Tag Archives: Asaro mudmen

Tribes & Traditions Yacht Charter – Papua New Guinea

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Home to around 312 tribes, Papua New Guinea offers rich and fascinating cultural traditions to explore. With more than 800 distinct languages spoken across its communities, it holds one of the greatest concentrations of linguistic diversity on Earth, with many tribes maintaining entirely separate tongues and traditions. It remains one of the world’s most remote frontiers, home to communities whose deeply rooted customs, ceremonial practices, and ancestral knowledge have endured for generations.

We have an exclusive collection of luxury super-yachts to explore a variety of islands, where you will meet local natives, see more birds in one place than you have seen in a lifetime, including the most iconic of all, the vividly plumed birds of paradise. Papua New Guinea, the eastern half of the island of New Guinea, is a land of extraordinary contrasts. It is defined by untouched rainforests, volcanic mountain ranges, and over 600 coral-fringed islands and archipelagos surrounded by some of the world’s richest marine biodiversity.

Mud Men
Mud Men
Mud Men
Mud Men

Its wildlife is among the richest globally, with many species still unnamed or yet to be discovered. The country hosts at least 25,000 beetle species, 6,000 moths and butterflies, and around 700 bird species, including parrots, hornbills, cassowaries, kingfishers, and, most iconic of all, the vividly plumed birds of paradise.

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“From Melanesian seafarers to German colonists, the evidence of Papua New Guinea’s storied history takes the form of sunken aircrafts, tribal traditions, and scars of international Pacific Theatre Operations.

I T I N E R A R Y

Day One – Port Moresby Onboard Begin your adventure in Port Moresby, where you will be met and escorted to your private domestic flight. Your flight east will take you to Rabaul where you will meet your crew and get familiar with your floating home. Visit Admiral Yamamoto’s Bunker and begin discovering the history of the region. Spend the remainder of your afternoon enjoying watersports before a welcome dinner onboard.

Day Two & Three – Duke of York Islands Tribal Hiking Encounters Dolphins Rituals Slip into clear tropical waters to swim with spinner dolphins. Take traditional outrigger canoes to learn spearfishing techniques alongside locals. Learn to climb coconut palms with a nearby tribe and snorkel over sunken Japanese tanks. Heli deep into the Baining Mountains, where the Baining people welcome you for their mesmerizing fire rituals and Sing Sing.

If you are feeling adventurous, stay with the tribe overnight, for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Climb a volcano at dawn to offer a symbolic ‘sacrifice’, before breakfast with the egg hunters of Matupit. Join the Tolai Tribe to gain a rare insight into their powerful coming-of-age ceremonies.

MudMen clay statues
Transportation
PNG Carved wooden bowl
Gourd Penis Protectors

Day Four – Kimbe Bay  Fishing, Springs Water sports, Photograph Tender to the deep-sea grounds with local fishermen as they show you where to find spotted bass. Make use of the kayaks and eFoils on board your yacht for some afternoon water sports in the protected bay.

Head inland to bathe in the hidden Garu Hot River, warmed by volcanic springs at close to 104 degrees.

Hike with your naturalist guide who will assist you spot and photograph spectacular birdlife in the protected wildlife area.

Day Five – Borgen Bay Heli Trek Exploration – Waterfalls and Jungle Fly by helicopter into the densely forested Nakanai Mountain Range, where vast waterfalls tumble through the jungle and volcanic flows carve dramatic paths down the mountainsides. Pause for a remote picnic deep within the rainforest, before continuing to the Crater Lakes for an off-grid swim with your on-board naturalist guide. Explore a Neolithic obsidian-mining site, serving as one of the island’s earliest cultural landmarks.

Return to your yacht which will have repositioned to the calm waters of Borgen Bay.

Day Six – Long Island – Volcanic Swim Caldera-  BBQ Explore the remote Long Island, helicoptering across its rugged mountains to reach Wisdom Lake, an ancient caldera lake at its heart. Land on Wisdom’s shores and savor a private BBQ on a tiny islet within the lake.

Return to your yacht to SUP and snorkel over bright coral reefs replete with abundant fish species.

