrive into Madang in the afternoon. |
| Day 8: | Goroka. A tour of the town of Goroka and a walk to the Keveve Water fall will be the activities today. Goroka has grown from a small outpost in the mid-1950’s to being a major commercial centre and the main town in Eastern Highlands Province. It’s still a typical PNG town, but it is also on of the country’s most attractive. A green, shady, well organised place with decent shopping, transport and facilities. On the nature walk to Keveve Waterfall you will see the beautiful views and hopefully spot some of the birds unique to the area. |
| Day 9: | Kemase Adventure Trek. The Kemase mysterious stones and caves adventure is a moderate full day trek and also includes sightseeing at a local village with a slightly worrying history. Their tribal ancestors were cannibals! Despite of that, the present villagers are friendly and welcome you to their land of mystery. (A packed lunch is included!) |
| Day 10: | Visit a local village for a homestay. Today you will be introduced to your hosts for the next two nights and shown the village where you will be staying. |
| Day 11: | Village activities. A full day experiencing life as it is in a Papua New Guinea village. Facilities are basic but the experience is unforgettable. |
| Day 12: | Return to Goroka. After saying goodbye to our hosts we transfer back to Goroka, where we are based for the evening. |
| Day 13: | Port Moresby. This morning we leave Goroka and head to Port Moresby. After arrival in Port Moresby, we take an afternoon city tour including the National Parliament and the National Museum. |
| Day 14: | End of Tour. |
how this holiday makes a difference
 On our 18 day tour you will be contributing directly to the WWF Nature Conservation area with the stay at Wagu Lake. The trip includes a stay at an eco-lodge which also serves as a rural development initiative which works in co-operation with the local village societies. There is also a stay at a hotel which is home to a privately funded research facility, the Christiensen Research Institute which is dedicated to terrestrial and marine biological research. On our 14 day tour you will be directly supporting local villages. Funds from your trip go directly to help local education and medical facilities. Our local guides ensure that the best environmental practices are followed and the reasons for these practices are fully explained to the local population. Our local team are committed to job creation, village development, cultural heritage/environmental protection in a sustainable manner. As a company we are working with some of the least developed and poorest nations in the world. Although our operation is small and focused we are passionate about creating real and sustainable economic benefits. We take our role incredibly seriously and are determined to put as much as possible back into the communities we are privileged to visit. We have gone to great lengths to personally research our tours and to meet with our 100% locally owned suppliers. We have built up strong relationships with these operators who we prefer to call ‘colleagues’. We believe that our continued success is dependent on this close relationship. At home in thr UK we are avid users of public transport and the company and its Managing Director does not own any motor vehicles. We use our local metro system to commute to the office and the national rail network to travel to meetings and appointments within the UK. We avoid taking domestic flights for travel within the UK. All our clients are provided with a Travellers Code of Conduct which includes suggestions for how to reduce water usage. Our Travellers Code of Conduct also includes suggestions to minimise damage to the environment, wildlife and marine ecosystems. We are working hard to promote destinations that so far do not appear on the tourist map. We are investing in the future, in the belief that along with our local colleagues we can create sustainable social benefits for corners of the world, that to-date have been overlooked by larger tour operators. We will not provide travel plans for individuals who are not prepared to travel in a courteous and responsible manner and ensure our guides and clients are sensitive to local attitudes and act responsibly in their interaction with local people. Clients and guides are briefed on local customs and general courtesy (such as asking permission before taking photographs/dress-codes/conduct in places of worship etc) and behave appropriately. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |