Abercrombie & Kent
OFFER ID 1557180
Papua New Guinea: Mount Hagen Festival
Experience intimate, once-in-a-lifetime access to vibrant tribal cultures that have remained unchanged for centuries, cruising an exotic river and exploring one of the most remote corners of the globe on a scenic journey that culminates with the spectacular celebration of the Mount Hagen Cultural Show.
12 nights from $19,795 per person
Abercrombie & Kent: Papua New Guinea: Mount Hagen Festival
DAY 1 Brisbane, Australia
Arrive in Brisbane, where you are met and transferred toyour hotel. Refresh from your travels and prepare for theexciting journey ahead. This evening, enjoy a welcomedinner served at the hotel.
Fly to Papua New Guinea, an island chain of undisturbed Indigenous tribes and sweeping natural beauty. Arrivein Port Moresby and visit the Port Moresby Nature Park,where you are introduced to the nation’s distinctive culturesand hundreds of rare native animal species, including treekangaroo. Transfer to your hotel nestled in a lush botanicalgarden.
Early this morning, head out to the Sogeri Plateau andVarirata National Park. En route, visit the Bomana WarCemetery, the largest World War II cemetery in the Pacific,where those who lost their lives fighting on BougainvilleIsland and the former territory of Papua are buried.Continue on a scenic drive to the countryside and the SogeriPlateau, which is almost 2,000 feet above sea level. This is agreat viewing point and offers an excellent opportunity forbirdwatching. Along the way, you might spot local wildlifeincluding wallabies, bandicoots, cassowaries and deer andtake in stunning views of Rauna Falls, the Laloki River andVarirata National Park.
Fly to Mount Hagen. Upon arrival, embark on a visit tothe highlands area, stopping at a local settlement of theiconic Huli tribe. These highland people are admired for thepractice of bilas (elaborate body decoration), face paintingand colorfully-decorated wigs of feathers, flowers and moss.Visit another local village before transferring to your lodgefor the evening.
Continue your explorations of the gorgeous highlands area of Mount Hagen in the fertile Wahgi Valley. Take a momentto admire the surrounding area filled with mountain ranges,covered with lush tropical rainforest, rugged limestonebluffs and valleys dotted with small traditional farmingcommunities. Then, discover the traditions and customs ofthe Melpa People. First contact with the Melpa was made inthe mid-1930s. Visit local villages where the villagers willshare their fascinating tribal traditions, such as the rites ofwidowed women, the ceremonies surrounding marriage andfunerals, the traditions of tribal warfare and the day-to-daylife of the Melpa people.
This morning, board your charter flight to a private airstrip secluded deep within the riverine wilderness of the Sepik Region. Upon arrival, transfer by small boat to your lodge, where you are greeted with lunch. After settling in, embark on a river safari exploring the Karawari, a remote tributary of the mighty Sepik. This region is one of the most remote and unspoiled destinations in all of Papua New Guinea. Here, the river is central to daily life, with men paddling narrow dugout canoes full of goods for trade, women fishing or making meals and children joyfully splashing along the river bank. Watch for examples of tribal art on display; each village boasts a unique style and every villager is an artisan. Notice there are no roads or shops — the people live completely off the land and river, weaving baskets for catching fish and gathering their staple food, the sago palm. This afternoon, visit a nearby village to learn how this vital resource is harvested and prepared for consumption by local tribal members.
Today, board Sepik Spirit, your floating home for the next three nights. Settle into life aboard this three-level, 98-foot river cruiser. Onboard amenities include a lounge, dining room, bar, screened-in observation deck, air conditioning and nine comfortable cabins with en suite bathrooms. Your riverboat home is an oasis in this remote jungle, affording an exceptional vantage point on the riverine wilderness around you. After lunch on board, embark on your voyage of discovery along the Karawari River.
After breakfast aboard, disembark for a full-day excursion to the remote villages of Black Water Lake. Bask in your warm island welcome as you observe a way of life that has remained largely unchanged for centuries. Learn about the local rituals, warfare, ceremonies and ancestral beliefs, visiting the various houses of the village. Browse tribal handicrafts such as masks, flutes and spirit figures in the villages’ low-pressure markets. Relax with a picnic by the forested banks of the Karawari River, watching as local men gather on their clan’s bench, children paddle canoes to school and women fish with hand lines.
