PNG accommodation budget - Goroka, Sepik

Hi there
I am thinking of going to Papua New Guinea next year and travelling around independently.
I guess I would like to go to the Goroka show in September
Can anyone please advise me about budget accommodation in Goroka at the time, especially village or at the Sports Institute? Does anyone know how I could book these over the internet?
I have read that it is better to get there a couple of days before and leave a couple of days after, but that would take up too much time, as the show is three days long. Has anyone flown up there at the beginning of the show and caught a bus away from it, maybe to Lae, during or after the show?
I would like to see some of the Sepik, but not on an expensive tour. Can I arrange something once we get to Wewak?
We will be two or three middle aged women, anyone want to share guides, at this time? We are used to roughing it, are fit and used to travelling independently.
Cheers
ilfordcurly

If you prefer to travel around PNG independently, better resign yourself to the fact that it is not like Australia, so for example budget accomodation is not bookable online.
Nor is basically anything else, unless you go through (expensive) tour operators.

The places to arrange cheap Sepik trips are the villages on the river itself, not Wewak.

Of course budget travel in PNG requires a certain amount of time and flexiblity.

Hi, thanks for that.
I just wanted to book the part of my trip that is in Goroka, because I imagine that all accommodation will be full while the show is on. I have the address of the Sports Institute so I might try to write to them. As it is a government institute I thought it might have an email address.

The Sports Institute is a very casually-run place, as is PNG in general for that matter, so I would never expect them to take (and remember) advance bookings. I stayed there 3 times, but not during the main show.

But I think someone on TT has recently posted that it had vacancies even at showtime.
If that gives you reassurance, you could try and phone them to ask what they think.
I wouldn't bother writing.

good day,
we lived in goroka for 3 mos. during training for peace corps. during the first part of our stay we all lived with families (ours was in Roger Village-just outside of town-should you happen...you never know...to see AKO or WARINDO GEORGE-tell them Terrie & Mark say hi!!) & then 1/2 the group stayed at the Sports institute & the other 1/2 stayed at Kafamo-heading in the other direction from the Sports Inst.-which was a complex run or for the church. Not sure if they rent rooms/are still functioning as such (we were there 97-99), but it was clean & fine.

Terrie

I have been to the Goroka Show the last two years. Both times I stayed at the Goroka Lodge. It is clean, efficient and with friendly staff.

You can contact them on telephone: 732 2411, fax:732 2307, or email:gkalodge@global.net.pg.

The Lodge will be more expensive than the Sports Institute, and is not as close to the Show venue. However, they have a bus and will drop you off and pick you up from anywhere. The Lodge will take bookings well in advance and will 'remember' it.

I attended the Goroka Show this past September. We were able to book the Sports Institute in advance. There email address is natspoin@daltron.com.pg.

It did take them a couple months to reply though. Also, they only have a small number of double rooms, mostly only private rooms. We were quite happy with the accomodations. It is also within walking distance to the town during the day and the institute has a car to drive you around at night.

This year the show was only two days. Arrive the night before, and leave the morning after. No need to stay longer.

We arranged our sepik tour in advance with a local guide, Cyril Tara. His contact info is on other PNG threads. He was the cheapest we could find.

We took a PMV from Lae - goroka - Madang, and then flew to wewak. We had no trouble with PMVs.

Hope this helps

Thanks this is very helpful. It is great to hear from someone who has been there.

I have heard a number of recommendations about the Lutheran Guest House. It is cheap, clean and very central, unlike the Sports Institute. I do not have internet address but their telephone number is: (675) 732 1171 and their fax is (675) 732 1124 It is said to be clean, well run and cheap but you need to book early as it fills fast for the show. You can get a PMV from Goroka to Lae at any time, but do not travel late afternoon or at night in case of flat tyres, breakdowns or road blocks. Alternatively, you could fly to Port Moresby from Goroka or Lae to see the Hiri Moale Festival oiver the Independence weekend (16th September). Alternatively, you could travel to Madang or Mt Hagen and fly to Wewak and organise your Sepik adventure. The Middle sepik ius the most intersting. I would recommend getting the Lonely Planet Guide as there are so many options. If you are coming from Australia Airlines PNG has cheap flights from Brisbane and Cairns. Milne Bay is a nice place to visit for ladies as it is a matrilineal society. Best wishes, Gretta