Capture
the Spirit of Papua New Guinea
New
Guinea is the world's second largest island and also the world's highest
island. It has magnificent scenery ranging from pristine coral
atolls to vast river and delta systems, Savannah plains and vast
rainforests. New Guinea is home to the largest area of intact rainforest
outside the Amazon. It is famous for its exotic birds -
particularly the Bird of Paradise, colourful parrots and lorikeets, and
the large cassowary, to name but a few.
Incredibly,
there are over seven hundred languages and reflecting the languages is a
variety of cultures - from Highland cultures based on the imitation of
Birds of Paradise to elaborate initiation and scarification
ceremonies of the Sepik.
Your
introduction to New Guinea will enable you to visit the best sites and
stay at some of the most picturesque lodges whilst visiting the local
areas and tribes people. Alternatively you can travel on the
M.V. Sepik Spirit which also allows you to explore the mystery of the
Sepik River, renowned in the past for its anthropologists and art
collectors from around the world. Visit where Margaret Mead once lived
and explore the surrounding traditional villages and culture. A
wide array of art awaits you - statues, masks, basketry, string bags,
necklaces, flutes and drums. A variety of lodges allow you to visit both
the highlands and the coastal areas of New Guinea.
Nestled
at 7000 ft, Ambua Lodge boasts spectacular views of the valley below and
surrounding mist shrouded mountains. All lodges are built in the
traditional architectural style and in contrast to the Sepik people
whose art is manifested in ceremonial and decorative carvings, the
Highland people use body decoration, face painting and human hair wigs
decorated with feathers, flowers and moss. The Huli culture is one
of the most colourful and vibrant found here and the surrounding area is
home to orchids, rhododendrons, traditional vine bridges and
waterfalls.
Malolo lodge located along the oceanfront offers the visitor a chance to
kayak in crystal waters to an uninhabited island or snorkel in calm,
protected lagoon waters which abound with tropical reef fish and
swaying soft corals. Malolo Lodge also caters for all levels of
divers and is the first land based dive operator in New Guinea to offer
NITROX and technical diving. Papua New Guinea's coral reefs not
only support a huge variety of fish life but the reef structures
themselves are also incredibly varied and in the Madang lagoon area
alone, one can find over 600 species of nudibranchs. Malolo offers
both land based dives to Hole in the Wall, the Quarry, the USS Boston (a
WWll minesweeper), Dedos drop off, Mugil lagoon, and day boat dives to
the many wrecks in Madang Harbour including a B25 Mitchell Bomber and
the Henry Leith.
We also offer a number of small group adventure expeditions which last
for 4-5 days to the Southern Highlands, Mt. Wilhelm and Simbu and
include canoeing in the Sepik and Karawari rivers - details of these
expeditions are described overleaf.
Don't miss the opportunity to sample the various singsing festivals
which New Guinea hosts throughout the year - more details on the
Mt. Hagen Cultural show in August and the Goroka Show in September
are available on request.
