Friday 07 September 2012:    (International flight into Port Moresby)

Arrive into Port Moresby Jackson’s international airport ex international flight. A tourist visa is required and can be obtained on arrival. After clearing customs and migration formalities exit the arrival hall and meet Wemso Tours’ staff who will greet you and will hand over your travel documents and assist transfer you to Gale Lodge for check in, half day city tour. You do half day tour of Port Moresby and surrounds. Our staff/driver will drive you to PNG National Museum. National Museum has one of the finest collections of “Primitive Art” in the world. The main exhibit contains towering house poles from Sepik Haus Tambaran (spirit house) Most Artifacts are larger carvings come from Sepik River areas. There are also pieces from other parts of the country such as Malagan masks from New Ireland. A walk through the museum will expose you to nearly all the handicrafts that are wrought in Papua New Guinea, from string bags or “bilums” to the large sailing craft that are still used by the people of the Trobriand Islands. There is also an excellent natural history collection that should not be missed.

Your tour then proceed onto the National Parliament building which was constructed in the style of a Sepik River Haus Tambaran or Spirit House – the traditional centre of decision making at a village level. This building represents the democratic foundation of Papua New Guinea.

If time permits we will precede our tour to the Bomana War Cemetery where thousands of young Australian and Papua New Guinean soldiers lie. This memorial to the Allied fallen is carefully tended and visited by many from overseas. If we can speed up our tour, we can see other highlights such as Hanuabada village – a traditional stilt village mainly over the water etc.  Overnight at Gale Lodge.

Saturday 08 September 2012: Port Moresby/Mendi

Today after breakfast, you will be transferred by our driver to Jackson’s international airport in Port Moresby, board into Air Niugini flight to Mendi, meet at the airport and transfer to Wemso Lodge. The drive time is about 3hrs scenic drive and sightseeing tour until you reach Wemso Lodge.  Wemso lodge is built in traditional style houses using bush materials. Interior of the houses are featured with modern materials. It has both self contend rooms and share bath facilities. The lodge is powered with 12kv gen set, 2.4vlt, powered 24hrs a day. Overnight WEMSO LODGE.

Sunday 09 September 2012: Tour at Wemso Lodge.

Today after breakfast we set out for full day Waola Cultural Tour. The people of Kantobo will set up a traditional cultural sing-sing for you. They will dress in their traditional dressing and dance in their traditional styles. Once you make booking in advance of your travel, the local people are readily put available to eagerly put on the dance show. Quite impressively, you will take much delight in it and even you will go to the extreme of being a part of the dancing group or even having had your faces painted with the famous red and yellow color called “Ambua”.  At times some tried out the famous head dresses made mixtures of bird of Paradise feathers. After lunch we will set out for village discovery to the further Komea villages. We will walk from village to village and experience their traditional, primitive styles of living. The elders of the villages you visit will teach you more on how and why they still live in the kind of primitive society ever since the creation of the universe. With recent trend from subsistence ways of life in cash economy, most people tend to fit into a fabricated society, where they still uphold so much of their traditional values. On the other end they quickly grasp as much changes as possible which are most adaptable or acceptable to their society. Wemso Lodge is an example of particular development that is uniquely apparent as a community development project establishment initiated by a chief of Komea village.  Overnight Wemso Lodge.

Monday 10 September 2012: Tour Tari/Huli Wigman village & Culture.
Today after breakfast you depart for Tari/Huli villages to see the world famous Huli culture and the villagers. (The people of Tari in the Southern Highlands lived in the isolated Tari basin, 2500 meters above sea level the further most part of the Southern Highlands Province. They were oblivious to the ways of the modern world until recent times. The world is still mainly one of subsistence farming on small customarily land holdings. They are the descendants of warriors with a deserved reputation as “feared fighters”. These traditional norms are still prevalent now-a-days as you tour around in this place, despite of the rapid changes they have gone through for the last twenty years or so. At Tari/Huli village we visit huli dancers, bird watching, and nature photography, village visits, hiking/trekking, pack lunch will be provided whilst on tour, afternoon return to Wemso Lodge, dinner at the lodge and overnight.

Tuesday 11 September 2012:  Mubi River canoe in Kantobo

Today after breakfast we depart for Kantobo in Lake Kutubu. The drive time is about 8hrs scenic drive. We drive through thick forest, crossing past flowing rivers. Our driver will do several stopovers for bird watching, trek/hiking, orchid viewing, taking nature photographing, etc, till we reach Kantobo late in the afternoon. Our accommodation is at Beaver Guest House.

 Wednesday 12 September 2012:    Kantobo/Mendi.

This morning we trek/hike down to Mubi River, board onto the waiting motorized canoe and cruise down stream. Whilst cruising we visit the river people of Kantobo who live in the isolated part and in a primitive life standard. We cruise further down and after about 3hrs cruising we will almost reach the sparkling Wasi and Beaver falls. It is a must to stop cruising and boat crew will advise us where to pull the boat ashore. We pull the boat ashore and do trekking down towards the sparkling falls because if we continue cruising the force or the current will pull the boat down the fall. You will have unique experience seeing this sparkling falls. The fall is created by the mighty Mubi river itself. Interest include: River cruising, bird watching, nature photographing, trekking, hiking, village visits etc. Return on the same route to Beaver Guest house for overnight.

