10 nights Sepik River, Simbai, Mt Hagen, Goroka, Lae (Morobe Show), escorted small group tour (maximum 12 people + guide)

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1 10 nights Sepik River, Simbai, Mt Hagen, Goroka, Lae (Morobe Show), escorted small group tour (maximum 12 people + guide) This small group tour (up to 12 people but usually only 6 or 8) begins in Wewak then onwards to the Sepik River including one night in a village on the mystical middle Sepik, home of the crocodile cult, then hops by charter flight to Simbai to experience the unadulterated culture of this exotic Highlands tribe, then overland from Mt Hagen to Goroka and Lae finishing with the Morobe Show. The Morobe Show is mainly an agricultural and trade show which also features a one day sing-sing. The first day of the Show features the best local crops, livestock and manufactured goods, competing for prizes. The second day of the Show, which is included in this itinerary, is the famous Morobe Sing-Sing which is a program of over 60 cultural groups from many places in Papua New Guinea. Due to limited road links with Lae and the high cost of air travel, some areas such as the Sepik River and Simbai are unable to send their cultural groups to the Morobe Sing-Sing so this tour itinerary seeks to fill the gap by stopping to see the cultural performances of these tribes in situ in their villages. The tour itinerary also includes the Highlands towns and district of Mt Hagen, Goroka, famous for its ASARO MUDMEN and scenic highlands terrain. TOUR NOTE EM209 is a wet foot tour that involves up to 1 hour walking in some places to get to villages, clambering in and out of canoes, and a couple of nights sleeping rough in very basic accommodation - village guest houses with clean bedding and hygienic food but rather primitive outhouse bathrooms and only limited electricity for charging batteries. Some physical agility and mental resilience is required for this tour on the other hand if you don t mind getting your feet wet and hands dirty then this tour will be perfect for you. Note that this is a unique small group tour program originally designed by Ecotourism Melanesia and not offered by any other tour company. The tour price includes a tour development levy to recoup our outlays on designing, reconnoitring and organising this remote area program, plus a share of the group leader s travel costs, various hidden costs like local permits and insurances, retainers for local guides, air-freighting of gear and supplies from Port Moresby etc. Ph PNG Holidays, P.O. Box 1105, Cairns North, Queensland, Australia. 1

2 TOUR ITINERARY DAY 1 - FRI 16 OCT DAY 2 SAT 17 OCT DAY 3 SUN 18 OCT AUSTRALIA / PORT MORESBY / WEWAK On arrival at Port Moresby airport you will be met by staff from our tour operator who will assist you to check in for your connecting flight to Wewak. Lunch today is not included in the package because some group members may arrive on later flights. A short city tour will be offered if you have time between flights. 15:10 Air Niugini flight PX126 departs Port Moresby for Wewak via Madang, arriving 17:20 (aircraft: F100 jet with 98 seats) Transfer by hotel shuttle to Wewak s best hotel, the Boutique. Overnight 4 star accommodation at In-Wewak Boutique Hotel includes set-menu dinner and tropical breakfast. WEWAK / SEPIK RIVER (Middle Sepik villages) 08:00 The group departs Wewak by private four wheel drive vehicle to Pagwi, the jumping-off point to the Middle Sepik. The road is tar sealed most of the way and quite a scenic four hour journey. First we climb steep winding curves from the steamy coastal strip to the cool forests of the undulating Prince Alexander Range. Two hours into the trip we will stop at a roadside market to buy tropical fruits, cooked vegetables and delicious green coconuts to drink (pay as you go). A packed lunch is also provided by the hotel. Descending onto the savannah grasslands of the Sepik Basin, we pass through a number of villages before arriving at Pagwi station on the Middle Sepik by midday. At Pagwi the group will board two or three waiting motor canoes and head down-river approximately two hours to the twin crocodile cult villages of Kanganaman and Palembei. The two villages are located on opposite banks of the river and both villages are around 30 minutes walk inland from the water. The spirit houses in the Middle Sepik are very large and contain a variety of artifacts produced by the initiated men, many of whom are skilled traditional carvers. Anything new-looking is usually for sale whereas anything old and dusty is usually a cultural artefact and not for sale. As the daylight dwindles we will use the rest of this afternoon to explore Kanganaman and leave Palimbei for tomorrow. A cultural group will perform a Sepik River sing-sing in front of the Kanganaman spirit house before sunset and after dinner in the evening we will hear the elder men beat their large slit-gong drums ( garamuts) and play their traditional bamboo flutes unique in Papua New Guinea. Overnight 1 star village guest house accommodation, Kanganaman - includes local style meals and bottled water. SEPIK RIVER / WEWAK This morning the group will leave the Kanganaman village guest house and cross the river by canoe then walk 30 minutes inland through the grasslands and lily ponds to Palembei. Like many Sepik villages, Palembei was originally built right on the river bank but over the years the river has changed its course leaving the village some distance inland. Palembei is known as the heart of the Middle Sepik, being geographically central and also the venue for many of the regional elders meetings and the annual Middle Sepik Culture Festival. Being a Sunday no cultural dancing will be permitted today but we will still be able to explore the village, visit the spirit houses and meet with some of the villagers and inspect the crocodile skin scars of some of the initiated men. A local style lunch of fresh fruit, sago and smoked fish will be served then we will be on our way back to Wewak, first retracing our steps to the river then canoeing two and a half hours upstream (against the current this time) to Pagwi then four hours by road back to Wewak. By ordering ahead we will be able to arrange with the hotel restaurant to have our dinner ready shortly Ph PNG Holidays, P.O. Box 1105, Cairns North, Queensland, Australia. 2

