About this trip
Ten days through Papua New Guinea's highlands, built around the Goroka Festival and led throughout by Christopher Bartlett, founder of Best of PNG. It's a deep dive into tribal culture — wigmen, skeleton men, warriors and mudmen — rather than a standard sightseeing run.
You start in Port Moresby before flying to Mount Hagen for face-to-face encounters with the Huli Wigmen, Masalai Skeleton men and Hagen warriors, plus a spell of birdwatching in search of Birds of Paradise. From there you travel overland through Jiwaka and Chimbu provinces to Goroka, taking in a Chimbu courtship ceremony and an Asaro Mudmen Sing-Sing along the way.
The centrepiece is two days at the Goroka Festival itself, with four nights based in a guest house near the show grounds. The trip closes with a final cultural day meeting two more tribes for private sing-sings, and a last night spent at the Asaro Mudmen village in a rustic lodge.
What you'll do
- Meet the Huli Wigmen, Masalai Skeleton men and Hagen warriors near Mount Hagen
- Birdwatching walk and lodge session looking for Birds of Paradise
- Witness a Chimbu courtship ceremony en route to Goroka
- Asaro Mudmen Sing-Sing performance
- Two full days at the Goroka Festival
- Private sing-sings with two further Eastern Highlands tribes and a night at the Asaro Mudmen village
- Led throughout by Christopher Bartlett, founder of Best of PNG
- Accommodation includes a comfortable guest house in Goroka and a rustic lodge on the final night
- Meals are included except lunches in Goroka
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Getting there
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Where to stay
A night before your tour in Port Moresby · 13 Sept – 14 Sept
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