Tuesday 10th September – 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.
• 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.
• We’ll then head out to visit the botanical garden, the beachfront to take a dip, and the national museum.
• Dinner and drinks at the beautiful Yacht Club Waterfront.
• Overnight in Port Moresby

Wednesday 11th September – Port Moresby – Mt. Hagen

• Breakfast at hotel and transfer to airport for our early flight to Mt Hagen!
• Check into Mari Lodge, our home for the next two nights.
• We then head out for an exploration of Mt Hagen, which will start with a trip to the huge local market, where we can try street food, as well as local fruits.
• Stop for lunch at one of our partner’s restaurants near the airport, where they will prepare a PNG stew for us. Vegetarian options also being available.

Afternoon

• Papua New Guinea is famous for its coffee, so we’ll head for a tour of a coffee plantation, as well as checking out some factories.
• In the early evening, we head to the famous birdwatching resort, which not only offers great views on the journey, but also the chance to see the famous Bird-of-paradise (optional entry fee). For those who do not want to do the tour, we can go hiking, enjoy the scenery, or simply sit and enjoy some PNG coffee.
• For dinner tonight we head to Kai Bar, famous for its street food, washed down with a few beers.
• Overnight in Mt. Hagen at Kuri Lodge

Thursday 12th September – Mt. Hagen

• Breakfast in the town, before we head out for the days activities.
• We’ll head to the village of our local partner to be welcomed by his family and elders. Those wanting to join the festivities further are invited to wear local tribal attire, which includes getting your face and body painted.
• The locals will prepare Pig Mumu. Pig Mumu involves the slaughtering of a pig, which is then prepared and cooked in a hole covered by hot rocks with yam and corn. While we wait for it to cook, the villagers will introduce us to different customs and traditional skills such as fire making and archery.

Afternoon

• After a massive feast, we will go for a trek to the nearby waterfall where we can swim and enjoy the refreshing cool water.
• Return back to Mt. Hagen for dinner and drinks at the Highlander Hotel for a treat!
• After that, we head to another local village of our partners for a fire in a longhouse and the chance to try “Firewater”
• Overnight in Mt. Hagen at Kuri Lodge

Friday 13th September – Mt. Hagen – Goroka

Morning

• Breakfast at hotel
• We’ll begin our long day-drive through Simbu province to reach Goroka on our private bus to explore more of the Highlands regions. We’ll be stopping on the way for multiple photo opportunities.

Afternoon

• Lunch will be halfway, at Mt Wilheam Hotel in Simbu Province and will consist of street food!
• We’ll meet the Mindima Skeleton Tribes. Legend has it that the ancestors of this tribe were tormented by the presence of a monster in a cave full of bones. So, to attack the monster, they disguised themselves as bones which was a success according to the locals.
• We’ll greet the tribal chief of Nintul village and visit the Snake village.
• Arrive late afternoon in Goroka.
• Stop by the J.K McCarthy Museum which is made up of several rooms showcasing everything from WWII relics and traditional PNG objects. A highlight of the exhibition is a collection of photos showing PNG as it was when it had its first contact with Australians during the 1930s.
• Check into our hotel for dinner and overnight sleep.

Saturday 14th September – Goroka Festival Day #1

Morning

• Breakfast at hotel
• Today’s the big day! We head to the local field which converts into the site hosting the Goroka Festival, the oldest and most prestigious in the country. We’ll arrive early to ensure you can meet each of the members of the tribes preparing their costumes to get more of an insight of the event.
• You may choose to participate in the games and opt to have the locals prepare your dressings and make up (extra charge).

Afternoon

• We’ll grab some delicious various snacks and meals prepared outside on the grounds by the locals.
• You will have a unique opportunity to meet the Huli Wigmen, a tribe that wears extremely elaborate headdresses made from their own hair and other materials sourced locally.
• Once the show completes, we’ll return to the hotel for to freshen up then head out to Goroka town for dinner.
• Overnight in Goroka

Group A

Sunday 15th September – Goroka Festival Day #2

• Breakfast at hotel
• Head in for the second day of the Goroka festival. This is much more relaxed than day 1 and is but a half-day.
• This does though give lots more chances for photos and interactions before we witness the Mass Dance known as “Waipa”.
• Packed lunch at festival

Afternoon

• Return to hotel for a freshen up.
• We will then go driving into the countryside to find a great place to jump off ledges and swim in the beautiful river of Goroka, a great way to end our final afternoon here.
• In the evening, we head for a traditional PNG Goroka dinner, with our restaurant making the food especially for us.
• Drinks at one of the numerous hotel bars
• Overnight in Goroka

Monday 16th September – Goroka – Port Moresby

• Up early for our breakfast at hotel
• Depart by flight to Port Moresby and conclude the tour. YPT can arrange ongoing transport, optional tours of the area or advice on flights out.
• Tour concludes in Port Moresby, with YPT able to arrange city tours, or onward transportation.

Group B – Smoked Mummies of Aseki Extension 

Sunday 15th September – Goroka Festival Day #2

• Breakfast at hotel
• Head in for the second day of the Goroka festival, this is much more relaxed than day 1 and is but a half-day.
• This does though give lots more chances for photos and interactions before we witness the Mass Dance known as “Waipa”.
• Packed lunch at festival

Afternoon

• Return to hotel for a freshen up
• We will then go driving into the countryside to find a great place to jump off ledges and swim in the beautiful river of Goroka, a great way to end our final afternoon here.
• Group B members continue the tour to the beautiful coastal town of Lae, the capital of Morobe Province. On our way, we’ll pass incredible sceneries through the thick of the jungle and up the mountains.
• Once through the mountains, we’ll be driving down Shaggy Ridge and through Ramu Valley. Some of the fiercest combat between the Australian and Japanese forces happened here during World War II.
• Dinner, drinks and overnight at Morobe Hotel in Lae

Monday 16th September – Lae – Wau Bulolo – Aseki

Morning

• Early wake up at 3:00am to begin our journey towards Wau Bulolo – the picturesque town located deep within the valleys of PNG
• Stop for lunch at Minima
• Arrive at our final destination Aseki in the afternoon

Afternoon

• Here you’ll be one of the very few visitors to see the smoked corpses / mummies, which have been featured in selective media. Less than 30 tourists visit this site each year.
• We’ll have dinner with the locals before beginning our journey back to Lae.
• Late arrival in Lae 
• Dinner at hotel and overnight

Tuesday 17th September

• Breakfast in hotel before a slightly later star
• Visit Lae Unitech Habitat to see different species of animals
• We’ll partake in a city tour which will include a visit of the WWII cemetery
  
• Visit of the shipwreck of the Myoko Maru

Afternoon

• Buffet lunch at Lae food court
• There is also a chance here to buy souvenirs, such as shirts from PNG, fridge magnets and the like
• In the afternoon we make a very quick stop at the Amelia Earhart Monument, which is located in Lae
• In the evening we head for dinner at the best restaurant in town!
• Overnight 

Wednesday 18th September – Lae – Port Moresby

• Breakfast at hotel
• Board morning flight back to Port Moresby
• Tour concludes YPT can arrange ongoing transport, optional tours of the area or advice on flights out.

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