3 after our late arrival. Overnight 4 star accommodation at In-Wewak Boutique Hotel includes set-menu dinner and tropical breakfast. DAY 4 MON 19 OCT DAY 5 TUE 20 OCT DAY 6 WED 21 OCT DAY 7 THU 22 OCT WEWAK / MT HAGEN (local tour) 06:00 Early breakfast, check out and transfer to Wewak airport. 07:35 Airlines PNG flight CG1605/1420 departs Wewak for Mt Hagen (via Lae), arriving 12:00 (aircraft: Dash 8). On arrival in Mt Hagen we check in at the Highlander Hotel in time for late lunch at the poolside (included). After lunch we will take an afternoon tour of Mt Hagen including the city market (the biggest in PNG), a drive through a coffee plantation and a stop at Moika village which is a typical cluster village. Overnight 4 star Highlander Hotel, Mt Hagen (includes buffet dinner and hot breakfast). MT HAGEN / SIMBAI (exploring Simbai) 07:30 Breakfast 08:00 We check out of the hotel and transfer to the Mt Hagen airport. 09:00 Our charter flight departs for Simbai, a 45-minute flight north of Mt Hagen. On arrival at Simbai airstrip we will be met by local guides with plenty of helpful hands to carry our bags for the 30 minute walk to the Kalam Guest House, a basic but comfortable facility built in local style. On arrival we will be met by a traditional dance group with a welcome sing-sing then have time to settle into our accommodation until lunch. Lunch at the Kalam guest will likely consist of a tray of salad vegetables and tinned meat or fish with locally baked bread buns make your own sandwiches. This afternoon we will explore the immediate surrounds, walking to some of the satellite hamlets around Simbai and meet local people, tour the magnificent community orchid gardens and inspect the Kalam tribal culture museum. Overnight 1.5 star Kalam Guest House (twin share - includes all meals). SIMBAI (day hike to remote village) Today is the most physically challenging yet culturally stimulating day of the tour. This morning we hike 3 hours to Fundum, a small village south of Simbai where the people live an even more self-sufficient lifestyle than those hamlets closer to Simbai station. The walking track to Fundum is very scenic with mountain vistas and endless wildflowers. The village itself sits on a hilltop with views towards Simbai station to the east and the Kaironk River valley to the west. Fundum has only a dozen families and several community huts where visitors are welcomed and feted as you will be today. For your lunch the people have prepared traditional foods wrapped in leaf parcels and roasted under hot stones there may even be a roast wild pig as well. After lunch and an intimate village tour, hike back to Simbai. The walking pace is relaxed with frequent stops. Note that you will only need to bring a bum-bag or small day pack with you today your main duffel bag or rucksack will be safe at Kalam Guest House. If you are unable to undertake this hike you may elect to remain at Kalam Guest House for the day and take shorter walks around the area with a guide. Overnight 1.5 star Kalam Guest House (twin share - includes all meals). SIMBAI / MT HAGEN / GOROKA 07:00 After breakfast at the guest house, we check out and walk to the airstrip and commence the rural PNG ritual of desperately searching the sky for that tiny black speck that will grow into the welcome sight of an aircraft. Once our charter flight touches down in Mt Hagen we will pick up a pizza or sandwich lunch and immediately commence Ph PNG Holidays, P.O. Box 1105, Cairns North, Queensland, Australia. 3

4 our 6 hour drive to Goroka, arriving late afternoon. The Highlands Highway takes us east, passing first through the market gardens, coffee and tea plantations of the Waghi Valley. This valley is often called the food bowl of PNG because of the intensive agricultural activities and in fact at the village of Kuk near Mt Hagen archaeologists have found evidence that the area has been planted with food crops for thousands of years. From the Waghi Valley the highway passes through the small towns of Kudjip and Minj then climbs into the alpine Chimbu Province with its precipitous ravines and steep mountainsides amazingly covered in furrowed gardens with people working away in them one foot uphill and one foot downhill to steady themselves. PNG s highest peak, Mt Wilhelm, passes us slowly on our left as we wind our way to Kundiawa town, capital of Chimbu, for a comfort stop at the hotel. One hour further on we come to the snake village where the people keep a variety of native pythons and other non-venomous snakes in semi-captivity for visitors to see and handle. There are also some poisonous species like the Papuan black and the taipan kept in cages. The taipan is the most venomous snake in PNG. If we are travelling on time we will make