Sepik River Crocodile Festival and the spectacular Mount Hagen Show
Tour Introduction
Led by various local regional guides, this 15 day /14 night itinerary offers the opportunity to experience TWO exciting cultural festivals in Papua New Guinea. The tour begins with an adventurous canoe safari in the Sepik River to experience the Sepik crocodile festival. The Crocodile Festival highlights the importance of the crocodile and its cultural significance to the people of the Sepik River. Next visit the coastal resort of Madang with some time to explore the nearby islands and villages before travelling into the highlands to visit Goroka, home of the famous “mudmen”. Finally, the tour ends with opportunity to visit Mount Hagen for the spectacular Mount Hagen Show providing an incredible vista of cultures from all over Papua New Guinea. A truly fantastic tour highlighting the cultural diversity of Papua.
Full Itinerary
Depart Singapore on Air Niugini flight to Port Moresby.
Includes In-flight Meals.
Arrive in Port Moresby. Meet with group and assisted with connection to Wewak. Met and tfr to the hotel. Rest of the day at leisure.
Staying at In Wewak Boutique Hotel. Includes No Meals.
Transfer by road to pagwi and then board motorised dugout canoe and commence the Sepik river canoe safari.
Staying at Ambunti Lodge. Includes All Meals.
Enjoy the Sepik River Crocodile festival
Staying at Ambunti Lodge. Includes All Meals.
Enjoy the Sepik River Crocodile festival
Staying at Ambunti Lodge. Includes All Meals.
Return to Pagwi by canoe and transfer by road to Maprik and enjoy a mini cultural show. Later, transfer to hotel in Wewak.
Staying at In Wewak Boutique Hotel. Includes Breakfast and Lunch.
Tfr to the airport and catch PNG Airlines flight to Madang. Met and tfr to the hotel. Afternoon town tour to include the museum, Bilbil village and Balek Habitat.
Staying at Madang Resort Hotel. Includes Breakfast.
Morning harbour cruise to visit Siar Island and Pig Island for snorkelling
Staying at Madang Resort Hotel. Includes Breakfast.
Tfr by road (c.7-8 hours) to Goroka with stop at Yonki Hydro dam en route. Tfr to the hotel.
Staying at Pacific Gardens Hotel. Includes Breakfast and Lunch.
Morning visit to Asaro village for Mudman performance and tradtitional "mumu" lunch. Afternoon viis tot Chimbu Village
Staying at Pacific Gardens Hotel. Includes Breakfast and Lunch.
Tfr by road to Mount Hagen. En route visit Mindima Village for Oma Masalai prformance
Staying at Shine Inn Lodge. Includes All Meals.
Morning visit to Paiya village for mini cultural show.
Staying at Shine Inn Lodge. Includes All Meals.
Day to enjoy the Mount Hagen cutlural show
Staying at Shine Inn Lodge. Includes All Meals.
Day to enjoy the Mount Hagen cutlural show
Staying at Shine Inn Lodge. Includes All Meals.
Tfr to the airport and catch Air Niugini flight to Port Moresby. Catch Air Niugini flight to Singapore.
Includes In-flight Meals.
Download the full details of this itinerary and start planning your trip today.
Download FileTour Accommodation
In Wewak Boutique Hotel
Overview
In Wewak Boutique Hotel is a beautiful colonial-style property situated on a hillside on the outskirts of Wewak town overlooking the beautiful Bismarck Sea.
The rooms have private facilities, fridges, direct dial telephones, flat-screen satellite TV and air conditioning: the deluxe rooms also have private balconies. All rooms are cleaned daily and a laundry service is available.
There are two restaurants on site, both with good service and air conditioning. The Cocoa Café offers breakfast and lunch daily and the Vanilla Room serves dinner. The hotel has a small outdoor swimming pool and showcases excellent examples of local East Sepik Province artefacts and art throughout the building.
The hotel is ideally placed for trips in the Pagwi district, famous for its diverse culture, village worship houses and wildlife.
Swimming Pool
Air Conditioning
Rooms
Facilities
En suite bathrooms, two restaurants, bar, lounge, direct dial telephones, TV, fridge, laundry service, swimming pool, sundeck area and Wi-Fi.
Optional Activities
Cultural activities in the nearby Pagwi region.
Ambunti Lodge
Overview
The only hotel on this part of the mighty Sepik River, Ambunti Lodge offers basic accommodation but is the best option for those undertaking the three-day canoe trip, which takes you into the heart of authentic Papuan life and culture.
Electricity comes from a generator which goes off at 22:00hrs and comes back in the morning. Rooms are small and beds have mosquito nets. En suite bathrooms have flush toilet, cold water shower (very refreshing in the heat) and air-conditioning in each room (limited hours).
