Itinerary

DAYS 1 – 3

Depart from home on Friday, cross the International Date Line and arrive on Sunday. Spend the first full day in Cairns at your leisure. Meet your fellow travelers and discuss the upcoming journey at a festive dinner party.
Shangri-La Hotel, Cairns

DAYS 4 – 6

Fly from Cairns to Port Moresby to discover one of the finest collections of primitive art in the world at the National Museum. See the Parliament House, constructed in the style of a traditional Sepik River Haus Tambaran, or Spirit House.

On Day 5, fly to Karawari and you will be transferred to the Karawari Lodge, featuring a jungle setting and traditional, local architectural design. Sitting on a ridge above the Karawari River, the lodge has a spectacular view over the dense jungle. Spend the afternoon at the Kundiman Village for a sago-making demonstration. On Day 6 you will be treated to an ecological and cultural tour of this diverse area.
Airways Hotel, Port Moresby & Karawari Lodge, Karawari

DAYS 7 – 9

Board the M/V Sepik Spirit, a comfortable 16-passenger vessel, as we journey up one of the world’s great rivers. Each clan along the Sepik has its own unique artwork, spirit masks, spiritual figures and legends. Tambanum features exquisitely crafted houses lining the waterfront. The Middle Sepik is populated mainly with small, traditional villages where tribal life centers on the Haus Tambaran, or Spirit House. In Palembei, get a real taste of the culture as you walk through gardens of corn, kaukau (sweet potato), melons and stands of breadfruit trees.
M/V Sepik Spirit

DAYS 10 – 12

Discover the lush tropical paradise of Tari and spend two nights at the mountaintop Ambua Lodge. This cool alpine setting is the home of the Huli Wigmen, renowned for their elaborate and colorful dress. This evening be treated to a traditional tribal Sing-Sing, presided over by tribal elders, distinguished by their two-meter-high headdresses displaying the brilliant colors of plumes from the Birds of Paradise.
Ambua Lodge, Tari

DAYS 13 & 14

Depart on Day 13 for your charter flight to Mt. Hagen. Mt Hagen is a vibrant bustling city, the third largest in Papua New Guinea. Visit the Western Highlands Cultural Centre, featuring a reconstructed village hut and a museum filled with regional artifacts and curios.

On Day 14, experience the mesmerizing Mt. Hagen Cultural Show, the largest cultural show in the country. You will be overwhelmed by color and excitement of more than 50 different tribal groups dressed in distinctly different traditional attire. Natives come in their traditional costumes (bilas) with elaborate headdresses and shell breastplates, covered with stunning face tattoos and body paint. The rhythm and color of the dancers as they whirl to the sound of the beating drums will captivate you. In addition to the sing sing performances there are also musical presentations, cultural activities, handicraft stalls and an agricultural fair.
Rondon Ridge, Mt. Hagen

DAYS 15 – 17

Today, fly to Madan, often referred to as “the prettiest town in the South Pacific.” madang is a totally unexpected montage of tribal cultures, immense beauty and friendly people. Kranket Island offers a variety of easily accessible places to swim and enjoy the superb sea life amid world-famous coral reefs.
Madang Resort Hotel, Madang

DAYS 18 & 19

Fly from Madang to Cairns. Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure, relaxing in your deluxe hotel or perhaps exploring Cairns on your own. In the evening, join your Travel Director and fellow travelers in celebrating your journey of discovery with a farewell cocktail and dinner party.
Shangri-La Hotel, Cairns

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