Traveling solo in PNG & trekking gear in PNG

First off, I am not a novice traveler; I am well-accustomed to third world conditions and lack of infrastructure. I have done virtually all of my traveling solo, so I am accustomed to that as well. I am curious about logistics of leaving the main city/villages in PNG. In Africa, for example, I was a big fan of the shared vehicles, which sound like the PMVs I've seen mentioned in the ThornTree. In Africa, I would sometimes just take the shared vehicle to a town, say 4-6 hours away, and see if I could find a guesthouse there. I got to plenty of little towns and had some great experiences stopping in places that ordinarily don't get travelers.
Can I do similar on my own in PNG? Is the PMV network sufficient enough to transport me to a good variety of towns, on the de facto tourist trail and off? Do I need a guide to do this?
I'm a bit jaded in the sense that I am wary of hiring "guides" having plenty of experiences with unhelpful gentlemen who turn out to be more of a burden than a help.
I assume that the majority of PNG is "off the grid" and that's where the guides are useful for trekking into places inaccessible by normal vehicles. Is that a fair assumption? If I am hiking to get from a town to another town, I would absolutely prefer to have a guide with me. As a solo traveler, will it be affordable? Do I need to hire the whole town, or can one guy accompany me?
Finally, if I am heading off the grid a bit, will I need to bring gear such as a tent and sleeping bag? I would really rather not carry that stuff on the rest of my trip if I can find it there, or if guesthouses/locals' homes will have a sufficient mat and blanket.
My apologies if these sound like uneducated questions: I do intend to purchase the LP guidebook, but haven't done it just yet.
Thanks in advance!
Adam

Brief reply...

PMV network goes along most roads at some point. Problem is there aren't too many roads. But you will be able to get to a large variety of places from where you can either hike, take a boat, or just hang out.

You do not need a guide. I would strongly recommend a guide for hiking though because there are bandits about. I wouldn't worry too much about them, but I wouldn't go off alone, especially in the highlands.

When hiking, a guide should cost around 50 kina a day or so. Depends on the area though.

You don't need a tent as you will probably be able to stay in any village you come across (remember to give the family you stay with food and/or cash). A light sleeping bag would be handy in the highlands because it gets cold up there at night. I found that a camping pad was very helpful because sleeping on uneven floor boards is a bummer.

A tent might also come handy if you are concerned about quite how you sleep - Papuan huts in the Highlands in particular are often badly infested with fleas.

I'd recommend a guide if you go off the beaten track, a guide will be handy as an interpreter unless you speak Pigeon English or the local dialect.
A mosquito net is a definite must in the lower more tropical areas. If not for the malaria worries for the peaceful night sleep. One of my trekking mates fell asleep with his backside hanging out of his mosquito net while we were canoeing the Sepic river.... It was nasty..
PMVs will take you to most places i noticed. The roads are ordinary and not often asphalted but they use them.

I lived in PNG for three years and did a fair bit of solo travelling through the interior. I never had trouble with bandits, though friends of mine were held up. You can travel for almost nothing once you get to PNG (PMVs are amazing, though they're usually best for going between two major points and may be harder to flag down - since they're usually full - if you're trying to catch them in between towns - I once waited 4 hours at the Ramu junction for a PMV to Madang before someone I knew drove by and took pity on me).
It should be no trouble finding people to stay with if you're hiking through villages etc - might be worth asking advice at the office of a mission organisation in Lae or Madang as they'd know whether missionaries or development workers were currently stationed in a rural area and could offer you a bed and something other than taro to eat.

Just came back from a solo backpack holiday in Papua New Guinea
Dear All,

I just came back from a 1 month backpack solo trip in PNG.
I will try to do my best to give best information for all travellers.
I`m from Europe........

1.Air niugini>has the best routes but book early (Sin-Pom-Sin)

2.Dont fly in PNG, go by PMV because when you will fly you will miss out on the landscape (and thats one of the best parts of Png)
3.Lonely Planet PNG/Solomon Islands 8th Ed. is they worst LP that i used in years....my god (and i can tell you thats not nice when you are travelling alone in a country like this.)
4.Take a mobile phone with you, when you arrive in Port Moresby you go to the Digicel Desk and get a FlexCard & Simcard (25K)
You will need it to call guesthouse & call your new Png friends that you meet in the Pmv
5.You can use Credit card only to get Cash from BSP bank and ANZ bank ( normal bank card didnt work Cirus for exmpl.) 6.Use a moneybelt !!!!!!!! (I travel a lot and i never use a moneybelt, but now for the first time i realy felt save with my moneybelt) 7.Dont bring a Tent and so.....just bring loads of Deet (care Plus)

From Singapore I went to Port Moresby and then the same day to Goroka
I booked that ticket via the website in Europe before i left for PNG.

