Lonely Planet™ · Thorn Tree Forum · 2020 |

# Crater Mountain Wildlife Management Area Country forums / Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea / Papua New Guinea
artemious 08:21 UTC 11 Dec 2016 | Hello everyone! Has anybody flew to Haia, Herowana and Maimafu villages via The Research & Conservation Foundation Transit House in Goroka, advised by LP? Is it worth flying there, if I want to hike offbeaten trek? We will be in Goroka around Jan 5, 2017 and would like it try it out. I saw 1 pic of Maimafu airstrip in Google maps done in mid-2016. It means that people still get there.. Many thanks and regards! Artemi |
majordom 18:35 UTC 20 Dec 2016 | this is one of the places served by MAF - mission aviation fellowship - they have irregular schedules and have their own priorities beyond paying passengers ! http://maf-papuanewguinea.org/contact-us-2/ you need a flexible schedule if you are dependent on them for getting there and more crucially getting back for more info on the crater area contact the RCF in goroka http://www.rcfpng.org/guest-house/ i have been to goroka but not the crater area - i have flown with MAF and found it very frustrating - see previous posts | 1
artemious 17:22 UTC 22 Dec 2016 | Hi majordom, Could you kindly share details on your negative experience with MAF? I have not found any info on this in your previous comments. Was it because of flight delays/ you stuck somewhere or simply there was no point to fly with them to those villages as there was nothing special? It's interesting to get the reason of your frustrationion and do not waste time and money. Many thanks, artemi | 2
majordom 12:30 UTC 23 Dec 2016 | MAFs main clients are the churches and that is their priority 3 years ago (our second of 4 trips) the road from pagwi to wewak was closed due to tribal violence so we flew from ambunti to wewak with MAF they normally fly 2 times a week but given the circumstance put on an extra flight and so we booked and paid cash for 2 tickets - on the day we turn up at 8am for 8:30 flight but no plane appears until 10 (bad weather blamed) then they try to charge us for extra luggage despit having had our luggage agreed when we bought the tickets then we get bumped off the flight by a pastor and entourage who turn up at last minute without tickets his church is one of the ones MAF supports standoff ensuses as the various staff and our guides all argue about who should go on flight - eventually the pilot finds that their is an empty plane on its way from hagen to wewak and it is diverted aand eventually around 4pm we all fly to wewak on the 2 planes apparently stuff like this is pretty standard with MAF - our travel agent will not use them as they are too unreliable for arranging tours around - that said they are the only option for many locations in PNG and provide an essential service the flight along the sepik and over the mountains is stunning ! | 3
GeorgeK211 05:52 UTC 19 Jan 2017 | Hi Majordom I am considering a trip to Papua New Guinea. I would like to do the sepik river and the Solomon Islands. I see that March is low season/rainy? .Have you been to PNG in March or have you heard about whether travel there is viable during the last two weeks of March and the first week in April.? Thank you for your insights on this subject. most gratefully yours, George | 4
Thorn Tree 01:00 UTC 20 Jan 2018 | This topic has been automatically locked due to inactivity. Email community@lonelyplanet.com if you would like to add to this topic and we'll unlock it for you. | 5