Volcanoes, Islands, & Fjords: Papua New Guinea Private Journey

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1 Travcoa Private Journeys are pre-designed luxury travel itineraries which are locally hosted by carefully selected guides. Each is crafted to provide the ideal in-depth experience of its various destinations and includes deluxe accommodations (or the best available in remote areas), sightseeing, private transportation, breakfast daily, some meals and personalized touches throughout. Volcanoes, Islands, & Fjords: Papua New Guinea Private Journey 12 Days Port Moresby Tufi Kokopo Rabaul Kavieng START: Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea END: Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea DATES: Starts Any Day 2017 PRICES FROM: $6,595* Intra-tour air from: $ 1,550 *Prices are per person, based on double occupancy, and are subject to change. The price of this journey is dependent upon travel date and availability. Any additions and/or alteration to the journey may incur additional costs. Holiday supplements may apply. Journey Highlights Discover the diverse and historic capital city of Port Moresby Cruise the Fjordland of Papua New Guinea, and visit sacred ground with local villagers Experience the colorful culture and exotic traditions of Papua New Guinea s tribes people Meet a master malagan craftsman, and learn about his method of carving Explore the islands near the Vulcan and Tavurvur volcanoes Swim, snorkel, and relish the tropical aqua waters near Rabaul and Kavieng

2 Day 1 Arrive Port Moresby, PAPUA NEW GUINEA Upon arrival in Port Moresby you are transferred to your luxury hotel in this, the capital city of Papua New Guinea. Papua New Guinea is a country of over four million people speaking 700 different languages. Port Moresby is a cosmopolitan city, embracing technology and development while trying to retain the traditional values of its varied population. Enjoy the remainder of your day at leisure to relax after your flight. Meals: None Airways Hotel, Port Moresby Day 2 Port Moresby & Tufi Port Moresby is a blend of old and new. Remnants of its colonial days can still be found downtown, while elements of the traditional way of life are maintained in the nearby villages. This morning, your half-day sightseeing tour begins with the Burns Peak Lookout, Fairfax Harbour and Airvos Avenue. Drive to the Hanuabada stilt village, the city s original Motu village, then on to Ela Beach and the New Guinea Art Warehouse. See the National Museum and Parliament House, which exemplifies the striking harmony of modern architecture and traditional design. It s constructed in the style of a Sepik River haus tambaran (spirit house), and offers a collection of impressive carvings, mosaics and murals from artists and craftsmen from across the country. Next, view a wonderful array of local, exotic plant species and animals at the Port Moresby Nature Park, the Bomana War Cemetery, then make stops at a handicraft market and the fresh food Waigani Market. Your sightseeing tour ends at the airport in time for your afternoon flight to Tufi, located on the northeast coast. Upon arrival in Tufi you are escorted to your resort, where you may enjoy the rest of the afternoon at leisure. Perhaps you ll choose to snorkel or explore on one of the stunning beaches nearby. After dinner, watch a traditional cultural performance. Meals: Breakfast & Dinner Tufi Resort, Tufi