  MUBIRIVER CRUISE

Thursday 13 September 2012:    Kantobo/Mendi

This morning after breakfast we depart for Mendi. Our drive time is 8hrs scenic drive and sightseeing. We will do a lot of stopovers in order to do photographing, bird watching; village visits etc, till we reach late in the afternoon at Mendi, overnight at Kiburu Lodge. Kiburu lodge has private bath facilities. The lodge is surrounded with natural plants including various species of natural orchids. In Mendi and Waku area we see the famous for its wonderful display tree of the Greater Bird of Paradise. Here you can hope to see the incredible Flame Bowerbird, long-billed cuckoo, Hooded Pitta, Blue Jewel-babbler and many other sought after species.
 overnight Kiburu Lodge.

 Friday 14 September 2012  (MENDI / MT. HAGEN)

This morning after breakfast, we depart for Mt. Hagen. Our drive time is about 2hrs. The driver will stop the vehicle at several locations especially at Walup, Ialibu and Kagul for bird watching, photographing, hiking and village visits. We also visit Walup local food and vegetable market, roadside market plus villages etc. We drive further down to Kagul River where we drive through a narrow Kagul bridge and this is where police check point is. Check point is set up for illegal weapons, drugs or any armful item should not be taken up to the big PNG LNG GAS project in the Southern Highlands Province,  and also for the travelers safety purposes. We drive further down to Mt. Hagen. Check into Airport Motel.  Half day tour to Waghi Valley and to Pogla Culture Center where we will see villagers of Urip will host the legendary “Mud-man” show for us. We will also see traditional artifacts and monuments which are kept by a chief leader who marries more than 5 wives. After the Pogla visit we drive up to Mount Kuta Orchid farm to see some wild beautiful orchids. From Mt. Kuta we will have a stunning view of Mt. Hagen city and the surrounding villages.  A visit to Mt. Hagen fresh food and vegetable market will conclude the tour. Overnight Airport Motel.

Saturday 15 September 2012:  ( MT. HAGEN/GOROKA SHOW)

 We depart early as 5:30am for Goroka show. Our drive time is approximately 3hrs scenic drive and sightseeing. We will reach Goroka in time for the Goroka show which starts at around 10pm. We drive straight to the Goroka Cultural Show. We visit thousands of participants from all over Papua New Guinea.  Enjoy the festival. The Goroka show concedes country’s (Papua New Guinea) independence anniversary celebration every year in 16^th September 2012. A pack lunch will be provided whilst at the Goroka show.  Afternoon transfer to hotel, overnight Goroka Pacific Garden Hotel. 

Sunday 16 September 2012:  (At GOROKA SHOW)

Today after breakfast we depart for Goroka Show. We will spend few hours at the show because we do not want to spend more time seeing same thing over and over again. We will then visit J.K McCarthy Museum, surrounding villages, Hiking in Daula Pass. Afternoon return to Goroka Pacific Garden Hotel for overnight.

Monday 17 September 2012:  Goroka/Port Moresby

After breakfast you will be transferred from hotel to airport, you bid a farewell to you Highlands host and board on the Air Niugini flight Goroka/Port Moresby. Upon arrival at the Jackson’s International Airport you will be met by our staff, who will assist you in your international departure flight out of Port Moresby.   END OF OUR ARRANGEMENT.

LAND COST IN US$ DOLLARS

Twin share: US$2,940.00 per person(Please apply for commission).

Land cost includes: Twin share accommodation, tours and transfers, meals dinner on arrival to breakfast on the last day, show entrance fees, guide fees, village fees etc.

Land cost does not include: Services of personal nature such as beverages, bar, laundry services, phone/fax/email bills, domestic Air Niugini PX flights plus your international round tickets.

We suggest you book/ticket all the required Air Niugini PX flight plus international round ticket your end in order to obtain better discounts available overseas.  However, we can book/ticket for you if you require. Please do advise.

Additional Costs.

Single Supplement: US$410.00 per single except at Goroka.

Deposit and Final Payment:

A deposit of US$200.00 per person is required at the time of accepting and booking the tour in order to secure rooms in Goroka. Once the deposit is received we will firmly hold the rooms. Final payment is due on 05^th July 2012, As soon as the payments are made; we required copy of the telegraphic transfer receipt to ease in identifying your payment.  Our Fax number is: + (675) 323 4286

Cancellation:  Cancellations received between 14 June and 14 July 2012 will result in forfeiture of the US$200.00 per person deposit. Cancellation received later than 30 days prior to 14 days will attract 50% of the total land and air costs. No refund will be made after the tour has commenced.

Note we operate these tours using our vehicles with experience drivers and guides throughout both in Port Moresby, Goroka, Mt. Hagen, Mendi and Tari in the Southern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea. We have our own hire cars ranging from troopers, small cars, Toyota 5^th Element, Land cruise 10 seaters and open back plus others.  Please feel free to ask should you have any questions. 

Regards

Cedric Kulimbua (Mr.)/ Tour Coordinator

Wemso Tours – Papua New Guinea