Papua New Guinea
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The price is per person, and is fully inclusive of accommodation as detailed above, all meals on the tour, return flight Singapore-Port Moresby, internal flights, airport taxes, surface transport as described, incidental tips, admissions and the services of the leaders.
The price excludes the costs of flights to Singapore before and after the tour, holiday insurance, drinks, optional tips to the local guides, and other personal expenses. Flights from the U.K. to Singapore can also be arranged at extra cost. Leaders: Tim Earl and local guides |
Papua New Guinea is famed for its birds of paradise and other endemic birds and wildlife, its colourful tribespeople, and its inaccessibility. But the last of these is changing. Some excellent lodges have opened up in the remote hill forests, and our tour is based around three of these. |
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Join us on a holiday designed to enable us to sample this exciting country, especially its wildlife and the lifestyle of the people, yet still enjoy comfortable accommodation and relaxed walking.
Papua New Guinea, the eastern half of New Guinea, is one of the least explored areas on Earth. There are few roads so we will be flying on scheduled flights and in light aircraft throughout the holiday with mostly short vehicle journeys and longer river boat trips. The light aircraft are likely to be Islanders (eight seats) or Twin Otters (sixteen seats) Much of the time will be spent at the forest edge searching for the exotic birds of the highlands, especially the birds of paradise, parrots, pigeons, bowerbirds and the endemic berrypeckers and tit berrypecker. There will also be opportunities to encounter songbirds and wetland species on our boat trips at Karawari, in the lowlands and at various sites near Port Moresby. During the tour we will make short visits to the villages of local tribespeople, including the fabled Huli Wigmen and Melpe Mudmen. Although the Bird of Paradise feathers used for their costumes have raised a few eyebrows amongst wildlife tourists, the warrior dancing displays take place near a well- established lodge whose influence ensures that only feathers handed down from father to son are used on the wigs. Live Birds of Paradise are in fact much valued locally as they attract tourist income, and consequently we have no qualms about supporting this venture. The tour starts in Singapore (or in Port Moresby, PNG) enabling those who are already visiting Australasia or South East Asia to extend their holiday. Flights from the U.K. to Singapore can also be arranged at extra cost. Itinerary Day 1 We depart Singapore Changi Airport on an overnight Air Niuguini flight to Port Moresby, arriving early on Day 2 Day 2 On arrival at Port Moresby we drive to a local hotel for breakfast and a morning devoted to resting, swimming in the pool or making our initial contact with the local wildlife. After lunch we fly to Mount Hagen and transfer to Rondon Ridge, perched high on Mount Kuta with unbelievable views of the Wahgi Valley, at 7,000 feet above sea level. This recently built lodge is a contrast to the other lodges being very modern, yet still built in part with local materials. The accommodation is in terraced double, spacious en suite rooms. The ultra modern dining room overlooks gardens and an ornamental pond. The elevated site gives opportunities to enjoy passing birds of prey such as Whistling Kite and Papuan Harrier. Overnight Rondon Ridge Day 3 After lunch we will have the opportunity to watch for birds in the local area and enjoy the newly created orchid garden. The trails are on a forested hillside but can be walked at an easy pace, giving ample time to enjoy the birdlife. A full day will be spent bird watching and visiting the Melpe Mudmen. One of the highlights of this area is the stunning Superb Bird of Paradise which, if we are lucky, will be in full display. Other features include the delightful honeyeater Red-collared Myzomela, Sclater's Whistler, Red-capped Flowerpecker, White-shouldered and Orange-crowned Fairywrens. Overnight Rondon Ridge Day 4 We fly by charter aircraft over some of the most rugged and impressive mountain scenery in the world. Arriving forty five minutes later at Karawari airstrip we transfer to Karawari Lodge by riverboat, arriving in time for lunch. The lodge is perched on a ridge above the Karawari River with spectacular views over hundreds of square miles of dense rainforest. The accommodation is in semi-detached