• Trip Overview
• Photo Gallery
• Detailed Program
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Trip Overview

This comprehensive and exciting exploration of Papua New Guinea will introduce you to the country’s cultural and geographical diversity. The journey begins with the Mount Hagen Cultural Festival, an annual gathering nearly 70 years old that attracts thousands of people in celebration of cultures and traditions. Admire the participants in bilas (traditional attire), their spectacular headdresses and body paints.

You will then fly by charter plane to the isolated village of Simbai, located in the Bismarck mountains with no road access. You will attend ceremonies marking the initiation of boys into adulthood, an off-the-beaten-path experience in the authentic hospitality of a village guesthouse.

After days in the Highlands, you will delve into the mysterious swampy region of the mighty Sepik River. You will meet the Yatmul people who ritually scarify themselves in reference to their totemic animal, the crocodile. Traveling by motorized dugout canoe, you will discover the impressive Spirit Houses and ancestral tribal art.

• Mount Hagen Festival and exclusive cultural encounter
• Kalam Festival in Simbai – authentic initiation ceremony
• Exploration of the Sepik River and the crocodile men
• Bird of paradise observation at Kumul Lodge
• Muchu Island and beach relaxation

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Departure Point	Port Moresby – International Airport
Physical Level	Moderate – 45-minute walk in Simbai, dugout canoe transfers
Accommodation	Comfortable hotels (Port Moresby, Mt Hagen) + Authentic guesthouses (Sepik, Simbai, Muchu)
Best Period	August (fixed dates for the Hagen Festival)
Price Includes	✓ Double room accommodation ✓ All meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) + water ✓ Expert French-speaking guides in each region ✓ All transfers by private vehicle or dugout canoe ✓ 2 round-trip charter flights Mt Hagen – Simbai ✓ 1 domestic flight Hagen – Wewak ✓ VIP entry to the Hagen Festival ✓ All described ceremonies and sing-sings ✓ Tips for the main guide
Price Does Not Include	✗ International flights ✗ 2 domestic Air Niugini flights (POM-HGU and WWK-POM) ✗ Visa for Papua (to be arranged) ✗ Personal tips ✗ Alcoholic beverages and soft drinks ✗ Personal expenses ✗ Additional night in Port Moresby (€150/room)

Photo Gallery

Detailed Program

• Day 1: Arrival in Port Moresby and Flight to Mt Hagen
  Welcome at the international airport by your guide. After a light breakfast, transfer to the domestic terminal for your morning flight to Mount Hagen, the economic capital of the Highlands region. Check-in and rest at the hotel. In the afternoon, visit the local market and a coffee factory.

  Accommodation: Mc Royal Hotel • Meals: B.L.D.

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

  Accommodation: Mc Royal Hotel • Meals: B.L.D.

• Days 3-4: Mount Hagen Festival
  Two full days at the Hagen Festival! Early departure to the showground. Wander among the dancers as they prepare, with elaborate headdresses of feathers, shells, leaves, and body paints. 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 lunch on site. On the afternoon of the first day, stroll through the surrounding gardens and villages.

  Accommodation: Mc Royal Hotel • Meals: B.L.D.

• Day 5: Charter Flight to Simbai
  Early morning departure for the local airport for your charter flight to Simbai, located in the heart of the Bismarck mountain range, with no road access. From the airstrip, an approximately 45-minute walk to reach your authentic and charming village accommodation.

  Accommodation: Village Guesthouse • Meals: B.L.D.

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