a stop here. If you are not a snake person you can huddle in the mini-bus. From the snake village we continue another thirty minutes to the peak of the Daulo Pass, a high altitude biodiversity hotspot where the road winds through swirling mists past giant tree ferns and trickling waterfalls. Local children sell flowers on the side of the road here. If we still have adequate daylight and fine weather we will leave our vehicle at the road side and some local villagers will lead us on a walk through the moss forest. The moss forest is populated by flowering and non-flowering trees and ferns which form a substrate for the growth of a wide variety of saprophytic native orchids, green mosses and colourful fungi, lichens, liverworts and leafy epiphytes: real Lord of the Rings stuff. Birds of paradise also frequent this area. From the Daulo Pass the road descends through the fertile Asaro Valley (Goroka s answer to Mt Hagen s Waghi Valley) and fin ally into Goroka town. Overnight 3.5 star Bird of Paradise Hotel, Goroka (includes set -menu dinner and hot breakfast). DAY 8 - FRI 23 OCT GOROKA 07:00 Breakfast in the upstairs bistro (included) 08:00 The group will depart by four wheel drive vehicle for a full day tour of the Asaro Valley. From the hotel it is a one hour drive straight up the scenic Highlands Highway to Daulo Pass, a high altitude biodiversity hotspot where the highway winds through swirling mists past giant tree ferns and trickling waterfalls. Near the peak of the pass, you will leave your vehicle at the road side and some locals, who live a rather cold existence way up here, will lead you on a 30 minute walk through the moss forest, still enveloped in morning fog and dripping with condensation. The forest is populated by flowering trees and tree ferns which form a substrate for the growth of a wide variety of saprophytic native orchids, green mosses and colourful fungi, lichens, liverworts and leafy epiphytes. From Daulo Pass you will drive back down the highway to Asaro village, home of the famed Asaro mudmen. These people have a tradition of crafting fierce looking clay helmets worn during tribal fights in the old days to frighten the enemy. The helmets are also worn for traditional dancing and drama performances demonstrating how their ancestors confronted enemy tribes wearing their mud helmets, their bodies smeared with grey mud pretending to be ghosts. You ll be shown how the clay helmets are made and worn, and you ll be treated to some Ph PNG Holidays, P.O. Box 1105, Cairns North, Queensland, Australia. 4

5 dance and drama. From Asaro you will drive another 30 minutes back towards Goroka town, arriving at Akameku, a typical local village around midday. The village is a typical semi-rural highlands community with round huts made of bush materials, smoky cooking fires and pigs wandering around untethered. At the village you ll see local people engaged in a variety of daily activities such as market gardening, harvesting, food preparation, billum weaving, hunting wild pigs with bows and arrows, crafting wooden drums and other sing-sing props and tending their coffee crops. Organic coffee grown on smallholder blocks is the major cash crop in the highlands. At the village a traditional-style mumu lunch is prepared for you which involves wrapping meat and vegetables in banana leaves or stuffing them into the nodes of giant bamboo stalks and roasting in a fire or burying in a pit under hot coals or hot stones. The food takes about 2 hours to slow-cook this way and when it comes out of the oven it has a delightful smoky barbeque flavour. Also at the village you have the option to take a 1 hour hike into the nearby montane forest to the nearby river and waterfall. This forest is populated by birds and tree mammals such as cuscus which can sometimes be seen peeping out of their hiding places, understandably wary of bows and arrows. Mid to late afternoon is the time of day when the raucous Raggiana bird of paradise is most active: the bird is relatively easy to spot in the trees as it flutters from tree to tree emitting a loud distinctive cackle. There are known nesting spots along the forest paths near the village. Wild animals including birds of paradise are plentiful in PNG and are not protected by law but locals have preserved some areas of forest for visitors to enjoy. 17:30 Return to hotel. Overnight 3.5 star Bird of Paradise Hotel, Goroka (includes set - menu or buffet dinner and hot breakfast). DAY 9 SAT 24 OCT GOROKA LAE 08:00 Depart Goroka for the 5 hour scenic road trip to Lae. This involves a 3 hour descent along the mountainous Highland Highways to the head of the Ramu River Valley where you will make a right turn onto the relatively flat Markham Highway for a smoother and faster 2 hour run down to Lae. The Goroka to Ramu River sector meanders over hill and down dale, crossing many bridges and passing through the rural towns of Henganofi and Kainantu, then you will make a stop for a break at the Yonki hydroelectric dam before descending through the steep winding Kassam Pass to the Ramu River Valley. As your vehicle descends the hairpin bends down through the pass which is occasionally blocked by landslides so no yodelling please - you may notice the change in temperature and humidity as you transcend the thermal inversion layer from the dry, cool air of the highlands to the moist, warm air of the coastal tropics. The drive south east down the fertile Markham River Valley passes by many kilometres of sugar cane farms, rice paddies, cattle blocks and other agricultural ventures. The final run into Lae town becomes crowded with roadside villages and smallholder market gardens. (Bottled water and fruit is supplied on board the bus). On arrival in Lae we check in at the hotel then enjoy a late lunch at the Lae Yacht Club before visiting the botanical gardens and war cemetery unfortunately there is not much else to see in Lae - an industrial city. Overnight 3.5 star Melanesian Hotel, Goroka (includes set-menu or buffet dinner and hot breakfast). Ph PNG Holidays, P.O. Box 1105, Cairns North, Queensland, Australia. 5

