Papua New Guinea Essentials Spring Tour

Thursday 7th May – Port Moresby

Afternoon

• Arrive at your convenience into Port Moresby, the capital city of Papua New Guinea which is well connected with flights from Australia, Singapore, the Philippines and Hong Kong, and transfer to our centrally located hotel.
• Pre-tour meeting will be held at the lobby of our hotel at 3:00pm to discuss tour itinerary and to meet your fellow travellers and YPT guide.
• Following the pre-tour meeting, we’ll depart on a tour of the highlights of Port Moresby! We’ll explore the nature park, visit the national museum, go on a guided tour of parliament, stop by the official gift shop of the National Cultural Commission, and enjoy a photo opportunity at the iconic “Amazing Port Moresby” sign located at Ela Beach.
• Depart Ela Beach and take the quick drive to the Port Moresby Yacht Club for dinner, drinks and the official pre-tour meeting. (Transportation from the hotel to the Yacht Club can be arranged for any group members arriving too late to join the city tour)
• Overnight in Port Moresby.

Friday 8th May – Port Moresby – Mount Hagen

Morning

• Breakfast at our hotel.
• Early morning transfer to the airport to catch our flight to Mount Hagen with PNG Airlines departing at 8:30am and arriving in Mt. Hagen at 9:30am.
• Upon arrival, we will be greeted by our local guides at the airport and transfer to our hotel for check in.

Afternoon

• After check-in, we will go on a guided tour of Mount Hagen, starting with a visit to the city’s main market, where locals sell clothes, fresh produce, and other staples. Here, you can sample street food and buy delicious locally grown fruits and vegetables.
• We’ll take a break for lunch at our favourite café before heading into the surrounding countryside to visit coffee plantations and a local processing plant, finishing the day with a scenic stop overlooking Mt. Hagen.
• For dinner tonight we head to Mt. Hagen’s most posh local restaurant which boasts the best drink and wine selection in the city.

Saturday 9th May – Mount Hagen 

Morning

• After breakfast, we’ll travel deeper into the highlands to our local team’s village, where the community will welcome us warmly upon arrival.
• Sing-sing groups will showcase the tribe’s unique cultural identity through song, dance, and elaborate costumes. For those wanting to join the festivities, you’re invited to wear local tribal attire, which includes getting your face and body painted.
• From the village grandstand, our guides will explain the significance of various face painting patterns and traditional attire. They will also walk us through mock versions of traditional ceremonies, such as weddings and funerals.
• The locals will prepare a traditional beef and vegetable mumu – a dish in which meat and locally grown produce such as bananas, sweet potatoes, and greens are slow-cooked in an earth oven lined with hot stones.

Afternoon

• After a massive mumu feast, we’ll say goodbye to the village and head back to Mt. Hagen City, where we will freshen up before going out to dinner at a local restaurant.
• Overnight in Mount Hagen.

Sunday 10th May – Mount Hagen – Goroka

Morning

• For the early risers, there’s an optional 5:00am excursion to our local guide’s village, where we’ll take a forest hike to a special viewpoint and watch the Birds of Paradise as they begin to stir with the first light of dawn.
• After breakfast, we’ll begin our long days drive to Simbu province on our private bus to explore more of the highlands regions. This will be an incredibly scenic drive as we pass across Papua New Guinea’s stunning highlands.
• As we leave Western Highlands Province and enter Simbu Province, we will stop by the village of Mindima which is home to the iconic Skeleton Tribe. Their distinctive black and white body paint, which represents skeletal figures, serves as a connection to their ancestors. Historically, this body art was used to intimidate rival tribes, symbolizing the presence of ancestors and acting as a formidable tool against enemies. Today, they continue to honour this tradition during cultural festivals and special events.
• After settling in, the tribesmen will perform the “Simbu Monster Dance.” Legend has it that the ancestors of this tribe were tormented by a monster in a cave full of bones. So to attack the monster they disguised themselves as skeletons in order to blend in and surprise attack the monster. We will watch as they engage in a theatrical battle against a monster.

Afternoon

• Back on the road for a quick stop at a bakery/cafe in Simbu province to grab lunch on the go.
• Just outside of Goroka, we’ll discover the Asaro Mudmen, famous for their unique mud masks, which were originally used for camouflage in warfare. Experience their performances and learn about their ancestral traditions during your visit.
• Arrive late afternoon in Goroka.
• Overnight in Goroka.

Monday 11th May – Goroka – Port Moresby

Morning

• Breakfast at our hotel.
• Transfer to the airport for our return flight to Port Moresby at 9:45am arriving at 10:30am, providing ample time for international transfers out of the country with YPT able to provide additional services such as post-tour accommodation.