3 Day 3 Tufi Tufi is known as the Fjordland of Papua New Guinea. This morning, travel by boat into one of the remote areas to meet with local tribesmen and learn about their culture. At the fjord entrance local villagers adorned in traditional dress invite you on an expedition via outrigger canoe. Travel up river, deeper into the fjord where the tribesmen believe spirits and sorcery run wild. Reaching the end of the fjord, disembark your canoe to follow the villagers on a guided walk through the rainforest to a sacred area. Learn how to make sago, a food staple extracted from the sago palm. Discover how the tribe employs locally-sourced materials to maintain their traditional lifestyle, including baskets woven from various river plants that are used to catch fish and gather native foodstuffs. You are also taught about bush medicines, fire-making, mat-making, and traditional tattooing. Travel back out of the fjord on your outrigger canoe to board a boat for the short cruise back to your resort. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Tufi Resort, Tufi Day 4 Tufi to Port Moresby This morning, enjoy a relaxing two-hour fjord cruise. Gaze upon the steep 500-foot cliffs that seem to plummet into the sea, and admire the beautiful flora and fauna. The waters around these tropical fjords are clear and calm, a scuba diver s paradise. Coral outcrops are abundant with fish such as tuna, mackerel, barracuda, white tip and black tip reef sharks, hammerheads and rare white hammerheads. Turtles, manta rays and eagle rays can also be seen cruising by. Enjoy a swim or simply relax on board. In the afternoon you are transferred to the airport for your flight to Port Moresby where you are escorted to your hotel to enjoy the rest of the day at leisure. Meals: Breakfast & Lunch Airways Hotel, Port Moresby Day 5 Port Moresby to Rabaul (Kokopo) Depart Port Moresby early this morning on your flight to Rabaul (Kokopo) on the island of New Britain. Upon arrival you are escorted to your resort overlooking the harbor. Enjoy the rest of the morning at leisure, relaxing after your early start to the day. After lunch, a harbor cruise will provide an up-close look at both the Vulcan and Tavurvur volcanoes. Cruise into Simpson Harbour, one of the deepest ports in the world. Pass by the Page 3 of 8

4 Blue Lagoon" and circle the "Beehives," two remarkable rock formations set in the middle of the harbor. Arrive at Matupit Island, which bore the brunt of Mt. Tavurvur s last eruption. Travel to the base of the volcano to watch as the men of Matupit dig for megapode eggs through several feet of volcanic ash. When the Tavurvur and Vulcan volcanoes erupted in 1994, the region was covered by up to seven feet of heavy ash. Your cruise continues to Big Pigeon Island, a nature reserve and host to spectacular marine life. Admire the beauty of the island and take time to relax and enjoy world-class snorkeling. Arrive back at your resort by late afternoon. Meals: Breakfast & Lunch Kokopo Beach Bungalow Resort, Kokopo Day 6 Gazelle Peninsula During today s full-day tour of the Gazelle Peninsula, discover the history of East New Britain. Start with a visit to the Bita Paka War Cemetery, the resting place of more than 1,100 Commonwealth servicemen from World War II. Visit the Kokopo War Museum, which hosts an extensive range of war relics and reminders of the Japanese and German occupation of East New Britain. Next, visit the Japanese Barge Tunnel, part of a system of 435 miles of underground passageways that kept Japanese craft hidden from detection by the Allied Forces. In Rabaul, tour Admiral Yamamoto's Bunker, the underground command post of a key figure in the Japanese military during World War II. Also visit the historic New Guinea Club & Rabaul Museum. Next, travel to some magnificent natural hot springs before visiting the Volcano Observatory. Next it s on to a former Japanese submarine base, where you can snorkel in the waters of the Pacific Ocean amidst a plethora of tropical fish. Arrive back at your resort in the later afternoon. Meals: Breakfast & Lunch Kokopo Beach Bungalow Resort, Kokopo Page 4 of 8

5 Day 7 Duke of York Islands The Duke of York Islands is a group of islands that make up part of the Bismarck Archipelago. Crowned with pristine white sand beaches, the surrounding island waters are a magnificent deep aqua blue. First sighted by the British navigator Philip Carteret in 1767, the islands became an important 19 th century trading post. Explore the islands on a full-day excursion to view historical sites, visit local villages, and snorkel or swim in the tranquil waters. Meals: Breakfast Kokopo Beach Bungalow Resort, Kokopo Day 8 Rabaul to Kavieng Enjoy your morning at leisure. Relax on the beach or partake in optional activities, including snorkeling, fishing, bird-watching, or take a tour of the nearby village. This afternoon you are transferred to the Rabaul airport for your flight to Kavieng on the island of New Ireland. Upon arrival you are escorted to your deluxe accommodations traditional bungalows designed to blend into their tropical surroundings. This evening relax over dinner at the resort. Meals: Breakfast & Dinner Lissenung Island Resort, Kavieng Day 9 Kavieng After a sumptuous breakfast, take a 20-minute boat ride to begin your full-day drive along the stunning, coastal Boluminski Highway. Visit the largest tree house in the world, then, stop at Poliamba Plantation to learn how vegetable oil is made. In the village of Laraibina, visit Cathy s Eels, an eel farm set next to a freshwater stream. These silky smooth creatures can grow up to 4 feet in length, and your welcome to hand-feed and pet them. Enjoy a picnic lunch at the Fissoa River with time for a swim before continuing to your last stop, the village of Libba. Here you meet malagan master carver, Ben Sisia and learn about this unique style of carving in which one figure is intricately interwoven with another. Arrive back at your resort in the late afternoon. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Lissenung Island Resort, Kavieng Page 5 of 8