6 DAY 10 SUN 25 OCT DAY 11 MON 26 OCT LAE MOROBE SHOW Today we attend the Morobe Sing-Sing which is held on the second day of the Morobe Show. (The first day of the Show is only agricultural and trade displays with sideshow alley which we will skip). Unlike the other major shows and festivals in PNG which all have at least two days of sing-sing performances, the sing-sing program of the Morobe Show takes place on one day only so it will all be quite intense today. Different cultural groups will perform in the main arena beginning 09:00 and the judging will be in the afternoon. Often there will be several groups performing at the same time in different corners of the arena. Your tour package includes group entry to the grandstand seating area from where we will get good views of the performances. A boxed lunch or pizza lunch will be supplied at the grandstand at lunchtime. Special toilets for tourists are located behind the stand and our vehicle driver will also run several comfort trips back to the hotel during the day, in case you wish to freshen up or grab the spare camera batteries you left behind in your room. For photography, generally clear shots will be obtainable from your seated position in the grandstand but if you are a more serious photographer and you wish to enter the performance arena to take photographs during the performances and portrait shots of groups and individuals after they dance you will need to pay extra for a photographer s pass which is issued by the Show organising committee. Photographer s passes and accompanying vests will be available from the gift shop in our hotel. Overnight 3.5 star Melanesian Hotel, Goroka (includes set-menu or buffet dinner and hot breakfast). LAE - PORT MORESBY - ONWARD DESTINATION Check out of your accommodation and transfer to the airport. 11:00 Air Niugini flight PX103 departs Lae for Port Moresby, arriving 11:45 (aircraft: F100 jet with 98 seats). This service from Lae connects with outgoing flights to Asia. We can book you on an earlier service from Lae if you have an earlier international connection. Complimentary sightseeing or souvenir shopping is available in Port Moresby if you have time before your international flight. TOUR NOTES About Wewak: Wewak town (population around 50,000) is the jumping-off point for the Sepik River and the Wewak Islands. A smaller town than Madang, Wewak is less tourist-oriented and the local economy is mainly based on commercial fishing. There are three good hotels and a number of smaller motels and guest houses. From Madang there are two roads leading to the Sepik River (one to Pagwi on the Middle Sepik and one to Angoram on the Lower Sepik) and charter aircraft operate from Wewak airport to airstrips along the river at Ambunti (Upper Sepik), Timbunke (Middle Sepik) and Karawari ( a tributary of the Sepik). From the Wewak waterfront open speed boats travel 40 to 60 minutes to the outlying Wewak Islands, Muschu and Kairiru. About In-Wewak Boutique Hotel: Situated on a cliff top overlooking the Bismarck Sea the In-Wewak Boutique Hotel is a plantation-style property, less than 10 years old, featuring white-painted rooms with sterile clean bathrooms, white stucco facade, and wide verandahs with stiff sea breezes in the afternoons. By far the best hotel in Wewak, this hotel offers international-standard comfort and service in a small boutique package. The restaurant serves superb local seafood and the a la carte menu is a match for any of the larger hotels in Port Moresby. Breakfast and lunch are served in the café and represent good value. Dinner is served in the larger fine dining restaurant. Dial-up internet is available from user terminals near reception. There is a small freshwater pool but no beach access. In- Wewak Boutique Hotel is quite a distance from shops so self-catering in the rooms is not a viable option unless you bring food with you from Port Moresby. Ph PNG Holidays, P.O. Box 1105, Cairns North, Queensland, Australia. 6

7 Sepik motor canoes: The Sepik River and the neighbouring Ramu River are the only places in PNG where you will find motorised longboats or motor canoes. Elsewhere in the country, locally made fibreglass dinghies (called banana boats because of their curved design) are more common. Up to 10 metres in length, Sepik motor canoes are carved from whole tree trunks and take about 3 months to fashion. On the Sepik River you will see such canoes carrying up to 30 people or large quantities of fuel drums or other cargo weighed right down to the waterline but for comfort and convenience we load only 4 tourists plus baggage and supplies into a medium sized canoe (6-7 metres long with a 30hp outboard motor) or 6 tourists plus cargo into a large canoe (8-10 metres long with a 40hp engine). We do not own our own canoes: we hire them from local village operators in support of our responsible tourism policy. Sepik motor canoes are very safe and in all our years of operating Sepik River trips we have never known a canoe carrying tourists to capsize or