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Day Seven – Madang and Asaro Tribal Encounters Magic- Feast Heli into the Asaro Valley, soaring over verdant jungle, complex river systems and vast untouched wilderness. Land in the Valley and learn about the region’s magic traditions from a local witchdoctor. Enjoy the spectacle of the ceremonial ‘moka’ system, where neighboring tribes compete to present the most lavish and generous feast celebration. Heli back to Madang, before setting sail for Sepik overnight.

Day Eight – Sepik Crocodile Traditions Tribal Day Journey further up the coastline to meet the world-famous “Crocodile Men” at Sepik. Uncover the rituals of scarification which have left their bodies permanently marked, and how the totemic patterns are deeply connected to their spiritual and social identity. Appreciate the artistry of the Sepik people, witnessing magnificent wood carvings, clay pottery, and garamut drums resembling totem animals.

Sit down for a final performance of Sing-Sing from the Sepik people, who move through crowds of dancers and drummers with giant crocodile puppets.

Sepik River
Sepik River
Sepik River
Sepik River
Sepik River

Day Nine – Sepik Disembarkation  Departure Enjoy a final breakfast onboard and bid a fond farewell to your crew. Disembark your yacht and head to Sepik Airport where you will begin your journey home.

Areas and tribes:  New Britain: Baining People, Tolai Tribe , Egg Hunters in Matupit . Asaro Valley: Asaro Mudmen. Sepik: Crocodile Men 

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YACHTS: Depending on your choice of yacht, there are charter yachts, then there luxury super-yachts like no other, these yachts boast a go-anywhere, do-anything attitude where nothing is impossible.

Designed for expedition cruising, with talented experienced crews who have explored the world’s most amazing locations. Each crew member brings years of experience and expertise in their field. Dedicated to excellence and committed to delivering the ultimate adventure experience. A charter aboard these yachts might have you tracing the coastline after breakfast and trekking through the jungle before lunch. 

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Onboard, enjoy a range of amenities, including a gym, massage room, observation deck, and multiple relaxation and entertainment areas. When it comes to super yacht toy collections, many of these yachts have a plethora of water toys. Explore the most inaccessible coastlines in tenders. Dive into a world of fun with an array of toys and inflatables, from SeaBobs and water skis to scuba diving gear and jet skis. Take a kayak safari, catch waves on a surfboard, these super yachts promise endless excitement and adventure on the water.

Highly Recommend Private Exclusive Adventure in Papua New Guinea!

Tribal Off the Grid Epic Adventures

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Punch Magazine once profiled my firm in their magazine: Going Above and Abroad. The editor concluded the piece with this: If there are cannibals, she is going to visit!

As time passes, a mishmash of age, pandemic lockdown, wisdom and breaking body parts has me noodling a long list of must go to travel locations: Cannibals would be on the list, my National Geographic Lindblad Expedition to the Marquesas was an epic adventure, it was pre-knee replacement which potentially downed me from days of canoe paddling a leafy river to see the Mudmen of Papua New Guinea, bouncing into a Zodiac and hiking to Tigers Nest in Bhutan!

Relish a few of the adventures on the top of my list with one of our extreme adventure teams.

This 14-day adventure itinerary covers the Highlands and remote areas of the Upper Sepik. You’ll have the chance to meet the legendary Mudmen, observing their rituals, and trek up the country’s highest peak. A four-day canoe adventure will take you past the incredible sights and sounds of villages and forests that line the country’s longest river, the mighty Sepik River. A Sepik canoe adventure includes spending several nights in humble abodes in local village. Finish off with some beach time in the white sands of Louisia.

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The Sepik River occupies a special place in Papua New Guinea. It is probably the most known region in the country. The people along the river depend heavily on it for transportation, water and food.

Mudmen

Crocodile eggs are a precious commodity together with crocodile skins, highly praised internationally for their quality. The tribes living along the Sepik River are well known for their impressive, intricately carved spirit houses with soaring gabled roofs called haus tambaran now used to debate village matters. The Sepik people are also world-renowned for their elaborate wood carvings, including shields, masks, canoes with crocodile-head prows, suspension hooks for food, spirit house posts, orators’ stools, ceremonial hooks and drums known as garamut. The carvers are greatly respected by their tribes.