6 Day 10 Kavieng Swim and snorkel in the beautiful tropical waters along the reef surrounding the island this morning. After lunch at the resort, enjoy time at leisure before attending a Sing-Sing performed by people from Tigak Island. Watch as the group, dressed in bilas (traditional costumes), energetically performs tribal songs and dances that relate the tales of their history, traditions, and legends. The rhythm and color of the dancers is mesmerizing as they whirl to the sound of beating drums. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Lissenung Island Resort, Kavieng Day 11 Kavieng to Port Moresby Depart Kavieng on the morning flight to Port Moresby where you are escorted to your hotel. Enjoy the rest of the morning at leisure. After an early lunch at the hotel, embark on your choice of two afternoon tours. The Urban Village Tour visits a peri-urban village community where you learn about the history of the Motuan people, view a typical family home and see traditional Motuan dress. You also learn about their methods of tattooing. Alternatively, the WWII History Tour visits important wartime points of interest. During World War II, Port Moresby was coveted by both sides wanting to control of the Coral Sea and the South Pacific Ocean. The city was transformed into a large military camp which accommodated tens of thousands of troops, and was the only town of any significant size left standing in Papua New Guinea by the end of the war. Meals: Breakfast Airways Hotel, Port Moresby Day 12 Depart Port Moresby Enjoy time at leisure until you are transferred to the Port Moresby airport for your flight home or to your next destination. Meals: Breakfast TRAVEL NOTE: Papua New Guinea is a remote destination that is undeveloped by Western standards. The accommodations maybe rustic but are the best available. The food is simple but tasty, and the weather is unpredictable, although generally hot and humid. Page 6 of 8

7 NOTE: The Daily Itinerary above is subject to change dependent upon local conditions and/or operational changes or improvements. The specific times and order of inclusions within each destination may also be altered to best accommodate unscheduled closures, special events, weather, traffic, etc. Travcoa is unable to guarantee the sighting of any animals while on this journey. Please contact your Journey Consultant before scheduling any coinciding appointment. Best Time To Travel January-December Additional Information Visa Information Your Passport must be valid for six months beyond your departure date. US citizens need a visa to visit Papua New Guinea. The visa may be obtained prior to arrival or upon arrival at the Port Moresby Airport. We suggest doing so upon arrival. Link This Journey To Private Journeys: Amazing Australia; Verdant New Zealand; Highlands of Papua New Guinea, Tasmania: Authentic By Nature, Temples of Bali & Java Or Escorted Journeys: Kia Ora from Sea to Sky: New Zealand Page 7 of 8

8 This Travcoa Private Journey Includes Terms & Conditions Accommodations as indicated in the itinerary Meals as indicated in the itinerary Private transfers and privately guided sightseeing Local English speaking guide for sightseeing Entrance fees per final itinerary Local taxes Medical & Travel Assistance Plan Intra Tour Flights (additional cost) Not Included Travcoa Travel Director Meals, except where noted International Airfare Airport taxes Passport & Visa fees Gratuities Deposit/Payment Policy At the time of reservation: 120 days before departure: 25% of journey cost plus airfare Balance due Cancellation Policy The cancellation policy is applicable to journey price, single supplements, intra tour air, extensions and other tour related arrangements. Penalties are valid from date of reservation until: 120 days or more before departure: 119 to 90 days before departure: 89 to 60 days before departure: 59 days or less and en route: 10% per person 20% 50% 100% Travcoa will only reimburse according to our cancellation policy. Page 8 of 8