Warili Lodge - Tari, with contact numbers!

Last weekend I got to Warili Lodge and had a fantastic time.

I was meet at the airport by our guides, so the message had got through. We did the shopping in Tari and then headed to Warili. It takes only half an hour to get to Warili. My sister and I were the only ones there for the first two days, so we monoplised the staff.

On Friday afternoon Heni, our guide, took us on a waterfall walk. The waterfall was spectacular.

Saturday we went bird watching early and saw two birds of paradise. Not real close, but close enough to say we saw them. After breakfast we went to a 'cultural show'. A small singsing, which to be honest I could have done without, but my sister loved it as this was her first time in PNG. On the way back to Warili we stopped at the Tigebe market, as Saturday was market day. Another great authentic PNG experience.

The highlight was in the afternoon when Heni took us to his village and house. We meet his wife and kids. Sat in his house and cooked sweet potatoe in the ashes of the fire and told stories. This is the real PNG - forget the cultural shows! By the way, Geelong was playing in the AFL grand final and I was getting text messages from my son in Melbourne all afternoon with updates! I had bought a carton of beer, so that night we celebrated Geelong's great win with Heni, Albert and Dino, cooks from the Lodge. We told stories till late and had a great time.

The next day we visited the Spirit Dancers and the Wigmen, which was okay, but a bit touristy. However, these guys are all paid for this so it puts money into the local economy. In the afternoon another good waterfall walk, but this time over three suspension bridges all made form bush materials.

There is mobile phone contact at Warili, so you can ring them. I wish I knew that a few weeks ago (see my posts below). The numbers are 697 8018 and 691 2063.

The only caution I would give to visitors is to get it clear what you will be doing and how much it will cost when you first arrive. Steven Wari was not there and Heni was trying to contact him in Moresby, which was difficult. Eveything had to be approved by Steven. Our stay cost a little more than I thought it would, but was still well less than half the price of Ambua.

Tari is something else: men dressed traditionally and lots of people with face and head decorations. I have not seen anything like this anywhere else in PNG.

We had a really memorable time. Heni and the other guys were fantastic. I highly recommend a stay at Warili.

Thank you for the mobile phone contact numbers! Those are a great help!

And I also appreciate your earlier advice, too. This trip planning is driving me to pull out all my hair. Maybe that's a good thing, who would bother an old, bald headed white woman?

How do I research MAF flight schedules from Mt. Hagen to Tari (I'd rather avoid that PMV ride, if possible) and Wewak to Mt. Hagen?

ssbrd,

MAF's head office is in PNG is in Mt Hagen. Their passenger information telephone number is 545 1506, or general information 545 1477. Try ringing those numbers. They should be able to advise you on flight schedules.

I really want to know if one of the BoP's was King of Saxony

You'd know the male, it has the errectile twin mother of pearl plumes from the crown

I need to see this bird - it's endemic to the Tari Valley

I'm planning a trip there late 08 / early 09

I take it there's no email addy?

I'm interested to know how you set this up (postal correspondence?) as this place keeps coming up & obviously is a lot cheaper than Ambua.

Globaltourist,

Yes, one of the BoP was the King of Saxony.

I arranged the trip via mail. Steven's postal address is PO Box 159, Tari, Southern Highlands Province. He also has an email address:
evantia@datec.net .pg, but I don't know of anyone who has been able to make contact via email, and I didn't receive a reply to my emails. I wrote to Steven about 4 weeks in advance and then he called me to confirm my arrival in Tari. His vehicle was waiting for me when I arrived.

The easiest way to contact the Lodge is via the mobile numbers given in my post above. I didn't have those numbers when I was making my arrangments.

Warili Lodge will arrange guides for just birding. I saw tracks leading off into the jungle which I was told was for bird watching. I am sure you will have a rewarding trip if you go the Warili.

I've also seen King of Saxony there, plus half a dozen other species, including displaying Blue and fully plummaged Ribbon-tailed Astrapia.