Ambunti Lodge is the only accommodation in the area apart from bush-material guesthouses in the villages which are even more basic.
Swimming Pool
Air Conditioning
Rooms
Facilities
Private facilities, dining room, lounge, bar, air-conditioning (restricted hours)
Optional Activities
Cultural tours along the Sepik River and its tributaries. Bird watching.
Madang Resort Hotel
Overview
A large comfortable hotel ideally located at the entrance of the beautiful Madang harbour. The hotel is surrounded by beautiful tropical gardens and offers a range of accommodation types to suit all budgets from standard rooms to executive waterfront bungalows.
The standard rooms are small and simple with en suite facilities, while the spacious en suite premier rooms are much more comfortable and spacious, recently refurbished with flat screen tv and balconies overlooking Dallman Passage.
The hotel has two restaurants including the new “Haus Win” featuring open dining along the waterfront.
Swimming Pool
Air Conditioning
Rooms
Facilities
Private facilities, 2 restaurant, 2 bars, 4 swimming pools, tennis courts, air conditioned gymnasium and fitness centre, as well as a lagoon with kayaks and canoes available for guests. There is a dive shop with full PADI Dive training facility.
Local Wildlife
Hundreds of species of coral, small fish, larger pelagic species including barracuda, jacks, rays and turtles.
Optional Activities
Snorkeling, diving, fishing, kayaking, jungle hiking, coastal boat tours and tours to BilBil village,
Pacific Gardens Hotel
Overview
The Pacific Gardens Hotel is a simple but comfortable hotel located in the lush Pacific Gardens Estate close to the airport in Goroka. The property, one of the best options in Goroka, is within a safe gated park with walking trails and BBQ area.
The hotel has a well-stocked bar and lounge, and a good a la carte restaurant serving international and traditional Papuan dishes.
The standard rooms are small and simple with en suite facilities, while the spacious premier rooms are set further away and much more comfortable and spacious, having en suite bathroom and direct dial phones. Wi-Fi is available in the main building (charged locally) and there are self-catering apartments for rent.
Other facilities include conference room, laundry service, room service, currency exchange, gift shop and pleasant gardens to enjoy.
Swimming Pool
Air Conditioning
Rooms
Facilities
Private facilities, restaurant, bar, lounge, direct dial telephones, Wi-Fi (charges apply), laundry service and currency exchange.
Optional Activities
Cultural tours in Goroka villages where the Asaro mud men tribes are found. The famous Goroka show is held every year close to Independence day (16 September), when over 100 different tribes from around the country gather to showcase their traditional dance, dress and music.
Shine Inn Lodge
Overview
This simple small lodge is conveniently located between Mount Hagen town and the airport with a good position for access to the Mount Hagen Show ground.
The single and double rooms are small and simple, with en-suite facilities and there is a restaurant providing meals. The lodge has no bar and alcohol is not allowed in the lodge. However, during the show period, international guests are allowed to purchase alcohol outside and drink in the premises.
Swimming Pool
Air Conditioning
Rooms
Facilities
Rooms with private bathroom, including hot and cold water, dining room serving meals. Laundry facilities available.
Optional Activities
Cultural tours
Route Map
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Departure Dates
Tour Dates
Adult Price
Single Supp
Travel Information
Are International Flights Included?
Yes
Flight Info:
Return flights with Air Niugini from Singapore to Port Moresby are included. Please enquire for flight fares from London Heathrow.
Best Visited:
May to October
Are you ATOL Registered?
Yes. This means we are legally able to book your international flights in conjunction with your ground arrangements so you can book with us with complete confidence. Read more about our ATOL license here.
Jonathan Morris
Area Specialist
It is possible to do a shorter version of this itinerary, which excludes the Mount Hagen Show
If you have any questions regarding this Tour, please feel free to contact me on +44 (0)1803 866965
It is difficult to comprehend that the holiday is over. PNG is a special, amazing place where you still feel like a traveller/explorer, not a tourist. The images of the extremely varied birds, culture, people and scenery will remain with me always. Thank you for arranging it!
About 90 percent of the tour was wonderful. Reggiana’s Bird of Paradise displaying on the first afternoon, awesome! Food was superb throughout (a first for Shirley and I!). Logistics were essentially smooth and punctual. Regarding the lodges Raintree Lodge served it’s purpose, a comfortable base. Rondon was contemporary and well appointed (lovely rooms). Kumul was, as expected, rudimentary but an experience enhanced by THAT BIRD FEEDING STATION!). I was literary just two metres away from a Bird of Paradise! Wailindi was relaxing and very efficient. Everywhere the people were so affable and welcoming!! Incomprehensible levels of diversity regarding the culture, remarkable.