Goroka:

*Stay in Luthern Guesthouse , Clean,Cheap,Nice food,Good location
*Lp says it is save to go to Mt.Kiss lookout......Dont it is NOT save at all, I went there because the LP says it is Ok, but when I went after 200mtr all locals went crazy and told me that it was not save and send me back. *Dont stay in Bird of Paradice hotel , expencive,dirty and noisy,no airco
*Mud men Tour 1pers 100Kina ( contact Samuel Lulu > Stan.gareke@goroka.acil.com.pg)(very nice,good service,and CHEAP!!!!!!!!!)

PMV Goroka - Mt Hagen (20Kina) ( around 4hrs but leave at 6am and you will be there around 3pm)

Mt.Hagen:

*The worst city in whole PNG, very unsafe,dirty, not a good vibe
*stay in Luthern guesthouse, dirty, expencive,security needs to walk with you when you go out (to get food or so or go to the bank)
*Never walk alone with 2 backpacks in Mt.Hagen they will get you.............ALWAYS walk with security. (Luthern guesthouse can help you)

Mt.Hagen - Tari PMV ( 12hrs via Mendi) ( leave Mt.Hagen at 6am and you will be there around 4pm) (DON`T LEAVE MT.HAGEN LATER THEN 6AM)
(40Kina)

Tari:

*DONT stay at Warili Lodge, its very Run Down , dirty, and felt unsafe , and all contact numbers in LP are NOT correct!!!!!
Steven: 00.657.715.98.104 (it took me a week to get this no. all other telno. are NOT correct!!!!!!)
*There is not other option then staying at the Ambua Lodge.....after many calls I get a 2Night Package rate for locals it cost 1412Kina / euro 315
it was crazy but there is no other option then this.......The lodge is Ok, but not great the bird watch is next to a busy road with road workers and they will not take you into the forest.......
The wigman school is one Tourist Show and it is all crazy expencive, they dress you up as a wigmen nice for taking photo`s but thats all........
You really need to mention extra that you want to see they Facepainting ass well.
You are not allowed to leave they lodge alone , only to go the wigman and see the birds,you will NOT see the famouse Bird (also on the air niugini airplane)

There is now other place to stay in Tari then Ambua Lodge, unless you fancy a cheap and rundow lodge and a owner that you almost can not contact.
The road from Mt.Hagen to Tari was ssssssssooooooo beautiful but please check with locals if it is safe to travel there
because it is a very dificult part of PNG (road,people,safety etc etc)

I also want to mention: MR WET (manager ambua lodge) he is the most unfriendly person in whole PNG!!!! my god i never met a men like that ever during my travels around the world......my god!!!!!!

You can use Credit card to make Reservation Ambua lodge (air niugini tours NOT direct at Ambua Lodge Mr.Wet will kill you)

Tari - Madang ( via Mt.Hagen & Goroka, book all guesthouses before yoy leave Tari !!!! )(you can NOT bay a flex card at Ambua Lodge so get many Flex cards before you leave for Tari) (and because the Ambuda lodge will not let you out there lodge you can not bay any flex card anymore)

Madang:

*Stay at the Madang Lodge > ask for Fiona from the Reception staff

*stay in budget room and ask if fiona can spray you room before you go to sleep due to animals !!!! (gekos) *Restaurant staff is verry un-friendly and it is expencive...there pizza is OK *You can use Credit card *LP says that you have nice beaches in Madang and you can snorkel......Well I think LP went to a different Madang maybe but NO beaches no snorkel...nothing!!!! *There are NO boats to Siar Island !!!!!! you need to ask a local to bring you around 20Kina!!!!!!!! *Siar Island is ok, but not as nice as LP tells us
*Around 2Kina from madag lodge to Siar village
*Nice coral just infront off Siar village, NO coral at siar island !!!!!

Madang - Lae (PMV around 4 hrs , but also leave at 6am and you will be there around 4pm) (50Kina)

Lae:

*very nice city,clean , felt very Safe , friendly people, just don`t walk alone always go with security!!!!!!
*THERE IS NO BOAT FROM LAE TO KIME/RABAUL ANYMORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
*THIS IS VERRY VERRY IMPORTANT " AS A TOURIST YOU CAN NOT GO BY BOAT TO KIME AND RABAUL ANYMORE!!!!!!!!!!!!
*FOR NOW ONLY ON RABAUL SHIPPING/STAR SHIPPING,you can try luthern shipping
*Stay at Mahomi guesthouse (telno:00.657.71126057)(kwinaambang@yahoo.com)
-verry verry nice peole (Kwina & jack)
-you can work in there Kai-bar so you can meet the locals it is very nice
- Food is the best (ask for the chicken)
-Please Please bring medicine (Paracetamol or so) for the staff !!!!!!!! and give it to: Veron
-Veron> is the lade from Reception and housekeeping she is the best woman in PNG!!!

she has back problems so bring some medicine for her, and she has a eye problem so also bring a old sunglass
that will save here life!!!!
*Kwina will bring you to the city , airport, everything that you want she will do
*there is internet, the girl that is working there is not that friendly but ok.....
*other people there: Kwina,Jack,Veron,Cook,Buffy etc etc etc
*Please stay here,you will love it!!!!

