Crater Mountain Wildlife Management Area

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

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

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

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 !

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

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