sink. This is because when the makers carve the canoe they leave the wood at the bottom of the canoe very thick and carve the sides and prow thin. This way the centre of gravity remains low and the canoe tends to remain upright and not tip over. For stability reasons we prefer not to place cane armchairs in canoes for tourists to sit on (as do some other tour operators) because when passengers sit high in the canoe this raises the centre of gravity of the canoe and makes it roll from side to side and increases the risk of a passenger toppling out of the canoe when standing up in the canoe to stretch or take a photograph. The local people normally sit cross legged right down in the bottom of the canoe and for safety reasons we prefer our clients to do the same, although we normally provide a cushion or sleeping bag to sit on for comfort. We do provide life jackets and encourage you to wear one even if you are a strong swimmer because the Sepik River has very strong currents that are hard to swim against. Although none of our tourists have yet fallen out of a canoe, if it does happen to you the best strategy is just to float in the current until you are washed onto a sand bank at the next river bend or until the canoe comes around to pick you up. Don t try to swim against or across the current. The biggest danger with Sepik canoe travel is sunburn. Apart from applying sunscreen we recommend you wear long sleeves and hold a sturdy umbrella (which we normally provide) or wear a large wide -brimmed hat while travelling in these open canoes. Despite the brown colour of the river it does reflect a lot of solar radiation upwards under your umbrella or the brim of your hat so it is important to apply sunscreen to the undersides of your face and arms as well. Crocodiles on the Sepik: Crocodiles play a major part in the lives of the Sepik people. Apart from their centrality to spiritual beliefs, crocodiles are important for the local diet and the village micro-economy. Everywhere in the Sepik River basin, the crocodile is an occasional source of protein for the village diet, and crocodile skins are sold for cash to outside buyers. The collecting of crocodile eggs in the wild and hatching them in crocodile farms is an ongoing threat to the wild population. WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) is educating locals about sustainable harvesting of wildlife resources and encouraging them to turn to alternative sources of income such as ecotourism. The two species of crocodile prevalent in the Sepik basin are the common saltwater crocodile (Crocodilus porosus) and the New Guinea freshwater crocodile (Crocodilus novaeguineas). These days the wild populations of both species are retreating to the more remote tributaries of the Sepik that are furthest from their major predator: humans. It is unusual to see crocodiles along the main human-occupied areas of the Sepik River proper these days, as the constant passage of motorised dinghies and other small boats has driven the crocodile population up into backwaters. Very large crocodiles are rare these days and no monster man-eaters have been caught in the past 10 years. About the Middle Sepik crocodile cult: Crocodiles (known locally as pook-pooks ) play a major part in the cultural heritage of the Middle Sepik people. Crocodiles are animal totems symbolising strength and power. In the Middle Sepik crocodile cult villages from Korogo down to Kaminabit the attributes of the crocodile are so envied that the men even try to make themselves look like crocodiles. The initiation of boys into adulthood involves a painful and bloody scarification ritual during which dozens of small cuts are made all over the back from shoulders to hips, and pockets of skin are lifted away from the flesh. Upon healing, this leaves raised scars that resemble the bumpy hide of the crocodile. Such initiations are carried out in secret only once or twice a year and outsiders are not normally allowed to witness the cutting ritual although increasingly villagers are accepting large cash inducements from film crews and wealthy tourists for permission to observe and photograph their young men undergoing the skin cutting. Ph PNG Holidays, P.O. Box 1105, Cairns North, Queensland, Australia. 7

8 Once initiated, the men of the crocodile cult may sit in the Haus Tambaran (men s spirit house) and participate in pagan cult practises such as communing with the ancestors. Middle Sepik men who are not initiated (for whatever reason, eg. due to Christian religious beliefs, due to living in the city and not having the opportunity, or due to being frightened of the pain), are not permitted to enter the Haus Tambaran. However in most villages the initiated men do allow outside visitors, including foreign women, to enter. Personal security in Mt Hagen: Mt Hagen is a much more boisterous town than Goroka so it is not a good idea for visitors to walk around in crowded areas. Public drunkenness, bag snatching and pick-pocketing is common. Unlike Goroka which is a focal point for one province only, Mt Hagen is a crossroads for the Southern Highlands, Enga and Western Highlands provinces and unfortunately often serves as a venue for tribal conflicts. During the daytime thousands of villagers from surrounding provinces pour into the town to market, shop or loiter and sooner or later two enemies come face to face and challenge each other (eg. hey you re the guy who stole my pig thwack!) followed by a call to arms for any of their tribesmen in the vicinity to join the fray. With fighting often flaring up