Long Weekend In Lake Kutubu

Hi,

It was a long weekend just past in PNG. I went with 5 other expats on a trip to Lake Kutubu, in the centre of the Southern Highlands province, so thought I would share it with the Thorn Tree World. Part of the reason I am posting this is for all those peopel who say ' there is nothing to do in Port Morseby on the weekend' - well, there is!

Firstly, I will confess up front that it was, oh no, yes - 'an organised tour'! I know that will immediately turn off all the die hard independent travellers. However, sometimes when you want to go somewhere remote and do it in a limited time, the only way possible is through the dreaded 'organised tour'.

However, the group that orgainsied the tour is not actually a tour company but an NGO that operates in the Gulf and Southern Highlands Provinces, CDI Foundation Trust Fund. Their work is focussed on community development, and they encourage local communities to get involved in tourism as a developmental and income generating venture. So the tour we did was all organised and delivered by PNG people - they did everything and I would highly recommend them. That appeases my conscience a little.

Now, to tell you about the trip. It started badly on Saturday morning. We were to leave Port Moresby (POM) at 8:30 am for Kikori. However, after checking in our luggage we were told that the flight was delayed to 12 noon! That meant that we had 3.5 hours to kill in the NOT celebrious surrounds of the airport departutre lounge. After a little encouragement, APNG agreed to take us to and pick us up from Airways Hotel, whihc was at least more comfartable to spend four hours in.

We finally left at 11:30 am, but had to transit at Kerema fro another 1.5 hours, while the plane took a detour to Balimo. At least that gave us the opportunity to walk around Kerama Town, which we did not expect to do. It is really a frontier town if ever I have been in one.

Finally we arrived in Kikori (Gulf Province) at at around 3:30 pm - we were supposed to be there at 10:30 am. So our tour around Kikori was cancelled, and the waiting CDI four wheel drive started the 3 hour drive to Gobe, an Oil Search Limited (a company that has oil production facilities in this area) camp and operation.

The trick was, we had to cross the Kikori River, which is a wide, fast flowing torrent of a river, and the ferry stopped operating at 6:00pm. Fortunately we got there just before 6, crossed the river into the Southern Highlands Province and continued to Gobe, where we arrived just before 7:00pm. We were staying in the Oli Search 'camp' accomodation and eating in their mess, which we made just in time. Early to bed then as we had to be up early on Sunday.

Up at 5:30 am for breakfast in the mess, then down to Gobe airport for a shared charter flight (with Oil Search) to Moro. The pilot agreed to fly over the spectacular Beaver Falls in very rugged country. These are a series of large rapids and are almost impossible to get to over land. Arrived at Moro at about 8:30 am. Moro is another Oli Search camp. We stayed in a CDI training facility accomodation, but ate dinner and breakfast in the Oli Search Mess.

Okay, so it's Sunday mid morning now, and we get to the main game - a boat trip on Lake Kutubu. Lake Kutubu is the second largest lake in PNG. It is in a pristine environment, with clear water and tree covered mountains coming right down to the waters edge. The lake has lots of islands. We had a traditional lunch at a village called something like 'Yomba': barbeque fish, kaukau, sago, abrica, fresh water prawns and sago grubs. Mmmmm - if nothing else it was different. Saw a couple of 'attractions' such as an orchid farm and a butterfly farm (no butterflies - they were all in the orchid farm).

This filled up the day, then back to CDI at 5:00, dinner at 6:00 in the Oil Serach mess, bed at 8:30.

Monday morning - up at 5:30 am to check in at the airport, breakfast at 6:00 am, flight left at 7:30, back in POM at about 9:00 am.

A lot of air and road travel for a 6 hour ride in a boat - but the only other alternative is to fly to Mendi, then PMV to Moro and I don't know how long that would take. It made for a very different weekend, and we got to see some stunning country that very few people, other than those associated with Oil Search, get to see.

Next weekend I climb Mt Albert Edward, the second highest mountain in PNG at 3,990 metres. Will let you know how that goes.

Nice one. Still have not got to the Southern Highlands.

I do need to correct though. Albert Edward is down the list a bit on highest mountains in PNG (Giluwe in the Southern Highlands is 2nd). It is the 2nd highest in the Owen Stanleys though, after Mount Victoria at 4072m. Yes I am a freak who keeps a list on the heights of PNG's mountains. Do let us know what the ascent is like.

Nice report, doesnt surprise me about delays on the flight though, it happened to me about 5 times on my trip and once even cancelled because airlink changed their route to accomidate a businessman

Nomadtales, thanks for the correction. I picked the description of Mt Albert Edward up off a couple of web sites - shows how incorrect information can be promulgated.

I meant to add in my original post that the total trip, including airfares, land transport, food and accomodationd cost K1,600, which I thought was reasonable given the distances covered.

Good report, sounds like it was an interesting trip. But I don't think you can say it show that not "nothing to do in Port Morseby on the weekend' because you spent it along way out of POM.