• Trip Overview
• Detailed Program

Trip Overview

This 17-day trip is our most complete exploration of Papua New Guinea. It combines all the highlights: the spectacular Mount Hagen Show, the Kalam Festival in the remote village of Simbai, birdwatching and exploration of the mysterious Sepik River.

Your adventure begins in the Highlands with an exclusive cultural encounter, followed by two full days at the Mount Hagen Show where 70 to 90 tribal groups gather in celebration. You’re immersed in a whirlwind of color, feathers, song and spectacular dance.

You then take a charter flight to Simbai, a remote village in the heart of the Bismarck mountains, accessible only by air. For three days, you’ll attend the Kalam Festival, the initiation ceremony of young boys into adulthood. This off-the-beaten-track experience immerses you in total authenticity, with overnights in village guesthouses.

The trip continues with bird-watching at Kumul Lodge, then exploration of the Sepik River where you meet the Iatmul crocodile-men and discover ancestral tribal art in the stilt villages.

• Encounter PNG exclusive cultural meeting
• Mount Hagen Show: 2 full days at the festival
• Kalam Festival in Simbai: 3 days of total immersion
• Nights in a village guesthouse in Simbai
• 2 charter flights Mount Hagen – Simbai (return)
• Bird of paradise observation at Kumul Lodge
• Sailing the Sepik River and meeting the Iatmul people
• Chambri Lakes: villages of potters and sculptors
• Traditional sing-sing in Kanganamun village

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Starting point	Port Moresby – International Airport
Physical level	Moderate – 45 min walk to Simbai, canoe transfers
Accommodation	Comfortable hotels (Mt Hagen, Wewak, Port Moresby) + Authentic guesthouses (Simbai, Sepik)
Best period	August (fixed dates for Mount Hagen Show and Kalam Festival)
Price includes	Accommodation in double room All meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) + water Expert English-speaking guides in each region All transfers by private vehicle or pirogue 1 domestic flight PNG Air (Hagen-Wewak) 2 charter flights Mount Hagen – Simbai (return) VIP admission to the Mount Hagen Show Encounter PNG exclusive cultural meeting All the ceremonies and sing-sings described Tips for the main guide
Price does not include	Additional night in Port Moresby before departure ($150 per room) 2 Air Niugini domestic flights to book: – August 13: POM-HGU PX180 08:30-09:30 – August 29: WWK-POM PX141 07:40-09:00 International flights Papua visa Personal tips Alcoholic beverages and soft drinks Personal expenses

Detailed Program

• Day 1: Arrival Port Moresby - Flight Mount Hagen - Light tour
  Arrival in Port Moresby. Welcome by your guide and transfer to the domestic terminal for your flight to Mount Hagen. On arrival, check into your hotel. Light tour of Mount Hagen and surrounding area as time permits.

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

• Day 2: Exclusive Encounter Encounter PNG
  Morning departure for an exclusive cultural encounter organized for Encounter Papua New Guinea guests. In a picturesque village setting, meet members of tribal groups. Admire their fascinating ornaments and body decorations, and their traditional sing-sings. Later, meet with a group of women to understand the life of Papuan women.

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

• Day 3: Mount Hagen Show - Day 1
  Day one of the Mount Hagen Show! Early departure for the festival grounds. Stroll among the dancers getting ready, with their elaborate headdresses of feathers, shells, leaves and body paint. This is the ideal time for extraordinary portraits. The show begins: hundreds of dancers sing and drum to their own rhythms. An exhilarating travel experience! Picnic on site.

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

• Day 4: Mount Hagen Show - Day 2
  Day two of the Mount Hagen Show. Another full day at the festival to enjoy the different tribal groups and the unique atmosphere. Free time to photograph, interact with participants and immerse yourself in this exceptional cultural celebration.

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

• Day 5: Mount Hagen charter flight to Simbai
  Early departure for the local airport. Spectacular charter flight to Simbai, a remote village in the heart of the Bismarck mountain range, with no road access. Flight over breathtaking mountain scenery. From the airstrip, a 45-minute walk to your authentic village accommodation. Settle in and discover this timeless place for the first time.