Disembark onto the banks of Mumeri, a remote village whose people have preserved their ancestral traditions for centuries. Take in the same warm village welcome enjoyed here by pioneering anthropologist Margaret Mead over 80 years ago. Next, cruise to the confluence of the Krosmeri and Karawari rivers, where you rendezvous with Sepik Spirit for lunch. Continue on to visit the village of Mindimbit, taking in the spectacular carvings and elaborate coming-of-age rituals of the locals. Rejoin Sepik Spirit for your final night aboard, enjoying a relaxing Scenic Sundowner as you cruise back toward Karawari.
This morning, fly by private charter to Mount Hagen. On approach, watch the mountains rise and then fall away as you descend into the verdant Wahgi Valley. Upon arrival, enjoy the first of two days at the Mount Hagen Cultural Show, a festive gathering of more than 50 coastal, lowland and highland tribal groups. Gain insider access to a privileged experience few travellers can claim as you immerse yourself in a festival of the locals, for the locals — a bold, joyful proclamation of tribal pride.
Enjoy another day experiencing the sing sing festival. Marvel as the participants engage in sing sings, lively ancestral songs and dances displaying their diverse and distinctive cultural heritages. Witness an unmatched spectacle of color, music and motion as heirloom feathered headdresses, brilliantly painted faces and dyed grass skirts weave to the driving beat of traditional drums and the rousing voices of the tribesmen. Lose yourself in the sights and sounds of the rollicking festival, gaining a deeper insight into the enduring traditions that help define this unique corner of the world. This afternoon, return to Port Moresby.
Today, fly to Brisbane. Tonight, enjoy a farewell dinner andrecap your amazing experience with your fellow travellers.
After breakfast, you are transferred to the airport for yourdeparture.
This provincial center of Western Highlands Province lies at 6,000 ft/1,830 m. It offers an excellent, cool climate—days average 75 F/24 C—and a wild, primitive feeling. Attractions include tribal villages, beautiful mountains, coffee plantations, jungle scenery and waterfalls. Your introduction to this undeveloped area begins with the scenic 7-mi/11-km ride from the airport to the town of Hagen (prior arrangement with a hotel for transport from the airport is strongly advised). Local attractions include the Sunken Gardens, the Cultural Center and the morning market (operates every day except Sunday, with Friday usually the busiest and biggest—because so many tribes attend, people watching there is one of the highlights of a trip to PNG). If the opportunity arises, attend a performance by the Wahgi Mudmen in nearby Kurumul. And if you're not also visiting Kundiawa, consider making day trips to Banz and Minz to see tribal ceremonies and jungle scenery (be warned that both trips entail grueling drives over often unpaved roads). Mt. Hagen hosts the Highlands Sing-Sing festival, usually in August of odd-numbered years. (Inquire locally about other sing-sings, which are held for various special occasions in the area.) 320 mi/515 km northwest of Port Moresby.
Note: It is best to travel with local guides when visiting the villages in Western Highlands Province. In the Highlands, bitter tribal disputes are negotiated passionately, and confrontations along the roads leading out of Mt. Hagen toward Mendi are sometimes violent. It is advisable to avoid these stretches of road in rented vehicles. Fly from Mt. Hagen to Mendi or Tari to explore the outer reaches of the Highlands Highway.
If you must travel by road, take a large PMV, communicate your concerns to the driver and get a feel for the dynamics of the situation before making your trip. The PMV drivers make this trip daily and have developed a special relationship with the tribes along the road—they tend to be the best judges of the local situation.
Brisbane
Laze in the lush riverside gardens of South Bank, then browse the markets and swim in its lagoon. Bike ride in the City Botanic Gardens and abseil the cliffs of Kangaroo Point. Glide down the river on a majestic paddle steamer or take a high-speed ferry to vibrant inner-city villages like Bulimba and New Farm. When culture cravings hit, wander the art galleries and museums, watch a performance by the Queensland Ballet, Opera or Orchestra perform or see cutting-edge theatre in the Powerhouse. In the boating hub of nearby Moreton Bay and Islands, you can swim, sea kayak, snorkel coral reefs, toboggan down the world's tallest sand dune, hire a sail boat or tussle with a marlin.