I’m certain if you sip coffee at your local cafe, none of the locals will ever provide as much intrigue as these natives.

Highlights: Meet the legendary Asaro mudmen and learn about their fascinating history; Trek the country’s highest peak, all the way to its Base Camp; enjoy a languid four-day Sepik canoeing adventure; relax on the pristine beaches of Louisia; get well-acquainted with Louisia on a full-day tour, with activities that include the local Tapioca dance, visits to local villages, and a boat trip to nearby islands. Bed down for the night at Kiriwina Lodge.

Intrepid travelers send dates! My knee replacement is now at ‘intrepid’ level!

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Additional Papua New Guinea – Goroka Festival This 14-day itinerary, built around its main highlight, the Goroka Cultural Show, takes you deep into the culture of Papua New Guinea. You’ll be entertained by all kinds of varied traditional local dances put on by different tribes decked out in vibrant ancestral dress, while also meeting with local chieftains, and local villagers who will welcome you with grand smiles. You’ll arrive a visitor to Papua New Guinea, and leave a friend.

Highlights: Exclusive meetings with village Chiefs; get a front-row seat to one of the country’s most entertaining festivals; watch traditional village life as you drift by along the river in a wooden canoe; sip fresh, delicious Goroka coffee.

Enticed? There’s more! Can I tell you about the Gulf Mask Festival in PNG?
Location: The Gulf Mask Festival is held in the Gulf Province located on the southern coast of Papua New Guinea, in a small village of Toare.

While Gulf isn’t an entirely isolated province, it’s a remote region located on the southern coast of Papua New Guinea. Barely served by roads, river and sea remain the main means of transportation. But even with the sea access, small boats stay ashore for about half a year. The southeast trade winds blowing directly into the Gulf bring heavy rains, make the sea rough and the journey dangerous. This remoteness has contributed to the uniqueness of the Gulf culture.

Toare village, with its blue sea and white sandy beach, is an idyllic location. Listen for the growing rhythmic drum beating a signal to start. Proudly wearing the best of their exquisite traditional attire and elaborate masks, the dancers entertain in an assembled group.

Papuans in the Yahukimo Regency Photo attributed to Frans Huby

In PNG, each tribe has its own distinctive attire and ornaments, or bilas. The Huli are known for the wigs made from their own hair. Large round hats made of moss, plants and hair are the identity of people from the Enga province. The Western Highlanders take pride in towering feathered headgear and vivid colors of the body paint. The Chimbus are recognized by giant headdresses made of bird of paradise feathers, an ornithologist’s nightmare. The Elema, the coastal people of the Gulf province, have the trademark too, their intricate masks.

With its stylized facial features, the Gulf masks show diversity in style, shape, colors and size. Ornate, large, tall or narrow, the masks are made of natural materials. Bark cloth, known as tapa, is stretched over a split-cane frame, sewn with plant fibre and painted with natural pigments. Although large, the masks are light-weighted allowing the men to wear them for long hours. It’s a mid-day and the sun is restless. And so are the masked men, who don’t stop their frenzy dancing on the beach, with their eyes staring through masks’ tiny gaps. It feels ancient and tribal. Not so long after, the men representing characters from local legends make the public giggle and laugh with their blunders and silly gestures.

Besides the masks and clay, many men only wear bark loincloth and arse gras, a bunch of leaves stuck into a belt to cover the backside. The women aren’t more dressed up either. Bare-breasted, with big kina shells dangling on their chests and wearing colorful grass skirts decorated with small shells, they are swinging their hips to the beats of kundu, PNG traditional drums. Made from sago palms, the grass skirts are the object of pride of local women.

Websters definesIntrepid:fearless, unafraid, undaunted, unflinching, unshrinking, bold, daring, gallant, audacious, adventurous, heroic, dynamic, spirited, indomitable; brave, courageous, valiant, valorous, stouthearted, stalwart, plucky, doughty; informal gutsy, gutty, spunky, ballsy.

Such an interesting captivating Journey ! Postcards soon, I hope!