Itinerary 1
Day 1 - Upon arrival in Port Moresby from your international flight you will be met and escorted to your hotel in Port Moresby. Overnight Gateway Hotel. (--D)
Day 2 - In the morning you will be transferred to your Air Niugini flight to Mt Hagen. Upon arrival in Mount Hagen, you will be met by your local guides and driven to Rondon Ridge, a comfortable lodge nestled on the edge of Wahgi Valley with an unbelievable view – a valley with some of the oldest evidence of agriculture. Enjoy the afternoon exploring the area surrounding Rondon. Amongst the possibilities is a walk into the montaine forest search for Birds of Paradise and other wildlife. Overnight Rondon Ridge. (BLD)
Day 3 - Today, a full day is spent at the Tumbuna singsing - witness traditional dances, interact with Stone Age cultures and hear stories about "taim bilong tumbuna" (time of the ancestors). Overnight Rondon Ridge. (BLD)
Day 4 - Fly by charter flight from Mount Hagen to Ambua, located in the Southern Highlands and home to the Huli “Wigmen”, a colorful and proud people still largely living the same way that their ancestors did. Ambua Lodge is set high on the slopes of the Tari Valley, with magnificent views of the valley below and surrounding peaks. The afternoon is spent exploring the area surrounding Ambua - high mountain forests with roaring waterfalls beckon the intrepid traveler. Overnight Ambua Lodge. (BLD)
Days 5 & 6 - Enjoy two full days of cultural and ecological touring. The Tari area is home to an incredible 13 species of birds of paradise, as well as numerous orchid species. Learn how the Huli live and how they interact with and use their environment.
Overnight Ambua Lodge (BLD)
Day 7 - Fly by charter aircraft to the Sepik over some of the most rugged and impressive landscapes in the world. The country between Ambua and the Sepik region is an amazing array of jagged limestone that seems to rise and drop at impossible angles. Transfer by boat from the airstrip to the air-conditioned comfort of the MV Sepik Spirit river cruiser. Inspired by the architecture of the "haus tambaran" or spirit house, the MV Sepik Spirit has a truly unique design. With its shallow draught, it allows travel to rarely visited areas of the Sepik River and its tributaries in comfort. Overnight MV Sepik Spirit. (BLD)
Day 8 & 9 - Two full days are spent exploring the many waterways of the Sepik and its tributaries including visits to traditional Sepik Villages. The Sepik River is one of the largest rivers in the world - in terms of water flow. Steeped in mystery, the people of the Sepik area have fascinated anthropologists like Margaret Mead since the area was first visited. Part of the mystery and attraction of the Sepik peoples is their amazing carvings, now famous the world over. Overnight MV Sepik Spirit. (BLD)
Day 10 - FFly by charter from the Sepik to Mount Hagen, during the flight mountains rise up to startling heights out of the flat lands of the Sepik Basin. Upon arrival you will be met and transferred to the Highlander Hotel for a poolside lunch, then back to airport for the afternoon flight to Port Moresby. Upon arrival meet and transfer to hotel. Overnight Gateway Hotel. (BLD)
Day 11 - Depending on the time of your departure flight, you will be met at the hotel and escorted back to the airport in time for your international departing flight. (B)
INFORMATION
SINGLE ROOM SUPPLEMENT:
GBP255 per person (Single throughout except twin share on the MV SEPIK SPIRIT and at RONDON RIDGE).
LAND COST INCLUDES:
Accommodation, airport transfers and tours on a seat in a bus basis, meals from dinner on 19 May to breakfast on 29 May, local guides and sing sing entry.
LAND COST DOES NOT INCLUDE:
Domestic and international flights, gratuities, visa fees and services of a personal nature such as beverage, laundry charges, phone and fax bills etc.
ADDITIONAL AIR CHARTER COST:
US$1170.00 per person
- Fri 22 May Mount Hagen/Ambua
Mon 25 May Ambua/Timbunke
Thu 28 May Karawari/Mount Hagen
Special Note Regarding Charters: Maximum baggage allowance is 10kg per person and a maximum of 5kg carry on baggage per person. Large, hard sided suitcases are not permitted on charter aircraft.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
You are only to book and ticket the domestic Air Niugini flights together with your international flights. We will book the Air Charter flights.
The Air Niugini flights you are to book and ticket are:
Wed 20 May PX180, PORT MORESBY/MOUNT HAGEN
Thu 28 May PX181, MOUNT HAGEN/PORT MORESBY
If you need help booking the international or Air Niugini domestic flights, please ask Symbiosis for assistance.
Departure Schedule |
| Departs | Days | Itinerary | Price | Note | |
| May 19, 2009 | 10 | Itinerary 1 | tba | | Register |
Tumbuna is the Tok Pisin (the lingua franca of Papua New Guinea) word for ancestors. "Taim Bilong Tumbuna" refers to the time before the white-man came, being the ways of the ancestors. The 2006 Tumbuna Sing Sing will be a spectacular celebration, involving local tribes celebrating their culture in a colourful extravaganza of traditional dress, dancing and singing. Bringing together a few of the 800 or so language groups of Papua New Guinea, the Tumbuna Singsing is a unique opportunity to witness the ways of the Tumbuna, as well as meet and listen to the stories first hand from tribal elders about the Taim Bilong Tumbuna.