Lonely Planet™ · Thorn Tree Forum · 2020 |

# solo backpacker in png-some questions Country forums / Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea / Papua New Guinea
arad28 15:59 UTC 14 Apr 2013 | hello evreyone! i'm planning to arrive to png in the end of this july for 3 weeks and i have a few questions... as a solo backpacker should i be worried?or if i will take majers i'll be ok? 2.i'm planning to land in madang right after port mosrbey,and from there i am not sure...should i go to the islands like new ireland and new britian?or should i continue to the sepik?and in those places there are accomidation for backpackers or that evreything is 50$ plus par night? 3.if i will go the sepik i wanna catch a flight from wewak to hagen for the show,should i book that flight a few months before or can i get there and book it a few days before? 4.how much is a sepik tour for 4 or 5 days cost? in genarlly how much money in us dollars that trip will cost me?including domestic flights... thank you! |
robinhedges 16:30 UTC 15 Apr 2013 | Hi there, I'm also planning to be in PApua New Guinea around that time, for one of the cultural shows and will be a solo back packer. I'm currently looking into any tours/guides that arent to hideously expensive, proving tricky but wil persevere. I'm a mid forties professional bloke, if you want keep in touch, we can compare notes and perhaps meet up along the way to make things cheaper. It sure does seem expensive. cheers Robin | 1
arad28 17:12 UTC 16 Apr 2013 | hey! yeah,it will be nice to share some info(i have some),and even meet up in png. contact me arad.soffer@gmail.com | 2
digoebel 12:06 UTC 20 Apr 2013 | The time of end of July is a good time to visit the Sepik region . There is the crocodile festival in Ambunti at the weekend of 10-12.08.2013 . You can google pictures and videos of the festival with the colourful people In combination with visiting the festival you can make a sepik tour before or after the festival . The price of the Sepik tour is depending how much you are driving with the boat every day . But there is the possibility to go from Ambuti to Wagu lake and there you have the different kinds of landsscape nearby : the wetlands ,the lake and the mountain range . There you can also see the bird of paradise At Wagu lake there is the guesthouse of Mathew ,he is also a guide with boats and you can decide ,how much money you want to spend for a Sepik tour as how much you want to drive by boat or you can hike or paddle in this region If you want to see the landscape a round Wagu lake google videos with the words "Sepik" "Ambunti" and there you get more informations , how to come to Wagu lake Mathew has the phone number ++675 7378 6776 The connection is very good from all over the world and Mathew speaks Englich very good . The best time for calling is the evening time in PNG his e-mail adress is wagulake@googlemail.com | 3
robinhedges 08:38 UTC 23 Apr 2013 | Thanks, very kind and very helpful info. I take it you've been there, or do you live there. HOw much does on expect to pay for guide/day tour? I'm trying to do it on a budget (are there ANY budget options in PNG?!!!) I've found a few tour places but they all seem to come in around the 3-4 thousand poind mark for twelve to fourteen days!!! Cheers, Robin | 4
digoebel 12:10 UTC 23 Apr 2013 | yes I have been there in October 2010. It is right ,that you get high prices ,when you ask tour agencies. The only chance ,not to get overpriced offers for a Sepik tour , is to get direct contact to a guide of the Sepik region , who makes the tour with you . The guides have all mobile phones and the connection is very well around Ambunti. A fouvorite place in the upper Sepik region is Wagu lake ,which you can reach by boat from Pagwi via Ambunti The price for a Sepik tour depends , how many days you drive by boat along the Sepik , the costs for petrol and for the motor of the boat are really high. But you can save money , if you are paddling or hiking in the upper Sepik region . Therefor is Wagu lake with the Wagu guesthouse a top destination , as you have there all these possibilities . So you can decide how many days you want to make boat tours and how many days you want to spend without boat costs the ownner of the Wagu guesthouse is Mathew ,he is also guide with a boat and he can pick you up in Pagwi or Ambunti. His phone number is++675 7378 6776 and the best time for calling is evening time in PNG For detailed informations look at www.sepiktours-individualrates.de or google video with the key words " Sepik" " Ambunti" then you can see a video about Wagu lake | 5
jett000 08:56 UTC 25 Jun 2013 | Hi Guys, I went to the Sepik region and New Ireland on two seperate trips. Both amazing! Whilst prices inevitably increase I was able to have an amazing time without going on a tour. I was lucky to meet a guy who was travelling up river and we got on an oil barrel transport canoe from ambunti. I subsequently saw that he was listed in the lonely planet (joe - with his mobile number). I would like to find him again as i hope to return myself some time soon. We actually bought a small canoe and paddled back down. Much cheaper than other means! In answer to your Q's, I wouldnt be worried as a solo traveller. Perhaps not suggested for a first time trip, but if you are used to roughing it, is fine. Wherever you are going in PNG, you will be better off staying with locals and so bring little gifts and stuff. My experience is to always book in advance for flights. I left a booking to go the trobes too late and only managed to sort it by using the fax machine at the lutheran mission in ambunti after all phone lines were off for two weeks! If you are interested I am actually in the process of setting up a little agency to help people like yourselves do budget trips around. Feel free to email me and maybe we can arrange something as I still have contacts in the Sepik region and New Ireland. My email is gmross@gmail.com Look forward to hearing from you! Giles | 6