without notice around bus stops, markets and shopping areas, these fracas are then taken advantage of by opportunists with occasional looting of shops while tribesmen are busy brawling and police are trying to break them up. About Simbai: Simbai is an isolated district in the highlands. It is located approximately halfway between Mt Hagen and Madang. Administratively the area falls within the Madang Province but culturally the people of the Simbai area are more similar to the highlands tribes than the coastal peoples of Madang. The area surrounding Simbai airstrip the Simbai River valley to the east and the Kaironk River valley to the west is populated by the Kalam tribe. Archaeological digs in this area indicate that the Kalam people have occupied the Simbai area continuously for more than a thousand years. The dialect spoken by the people here is one of PNG s most unusual languages, characterised by glottal stops. The traditional culture here is also unique among Papua New Guinea s eight hundred tribes. Native houses have a trademark irregular hexagon shape, men s initiation ceremonies feature nose-piercing and pig-killing, and on special occasions the initiated men wear huge cane-framed head dresses the largest in Papua New Guinea decorated with animal skins and the exoskeletons of thousands of luminescent green beetles collected from the forest. Just an hour s walk from the airstrip brings you to primitive villages where time has stood still and the local people still live in grass huts, still wear traditional dress and still hunt game and harvest fruit and vegetables from the forest for their diet. Flights to Simbai: The small aircraft which fly between Mt Hagen and Simbai operate under visual flight rules (VFR) and cannot take off from Mt Hagen if Simbai is known to be under cloud cover (otherwise they will waste time and fuel if they have to turn back). On some days Simbai is crystal clear first thing in the morning and aircraft can fly in early. Other days there is morning fog at Simbai and flights cannot land at Simbai until the fog lifts. On most days high altitude cloud cover closes the airstrip again mid-afternoon but sometimes earlier. Therefore our departure time out of Mt Hagen cannot be confirmed in advance and all we can do is get to the airport early and be prepared to fly either first-up or later in the morning once the pilot receives a radio report of clear visibility at Simbai. The clear weather window is normally between 09:00 and 14:00. There is a 10% risk that our flight will not operate at all today if the cloud cover at Simbai is particularly heavy, if the aircraft has a technical problem or if the pilot is sick (there is a shortage of both aircraft and pilots in PNG and there will not likely be a spare of either on the day). If our flight to Simbai today does not happen, an alternative activity will be arranged in Mt Hagen and the flight rescheduled for next morning. It s unlikely this will happen but we like to inform our clients in advance of potential disruptions. If we do have an extra night in Mt Hagen your hotel accommodation and meals will be covered by Ecotourism Melanesia. Obviously the same risk of disruption applies for the return flight sector from Simbai back to Mt Hagen and it s possible we may have to spend an extra night at Simbai thus missing some of the following itinerary activities. Please note missed activities are not refundable in this circumstance. Ph PNG Holidays, P.O. Box 1105, Cairns North, Queensland, Australia. 8

9 Flight cancellation two days in a row is extremely unlikely as August/September is generally a good time of the year for travel to Simbai, and experiencing disruptions both on the way out and on the way back is improbable it certainly hasn t happened to us before. The tricky weather at Simbai is one of the reasons why other tour companies do not offer Simbai in their tour programs. However over the past 10 years our tour operator has learned how to work around the Simbai weather issue by informing our clients in advance of possible delays or disruptions and asking for their patience while sitting at the Mt Hagen airport waiting for a clear weather report: may we suggest BYO deck of cards, Sudoku puzzles or Tom Clancy mega-novel. All our past clients will tell you without hesitation that visiting with the Kalam tribe at Simbai was the absolute highlight of their trip to PNG and is well worth any waiting time. About Kalam Guest House: Kalam Guest House is a basic but clean and comfortable facility built with local materials and operated by the Simbai community as a non-profit venture designed to attract more visitors into the area. The guest house has ten twin rooms with clean bedding supplied. The bathroom, which has fresh water and a sit-down toilet, is shared but it is unlikely that there will be any other guests staying apart from our tour party so we should have the place to ourselves (hardly any tourists come to Simbai and the guest house mainly accommodates visiting government officers, coffee buyers and the occasional intrepid salesman). Electricity is supplied in the evenings by a small generator. Local style meals prepared by Simbai ladies are served. In front of the guest house is an open area that the locals use as a meeting place and sing-sing ground. PRICES PER PERSON IN AUD Package Per person Ex Cairns, 4 nights all airfares included $9695 Ex Brisbane, 4 nights, all airfares included $9850 Ex Port Moresby, all domestic flights included $9295 Single Supplement $1175 PACKAGE INCLUSIONS Australia PNG International and domestic Airfares (as specified) Port Moresby - airport meet and greet, ad hoc city tour if time allows Port Moresby - scheduled domestic flight to Wewak Wewak 2 nights 4 star twin share accommodation at In-Wewak Boutique Hotel, includes 3 course dinners and hot breakfasts Wewak overnight excursion to Middle Sepik including road and motor canoe transfers, village tours, basic village hut accommodation, local style food and bottled water, private sing-sing performance as per itinerary or similar Wewak - scheduled domestic flight to Mt Hagen Mt Hagen bus tour of town and surrounds, local village Mt Hagen - 1 night 4 star twin share accommodation at Highlander Hotel, includes arrival lunch, buffet dinner, hot breakfast Mt Hagen return charter flights to Simbai Ph PNG Holidays, P.O. Box 1105, Cairns North, Queensland, Australia. 9

