Papua New Guinea Mt. Hagen Show Cultural Tour – August 2012

Mt. Hagen Show Cultural Tour to Papua New Guinea (includes Sepik and Tari) Co-ed

Number of days: 14

2012 Itinerary dates: August 4 – 17

Tour Leader: Beth Whitman

* Only a few spots left, register now to grab one of the last spots.

WanderTours Giving Program – A portion of your tour cost will go toward the building of a water tank for a village near the Sepik River whose water supply is polluted due to mining.

Highlights:
* Experience the Hagen SingSing which attracts approximately 75 tribes from around the country
* Watch a pre-show event where a small number of tribes prepare for the Hagen Show
* Boat down the impressive Sepik River, known for its bird life
* Experience a homestay in a small village along the Sepik River
* Visit the Tari area, the famed home of the Huli Wigmen

Read FAQ’s about Papua New Guinea
Read Best Books about Papua New Guinea
View the Papua New Guinea Photo Gallery

The adventure starts in Port Moresby on August 4, 2012. Nearly all flights arrive via Brisbane, Cairns or Tokyo.
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Itinerary
Day 1
August 4, 2012 (Meals: D)
On this day of the trip, you’ll be welcomed upon landing at the Port Moresby Airport and head to the hotel. Depending on arrival times, there may be a chance for the group to have a brief tour of Port Moresby including the Botanical Gardens, a village on stilts and local galleries. Overnight in Port Moresby.

Day 2
August 5, 2012 (Meals: B, L, D)
Following breakfast, the group will go to the airport for the flight to Wewak, where you will be met by a local guide and taken to the hotel. This is going to be the starting point for the tour of the Sepik region. Overnight in Wewak.

Day 3
August 6, 2012 (Meals: B, L, D)
Today you’ll enjoy an early breakfast and travel around 4 hours to Pagwi by road. You’ll then go by motorized canoe to a nearby village where you will enjoy a welcome singsing by the the local tribespeople. The group will then continue onward to Kanganamun where there may be another another singsing as well as a visit to the village’s haus tambaran (spirit house). Overnight in Kanganamun.

NOTE - This accommodation is quite basic and likely will consist of a thin mattress on bare floors, an outside pit toilet and bucket baths. Meals will also be simple (taro, sago and chicken) and there is no electricity in this community. Bring a mosquito net.

HIGHLIGHT! Arriving in the rural Sepik region and meandering through the many waterways will be a highlight in and of itself. Numerous tribes reside in this region and while canoeing along the Sepik River and its tributaries you’ll see many of the local people who still maintain a traditional lifestyle including crocodile hunting.

Day 4
August 7, 2012 (Meals: B, L, D)
On this day, you’ll have a half day together with the community at Kanganamun Village where we’ll visit their haus tambaran. Following lunch, the group will proceed to Yajaim Village and on to Palimbe, while experiencing the peacefulness of the Sepik River. During the journey, you’ll witness an authentic singsing and also see how the locals cook sago, carve wood, paint with typical materials and weave baskets. Watching these kinds of activities will provide you with insight into exactly how the people in this area live. You’ll also see many different kinds of birds that inhabit the area. Overnight at Kanganamun.

HIGHLIGHT! These villages located on the banks of the river are known for their wide variety of carvings and crafts. You’ll have a chance to meet and visit with the carvers and bring home some authentic souvenirs from this very remote area.

Day 5
August 8, 2012 (Meals: B, L, D)
On this day, you will have an early breakfast and then set out to Terence, Urther Maringe and Aibom villages. As you head down the river, you’ll see locals fishing in dugout canoes. You’ll also see more bird and wildlife (possibly crocodiles) alongside the riverbank. You will continue on along the waterway passing Kambige Village, where you’ll stop for a brief time prior to continuing on to Chambri Lake and back to Pagwi. Here you’ll meet the vehicle and return to Wewak. Overnight in Wewak.

Day 6
August 9, 2012 (Meals: B, L, D)
In the early morning, the group will go to the airport for the flight to Port Moresby and then onward to Mt. Hagen. The group will be met by a local guide and taken to a beautiful lodge in the mountains. In the evening, there will be a special courting ceremony demonstration with young men and women. Overnight in Mt. Hagen area.

HIGHLIGHT! You’ll be staying outside the city of Hagen and in the verdant and tropical mountain range of PNG. Here, you will be welcomed by fresh air, wild flowers and vast greenery.

Day 7
August 10, 2012 (Meals: B, L, D)
The group will depart in the morning to a local village for an extraordinary mini-singsing. This private event includes roughly 10 tribal groups who will also be taking part in the Mt. Hagen show. Viewing them in a smaller venue is a very special opportunity to photograph them up close.

The performers will be donning typical (yet completely different) outfits that will include plumes of birds of paradise, pigs’ tusks, shells and spectacular body paintings. During this mini-show, you will see a courting ceremony, a demonstration of traditional fighting utilizing bows and arrows, a marriage ceremony and you will get to taste traditionally prepared food baked in an underground oven (mumu).

The group will also visit a cultural center where ancient objects including skeletons and spirit stones are exhibited. These are maintained by the tribal chief and his 5 wives.