double en-suite chalets within easy reach of the traditional spirit house which acts as a headquarters and lounge/dining area. Most of the watching will be done by boat although the grounds of the lodge also attract a variety of bird species, especially honeyeaters and parrots. The afternoon will be spent enjoying the birds of the local area. Overnight Karawari Lodge Days 5 - 6 An early morning boat trip will take us to a display site of the Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise. After breakfast we will head out by jetboat, a sturdy aluminium, flat bottomed boat powered by a water jet. On deck there are comfortable seats with backs under an awning. When moving downstream the engines are cut and we travel in near silence except for the sounds of the jungle. We will spend most of the day exploring the river and associated lakes. Here we will seek out rainforest and freshwater birds, particularly parrots including lorikeets, Electus Parrot and Palm Cockatoos. Other species we hope to see will be Magnificent Riflebird, Blyth's Hornbill, Papuan Frogmouth, owls, birds of prey, herons and egrets. Two nights Karawari Lodge Day 7 We will take a scheduled Air Niugini flight to Tari in the Central Highlands. We then transfer to Ambua Lodge in time for lunch. Ambua Lodge is high on the slopes of the Tari Valley at 7,000 feet above sea level. The lodge overlooks a wide valley. The neat gardens of the grounds abut on montane forest so wildlife abounds. The accommodation is in individual double en-suite chalets which surround the well designed traditionally built headquarters which includes a comfortable lounge and dining area. After lunch we will have our first opportunity to look for birds of paradise in the forest that surrounds the lodge. Overnight Ambua Lodge Days 8 - 9 The Tari valley is home to the Huli people whose existence was not discovered by outsiders until the 1930s. We enter a world where family and tribal bonds are still strong and where long held traditions still dominate the lifestyle of the people. These traditions include tribal dances, sing-sings, at which the men wear wigs made of their own hair decorated with leaves, flowers and the feathers of birds of paradise. We hope to have the privilege to be guests at one of their ceremonies. The rest of our time in the valley will be spent searching for exotic birds at the forest edge, usually driving up hill and walking down! The Tari gap (at 9,000 feet above sea level) is open grassland where we will hope to see birds of prey and species such as Papuan Grassbird. As we descend towards the lodge the roadside forest holds New Guinea Harpy Eagle, a wide variety of parrots, doves and honeyeaters, and the endemic Crested and Fan-tailed Berrypeckers and Tit Berrypecker. Birds of paradise could include Short-tailed Paradigalla, Black Sicklebill, Blue Bird of Paradise, Ribbon-tailed and Princess Stephanie's Astrapia and the wonderful King of Saxony Bird of Paradise. At the lodge we will encounter Mountain and Glossy Swiftlets, Great Woodswallow and perhaps, in the evening Papuan Boobook and Mountain Nightjar. Two nights Ambua Lodge Day 10 A morning flight to Port Moresby on a scheduled Air Niugini flight will enable us to reach the hotel by lunchtime. We stay at Loloata Island resort. Overnight Port Moresby Day 11 After a relaxed lunch those travelling via Singapore will head for the airport for our flight, arriving at Changi Airport mid evening, where the tour concludes. Please note that this itinerary may be subject to changes forced upon us by weather conditions or the fluid logistics to be experienced in PNG. Trip Details Accommodation and food is of good quality throughout. En suite rooms throughout. Transport is mainly by air, the longest internal flight being a little over one hour. Land transport is by small coach, minibus or four wheel drive vehicle. At Karawari in the lowlands transport is by comfortable jetboat with an awning. Walks are generally easy, usually on roads with a vehicle in attendance. There is some walking on tracks some of which are on slopes but the pace is leisurely. Weather: In the highlands the weather is pleasantly warm during the day but cool at night. Duvets and electric blankets are supplied in both the highland lodges. It normally rains in the late afternoon. Karawari is warmer with higher humidity but the lodge, at three hundred feet above the river, attracts a cooling breeze. Leaders: Tim Earl and local guides Numbers: Max. 12 clients |
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