Travellers who dream of escape and authenticity should definitely consider a trip to Papua New Guinea. For here, you can forget about the developed tourist infrastructure and marvel at one of the planet's last great adventure territories. This country to the north of Australia, which includes the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous surrounding islands, is a melting pot of raw nature and age-old traditions. You can expect to climb cloud-piercing mountains, listen to volcanoes roar, walk through unspoilt rainforests and observe exceptional seabeds. Papua New Guinea is also a destination of choice for unique cultural encounters! Le Petit Futé has put together a 10-day tour for you, for total immersion in a world that is still almost untouched.
Day 1: Port Moresby - Tari, the heart of the Highlands
Morning: Once you've arrived in Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea, we recommend taking a short domestic flight to sink into the clouds and reach Tari, in the Highlands. Once you've settled into a wooden lodge overlooking the valley, you'll discover that life here beats to the ancestral rhythm of the Huli Wigmen, proud warriors wearing wigs made from their own hair.
Afternoon: First immersion in a Huli village. The contrast between the distant modernity of this traditional society and the laughter of the children, the singing and the ochre and yellow facial paintings all leave their mark. One of the moments that enchanted us was the evening that ended around a fire, simply listening to the elders recount the origins of the clans and the spirits that protect the mountain.
Day 2: Tari: birds of paradise and sing-sing
Morning: In the mist, the Papuan guides lead the travellers towards the Tari Gap forest, one of the best places in the world for observing birds of paradise. In the heart of the lush vegetation, the silence is broken only by their strange cries and the ruffling of their flamboyant feathers. One of them, the King of Saxony, spreads its blue antennae in a spectacular display.
Afternoon: After this birdwatching interlude in the heart of nature, we return to the village for the great tribal sing-sing ceremony. This is when several clans come together to sing, dance and paint their bodies with symbolic motifs. The rhythmic steps on the ground, the music in full swing, it's a real moment suspended between ritual and celebration.
Day 3: Tari - Mount Hagen - Mount Wilhelm
Morning: We leave Tari for an early morning flight to Mount Hagen, Papua New Guinea's fourth largest city, located in the fertile Waghi Valley. A trip to the market allows you to stock up on tropical fruit and fresh vegetables, as well as buying clothes and local handicrafts. We loved the sculptures!
Afternoon: Off to the slopes of Mount Wilhelm, the highest mountain in the country at 4,509m. The drive is a memorable experience, with roads winding through villages and coffee plantations. The hike is spectacular, with stops beside crystal-clear lakes and breathtaking mountain scenery. You come across shepherds and wild orchids, and the clouds are so low you sometimes feel you could touch them.
There's no doubt about it, this is one of the best nature destinations in the world!
Day 4: Mount Wilhelm - Karawari
Morning: We're up early to get to the airfield and take off this time for Karawari, in the heart of the Sepik basin. A lodge awaits us, perched on a hill overlooking the river. The setting in the heart of this unspoilt nature is as exotic as you could wish for.
Afternoon: The best is yet to come, as after lunch we embark on a motorised pirogue down the Karawari River. The dark water, lined with palm and sago trees, is overflown by species such as kingfishers and egrets. The river trip is a great opportunity to see children waving from their pirogues, or women pounding sago under the stilt huts. This was one of our favourite experiences in Papua New Guinea.
Day 5: Immersion in the Sepik Valley
Morning: The journey continues with the discovery of the Sepik Valley. The Sepik is a long river in Papua New Guinea. The Karawari is one of its tributaries. Travellers can start by staying in a lodge on the banks of the river and experiencing the incredible feeling of being lost in the midst of nature, which is omnipresent and infinitely rejuvenating.
Afternoon: A trip along the river is an opportunity to stop off at several of the villages on its banks. In these villages, you can discover a traditional way of life based on a subsistence economy. People here make a living from small-scale farming, fishing and harvesting sage (a starchy food). Above all, they make incredible wooden objects. A marvel for lovers of primitive art.
Day 6: Sepik - Popondetta - Tufi Fjords
Morning: An early morning flight to Popondetta, which is only a stopover, before following the coastal route to Tufi, on the Cape Nelson peninsula. We loved this part of the journey and seeing the change of scenery. After the jungle, we arrive at the edge of a turquoise sea, ready to discover the tropical fjords.
Afternoon: We embarked on a pirogue trip through the rias, these limpid inlets into the sea, with coconut tree-covered cliffs. Here you can watch fishermen hauling in their nets, children diving into the sea and parrots calling in the trees. A Norwegian fjord in the tropics. We can't recommend staying out in the evening to watch the sun set over the sea. The province of Oro leaves nothing but magnificent images in your memory.
Day 7: Off on the Kokoda Track, a must-see in Papua New Guinea
Morning: Departure for the famous Kokoda Track, a symbol of courage and remembrance. It was here that Australian soldiers faced Japanese troops during the Second World War. The walk takes adventurers through dense jungle, with rivers to cross and liana bridges to cross. The heat is muggy and the humidity high, but the forest is superb, with over 4,000 species of plant and many endemic birds and animals.
Afternoon: Inevitably, after the effort, it's back to the lodge for a well-deserved rest. The hike, however short, shows just how hard the Papuan porters had to work. Another alternative is to sleep in a camp after the trek. These are often located near mountain streams, where you can take a dip to cool off from the heat.
Day 8: Popondetta - Rabaul - Volcano Ulawun
Morning: We fly to Rabaul, on the island of New Britain. Here, the earth smokes and the contrast is striking. You can start with a visit to the old Rabaul, which was engulfed by an eruption in 1994, and where the roofs are only half visible above the slag.
Afternoon: An internet flight will take you to one of the jewels of the island, the unmissable Ulawun volcano, an active giant towering over the sea at over 2,300 metres. Its perfect silhouette is silhouetted against the mist, with the occasional column of ash. There are several ways to marvel at this colossus of nature. Simply by taking a walk in the surrounding countryside, or by opting for a boat trip on a river.
Day 9: Discover Kimbe Bay and its coral reefs
Morning: To the west of Rabaul, Kimbe Bay is an underwater wonderland. Once there, grab your mask, flippers and snorkel over the coral reefs. You'll spot clownfish, gorgonians, turtles and barracudas. Life abounds in the crystal-clear waters.
Afternoon: After opening your eyes wide to observe the world-famous reef marine life, it's time to relax on a secluded beach, surrounded by coconut palms and golden sand. The day ends in an end-of-the-world atmosphere.
Day 10: A final stop in Bougainville
Morning: A short flight links Rabaul to Buka, to the north of Bougainville. A few minutes by boat is all it takes to reach the large island, a destination far removed from mass tourism. The winding road descends southwards through coconut groves, peaceful villages and former mining areas. We then take a well-deserved break in Arawa, once a prosperous copper capital.
Afternoon: The aim is to reach Buin, at the southernmost tip of Bougainville Island. The landscape becomes more tropical, with mountains opening out onto the sea. To the delight of visitors, an immense lagoon stretches out, translucent, bordered by deserted beaches and leaning coconut palms offering shade. It's the perfect backdrop for a swim, grilled fish and fresh coconuts - in the company of the locals. Time fades. Bougainville is anything but a formatted paradise. In the evening, the return journey to Buka takes place slowly, to the rhythm of the sunset over the Solomon Sea.
Papua New Guinea, one of the world's least known tourist destinations, is lush, volcanic, seafaring and populated by people who have the art of passing on their culture and traditions. We came back with a thousand stars in our eyes.
