Itinerary help for PNG this JULY 2019

Hi,

I am in the midst of planning a trip to PNG this July and would really love some advice from those who know the country. It's obviously a large country with a lot to do and I have some constraints. Here are some details

• 4 of us traveling (2 couples). We're all in our 30s and prefer more independent-style travel
• We are looking at July 2019 and planning to travel for somewhere between 8 - 10 days. I realize that's not a lot of time
  -We tend to be active travelers who like to pack a lot into a day. A day or two of relaxation is great, but otherwise we like to be on the move and filling up our days

Given our time constraints, we only have time for some of the highlights. In terms of what I'd like to include

• At least a day of scuba diving. We're all certified.
• Some exposure to tribal culture. However, we don't need to overdo tribal interaction. I always feel a little awkward gawking at other cultures.
• Hikes and treks! However, we're more interested in day hikes where we still get to return to somewhat comfortable accommodations at the end of the day.

My own research suggests that some of the must dos are the Sepik River, Rabaul, Kimbe Bay, Milne Bay, Madang, Goroka, and Mt. Hagen. Obviously we can'd do it all, so I'd love any guidance on how we should prioritize and organize our trip. We want to spend the minimum possible time in Port Moresby.

THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!

that is a tight schedule to go to more than 2 spots - PNG rewards longer stays as the best information is obtained by word of mouth - this is when the real interaction with locals can start and you move on from the tourist 'gawking'

rabaul has the most to do and see in 1 place - you can hike the volcano as well as forests easily, you can visit the beach and reef and even small islands, there is good diving (WW2 wrecks) and lots else to see and do

the highlands would have more challenging hikes

kimbe and milne bay are great for diving but have less to do otherwise than rabaul

the sepik is the great adventure but will be expensive for a short trip - it is not easy to do on a budget unless
you have a lot of time

so i would say rabaul and then either sepik or highlands - i dont think you have time for all three

anyway read up on trip reports here and on tripadvisor

have a great trip

Incredibly helpful. Thank you! Raubal in particular seems like a must.

Could you give me a sense for what a "Sepik adventure" even looks like? From what I can gather, you're basically canoeing the river and stopping at villages along the way, which sounds interesting. Is that accurate? Is there more to the experience?

Thanks!

Sanjay

that is a tight schedule to go to more than 2 spots - PNG rewards longer stays as the best information is obtained by word of mouth - this is when the real interaction with locals can start and you move on from the tourist 'gawking'

rabaul has the most to do and see in 1 place - you can hike the volcano as well as forests easily, you can visit the beach and reef and even small islands, there is good diving (WW2 wrecks) and lots else to see and do

the highlands would have more challenging hikes

kimbe and milne bay are great for diving but have less to do otherwise than rabaul

the sepik is the great adventure but will be expensive for a short trip - it is not easy to do on a budget unless
you have a lot of time

so i would say rabaul and then either sepik or highlands - i dont think you have time for all three

anyway read up on trip reports here and on tripadvisor

have a great trip

yes you are on a canoe visiting villages and making short treks to birds and animals

in the other places on your list there are cellphones, newspapers, TV, cars etc - if you want to really get away
from the modern world then the highlands (away from the highway and the cities) and the sepik are
the best choices - you can meet people with traditional ways of living and traditional beliefs - in most
other parts of PNG modern life and churches have largely ended this

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