All Papua Budget Tour

Monday 5th October – Port Moresby

• 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.
• From here, you will be picked up and transported to the stunning Loloata Island Resort, which is located on a private island in Bootless Bay, just a short boat ride from Port Moresby.
• Optional afternoon activities, which include snorkelling, diving, or just hanging out on the beach.
• Pre-tour tour meeting at 6:00pm, followed by dinner and drinks on the island. 
• Overnight in Port Moresby.

Tuesday 6th October – Port Moresby – Mount Hagen

Morning

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Spend the morning at your own pace, enjoying the hotel facilities, such as the swimming pool, renting kayaks and jetty, sunbeds and lounge areas, or the dive and snorkel shop. You can also grab a drink at the bar or a snack at the on-site restaurant, which serves a mix of PNG and Western dishes.

Afternoon 

• Transfer to the airport to catch the afternoon flight to Mt. Hagen with PNG Airlines departing at 12:10pm and arriving in Mt. Hagen at 1:40pm.
• Upon arrival, we will meet our local guides and transfer to our hotel for check-in.
• After check-in, you will go on a guided city tour to Mt Hagen, where you can see all kinds of tribal artefacts unique to the interior of the New Guinea highlands, as well as visit the city’s main market.
• For dinner tonight, we head to Mt. Hagen’s most posh local restaurant, which boasts the best drink and wine selection in the city.
• Overnight in Mt. Hagen.

Wednesday 7th October – Mount Hagen 

Morning

• After breakfast, we will begin making our way deeper into the highlands.
• We’ll head to the village of our local partner to be welcomed by his family and elders. For those wanted to join the festivities further are invited to wear local tribal attire, which includes getting your face and body painted.
• The locals will prepare beef and vegetable Mumu – Mumu involves meat, which is then prepared and cooked in a hole covered by hot rocks with bananas, sweet potatoes, and greens. While we wait for it to cook, the villagers will introduce us to different customs and traditions, such as group dances and traditional music.

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 Mt. Hagen.

Thursday 8th October – Mt Hagen – Mt Wilhelm

Morning

• For the early risers, there’s an optional 5:00am excursion to our local guide’s village, where we’ll hike to a special viewpoint and watch the Birds of Paradise as they begin to stir with the first light of dawn.
• Drive through Simbu province to Mount Wilhelm with our private bus, stopping on the way for photos.

Afternoon

• Stop at the bakery/cafe in Simbu province to grab lunch on the go.
• We then transfer to the scenic Mount Wilhelm Resort, which will be our home for the evening. This venue offers great mountain views, as well as a bar, restaurant, and opportunities to hike.
• Overnight on the mountain.

Friday 9th October – Goroka – Port Moresby

Morning

• It’ll be an early start with us driving to Goroka for our return flight to Port Moresby at 9:45am.
• 11:00am arrival in Port Moresby, providing ample time for international connections, or the West Papua extension to the tour.
• Group A members: tour concludes – YPT is able to arrange post-tour accommodation or advice for ongoing flights.

Afternoon

• Group B & C members: we’ll meet and have lunch at the airport, and then board our 3:10pm flight to Vanimo, without doubt one of the most beautiful and safest places in Papua New Guinea.
• 5:40pm arrival in Vanimo, where we’ll be picked up and driven to our Vanimo Beach Hotel, with a pristine beach right in front of us, perfect timing to watch the sunset.
• Dinner, drinks, and overnight in Vanimo.

Saturday 10th October – Vanimo – Jayapura

Morning

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• We start our drive to the Awawi Falls, where we will get a chance to have a very crispy swim before carrying on exploring the countryside.
• Following this, you will go to a lookout tower located within Vanimo, which offers the best views within the city.
• We’ll then head back to our hotel to freshen up, and you can enjoy your last swim at Dali Beach.

Afternoon

• After a delicious lunch at the hotel, we hit the road to reach the West Papua border. The drive takes about an hour, and you will get the chance to see the beautiful coast of Papua New Guinea one more time.
• After crossing, we will be picked up by our private bus and taken to our hotel in Jayapura; the drive is about 3 hours.
• Dinner, drinks, and overnight in Jayapura.

Sunday 11th October – Jayapura

Morning

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• We start our day with a visit to Museum Negeri Provinsi Papua, where you can see a collection of Papuan cultural artifacts, traditional ceremonial items, tribal tools, and artwork, as well as exhibits on local flora and fauna.
• Next, we’ll head to the Governor’s residence area, the best example of Dutch colonial villas and gardens.
• We’ll pass through the Papua Governor’s Office, located right in front of the beach, where we’ll have a quick stop. From here, you can spot nearby islands in Youtefa Bay.
• Continuing on, we’ll drive past the Papua People’s Representative Council (DPR Papua), where the local legislative body works to represent the voice of the Papuan people. The building itself is a modern reflection of Papuan civic architecture, as well as the government system of the region. 

Afternoon

• After the city landmarks, we’ll head to the Jayapura City Tower, where you can enjoy panoramic views of the entire city, the coastline, and even Papua New Guinea in the distance on a clear day.
• Next, we’ll visit Youtefa Central Market, Jayapura’s largest traditional market. You can experience the local life, browse fresh produce, spices, and handicrafts, and even try betel nut, a traditional Papuan chew that makes your mouth completely red.
• We’ll round off the afternoon at a spot popular with locals for the sunset, located near the bay.
• For our farewell dinner, you’ll enjoy the best of local Papuan cuisine. You can try papeda, the traditional sago dish with its sticky, glue-like texture, usually served with spicy fish or vegetables.
• Overnight in Jayapura.

Monday 12th October – Jayapura 

• End of tour with YPT able to assist with transfers from Jayapura to other parts of Indonesia and beyond.