Tribe solo traveller

Hi!
I want to visit tribe in a remote area.
Does anyone have tips on how to make it happen beacuse I travell solo? I have contacted tour operators and it is to expensive.

Or are there other people out there who wants to travel with me so we can split the cost?

Best regards Vicky

Hi Vicky,

By most people's standards pretty much all PNG is remote. You might get better help from those who have experience in the country if you mentioned what exactly you expect from the tribe visit, what is 'too expensive' or what budget you're planning for, maybe what dates you have for your trip for others to join...

Happy travels
Pia

A good local guide will get you out to a village that few tourists have been to. There are only a handful of guides in areas like the Sepik so just browse through trip reports here to find them. For example I went with Joseph Kone who was great. I don't think I still have his number but it'll be on trip reports here and in the LP I think. It will be very expensive though for a solo traveller. Less so in regions other than the Sepik as there isn't petrol to pay for but still you are paying someone's wages by yourself in a country that has more western style costs of living rather than Asian costs of living.

I was lucky in that I just turned up and started asking questions at the guesthouse and was able to hitch a lot as I had quite a wide open time frame (a month before I needed to catch a flight to the next region). Joseph Kone happened to be off art collecting so he let me tag along on the route he was planning to go anyway at a much reduced price. This might work if you have a week to hang around in an entry town like Wewak and don't mind that this approach of course comes with risks (use an LP recommended guesthouse and ensure the owner and other folk can vouch for someone you go off with! I used Mrs Bari's Wewak Guesthouse).

Generally though if you want a bit more certainty you'll probably need to find someone to go with to split costs and just phone a guide beforehand.

As for remoteness, most villages in PNG are mainly bush material houses and people still live off the land and have traditional customs and beliefs (alongside Christianity). They do still wear western clothes though, send their kids to school and take their goods to market in a town. If you're picturing a tribe with traditional dress and very little contact with the outside world then that will be very very hard to find (not to mention a bit unethical to seek out if you're really picturing a barely contacted tribe).

Hi Vicky,
when are you going to PNG? I will be there mid to late September 2018 and would love to explore the Sepik river in the week after the Goroka show (if I can still find a guide...). A travel companion to share costs would be just perfect as also I'm travelling on a budget.
All the best,
Anika

Hi! It´s too late for me to travel in September.
I am planning to travel April-June, I can chanse it
to July, but not september. You can not go earlier?
I am speaking with a person that will visit many different tribes. I am waiting for answer now when
he/she is planning to go. Then we are 3 people ande it´s much cheaper then!
Best regards vicky

Hi!
I would like to edit my information in my question but I cant.
I can answer you here!
Weather expensive or not it depends on how many days it is and what I get for my money.
I want to travel May-june but can change it to july for other people.
I want to see "nature peolpe". People who are living in the jungle and get everything or almost everything from the jungle and don´t wear too much western clothes.
Best regards vicky

Hi Vicky,
too bad, I can't go earlier. But let me know about your final choice of tour & guide!
Wishing you a great PNG experience,
Anika

Thank you to!
Best regards Vicky

Hi Vicky,

We are a couple from London and will be in PNG from 1-14th July (leaving morning of 15th). We'd be interested in visiting and staying with a remote tribe or two, if the price isn't too high, and would be willing to share costs (e.g. of a charter flight).

MAF (www.maf-uk.org/place/papua-new-guinea) may be able to offer flights to remote airstrips such as Simbai and Bosavi.

Contact me if you like to see what we can arrange.

Stephann

Hi! It´s sound interesting!
I had planned to have my vacation a bit earlier but I think I will be able to take my vaccation in July as well.
Have you booked airline tickets yet?
What is your plan to do in PNG? Have you booked any gide or tour yet?
Best regards Vicky

Hi Vicky,

Nothing planned yet, but we do have airline tickets for the dates above. MAF has regular flights to both Simbai and Bosavi from Mt Hagen, so this is certainly an option. The ticket prices are per person, so you may be able to arrange this independently if you prefer to take your holiday earlier than when we visit.

Private message me if you want to discuss this further.

Stephann

to Vicky (the OP) (and anyone else thinking about this)

i would urge you to think about the ethics of what you want to do - what do you hope to get out of this and what do you think the people you meet will get out of it ?

not to say dont do it but please think about this first and adjust your approach accordingly

survivalinternational.org has lots if information as well as other similar organisations

tourism can be a good thing and in any case it is missionaries, palm oil companies, miners and loggers who are bringing more change than tourism ever will

most people in PNG live outside the cities and live a rural life, some working on big farms and plantations but most working their own land, forests and shores - a mix of market gardening (where there are markets to sell to), subsistence farming, fishing, hunting and gathering - the further you get away from the cities the more they depend on the subsistence and hunting as there is limited access to markets to sell - if you want to meet with these people then by defintion they are isolated and it is hard, expensive and time consuming to get there and you really need a guide to introduce and vouch for you and your intentions - these tribal groups often choose to be isolated and maintain their way of life

just as traditional ways of life are disappearing so too are traditional customs and beliefs - PNG is overwhelmingly christian even in remote areas although the old ways often exist alongside christian ones

anyway whatever you decide to do have a great trip - PNG is an amazing place

Hi! Thank for your thoughts!
I think I´m not going to PNG beacuse it to expensive travel solo.
/Vicky

it can be done in a budget if you have lots of timeand are flexible but i would not reccomend this approach for a single woman

I travelled solo in PNG and West Papua in 2014 / 2015 for almost half a year (in two journeys). To meet the local people I avoided flying when possible, but travelled by PMV, 4WD, bike, banana boat and freight boats. Whereever you come, it is remote, basic and you should mind your stuff (especially in the Highlands). In almost all situations I met people that starting to take care of me, because of safety.. . . . and because of me being a dim dim.
Don't hire a guide in the bigger cities, but go to your desired starting place (on Sepik eg Pagwi; in the Highlands eg in Tari) and hire a local guide over there. Then you meet the local people themselves, are sure of their knowledge and pay the best price.

Thank you so much!
I want to book the guide before going there beacuse I travel solo female.
I don´t want to end up not to have guide or I find one but it´s to expensive.

Hi Anika,

Am interested to accompany you as a travel buddy for the upcoming trip , on September.
Please contact me directly on my email address;
alamairac.2@gmail.com so we may discuss this further

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