Mount Hagen Festival & West New Britain
Mount Hagen Festival & West New Britain
10 Days Starting in Mount Hagen and ending in Hoskins, Papua New Guinea
Visiting: Mount Hagen, Asaro Mudmen, Goroka, Kimbe, Port Moresby, Kombe
Tour operator:
Tour code:
13961
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Special diets catered:
Vegetarians
Tour operated in:
EnglishTour Overview
- Experience the Mount Hagen Cultural Show
- Witness the Asaro Mudmen's performance
- Immerse yourself into island life - village homestay
- Spearfish and cook with locals
A combination of the wilds of the highlands and one of the most immersive cultural shows in the country, paired with coastal exploration in West New Britain.
Expect colour, custom and culture as tribes come together to celebrate their heritage and folklore as you experience a full day at the Mount Hagen Cultural Show. Experience village life as you head further into the highlands, explore sacred sites of sacrifice and learn of unique initiation ceremonies and practices. West New Britain will slow you down as you slip into community life and live like a local in a remote island community. Soak in the beauty of Papua New Guinea’s impressive coastal and marine world.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1 – Arrival At Mount Hagen
Location: Mount Hagen
Accommodation: Resort, Resort
Accommodation Name: Jiwaka Mission Resort or similar
Meals Included: Dinner
Welcome to Papua New Guinea! Upon arrival at Mount Hagen airport, you will be transferred to your hotel for lunch and time to freshen up.
(Tok Pisin: Maun Hagen) is the third largest city in Papua New Guinea, with a population of 46,250. It is the capital of the Western Highlands Province and is located in the large fertile Wahgi Valley in central mainland Papua New Guinea, at an elevation of 1,677 m. The city is named after the old, eroded volcano Mount Hagen, located about 24 kilometres to the northwest. Traditional culture and beliefs remain strong in Mount Hagen and its surroundings. The Mount Hagen show was first staged in 1961, before PNG’s Independence, to unify warring tribes. Since then, the show has become more of an attraction for those seeking to witness the fabulous sight of thousands of painted warriors dancing and singing to the beat of Kundu drums.
Today you will join some more travellers who are doing our extended Mt Hagen and West New Britain for sightseeing around Mt Hagen.
Mt Hagen City and Plantation Visit
Enjoy a city tour around Mount Hagen this afternoon, with a stop at the tea and coffee plantations that this region is renowned for before checking in to your hotel. Enjoy exploring the city and feel the buzz in the air as locals prepare for the biggest event of the year.
Paikona Village
Time permitting you will drive to Paikona Village where you can enjoy learning about village life, the people of the Central Highlands region, the famous face painting done by Mount Hagen women, and try ‘mumu’, a local dish cooked in a stone oven.
Continue on foot to a nearby village to witness the WAIPA dance, a dance performed by young males and females who are courting.
Meals
Breakfast, in-flight snack/brunch, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation
Jiwaka Mission Resort or similar
Services
Airport transfers
Private vehicle with English-speaking guide
Sightseeing: Mt Hagen City Tour, Plantation Visit, Paikona Village
Day 2 - Mount Hagen Festival
Location: Mount Hagen
Accommodation: Hotel, Resort, ResortResortResort
Accommodation Name: Jiwaka Mission Resort or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Enjoy an early breakfast before meeting your guide in the hotel lobby (time to be confirmed)
Sing-Sing Groups
Enjoy an early breakfast this morning before you depart to visit the Sing-Sing groups (tribal gathering groups) from different provinces outside the arena. Witness how their body decorations, colourful traditional costumes and vibrant face painting are done. Your guide will offer explanations outlining the various types of costumes and their significance in the differing cultures of these tribespeople.
Mount Hagen Festival
Follow the tribes into the showgrounds where you will witness hundreds of warriors, all dressed in their very finest traditional regalia, dancing and chanting – each group has their own cultural style and language with the intention of outclassing all the other groups. You will then have the truly unforgettable opportunity to walk amongst the dancers, even shake their hands and meet them, before enjoying a picnic lunch at the showground. Later in the afternoon, you will return to the hotel.
