Tribal Lands of Papua New Guinea (Goroka Festival)
Tribal Lands of Papua New Guinea (Goroka Festival)
Tribal Lands of Papua New Guinea (Goroka Festival)
17 Days Starting and ending in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
Visiting: Port Moresby, Wewak, Mushu Island, Sepik River, Mount Hagen, Kumul Lodge, Simbai, Goroka, Rabaul
Tour operator:
Tour code:
PNG
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
4 - 12
Age range:
1-99
Special diets catered:
Vegetarians, Please contact Wild Frontiers with any specific dietary requirements
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Interests:
Activities:
Private Available:
Request A Private Tour
Tour Overview
One of the most culturally diverse countries on the planet, Papua New Guinea is home to more than 850 known languages. One of the least explored countries anywhere in the world, both culturally and geographically, Papua New Guinea has adventure written all over it! This stunning journey allows us the opportunity to experience itsastonishingly rich natural landscape and cultural traditions. First we’ll travel down the Sepik River to visit the fascinating crocodile people, before venturing up to the Bismarck region spending some time with the colourful Simbai people. Continuing on we witness the spectacular Tribal Festivals, which are some of Papua New Guinea’s most celebrated events. Ending the journey along the golden beaches of the South Pacific, we’ll take in islands and azure waters around the coast of East New Britain at Rabaul, before making our way back to Port Moresby and, eventually, home.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1 : Tour Begins In Port Moresby; Fly To Wewak
Location: Port Moresby, Wewak
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: In Wewak Boutique or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Starting in the country’s capital early this morning we will meet at the airport and have a chance to enjoy a reviving breakfast. Depending on the flight time, we may have time for a little sightseeing, before flying on to Wewak on the northern coast of New Guinea. The capital of the East Sepik province, Wewak provides the gateway into the swamplands and tropical rainforests of the Sepik River, New Guinea’s longest river. On arrival we will be transferred to our comfortable boutique hotel, where the rest of the day is free to relax from the long journey.
Day 2 : Wewak – Mushu Island - Wewak
Location: Wewak, Mushu Island, Wewak
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: In Wewak Boutique or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Leaving from Wewak beach by boat, our destination today is the beautiful palm fringed white sand beaches of Muschu Island, regarded as a secret paradise. Hidden within the island’s jungle are clues to Muschu’s wartime past with anti-aircraft guns, a plane wreck and discarded jeeps echoing back to the Japanese occupation in World War II. For those interested, we can take a short bush walk to see how the locals cultivate tobacco, yam and taro. We will have a traditional lunch by the beach and then relax and enjoy a swim in the crystal-clear waters before returning to our hotel in the late afternoon.
Day 3 : Wewak To Sepik River
Location: Sepik River, Wewak
Accommodation: Homestay
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After meeting up with our local guides this morning, we then embark on a four-hour drive to Pagwi, on the Sepik River. From here we travel down river by motor canoe, a journey of some two hours that brings us to the village of Kanganamun, in the heart of the Middle Sepik. This region is home to the famous crocodile-men of Yatmoul, whose rituals include marking the skin in deep cuts to resemble the teeth marks of the great crocodile spirit. Their immense spirit houses are considered cathedrals of primitive art and on arrival we will be settled with our hosts in basic homestay accommodation.
Day 4 : Sepik River
Location: Sepik River
Accommodation: Homestay
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Spending the day exploring the Middle Sepik region, today we have an opportunity to visit at least a couple of traditional dance ceremonies, as well as a number of different spirit houses and villages. Travelling by motorised canoe, we will explore some of villages to learn more about the traditions of their initiation ceremonies of the local people, before continuing on to Palembe, where we take a short walk to one of the oldest Haus Tambarans in the Sepik region. NB, Please be aware that the course and content of today’s visits are very much dependent on the safety conditions and water levels along the river.
Day 5 : Sepik River - Mt Hagen - Kumul Lodge
Location: Mount Hagen, Sepik River, Kumul Lodge
Accommodation: Lodge
Accommodation Name: Kumul Lodge or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Leaving early this morning we head back to Pagwi and Wewak, enjoying the early morning light on the river. We take a short flight on to Mount Hagen in the heart of the Western Highlands. Located amongst the fertile landscapes of the Wahgi Valley, the city is named after the eroded volcanic peak of Mount Hagen and, on arrival, we will be met and driven on to the lodge situated a short drive outside Mount Hagen. Arriving late in the afternoon, there will be time to relax and perhaps observe some of the birdlife feeding around the lodge before dinner.
