LODGES HOTELS DIVING TOURS ADVENTURE OFFICES INFORMATION BOOK HERE
Trans Niugini Tours - Papua New Guinea's leading inbound tour operator
GOROKA FESTIVAL EXPLORER
11 September - 24 September, 2007

Festival Explorer is a 14 day/13 night unescorted program that provides a remarkable insight into some of Papua New Guinea's 800 cultures. One of the many highlights of this program is attendance at the famous Goroka Cultural Show, an extravaganza of culture, brining together cultural groups from around the country into an arena of celebration of pre-technological cultures that are thousands of years old.

After the Goroka Cultural Show, the program explores the Sepik Area with a 3 night journey aboard the MV Sepik Spirit, with daily tours in a high speed river boat to visit far flung corners of the mysterious Sepik Region. Finally, the program moves to the Tari Valley, home of the flamboyant and colourful Huli Wigmen.

SUMMARY - 11-24 September, 2007
2 nightsAirways Hotel, Port Moresby
2 nightsRondon Ridge, Mount Hagen
3 nights Pacific Gardens, Goroka
3 nights MV Sepik Spirit, Sepik Area
1 night Karawari Lodge, Sepik Area
2 nights Ambua Lodge, Southern Highlands

ITINERARY IN BRIEF
Tue,_11 Sep. Upon your arrival in Port Moresby, you will be met by Trans Niugini Tours staff. You will then be transferred to the Airways Hotel.
Overnight Airways Hotel
Wed, 12 Sep. This morning you will be transferred from your hotel to Jacksons Airport for your flight to Mt. Hagen. You will be met and transfer to Rondon Ridge. Proceed with lunch followed by a nature walk.
Overnight Rondon Ridge
Thu, 13 Sep. Enjoy a full day of cultural and ecological touring. Mount Hagen is situated in the Waghi Valley - a valley with some of the oldest evidence of agriculture in the world.
Overnight Rondon Ridge
Fri, 14 Sep. Fly with Airlink flight from Mt. Hagen to Goroka. Goroka, home of the famous and intriguing Asaro Mudmen, will be your base for the duration of the 2007 Goroka Cultural Show.
Overnight Pacific Gardens Hotel.
Sat, 15 and Sun, 16 Sep. Spend 2 days enjoying the cultural extravaganza that is the Goroka Show. World famous for its colour, culture and vibrance. It is a truly spectacular event. The diversity of the coastal, lowland and highlands singsing groups at the Goroka show reflects the incredible diversity of Papua New Guinea's landscape - an unforgettable experience.
Overnight Pacific Gardens Hotel.
Mon, 17 Sep. In the morning Trans Niugini Tours staff will transfer you to your Charter flight to Sepik. As the flight progresses, the mountains start to give way until eventually vast tracts of dense tropical lowland rainforest cover the landscape for as far as the eye can see. From Sepik airstrip, you will be transferred to the air-conditioned comfort of the MV Sepik Spirit. 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 visted areas of the Sepik River and its tributaries in comfort.
Overnight MV Sepik Spirit.
Tue, 18 and Wed, 19 Sep. 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 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.
Overnights MV Sepik Spirit.
Thu, 20 Sep. This morning, disembark and transfer to Karawari Lodge. Sitting on a ridge above the Karawari River, Karawari Lodge boasts a spectacular view over hundreds of kilometres of dense tropical jungle. Inspired by local architecture and built with traditional materials, the lodge provides modern comforts. In the afternoon visit Kundiman village for sago making demonstration. Sago is the staple food for the river people.
Overnight Karawari Lodge.
Fri, 21 Sep. Fly by charter aircraft to Ambua airstrip 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 seem to rise and drop at impossible angles. Ambua Lodge is high on the slopes of the Tari Valley - home of the Huli, a colourful and proud people, still largely living the same way that their ancestors did. The afternoon is spent exploring the area surrounding Ambua - high mountain forests with roaring waterfalls beckon the intrepid traveller.
Overnight Ambua Lodge.
Sat, 22 Sep. In contrast to the Sepik people whose art is manifested in ceremonial and decorative carvings, these Highland people employ as their art, body decoration, face painting and human hair wigs decorated with feathers, flowers and moss. The Huli culture is the most vibrant, intact and colourful to be experienced anywhere.
Overnight Ambua Lodge
Sun, 23 Sep. To day you leave Ambua Lodge and transfer to Tari Airstrip for your flight to Port Moresby. You will be met by Trans Niugini Tours staff and transfered to your hotel.
Overnight Airways Hotel
Mon, 24 Sep. You will be met by Trans Niugini Tours staff and transferred to your international departing flight.

INFORMATION

LAND COST:
US$4,360.00 per person - (twin share room basis)

SINGLE ROOM SUPPLEMENT:
US$671.00 per person (Single room EXCEPT at Pacific Gardens Hotel or onboard the MV Sepik Spirit, which are on a twin share basis).

LAND COST INCLUDES:
Accommodation, airport transfers and tours on a seat in a bus basis, meals from dinner on 11 September to breakfast on 24 September, local guides and show gate fees.

LAND COST DOES NOT INCLUDE:
Domestic and international flights, visa fees and services of a personal nature such as beverage, laundry charges, phone and fax bills.

ADDITIONAL AIR CHARTER COST:
US$693.00  per person
17 Sep. Goroka/Sepik
21 Sep. Sepik/Ambua

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: 
Wednesday 12 September -- Air Niugini PX180 PORT MORESBY/MOUNT HAGEN 
Friday 14 September -- Airlink ND315 MOUNT HAGEN/GOROKA
Sunday 23 September -- Air Niugini PX865 TARI/PORT MORESBY

BOOKING AND PAYMENT PROCEDURES

To secure space, a NON REFUNDABLE deposit of US$500.00 per person is required to confirm the booking .

Full payment is due on 15 July, 2007. We will confirm booking only on receipt of payment.

Deposits and payments should be made into our Wells Fargo US Dollar bank account, details of which can be found on our payment instructions page.

CANCELLATION POLICY:
Cancellations received within a 30 day period prior to the commencement of the tour will attract a 50% fee of the total land and air charter costs. No refund is available after scheduled arrival in Papua New Guinea or in respect of any tour, accommodation, meals or any other service not utilized during the tour. Any additional costs incurred because of changes made during the itinerary by clients, will be to the clients account. Cancellations received after the 15 June, 2007, and prior to the 30 day period before the tour commences, will attract a fee of US$500 per person.

CLIENT INFORMATION:
Upon receipt of deposits, you will be sent a confirmation packet and Client Information Booklet. We cannot stress enough the importance of reading this information prior to your arrival in Papua New Guinea.  The Client Information Booklet has been specifically designed to give you vital information about strict luggage weight limits on the small aircraft used throughout the tours, possible delays in aircraft movements, standards of accommodation, etc. - Information in advance may help you to adjust to situations better as they occur.

A copy can also be obtained from this web site by clicking here [GENERAL INFORMATION]

COMMISSION RATE ON LAND CONTENT: Please apply.

Copyright(C)1996 - 2007 TRANS NIUGINI TOURS - service@pngtours.com