dangers on madang goroka highway.

Hi,
Has anyone any experience of going to Goroka from Madang by road`-I do not want to do it by PMV and thought of trying to hire car. Is this feasible? Is this very dangerous?
I have been advised to fly to Goroka from POM and then back to POM and then to Madang and on to Wewak....as an old economy traveller it goes against the grain.

All the time I am trying to read between the lines.

Hi, I went by PMV in January and had no troubles. Did see tourists driving and don't see why it wouldn't be possible - the roads can be rough but nothing particularly hairy.

Amy

Thanks.....actually I mean to hire a car with driver but cant get any info.
I know things can change but feel the info I have been given is too cautious.

Good to get a view.

have spotted your qs about sepik travel and now this one,pmv is by far your best option if you want to go this way?hire car is very expensive and much more risky travel!have you explored the option of the airlines png flight on fridays only..it leaves mt hagen then stops goroka,madang and then onto wewak?flight number is cg1616...it leaves hagen around 9.10am.....wewak arrival 11.30am.this may ease some of your travel problems.

HI,
Thanks for info.
I think I once saw info' on that flight but the timing bad as I have booked at Lutheran GH for Goroka Show and would like to leave Monday 20th.

I can understand that PMV less risky than hire car but I will be 82 on 21st and old bodies really do start to crack up. Hard to gauge some of the advice I have been getting....people no doubt think of a fragile little old lady but I am a tough old chook.

In recent years in some countries I have paid for ALL the front seat accom. in shared taxi, for example in Benin and Tuva, Siberia. Or I have bought out remaining seats in a bus so we could get on our way and then INSISTED I spread.....Ivory Coast to Guinea. Would it be possible to pay for 2 or 3 seats and OCCUPY them? This sometimes hard when others are cramped or cant get in.

lenore,i don't know of any hire car places in goroka,most are based in hagen,yes the option of buying some "space" is good option....might just try it myself next trip!!!it may be option to hire aprivate 4wd?ask around,but the cost will be large!!!good treks

Earlier this year I was with a group of people doing volunteer work at Mt Hagen. After the task was complete we all went our different ways. One of the ladies had an interesting option setup. She booked a flight with MSF from Mt Hagen to another city within PNG. I am not sure how she did it but it is worth looking into.

MSF Médecins Sans Frontières aka Doctor's Without Borders.

Hi,
Our family travelled from Lae to Kainantu to Goroka and then Lae to Madang all by PMV. That was my husband, me, a teenager and two kids. It was fine. You could probably pay for the front seat but if you're thinking of doing it in the back it may be problematic because they really cram them in there. We travelled in a 13 seater with 25 of us!! + surf boards, chickens, sugar canes, tires, the lot. The locals will probably want to look after you anyway and I'm sure you'd get treated well. Its a wonderful place. Hope that helps.