Advice please

I am very grateful for the comments posted on here - jimmy's tavelogue was fascinating
I wondered if I could have some considered opinions on this

I'm planning a 5 centre PNG trip for next year. The route will probably be;

Walindi - Rabaul - Sepik - Tari - liveaboard out of Tufi or Lae

So basically I will be diving at 3 locations - 2 to start with - then Sepik & Tari - & then dive to a finish

I will be carrying all my dive kit, plus u/water camera case - so this means I will not be travelling light - it's very awkward moving anywhere without the aid of a vehicle as I found out on my last trip there - so I won't be wandering any great distance.

So, should do the Sepik before Tari, or Tari before Sepik? I will be flying between each centre

I assume the Warili Lodge is close enough to the Tari Gap for me to go birding from there?

If I go for the Sepik - & I think I will be looking to visit Swagap primarily - do I start from Wewak & Alois Mateos? And will I have to pay extra for taking my dive kit with me, or will I be able to start & finish my Sepik journey from the same point & be able to leave the dive kit there? I noticed jimmy's comments on Mrs Berry's place - I wondered if she'd mind my kit for a box of chocolates? ;-)

And if I do go for Swagap - where else close by to I need to see on the Sepik?

Thanks for your time

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<hr>So, should do the Sepik before Tari, or Tari before Sepik?<hr></blockquote>Doesn't matter, really.<blockquote>Quote
<hr>I assume the Warili Lodge is close enough to the Tari Gap for me to go birding from there?<hr></blockquote>Sort of. If you don't mind uphill walking for say 2 hours, or paying for a chartered vehicle to take you up to the planteau. Birds are seen pretty much all along the road.<blockquote>Quote
<hr>will I be able to start & finish my Sepik journey from the same point & be able to leave the dive kit there?<hr></blockquote>I'd definitely make Wewak a base for that, and leave all unnecessary stuff there.<blockquote>Quote
<hr>And if I do go for Swagap - where else close by to I need to see on the Sepik?<hr></blockquote>Tricky. Most attractions are way downstream along the Middle Sepik. If you do opt to go to Swagup, I guess your best bet is to go up some tributaries. I am sure your guide, as you seem to prepere to take one, will have some ideas.

Thanks Las ;-)

I did more reading, & will definitely stow my gear before I hire a guide.

I get the impression from your reply that Swagap is in the other direction to the rest of the good stuff in Middle Sepik?

Insect tribe is my priority - anything else will be a bonus.

And would June be a good month to do Sepik by canoe - with regards to water level? I need to be in Rabaul by July, & August does not seem to be favourable for Sepik travel, so thought I might do Sepik & Tari first - then wash the mud off & dive New Britain.

Thanks again for your valued opinion.

H

Your itinerary looks great - one issue - even though the guidebook suggests it is possible it is not that easy to fly between Tari and Wewak or vice versa. I looked into it last year and found it not straightforward. There was certainly no direct flights when I looked - if i had wanted to do it I would have had to flown down to Madang up to Hagen and then onto Tari so bear this in mind.
Sepik is fine in June i was there late August and the tributaries were quite lowish but it was still navigable.
Also if you want to leave your diving gear at mrs berry's that won't be a problem- in fact it will be safer not lugging it around with you when you are in the sepik

hope this helps

James

Thanks James,

That's good a tip about the flights as I really had not considered that there might not be a direct flight, or that it would be a dog leg route.

I'm definitely going to try & get to the Sepik for June.

Hi - I have just noticed your post so not sure if you will read this. I know you didn't ask, but I did some diving in PNG last year and I would highly recommend Tufi. It was a wondeful place to stay, really friendly with beautiful accommodation (even has backpacker rooms if you ask). While I was there it was often hard to get out of the fjiords for diving as the swells in the open water were too high. In good weather it would be great. It is a much more beautiful place to base yourself than Lae in my opinion.

Have fun, it's an amazing country
Rona