Upon arrival at Jackson's International Airport in Port Moresby, you are met by Trans Niugini Tours' staff members who will then transfer you to the comfort of the Airways hotel. Enjoy the afternoon settling in for the journey ahead.
Transfer from the Airways Hotel back to the airport for your flight to Mount Hagen.
Today is spent at the Hagen Cultural Pre-show; an intimate gathering of a dozen or more different PNG tribal groups, each performing their unique sing-sing while lavishly decorated and dressed in full bilas; tribal dress. The show takes place at a beautiful outdoor showground on the Rondon Ridge property. The stunning mountain vista framed by the distinctly vast highlands’ sky serves as the perfect backdrop for this unique demonstration of PNG tradition.
The celebrations will begin as the tribes arrive and gather to carefully adorn themselves with their complex headdresses, face and body paint and traditional clothing. As the morning progresses, we will gather together and the groups will each perform their sing-sing. The afternoon also includes demonstrations of the traditional Melpa bridal price exchange, warfare demonstration and a shared mumu; the traditional earth-oven used to prepare food for feasts.
This weekend you will attend the annual Mount Hagen Cultural Show. The Mount Hagen Show is truly a unique and splendid cultural experience, unparalleled both in diversity and authenticity. The show itself is a stunning reflection of the incredible diversity of Papua New Guinea’s cultural landscape.
The Show brings together more than 80 unique and colourful sing-sing groups from across Papua New Guinea; each of whom share their unique celebration display through colorful traditional dress, dance and song.
The celebrations will begin as the tribes arrive and gather to carefully adorn themselves with their complex headdresses, face and body paint and traditional clothing.
The show will begin, as each tribal group enters the showground and proudly performs their unique sing-sing to the enraptured audience. The performance gradually builds until each of the tribes is simultaneously performing to a cacophony of rhythmic drumming and hundreds of voices. It is truly an awe-inspiring experience.
This morning fly by charter flight into the deep heart of the jungle where your wondrous journey continues at the Karawari Lodge in the Sepik region. Sitting on a ridge above the Karawari River, the lodge boasts a spectacular view of hundreds of kilometres of dense tropical jungle. Proceed with lunch, followed by an afternoon visit to a nearby village to learn about the customary process of harvesting and preparing the sago palm. Sago is the staple food for the Karawari tribes.
Enjoy two full days travelling along the Karawari river to visit the small villages that line its shores. The villages provide a unique opportunity to visit traditional homes, witness ceremonial dances and celebrations and glimpse traditional village life. The Karawari tribes express their beliefs through their skilful and artistic expressions of sculpture and art. Enjoy this opportunity to admire or purchase the beautifully woven baskets, carved masks, drums and sculptures. At the end of each afternoon you will return to the comfort of the Karawari Lodge in time to refresh and relax before dinner.
This morning you will Take a short flight across untouched rainforest and mountains to the Tari Valley. The Huli tribe that inhabit this area is the largest as well as one of the most colourful and iconic tribes of PNG. Once you arrive you will be transferred to Ambua Lodge; nestled at the edge of the lush green rainforest and overlooking the serene Tari valley below. Spend the afternoon enjoying Ambua’s winding forest trails that take you through lush rainforest, past gushing waterfalls and over traditional vine bridges. While on the nature walk you may chance to observe up to 13 species of the birds of paradise alongside a wide variety of coloured flowers, exotic plants and insects.
Spend two days touring the villages and countryside of the iconic Huli tribe. The Hulis are famed for their colourful bilas (traditional dressing) and unique traditions. The Huli men pride themselves on their beautiful bilas with its’ elaborately constructed human hair headdress which they lavishly decorated with flowers, mosses and ornate bird feathers. Their bilas, combined with their unique
sing sing is intended both to enrapture their audience, as well as intimidate enemies. Visit the mens wig school and tour the local villages to experience how this proud mountain tribe has evolved in the modern age, while still maintaining the stories, beliefs and traditions of their ancestors.
This morning you depart for Port Moresby. Upon arrival in Port Moresby, you will be met by Trans Niugini Tours staff and transferred to your ongoing international flight.
