12-Nights Papua New Guinea: Mount Hagen Festival - Luxury Small Group Journeys from $19,795

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

Itinerary

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.


Hyatt Regency Brisbane

Meals: Dinner

DAY 2 Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea

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.


Airways Hotel

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 3 Port Moresby

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.


Airways Hotel

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 4 Mount Hagen

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.


Rondon Ridge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 5 Mount Hagen

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.


Rondon Ridge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 6 Sepik Region

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.


Karawari Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 7 Sepik Region

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.


'sepik Spirit'

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 8 Sepik Region

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.


'sepik Spirit'

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 9 Sepik Region

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.


'sepik Spirit'

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 10 Mount Hagen

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.


Rondon Ridge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 11 Mount Hagen

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.


Airways Hotel

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 12 Brisbane, Australia

Today, fly to Brisbane. Tonight, enjoy a farewell dinner andrecap your amazing experience with your fellow travellers.


Hyatt Regency Brisbane

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

DAY 13 Brisbane

After breakfast, you are transferred to the airport for yourdeparture.




Meals: Breakfast

Featured Destinations
Sepik River
Mt. Hagen
Port Moresby
Brisbane

Vacation Details

Valid Date Ranges
08/07/2025 - 08/19/2025
from $19,795 per person


* This departure has been designated a guaranteed departure by the operator, meaning that the minimum number of guests has been met, although still subject to weather and other conditions.
Prices Start At
from $19,795 per person
Length
12 Nights
Air City
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Vacation Rating
Luxury
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Remarks
Prices are per person, double occupancy and include internal air where applicable. Holiday surcharge may apply. Departure dates, prices and availability may change at any time. Some restrictions may apply.

All fares are quoted in US Dollars.

OFFER ID
1557180

Reference this number when contacting our agency so we may better serve you. Also keeping this number handy will allow you to locate this document again quickly.

Arta Travel

5700 West Plano Parkway, Suite 1400
Plano, TX 75093
USA

(972) 422-4000