PAPUA

On arrival, you'll be transferred to your hotel, where you'll meet your Koama Travel Tour Leader and fellow travellers for a welcome dinner this evening.

Meals: D
Accomodation: Suni Garden Lake Hotel & Resort or similar.

After breakfast, we will transfer to the Airport for a short flight to Wamena, deep in the highlands of Western New Guinea. We will enjoy our lunch before visiting the local market in Wamena. Every day hundreds of Dani tribespeople meet here to sell their produce. As in many Papuan regions traditional handicrafts, such as stone axes, grass fibre nets, and bows and arrows, are also sold here.

Meals: B,L,D
Accommodation: Baliem Valley Resort*** or similar.

High up in the mountains of central Papua at an altitude of 1,600 meters above sea level, hemmed in by steep green mountain walls, lies the stunningly beautiful Baliem Valley, home of the Dani tribe. The first outsider to discover the valley was American Richard Archbold, who, on 23 June 1938 from his seaplane, suddenly sighted this valley dotted with neat terraced green fields of sweet potatoes, set among mountain peaks.

We will enjoy our breakfast before driving to the southern Baliem Valley. By the village of Sogogmo, not quite 2 miles outside Kurima, the road ends. Our hike along the Baliem river will start. The river has its source in the northern Trikora Mountain, cascading into the Grand Valley, down and further rushing south dropping 1,500 meters to become a large muddy river that slowly empties into the Arafura Sea.

We will cross the roaring Baliem river on a traditional suspension bridge and, we will continue through romantic Dani settlements with their terraced fields and wild sugar cane groves. Dani is one of the world's most isolated tribes. When explorers discovered a Dani tribe in 1938, they had no metal tools. They used wooden spears, bows and arrows and stone tools. The first permanent contacts were not made until the 1950s. Michael Rockefeller had been with the Dani during the last great Dani tribal war. In the 1960s the Dutch government launched a program of pacification that was continued by the Indonesian government.


We will stop for a pic sic lunch in Seinma, surrounded by stunning scenery.

Meals: B,L,D
Accommodation: Baliem Valley Resort*** or similar.

After breakfast, we will start a one-hour uphill hike through stunning mountain rainforest to one the traditional salt spring of the Dani clan. Clothed in their traditional costumes, the native inhabitants will demonstrate the old techniques of the salt production. We will walk down before enjoying a picnic lunch at the foot of the mountain.


Walking to the nearby Kurulu village, we will admire the ancient mummy of the famous Dugum clan. Afterwards, the women will show how they process the brine they extracted from the spring. Dani soak grasses, plant stalks or leaves in the salty pond. The plants are dried and burnt. To get the salt the ash is wetted, strained and evaporated. We will see more quaint and picturesque Dani homesteads. Each tribe has their own traditional house, and ‘’honai’’ is a traditional house of Dani people only. Shaped like a dome for both male and female honai, yet the female honai looks not shaped like a dome, it is because the female honai is attached with pig farm and family kitchen that makes it look different from outside appearance.

Meals: B,L,D
Accommodation: Baliem Valley Resort*** or similar.

Pigs play an important role among the people of Papua, and especially so among those living in the Central Highlands. Pigs represent social values and have even become a status symbol.

The traditional one-day pig festival in a traditional Dani village with adorned people in traditional clothing is a unique celebration; probably one of the most interesting parts of a trip to New Guinea.

We will enjoy a picnic lunch in the village, tasting the food from the traditional earth pit afterwards. The Dani use an earth oven method of cooking pig and their staple crops such as sweet potato, banana, and cassava. Pigs are too valuable to be served regularly, and are reserved for special occasions only.

Meals: B,L,D
Accommodation: Baliem Valley Resort*** or similar.

After breakfast, we will transfer to the Airport for a short flight to Jayapura.
After arrival, we will enjoy a boat tour on Lake Sentani, a scenic beauty over glittering water. We will experience the thrill of being caressed by the warm breeze while speeding on the lake, photograph the stilt houses and know the local. Stopping at Asei Island, home of a famous artist community, thanks to wooden paintings we will meet the artists and learn the legend about the local tribe: the local tribe who live in Sentani Sub-District came from the sky. They rode a giant dragon and landed on the lake. Later, the body of the dragon turned into small islands, including Asei. Moreover, people who live in Asei Island even proud of their history.

Meals: B,L,D
Accommodation: Suni Garden Lake Hotel & Resort or similar.

We will enjoy our breakfast before the transfer to the Airport for a short flight to Nabire.
After arrival, we will transfer to the vessel. Once on board, let your voyage to relaxation begin!
Following a general briefing, say goodbye to land as you enjoy cocktails in the breeze on the upper deck.

Meals: B,L,D
Accommodation: Raja Laut or similar.

(Indonesian: Teluk Cenderawasih, means : Bird of Paradise Bay).

Cruise to Cenderawasih Bay mean experience a geographically completely isolated marine system from the rest of the sea for thousands of years. Extending over 14,535 km², the national park includes coastal and mangrove ecosystems, coral reefs, island tropical forest ecosystems, and marine waters. There is a range of land and marine life in including The Bird of Paradise, Green Turtle, Hawksbill Turtle, Leatherback Turtle and Olive Ridley Turtle, mammals such as Dugongs, Dolphin’s, Blue Whales and Whale Sharks and over 955 species of fish. Whilst not be mesmerized by the marine life guests can also marvel the artifacts left in ruin from WW2, including bomber aeroplanes and ships scattered throughout the bay.

Meals: B, L, D
Accommodation: Raja Laut or similar.

What time we will arrive in Manokwari will depend on the wind, current, overall conditions. We will check the weather before we will start and strategize accordingly to plan the most comfortable passage for everyone. And, of course, the safest. On arrival, you'll be transferred to your hotel in Manokwari.

Meals: B,L,D
Accommodation: Swiss Belhotel **** or similar.

You will be transfer to the Manokwari Airport for your return flight or you may choose to extend your holiday.

Meals: B