Lae - Kimbe (direckt flight it`s crazy expencive)(520Kina)

Kimbe:

*Stay at Walindi Plantation Resort
*Ask for special price from Cat Stinson and she will help you. (250K incl 3meals and laundry)
*Diving is the best here, ask for STEVEN J to be your buddy....he is the best
*Junior is also ok and a very nice person!!!!
*Its expencive to dive, but it is the best place on the planet to dive so it is worth it *ask for shark dive (without a cage) it is the best!!! *Cecile&max are so friendly and they work so hard......... *You can pay by credit card *transport from airport to resort and V.V is NOT free!!!! *There is also a japanese speaker and she dives also.... *stay at Plantation house, very nice, ask for housekeeping lady Helen!!!! she is the best!!!!! *there are a lot of frogs near the plantation house, I saw one as big as a watercooker....its crazy!!!!!!

Kimbe - Port Moresby ( Direckt flight ) (kina 330)

*stay in Ponderosa Family hotel ( phone: 00.657.71666062)(you can also book via e-mail)(they reply within one hour)
*Stay at budget room, with TV,Cooker,Shower,Clean towels,only the bed is rock hard
*Ask for Teresa or Marie from the Reception.
*Marie can bay PNG umbrellas for you (BIG 13Kina) its a realy nice souvenier, but dont cary it on board, check it in but please rap and pack it verry verry good....Teresa can help you with that....
*I was not allowed to go out in Port Moresby alone,and I didn`t i just wanted to get out asap!

Airport

*port moresby airport is Ok
*small,clean,NO internet,No phone
*BSP bank is good
*nice restaurant on 2nd floor
*no duty free shopping before 4pm, after imigration there is a small duty free shop.

General information:
*Luthern guesthouse Goroka: 00.657.732.1171
*Luthern guesthouse mt hagen: 00.657.54.22137 (Stephanie)
*Steven Warili Lodge: 00.657.715.98104
*Samuel Mudmen Tour 100Kina : 00.657.732.1682 (not easy to get him to 100Kina for the tour....do your best
*Madang Lodge: 00.657.4223922 (ask for Fiona)
*Ponderosa port moresby: 00.657.71666062 (ask for Marie & Teresa)
*Air niugini tol free from land line only: 180.3444
*good travel agency in goroka:00657.71294245 (ask for jesepha)(make sure she swipe your credit card)
*Ambua reservation ask for local price 2night package incl tours : 00.657.5421438
*Walindi resort> Cat Stinson 00.657.9835441

*Legal help needed as a tourist call: 00.657.71400624

Before you leave send a scan of your passpoort to your embassy*

Take cash,credit card

Don`t bring to many expecive looking things with you*

*you can travel alone, and you will love it

don`t bring LP 8th Ed. it is NOT good **

**bring many book, you can not go out after 7pm alone, and there will be NO local to walk with you to dangerous!!!! )

people are ssssssoooooo friendly

*don`t fly but use PMV

•
o

 See mudmen,wigman,birds,go diving,use local transport **

**Bring MONEY, it is crazy expecive....BUT apart from Ambua lodge & Walindi Resort , I spend 190Kina / Euro 50 per day
on a verry tight budget, no souveniers,no drinking etc etc etc

**Don`t use Betelnut , if you want to bay betulnut contact Duale: 00.657.722.61201 **

becarful with your camera in the Goroka market ,Mt.Hagen city.Pmv travel

But go to PNG !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Don`t count to much on staying in villages

The locals will think you are crazy because it is just to dangerous

And there is a big problem with the language...and you need to ask permisson from villages chef.

Don`t count on it to much.....it could be dangerous walking alone with 2 backpacks (one big/one small) they will get you.....

Better be safe and wise then sorry and dead

I stayed in villages all the time, felt safer than in the cities, and never had language difficulties.

Hmmm.....I never once walked around with security and never had a problem. Also walked around with my backpack and never had a problem. I'm with Lazlo, I stayed in many villages, had no problem arranging it, and found the villages to be much safer than any city.
Lae? You found Lae to be safe? Wow...that place is dodgy...

Thank you everyone for the comments so far! I am still leaning toward going, though the trip is currently mired in negotiations with my manager about whether I can take as much time off as I want... I'll post again if I have more questions, but welcome any additional comments that people want to add. Juraldo, I think I will take an edited version of your list as a supplementary guidebook :)