guide for Sepik River

Hi! Me and my wife are planning a tour in Papua. We need a good guide to visit the Sepik area! Please help me!!!

i recommend using ruth dicker in sydney - she works directly with local guides and she knows PNG well and speaks pidgin - she provides an excellent balance between a DIY adventure and an organised tour

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she helped arrange our 3 trips to PNG and all included time on the sepik

please say dominic from UK recommended her

Thank you very much, Majordom! ;-)

dont know why they removed her contact details - a search of my posts will show them

have a great trip - where else do you plan to go in PNG

we're planning to go some days to Goroka and Mt Hagen area to visit local tribu'. Can you advice me anithing?

see my post 'a month in png' for some ideas - lots of other good info on this forum - also look at the tripadvisor forum

I have an other question for you, out of this topic: Have you particular advice about our safety in general?

usual cautions for travel

dont walk around cities on your own unless you really know where you are going
dont walk around anywhere at night
dont show cash or wear jewellery - careful with cameras etc
dont go off with people you dont know unless several other people you trust can vouch for them
ask around if particular areas or roads or tracks are safe - get several different opinions

in general most people in PNG are friendly curious and welcoming but there is no doubt that it can be dangerous and lawless - both targeted robbings or more general 'tribal' violence - be especially careful anywhere there is alcohol - everyone carries a machete and if they are drunk and angry this is a problem

just to give you an idea of what you might expect - we have been on three trips to PNG each for a month and have been harassed by drunks in rabaul, namatani and on the sepik and had to change our travel plans to avoid roads closed by tribal violence on two occasions

dont let this put you off but be warned be prepared and be careful

So, if we pay attention is it possible to go alone or I need to go strictly with anyone of local people?

there are parts of the larger cities like moresby and hagen where you should definitely not be on your own or indeed visit at all
but in smaller cites like goroka, wewak and madang you can go around the centre on your own

catching PMVs on your own is generally safe but hitching lifts requires caution especially up in the highlands to hagen and beyond

in the villages or trekking it is generally safe to be on your own but there can be problems if you end up trespassing or getting lost so a guide is helpful if you want to get off the beaten track - roads and tracks can get closed due to tribal disputes and you need to respect this

the main benefit is the lack of other tourists - your arrival is generally a surprise and unexpected

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