Five things you should do in Brisbane:
1. Glide down the river and relax in the gardens
Bike ride beneath macadamia trees and mangroves in the City Botanic Gardens or roller blade over a floating walkway. Then cruise down the river in a wooden paddle steamer, spotting pelicans and eastern water dragons. Laze or picnic under the palms on South Bank's 17 hectares of riverside gardens. Here you can swim from the lagoon and pools of Paul Breka Beach, browse the markets, visit a summer open-air cinema and dine alfresco in the sun. Follow an Aboriginal art trail through the bushland in Mount Coot-Tha Reserve, also the place to spot native wildlife and take in panoramic city views. At the foot of the mountain you can wander the tropical zone, rainforests and Japanese gardens of the Brisbane Botanic Gardens. Cuddle up to koalas and meet possums, kangaroos, wombats, emus and lyrebirds in the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, just a short bus drive from the city centre.
2. Soak up culture and architecture
See the skeleton of a Queensland dinosaur in the Queensland Museum and the work of famous Australian artists in the Queensland Art Gallery. Both sit in the sprawling Queensland Cultural Centre on South Bank. At night, visit the dress circle of the Queensland Performing Arts Centre or catch a show by the Queensland Ballet, Opera or Orchestra. Watch plays, browse art galleries and dine out in the transformed industrial space of the Powerhouse, which towers over the wide, brown river like a post-apocalyptic vision. Brisbane also houses many cultural institutions in fine old civic buildings, such as Customs House, the Treasury Building, Brisbane City Hall, the Commissariat Store and the Old Mill. In Brisbane, sandstone cathedrals and classic Queenslander houses on stilts blend seamlessly with steel and glass skyscrapers.
3. Hit the water and islands of Moreton Bay
Sea kayak from North Stradboke Island or Moreton Island or go deep-sea fishing from Scarborough, Bribie Island, Manly or Raby Bay. Jet ski and windsurf on the Redcliffe Peninsula or kite-surf on Wellington Point. Slide down the world's tallest sand dunes on a toboggan or sand buggy on Moreton Island. Scuba dive with colourful fish, crustaceans, corals and turtles at Cowan's Artificial Reef, Flinders Reef and in the Tangalooma shipwrecks. Watch out for humpback whales between July and October and dolphins and dugongs all year round. Meet colonies of koalas in Victoria Point and hundreds of wading birds in the Egret Colony and Boondall Wetlands. Aqua-bike from Coochiemudlo Island then mountain bike the BMX tracks at Cleveland and Deception Bay. Four wheel drive Moreton, North Stradbroke and Bribie Islands. See Queensland's oldest banyan tree in Cleveland Point, Aboriginal scar trees and middens in the Redlands and Myora Springs and a notorious old convict settlement on St Helena Island.
4. Eat, drink and enjoy in the urban villages
Listen to live music, shop along the lively outdoor mall and feast on Chinatown dumplings in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane's cultural core. Next door in New Farm, you can people watch from trendy cafes, buy gourmet delights from the famous deli and picnic in the riverside parklands. Dine in warehouse converted restaurants and explore the transformed industrial space of the Powerhouse, now a buzzing centre for the live arts. Take the citycat to Bulimba on the river. Then visit pretty Paddington and hop between the popular bars, cafes and restaurants of Latrobe and Given Terraces. Then take in the traditional Queenslander homes which dot the hills and wide-lined streets. Cross the river for the funky restaurants and art house theatres of the West End, the shops of Stones Corner and the brewery of Queensland's most famous beer.
5. Embrace adventure
Abseil or rock climb the Kangaroo Point Cliffs at sunrise or at night when the city is dancing with lights. Climb the Story Bridge for spectacular 360 degree views. Free fall on a tandem sky dive or float over the city in a hot air balloon. You can even glide like a bird over the Sunshine Coast on a motor glider. Travel down the Brisbane River on a golden gondola, historic paddle steamer or wildlife cruise. Or take a luxury whale watching cruise from the Redcliffe Peninsula, just 30 minutes north of Brisbane. Do an eco cruise past Bribie Island and the Glasshouse Mountains to Pumicestone Passage Marine Park. Bushwalk, swim, four wheel drive, spot wildlife and explore glow worm caves on an eco-tour to Springbrook and Lamington National Parks. See the city sights on the back of a Harley Davidson or go horseriding in the sprawling bush on the edge of the city.
All fares are quoted in US Dollars.
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