Later in the afternoon, you will return to the hotel.
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation
Jiwaka Mission Resort or similar
Service
Private vehicle with English-speaking guide
Sightseeing: Sing-Sing Tribal Gathering, Mt Hagen Festival
Day 3 – Mount Hagen Festival
Location: Asaro Mudmen
Accommodation: Lodge, Lodge, LodgeLodgeLodge
Accommodation Name: Korekoreto Lodging Huts or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Full Day at the Mount Hagen Festival
Following breakfast, transfer to the showground to enjoy another full day at the Mount Hagen Festival. Immerse yourself in the upwards of 100 tribes peacefully sharing their cultural traditions through costume, dancing and music. Disguised in anthropomorphic body paint, clad in elaborate headdresses, jewellery made of shells and boars’ tusks and skirts made from leaves and fur, the groups perform their primal dances; the tribe that garners the most applause and the biggest reaction from the crowd wins.
Enjoy lunch at the showgrounds again today and return to your hotel later in the afternoon. Dinner this evening is in your hotel.
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation
Jiwaka Mission Resort or similar
Service
Private vehicle with English-speaking guide
Sightseeing: Mt Hagen Festival
Day 4 – Mt Hagen To Asaro Valley
Location: Asaro Mudmen
Accommodation: Lodge, LodgeLodgeLodgeLodgeLodge
Accommodation Name: Korekoreto Lodging Huts or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Omo Masalai Skeleton dancers
This morning you will drive through Mount Hagen city towards Mindima Village where you will experience the Omo Masalai Skeleton dancers. Painting their bodies in black and white to look like skeletons, their dance is a dance of death and often has a wolf involved which the skeleton ‘attacks’ during their tribal dance. The way the skeletons lurk and creep as part of their performance will make it seem like they have literally clawed their way out of the ground. You will also see traditional bamboo flute men playing their bamboo sounds learnt during their initiation into manhood as part of their tribal traditions.
Asaro Valley
As you continue along the highway towards the Asaro village, you will wind your way up and down hills and through valleys, passing small townships along the way. Once you reach the Asaro Valley, it is a short walk up to your home for the next two nights. Dinner and overnight stay at Korekoreto Lodging Huts.
Meal
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation
2 nights Korekoreto Lodging Huts or similar
Note: Korekoreto Lodging has single beds and double bedrooms with flush toilets and showers in the room. The electricity power supply is a portable generator that turns off at 10.00 pm and resumes at 06:00 am. There is no TV or internet, but a mobile phone signal is available.
Services
Private vehicle and English-speaking guide
Sightseeing: Mindima Village, Omo Masalai Skeleton Dancers, Asaro Valley
Day 5 – Asaro Mokomoko Village
Location: Hoskins Airport Resort, Goroka, Kimbe, Port Moresby
Accommodation: Resort, ResortResortResortResort
Accommodation Name: Liamo Reef Resort or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Exploring Mt. Gurupoka
This morning after breakfast you will take a guided walk to Mt Gurupoka, stopping at a breathtaking lookout over the Asaro Valley, and visiting a secret cave, and sacrifice site.
Asaro Mudmen Mokomoko village
Returning to the village you will see the Mudmen perform traditional dances and their Mokomoko dance. Lunch today will be a traditional Papua New Guinean mumu on the Earth. Mumu is a traditional method of cooking large quantities of food throughout Papua New Guinea, as well as other islands in the Pacific. It consists of an earth oven that is filled with hot coal or stones, with the food placed within the coals and slow-cooked under the ground.
The afternoon is at your leisure to relax and explore the village. Interact with the locals and watch their day-to-day activities. Your guide will be on hand for any extra walks or activities you would like to try.
Meal
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation
Korekoreto Lodging Huts or similar
Services
Private vehicle and English-speaking guide
Day 6 – Goroka To Kimbe Town
Location: Kimbe, Kombe
Accommodation: Lodge, LodgeLodgeLodge
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
This morning, drive to Goroka Airport (approx. 30 mins drive). From here you will fly to Hoskins via Port Moresby.
