Papua New Guinea
A Glimpse of Paradise

Monday 6 - Thursday 16 September 2010 (11 days)

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.

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.

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.

Outline Itinerary
Day 1 Depart Singapore to Port Moresby, arriving Day 2.
Day 2 Overnight Port Moresby
Day 3 Scheduled flight to Tari in the Central Highlands. Transfer to Ambua Lodge in time for lunch. Overnight Ambua Lodge
Days 4-5 Two nights Ambua Lodge
Day 6 Fly by charter aircraft over some of the most rugged and impressive mountain scenery in the world. Transfer to Karawari Lodge by riverboat, arriving in time for lunch. Overnight Karawari Lodge
Day 7Overnight Karawari Lodge
Day 8We fly by charter aircraft from Karawari to Mount Hagen. Transfer to Rondon Ridge. Overnight Rondon Ridge
Day 9Overnight Rondon Ridge
Day 10Morning flight to Port Moresby. Overnight Port Moresby
Day 11After those travelling via Singapore will head for the airport for our flight, arriving 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.

Click here for a full, printable itinerary

Price: £ 5,495
Single supp.: £ 1,125
Deposit: £ 400 per person

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: Neil Arnold and local guides


Papua New Guinea map