10 Simbai - 2 nights 1.5-star twin-share accommodation at Kalam Guest House, Simbai including local style Meals and bottled or boiled drinking water Simbai 1.5 days village tours and hiking, including all village entry fees and gratuities Mt Hagen road transfer to Goroka with stops, includes pizza or sandwich lunch en-route Port Moresby - scheduled domestic flight to Goroka Goroka - 2 nights twin-share 3.5 star hotel accommodation, includes buffet or set-menu dinners and hot breakfasts Goroka - half day tour of Goroka town and surrounds Goroka - full day Asaro mudmen and village culture excursion with village lunch Goroka - road transfer to Lae Lae - 2 nights twin-share 3.5 star hotel accommodation, includes buffet or set-menu dinners and hot breakfasts Lae - full day escorted excursion to the Morobe Sing-Sing with grandstand entry pass with fruit, bottled water, pizza Lae - scheduled domestic flight to Port Moresby Port Moresby - departure day ad hoc shopping or sightseeing Port Moresby - departure check-in assistance and farewell at airport Throughout the tour we provide: - services of a full time tour Leader - all fees and gratuities for local villages, guides, demonstrators and helpers - all airport/hotel transfers - all road travel by late model mini bus or four wheel drive vehicle with bottled water on board - daily reconfirmation of flights and arrangements coordinated by our tour operator s Port Moresby office - 24 hour assistance from our operator s Port Moresby office EXCLUSIONS Travel insurance (mandatory). We can arrange this for you meals, bar drinks and bottled water not stated tips (not expected, and only appropriate for exceptional service) souvenirs and items of a personal nature visas and visa assistance airline excess baggage charges (the free allowance on Air Niugini is 30 kg + 5 kg with international flights) personal items such as hat and sunscreen. Bring your own personal medications and first aid kit, personal hygiene requirements, brimmed hat or cap, amphibious footwear (sandals or quick-dry canvas shoes), insect repellent, sunscreen, battery-operated personal fan. Please note that pressurised aerosol spray cans are not permitted on domestic flights in PNG bring pump-action sprays or roll-ons. Ph PNG Holidays, P.O. Box 1105, Cairns North, Queensland, Australia. 10

11 GENERAL TRIP NOTES 1. Prices are quoted in Australian Dollar and are correct at the time of printing this document (18 May 2015). They are subject to currency fluctuations and may need to be re-quoted if large variances occur with the USD and PGK rates. PNG Holidays WILL NOT be liable for changes in price due to the above and the rate is not guaranteed until paid in full. 2. Hotel accommodation. Hotel rooms in the towns transited on this tour are generally of three star standard. Hotel and resort rooms all have private bathrooms, TV and air-conditioning (except in the highlands), unless otherwise specified. While we endeavour to book you into the hotels stated in the tour itinerary, in cases where specified hotels are fully booked by the time we receive your tour deposit we may have to book you into alternative accommodation. In this situation we strive to book you into the next-best available accommodation and we apologise in advance for any disappointment. No compensation or partial refunds or discounts can be paid or allowed on the basis of the perceived quality of hotel rooms provided for you while on this tour because the wholesale rates offered to us by the higher quality tourist hotels are similar to the non-commissionable rates we have to pay lesser quality motels when the tourist hotels are full. 3. When booking a Morobe Show Weekender package with us we require a 50% deposit at the time of booking so that we can immediately secure your preferred accommodation. Our normal cancellation penalties apply (see page 2 of your invoice). 4. Star ratings are an approximate guide only and are not based on any published star rating system. 5. Single supplement. All accommodation included in the tour package quoted is twin-share. On payment of a single supplement levy and subject to availability, we will arrange single occupancy for you at the hotels on this tour. The single supplement charge is a flat rate and covers the cost of the extra rooms and our service fee for the additional arrangements. If you are travelling alone and you do not pay the single supplement, or if single supplement is not available, we will room you with another member of the tour group of the same gender. Smoking won t be allowed in any of the hotel or guest house rooms on this tour. 6. Extras. Bar drinks, between-meal snacks, any meals not included in the package, and other extras at hotels can be paid for in cash or with credit card direct to the hotel or restaurant. 7. Safety and security. Papua New Guinea is sometimes portrayed as a dangerous destination, but although street crime is a concern in some urban areas and tribal fights are prevalent in some parts of the Highlands, the vast majority of the country, especially the rural areas, is safe and welcoming. It is very uncommon for a tourist to be a Ph PNG Holidays, P.O. Box 1105, Cairns North, Queensland, Australia. 11