HIGHLIGHT! The mini-show is an extraordinary chance to observe the tribes practicing for the Mt. Hagen singsing. You will see them painting their bodies and faces, donning their feathers and adding various adornments to their outfits. You’ll then watch the actual performance in the main showgrounds. The tribespeople are really friendly and encourage you to take photographs. You will have the opportunity to observe the show up close, mix with the performers and take plenty of photos.

Day 8
August 11, 2012 (Meals: B, L, D)
Following breakfast, the group will leave for the Mt. Hagen Show. Weather depending, the group will depart early enough to see the singsing from the beginning (performers preparing for the show) to finish (final singing and dancing).

This day will be a full one as you watch performers from throughout the country. It will provide you with the opportunity to learn about the various practices and customs of PNG. Be prepared to see about 75 very different tribes. Late in the day, the group will return to the lodge. Dinner and overnight near Mt. Hagen.

HIGHLIGHT! This particular show is unlike anything you will ever experience. Ever. You’ll have the opportunity to wander among these 75 tribes while they are singing and dancing (all tribes simultaneously) and while each group tries to outshine the others.

Day 9
August 12, 2012 (Meals: B, L, D)
Following breakfast, the group will either return to the Mt. Hagen singsing for an additional half-day of performances or, if the show is during this same weekend, attend the Enga show. In either case, there will be lots of things to see on this day. In the afternoon, the group returns to the lodge to take it easy and recover from a lively couple of festival days. Overnight near Mt. Hagen.

Day 10
August 13, 2012 (Meals: B, L, D)
After breakfast, the group will make the drive to Kutubu and Tari, home to the famous Huli Wigmen. The drive may take about 8 hours along rough terrain. Upon arrival, you’ll be met by a local guide and and have dinner. Overnight near Tari.

Day 11
August 14, 2012 (Meals: B, L, D)
After breakfast, the group will head off to the Wasi waterfalls. This is a huge and beautiful waterfall in Lake Kutubu. Here, you’ll also tour villages and get to see the local culture. Overnight in Tari.

Day 12
August 15, 2012 (Meals: B, L, D)
Today will be an amazing day that includes a full day tour of Tari and some local villages. This area is still relatively untouched and the people here practice a very traditional lifestyle. You’ll get to witness their rich cultures, ceremonies and courtships. Overnight in Tari.

Day 13
August 16, 2012 (Meals: B, L, D)
After breakfast, the group will transfer to the Tari airport to fly onward to Port Moresby. There we’ll be met by a local guide. If there’s time, you’ll do some final touring of Port Moresby. Dinner and overnight in Port Moresby.

Day 14
August 17, 2012 (Meals: B)
Following breakfast, the group will transfer back to the airport to catch your international flights.

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* Only a few spots left, register now to grab one of the last spots.

Costs:
Price: $7,825

Additional Costs:
Air Niugini and/or charter flights: TBD (approximately $900 – $1100)
Single supplement: $1,300

Interested in sharing? We do our best to pair up same-sex travelers so as to avoid the single supplement. However, priority is given to the first deposits received. If you’re interested in sharing – PLEASE send in deposit as soon as possible in order to take advantage of this benefit. (Why a single supplement charge? See this FAQ page for an explanation.)

Final payment due no later than June 4, 2012.

Price includes: Accommodation, all meals, land transportation, entry into all singsings and local guides.

Price does not include: Flights to and from Papua New Guinea, evacuation insurance (highly recommended), purchases of personal nature such as artifacts, souvenirs, tips and beverages.

We recommend MedEx Assist for travel and/or evacuation insurance.

NOTE: Roundtrip flights from the U.S. start at about $1,800. A search on the major travel search engines may be up to 4 times that cost. For best pricing, please contact us for the name of our travel agent.

This unique journey is restricted to 10 people because of the limited availability of lodging.

In Mt. Hagen, tour participants will have to share a room because there are just 5 rooms available.

The tour requires a $1,000 deposit.
Minimum required: 5 people

Registration Form Papua New Guinea Mt. Hagen 2012 (PDF)

For deposit and payments, please make payable and mail check to:

WanderTours
PO Box 16102
Seattle, WA 98116

For questions, please contact Beth at:
info (at) wandertours (dot) com
888-818-9918

It’s easy to make your deposit of $1,000! Simply click on the Buy Now button below and you’ll be taken to PayPal where you add your debit or credit card information. Subsequent payments may be made through PayPal by sending to: beth (at) wandertours (dot) com.

Papua New Guinea Packing List: Provided upon registration.

Papua New Guinea Mt Hagen Tour 2012 Itinerary (PDF)

Tour Leader
About Beth
Beth Whitman imagined visiting Papua New Guinea for 30 years. Soon after exploring the country herself, she was certain that others were eager to discover this amazing country but, like her, weren’t sure how to do it on their own. So, she organized these tours so that others could realize their desire to visit this fascinating island nation.

Beth is the author of the Wanderlust and Lipstick guides including The Essential Guide for Women Traveling Solo, For Women Traveling to India and is the publisher of Traveling with Kids. She is also the publisher and founder of Wanderlust and Lipstick and WanderTours.

Related links:
FAQ’s about Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea Photo Gallery
Best Books about Papua New Guinea