Day 6 : Kumul Lodge - Mount Hagen
Location: Kumul Lodge, Mount Hagen
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Highlander or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Kumul Lodge is in the Hagen area, and is entirely owned and managed by local people. Home to some of the most beautiful and unusual birds in the world, the lodge’s myriad of nature trails and tracks provide ideal settings along which to discover birds, orchids and other resident wildlife This region is one of the few in New Guinea where the famed Birds of Paradise make a regular appearance, whilst other visitors include Brehm’s tiger parrot, smoky honeyeaters and crested berry-peckers. After a dawn we start to observe these spectacular Birds of Paradise, and then you can enjoy the rest of the day observing and photographing these colourful characters around the lodge in the company of expert guides or take a walk to the impressive orchid garden nearby. In the late afternoon we will return to Mount Hagen.
Day 7 : Mt Hagen - Simbai Village
Location: Simbai, Mount Hagen
Accommodation: Simbai Guesthouse
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
This morning we take a short charter flight to reach Simbai, a remote governmental station in the Bismarck range. Up here, there is a very limited infrastructure away from any roads and the life of the local people is still very traditional. From the air strip it’s a 20 minute walk to the nearby village where we stay in a charming guest house, surrounded by beautiful gardens, for the next three nights. In Simbai we experience a living culture of this tribe, who have impressive body adornments and will have plenty of opportunity to learn about their lives and traditions. We will have the chance to explore on foot the beautiful surrounding area, as well as our host village and the local school.
Day 8 : Simbai Village
Location: Simbai
Accommodation: Simbai Guesthouse
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Over these two days we get a chance to share in the daily life of the village. The Kalam wear impressive helmets covered in beetle heads so during our time here we will learn more about the ancient culture and rituals of this tribe and see how the famous beetle head headdresses are prepared. On one of the days we will witness the festival atmosphere as the village ladies prepare food for a “mumu” feast, when a whole pig is skillfully butchered and cooked on hot stones in the ground. The opening of the mumu is celebrated with a traditional ‘singsing’, which for the villagers could last long into the night!
Day 10 : Simbai Village - Mount Hagen
Location: Simbai, Mount Hagen
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Highlander or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today we say farewell to the Simbai community and depart the Northern Highlands and takeon a privately chartered flight back to Mount Hagen. We will have lunch and a short coffee tour at Banz Coffee, one of New Guinea famous roasters. After lunch we will return to Mount Hagen for the night with some time to relax at our comfortable hotel.
Day 11 : Mount Hagen - Goroka
Location: Goroka, Mount Hagen
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Phoenix or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Considered one of PNG’s most attractive towns, Goroka lies some five hours by road from Mount Hagan. Each year, around the country’s independence celebrations (16 September), the town hosts the famous Goroka Show, a two-day cultural event that sees tribes from all across the region gather to take part in one of the most colourful festivals in the country. Today we get to journey east along the Highlands Highway across the mountains and fertile vegetable gardens of the region. The Central Highlands provide ample opportunities to stop and enjoy the landscapes, before we finally arrive in Goroka later this afternoon.
Day 12 : Goroka
Location: Goroka
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Phoenix or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
With a whole weekend to enjoy this spectacular festival, we’ll have an opportunity to watch some 1,000 men and women partake in one of Papua New Guinea’s most celebrated events. Over 100 different tribes are represented, in a dazzling display of colour, songs and energy that perfectly encapsulates the rich cultural ethnicity of this remarkable island.
Day 13 : Goroka - Port Moresby
Location: Port Moresby, Goroka
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Sanctuary or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
There will be more time to take in the sights and sounds of this stunning annual event before departing Goroka on a late afternoon flight back to Port Moresby for the evening.