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

• Day 6: Kalam Festival - Day 1
  First day of the Kalam Festival. You’ll witness the initiation ceremonies of young boys into adulthood, a sacred and rare event. Traditional dances, songs and ancestral rituals in a spectacular mountain setting. Privileged encounters with village elders who share the history and significance of these age-old traditions.

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

• Day 7: Kalam Festival - Day 2
  Second day of the Kalam Festival. Continuation of the initiation ceremonies. Participate in village life, share meals with your hosts, learn about mountain agriculture and survival techniques in this isolated environment. A unique immersive experience in one of Papua’s most remote regions.

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

• Day 8: Simbai charter flight to Mount Hagen
  After breakfast and a farewell to the village, walk back to the airstrip. Charter flight to Mount Hagen. Check-in at your hotel. Afternoon free to relax or explore Mount Hagen at your leisure.

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

• Day 9: Kumul Lodge - Birds of paradise viewing
  Excursion to Kumul Lodge, well known for its spectacular viewing of endemic species ofbirds of paradise. You can enjoy your time here at your leisure in specially designed bird blinds, allowing you to observe and photograph birds at very close range. Return to Mount Hagen in the late afternoon.

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

• Day 10: Wewak flight - Towards the Sepik River - Kanganamun village
  Flight to Wewak. Drive to Pagwi (4h30), then board a motorized pirogue on the majestic Sepik River. Sail for around 4 hours to the village of Kanganamun, home to the famous crocodile-men of the Iatmul ethnic group. Visit the huge House of the Spirits. Installation in your guesthouse on stilts.

  Accommodation: Sepik Guesthouse – Meals: P.D.D. – Transfer: 4h30 by bus + 4h by pirogue

• Day 11: Middle Sepik - Chambri Lakes: Kirimbit and Aibom
  A day exploring the Chambri lakes. Visit the village of Kirimbit, renowned for its woodcarvers. Watch the craftsmen at work. Sail to the village ofAibom, where women perpetuate the pottery tradition unique to the Sepik region. Demonstration of pottery making. Return to the huge Kanganamun Spirit House to listen to the legends and stories of the elders.

  Accommodation: Sepik Guesthouse – Meals: P.D.D. – Transfer : 3h by pirogue

• Day 12: Middle Sepik - Palembe Village - Women's life
  Sail to the village of Palembe, where some of the Sepik’s finest art is created. A privileged encounter with a group of Sepik women who share their daily lives: fishing, sago cooking, handicrafts. An authentic moment of exchange on the life of Papuan women.

  Accommodation: Sepik Guesthouse – Meals: P.D.D. – Transfer : 1h by pirogue

• Day 13: Sing-Sing to Kanganamun village
  A special day in Kanganamun with a sing-sing organized in your honor. Village dancers dress in their finest traditional finery, body paint and feather headdresses. Traditional dancing and singing accompanied by drumming. Free time to chat with the villagers and enjoy the unique atmosphere of the Sepik.

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

• Day 14: Middle Sepik to Wewak
  Last morning on the Sepik. Sailing back to Pagwi, then on to Wewak. Check-in at your beachfront hotel. Free time to enjoy the beach or relax.

  Accommodation: Wewak Boutique Hotel – Meals: P.D.D.

• Day 15: Flight Port Moresby - Nature Park and Museum
  Flight to Port Moresby. Visit to the Nature Park, home to the country’s flora and fauna, then to the National Museum with its impressive collection of historical masks and traditional objects. Check-in at your hotel.

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

• Day 16: Port Moresby - City tour
  Discovery day in Port Moresby. Visit to Parliament House, the Botanical Gardens and the capital’s main sites. Final shopping for souvenirs and local crafts.

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

• Day 17: International flight
  Transfer to the international airport for your departure flight. End of this exceptional and complete adventure through Papua New Guinea.

  Meals : Breakfast