Suggested Flights:
Flight PX161 departing Goroka – Port Moresby
Flight PX244 departing Port Moresby – Hoskins
*Flights not included
Arrive West New Britain
On arrival in Hoskins, your West New Britain adventure begins. This province of Papua New Guinea is located on the island of New Britain. The provincial capital is Kimbe and throughout the islands, there are seven major tribes, the Nakanai, Bakovi, Kove, Unea, Maleu, and Arowe, speaking about 25 languages. People from West New Britain are referred to as “Kombes” in Papua New Guinea, about the significant Kove (or Kombe) people.
West New Britain produces palm oil for export with large oil palm plantations on the north coast of the province especially in the Kimbe region. The bustling town of Kimbe is the third largest port in Papua New Guinea and is the fastest-growing city in the South Pacific.
Arriving at Hoskins Airport, your guide will meet and transfer you to your hotel in Kimbe for dinner and a relaxing evening.
Meal
Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation
Overnight Liamo Reef Resort or similar
Services
Airport transfers
* Flight times may change. We suggest you check for updates regularly
Day 7 – Kimbe Town To Kombe Islands
Location: Kombe
Accommodation: Lodge, Lodge
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Kombe Island
Early this morning, you will depart Kimbe Town and head to Garu village on the seafront. This will be your stepping-off point for a boat transfer out to one of the small islands a small way off the coast of Garu. Transfer by boat, to one of the Kombe Islands where you will disembark and be welcomed into the island village. Here you will be greeted by the island people and you will become part of the community, living with them on the island for the next few days.
Kombe at leisure
Your afternoon is at leisure to explore the island, swim in the crystal turquoise waters and laze on white sand beaches. Maybe take a canoe and paddle out, try your hand at spearfishing or snorkelling or arrange a boat to take a trip to visit other island villages. You could even try making shell money or necklaces or baskets with the village women. The kids will be happy to have an extra set of hands for a game of cricket or soccer if you’re up for it!
Meal
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation
3 nights’ accommodation in a village hut
Note: As this is a traditional village, you will be staying in the homes of locals. Your accommodation will be shared rooms with mosquito nets, a mattress and a pillow with sheets. Toilets are pit toilets with squat or seat toilets. There is no hot water, showers are bucket showers. There is no power or electricity, but a portable generator supply is available for a limited time each day. There is no TV, internet or phone connection.
Services
Private vehicle and English-speaking guide
Boat transfers to Kombe Islands
Day 8 And 9 – Local Village Stay
Location: Kimbe
Accommodation: Resort
Accommodation Name: Liamo Resort or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Spend your next two days fully immersed in local life. There is a huge range of sea or land activities that locals undertake as part of everyday life – gardening, cooking, fishing and social activities with the locals. The island is not a tourist destination, so this is a truly unique, one-in-a-lifetime experience.
Meal
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation
Overnight Liamo Reef Resort or similar
Services
English-speaking guide
Day 10 – Return To Kimbe Town
Location: Port Moresby, Hoskins Airport
Meals Included: Breakfast
Late morning, you will farewell to your island family, and a boat will collect you to return to Garu and then drive back to Kimbe Town. Arriving in Kimbe Town, check into Liamo Resort. The rest of your final day in West New Britain is at leisure. You may wish to spend the afternoon relaxing by the poolside or beach or choose to go into town to visit the local market. This evening, enjoy a farewell dinner with your fellow travellers.
Meal
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation
Overnight Liamo Reef Resort or similar
Services
Private vehicle and English-speaking guide
Boat transfers
Day 11 – Departure
After breakfast this morning, you will be transferred to Hoskins Airport for your flight back to Port Moresby.
