• Trip Overview
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• Detailed Program
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Trip Overview

This 16-day trip, accompanied by Brice Liaigre, our French guide specializing in Papua and adventure, offers you a cultural and sporting exploration of mysterious Bougainville.

Located at the eastern tip of Papua New Guinea, Bougainville Island is a land just waking up after decades of isolation. This journey is a rare invitation to discover a peaceful destination, where sublime volcanic landscapes meet ancestral traditions that have remained intact. Between mysterious initiation ceremonies and the ascent of extinct craters, experience one of the last great Pacific adventures.

Here’s a holiday for the curious, who can walk for ten hours a day without difficulty.

• Exclusive accompaniment by Brice Liaigre, PNG’s trekking specialist.
• Uppe Immersion: Witness the secret initiation process of young boys and their iconic traditional hats.
• The Southern Odyssey: Explore the Siwai region, cut off from the world for more than 10 years, and vibrate to the rhythm of bamboo orchestras.
• The Mount Balbi Trek: a 4-day wilderness trek leading to the crater lakes of a volcanic peak.
• Echoes of the Past, Pristine Shores: A journey from WWII landmarks to the turquoise lagoons of Taiof

Photo Gallery

Detailed Program

• Day 1: Arrival Port Moresby - Welcome to the Land of Encounters
  Early morning arrival in Port Moresby. Welcomed by your guide Brice Liaigre and after airport formalities, transfer to the Sanctuary Hotel. Short visit to the hotel’s fine art collection. Rest after your long journey and visit the city in the afternoon.

  Accommodation: Sanctuary Hotel – Meals: P.D.D.

• Day 2: Heading for Bougainville, the Hidden Jewel
  Flight to Buka, gateway to mysterious Bougainville. A 3-hour scenic drive takes you to Wakunai, in the center of the island.. First evening on a wild beach to soak up the island’s peaceful atmosphere..

  Accommodation: Guesthouse – Meals: P.D.D. – Transfer : 3h30 drive

• Day 3: Expedition to the wild south
  Departure for the Siwai region, one of Papua’s most remote and authentic areas.. Between impressive river crossings and grandiose landscapes, this 5-hour journey is a real adventure in itself..

  Accommodation: Pakunai Lodge – Meals: P.D.D. – Transfer : 5h by 4*4

• Day 4: Immersion in the heart of Siwai
  Encounter with a people marked by history and resilience. Discover the monumental slit drums Garamutancestral communication tools, and let yourself be carried away by their powerful rhythms.. Learn about the history of the civil war, and discover the Siwai way of life.

  Accommodation: Pakunai Lodge – Meals: P.D.D. –

• Day 5: Bambou band and Pointe de Buin
  Direction Buin, at the southern tip of the island, opposite the Solomon Islands. It’s here that you’ll enjoy the sound of the “Bamboo Band”, a surprising musical performance typical of Bougainville, before returning to Siwai..

  Accommodation: Pakunai Lodge – Meals : P.D.D.

• Day 6: Return to the center of the island
  We head back north to Wakunai.. A restful afternoon is planned to prepare for the major cultural and sporting events to come..

  Accommodation: Guesthouse – Meals: P.D.D. – Transfer : 5h in 4*4

• Day 7: The Mystery of the Hat Men (Uppe Ceremony)
  An exceptional day at the heart of tradition: witness the dance of the Uppe initiates. These young boys live hidden in the forest, forbidden to come into contact with their families, to learn the clan’s secrets, and wear large, colorful hats to conceal their sacred hair..

  Accommodation : Guesthouse- Meals : P.D.D.

• Day 8: Ascent of the Giant - Mount Balbi
  Vertical adventure begins with immersion in Bougainville’s dense jungle. After a demanding day’s walk, we set up our first camp under the forest canopy..

  Accommodation: tented camp – Meals: P.D.D.

• Day 9: The Summit and its Crater Lakes
  Conquering the summit of Mount Balbi. On arrival, the reward is sublime: the view of emerald lakes nestled in the heart of the extinct craters of this majestic volcano.. Return to base camp.

  Accommodation: tented camp – Meals: P.D.D.

• Days 10 and 11: The Grande Traversée to Torokina
  A two-day trek across the island’s mountain range, a challenge rarely undertaken.. We finally reach Torokina on the west coast, a place steeped in history and marked by the great battles of the Pacific..

  Accommodation: tented camp – Meals: P.D.D.

• Day 12: Torokina, history and culture
  A day’s exploration of this remote site to immerse ourselves in the local history and culture of the West Coast inhabitants, while ensuring a safety margin for our trek..

  Accommodation : Home stay – Meals : P.D.D.

• Day 13: Marine Odyssey to Taiof Island
  Early departure by motorized pirogue to reach the island of Taiof. Discover a new facet of Bougainville: that of coral islands, mangroves and island life at the rhythm of the ocean..

  Accommodation: Guesthouse – Meals: P.D.D. – Transfer : 4 hours by boat (dinghy)

• Day 14: Island discovery and Crystal Lagoons
  A timeless day on the island of Taiof. Between snorkeling on unspoilt reefs, coastal walks and encounters in fishing villages, take advantage of the gentle Pacific..

  Accommodation: Guesthouse – Meals: P.D.D.

• Day 15: Return to the capital
  Return flight to Port Moresby. In the afternoon, visit the Nature Park to observe the endemic fauna and the National Museum to admire the incredible collection of Papuan masks and artefacts..

  Accommodation: Sanctuary Hotel – Meals: P.D.

• Day 16: Farewell to Papua
  Last breakfast before your transfer to the airport for your international flight, taking with you memories of a land that is once again accessible..

  Meals: P.D.

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