Day 14 : Port Moresby - Rabaul
Location: Rabaul, Port Moresby
Accommodation: Kokopo Beach Bungalows or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
We take a morning flight to Kokopo the capital city of East New Britain, a huge island which is part of the Bismarck archipelago. Kokopo is the new capital of the Province after Rabaul town was buried under the ashes of the Tavurvur volcano in 1994 which is still active. This creates a wonderful backdrop to the town, with its spectacular harbour, the tropical coastline, and not forgetting the fascinating and colourful cultural life and markets of the Tolai people. On arrival in Rabaul we head directly to the famous Rabaul Hotel, which survived the eruption and is still functioning today. After lunch we will drive through the eerie abandoned old town to visit the hot springs and the volcano observatory, along with some of the World War II relics. We will check into our hotel hopefully with time to watch the sunset over Simpson Harbour.
What's Included
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MEALS
17 x Breakfasts, 16 x Lunches, 16 x Dinners
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TRANSPORT
On this tour we will use minibuses, motorised canoe, and domestic flights.
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GROUP SIZE
Maximum: 10
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EXPERT TEAM
The full services of a Wild Frontiers Tour Leader with local guides where appropriate
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CARBON CONTRIBUTIONS
Contributions to carbon offset & tree planting projects for all bookings
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ACCOMMODATION
All accommodation as outlined in the itinerary
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FITNESS RATING
Low / Moderate
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ENTRANCE FEES
All entrance fees for sights mentioned in the itinerary
What's Not Included
We believe in a completely transparent approach to pricing with no hidden extras. As such, please note that the following are not included in the cost of the tour.Visas & Travel Insurance: Visas will always be tour
ationality dependent but travel insurance is mandatoryTips: Always optional but some guidance will be given in the pre-departure information documentsInternational .Flights: Please ask us for an obligation-free quote for flights which originate in the UKAirport .Transfers: We include complimentary transfers if arriving/departing on the suggested group flights.Beverages & any costs of a personal nature: This will include items such as laundry and souvenirs
Visas
Visas are necessary for many of the destinations we travel to and while we aim to provide you with the most up-to-date information, requirements frequently change and as such for the latest advice we advise that you check with the relevant embassies or contact our recommended visa agency, Travcour www.travcour.com
For this tour, UK passport holders currently require a visa for Papua New Guinea but this can be applied for on arrival and is currently free of charge. (NB, this information is subject to change)
Non-UK passport holders or non-UK residents should contact the relevant embassies for individual requirements.
Further details will be sent out to you on booking, however ensuring that correct and valid visas are obtained remains the sole responsibility of the client.
Key Aspects to Consider
This is an adventurous trip in an undeveloped country so a sense of humour and flexibility are a pre-requisite. If you are in a reasonable state of health and fitness you should be able to cope with this tour. However, please note that the conditions in the Sepik River are extremely basic with few frills, and the accommodation is shared and rustic at best. The roads and infrastructure are poor and drives can be long and tiring even though distances are short. Some food in the most remote regions may be limited in terms of variety. You will have a couple of days sitting in motorised canoes. If you are up for the challenge you will be hugely rewarded!
Check out our Q&As
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What is the maximum group size?
12
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Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?
Yes
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Do you require a visa for this holiday?
Visas will always be tour
ationality dependent but travel insurance is mandatory -
Are airport transfers included in this tour?
We include complimentary transfers if arriving/departing on the suggested group flights
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What policies are in place for Covid-19?
We have a complete Covid-19 hub here: https://www.wildfrontierstravel.com/en_GB/covid-hub
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Over 70% of passengers on our group tours are solo adventurers. Unlike many tour operators, we don’t believe in charging solo travellers a premium, so if you are happy to share a room with a fellow traveller of the same sex, you will pay exactly the same as a couple..Occasionally you may even end up with your own room. You can travel as a single traveller on any of our holidays, from our escorte
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Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?
Yes
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Since 2002
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Do I need to be double-vaccinated against Covid-19 to travel with you?
In most cases, yes. Not only are many destinations making double-vaccination a requirement of entry to the country and/or access to restaurants, museums etc., but additionally on all our group tours for the foreseeable future, for everyone’s peace of mind, we are asking that all clients be double vaccinated.
Reviews from travellers on this tour
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Tuesday - Thursday
Sep 09, 2025 - Sep 25, 2025Book with Confidence
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Low Deposit
Wild Frontiers requires a minimum deposit of 10% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 70 days before departure.