12 victim of crime in PNG because tourists do not usually visit areas where crime or tribal violence are prevalent. Nevertheless, PNG Holidays takes the safety and security of our visitors seriously and all tours we offer involve destinations that we rate as safe. 8. Climate and clothing. In the Highlands areas like Goroka, the days are generally warm and sunny with moderately cold nights and mornings. We suggest visitors pack clothes made predominantly of cotton which will allow an evaporative cooling effect in hot humid areas. Pack a sweater or warm jacket for wearing in the Highlands in the evenings. Recommended sleeping attire is light track pants and sweat shirt or similar. Coastal areas like Lae and hot and humid during the day so cotton clothing is recommended. Remember to pack a wide brimmed hat and sunscreen for protection from the harsh sun. Papua New Guinea is a conservative country and brief or revealing clothing worn by foreigners is frowned upon. 9. Packing suggestions. We suggest that your packing list include: rain poncho, a small bath towel, your favourite soap in a leak-proof container, a one-litre water bottle, a small first aid kit. We recommend valuable personal items (camera, travel documents etc) be packed in zip lock plastic bags to protect them from the wet (rain, bow spray). Suitable footwear for this tour includes tennis shoes/sneakers, and a pair of sandals/thongs/flip flops. Bring plenty of spare batteries for your digital camera because batteries seem to go flat more rapidly in the humid climate and are not obtainable in all stores here. 10. Baggage scheduled flights. The free baggage allowance on scheduled domestic flights is 30kg and the carry-on limit is 5kg, when included on an international ticket purchased through PNG Holidays. Domestic checked-in allowance is 16kg. Naturally you can check more baggage if you are prepared to pay the excess baggage rate which is approximately PGK8 per kilogram Port Moresby to Goroka and Lae. Due to narrow-body turbo-prop aircraft operating some scheduled flights, large carry-on items may be taken off you and stored in the hold even if the weight is under the carry-on limit. Liquids are permitted in both checked baggage and carry-on for domestic flights but pressurised aerosol spray cans are not permitted on any domestic flights in PNG either in checked luggage OR carry-on. Bring pump-action sprays or roll-ons. When flying out on your international flight, pack all gels, lotions and other liquids in your checked baggage as carry-on luggage will be hand searched and liquids including water bottles will be removed. If you have liquids that you need during the flight, declare them, to airline staff at check-in. If you are on a gluten free diet or require other special food just let us know in advance and we will do our best to accommodate you. 11. Water. Town water supplies in Papua New Guinea are treated and officially rated as safe to drink. In the villages, drinking water is usually collected in rainwater tanks or carried in containers from clean water sources. However to prevent discomfort from drinking from a different water supply every day as you progress through your tour, we recommend you drink bottled or boiled water, or use water purification tablets. 12. Visas. Tourist visas are available on arrival at Port Moresby airport for citizens of designated countries including New Zealand, the USA, Canada and Northern and Western European countries; Australian citizens MUST have a current visitors visa in their passport PRIOR to departure from Australia, otherwise they will be refused boarding and no refunds will be given. Please note your passport must have at least 6 months validity left on it in order to be issued a PNG visa. Passport-holders of central and eastern European countries, Middle Eastern countries, African and Caribbean countries must normally apply for a visa at least 6 weeks in advance, from a PNG embassy or high commission (London, Brussels, Washington DC, Canberra, Singapore, Manila) or through the Australian diplomatic mission in other countries. Ph PNG Holidays, P.O. Box 1105, Cairns North, Queensland, Australia. 12

13 13. Money. The best way to obtain PNG currency is by withdrawing a credit card cash advance on arrival. Automatic teller machines operated by major banks in PNG will accept MasterCard and Visa Card but there is an ATM withdrawal limit of PGK2000 (about USD$ 1040) per day. Larger amounts can be withdrawn over the counter in bank branches located in major towns. The currency exchange booths at Australian and Asian airports usually have PNG Kina currency in stock (banks and currency exchange booths in the city centres may not), but don't change large sums of money before arrival in PNG because the exchange rate for purchasing PNG kina is better here. 14. Package modifications. We can arrange this tour as an 'add-on' to other tours or accommodation packages and can offer much better rates on domestic airfares if bundled together with international flights. Ph PNG Holidays, P.O. Box 1105, Cairns North, Queensland, Australia. 13