Meal
Breakfast
Services
Airport Transfers
What's Included
-
Meet and greet service in Mount Hagen
-
10 nights accommodation
-
Meals as mentioned above
-
English-speaking local guide
-
All activities as per itinerary
-
Private transportation
-
Entrance fees, sightseeing and permits
What's Not Included
-
International & Domestic flights
-
Drinks unless otherwise mentioned
-
Visas
-
Travel Insurance
-
Tips
-
Inoculations
-
Items of a personal nature
-
Anything not mentioned in the itinerary
Check out our Q&As
-
What is the minimum group size?
The min group size is 4 people.
-
What is the fitness level required to do this tour?
This category of tours involves light trekking, walking, cycling, rafting or kayaking for a few hours each day with a small amount of inclines and declines. You will require a reasonable level of fitness and good health to participate. It is important to note that due to the nature of some of our trips, they may take place in remote areas (with basic facilities) and can involve long travelling days on various modes of transport.
-
Are all entrance fees included in the price?
Yes, Entrance fees, sightseeing and permits are included.
-
Are flights included in this tour?
International and Domestic flights required: Day 1 Port Moresby to Mt Hagen, Day 5 Goroka to Hoskins, Day 10 Hoskins to Port Moresby are not included.
-
Is there any free time to explore places during the tour?
As detailed in itinerary.
-
Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?
Yes, The local guides on the tour is English speaking
-
Will there be an escort accompanying this tour?
Yes
-
Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?
Yes. Focusing on providing authentic experiences where ever you are in the world, Crooked Compass has access to a vast array of accommodation styles. From boutique properties in larger cities to local guest houses and home stays within small villages. Crooked Compass ensures that local authenticity flows through your accommodation throughout your tour without compromising standard.
-
What sort of transportation is used for your tours?
Transportation utilised on a Crooked Compass escorted small group tour is a combination of a private air conditioned vehicle and local transport where appropriate. This may include a local bus ride, use of the cities metro system, a domestic flight to another city or overnight train ride.
-
What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?
Crooked Compass strives to be a leader in sustainable tourism. Crooked Compass is firmly committed to the principles of ethical travel. Our comprehensive Sustainable Tourism Practices policy summarises our commitments and actions. Although the very basis of our ground operations lends itself to the ethos of sustainable tourism, this policy re-iterates our commitment to: Use locally owned hotels Use locally owned ground agents Use local guides and drivers Promote community tourism projects from homestays to craft shops Support charities that work within the destinations that we travel to Carbon offset our travels
-
Who runs your tours and are they experts in their fields?
Crooked Compass works with the worlds best operators who are specialists in their country, region and cities providing you with in depth local knowledge. We use local guides who live and breathe the areas they work in, making sure you experience their region, their way. We believe it is far better to have a local guide who knows a lot about a little than a text book trained Western tour guide who knows a little about a lot. Using local guides also ensures that money stays within local communities and supports the regions we visit.
-
What can I expect from a Crooked Compass tour that I wouldn't get from travelling with an alternative company?
Crooked Compass provides a sensory way to understand the world – we help you live like a local, eat like a local, do what the locals do and seek the faces behind the places whilst discovering untouched lands and natural beauty. Crooked Compass tours delve deep into the heart and soul of a destination ensuring you get out of your journey all you intended and much, much more. Our intriguing itineraries have been created by travellers for travellers. Steering travellers to follow a different path, Crooked Compass’ itineraries allow you to experience the world’s most fascinating destinations in ways you never dreamed possible. It brings to life those ‘bucket list’ experiences you have yearned to do and separates the travellers from the tourists. Crooked Compass tours are culturally rich, reward travellers with unexpected encounters and uncommon rendezvous, creating truly unique, authentic travel experiences.
-
Who do your tours cater for?
Crooked Compass escorted small group tours cater for those who are well travelled seeking the what’s next and what’s new. Our travellers are curious minded soft adventurers who want to uncover something more than the mainstream tourist trail. Crooked Compass tours draw travellers with an interest in sustainable tourism and conservation for the areas they visit. A Crooked Compass traveller is someone who is seeking something fresh and unique, who has a yearning for authenticity and discovery, with an appreciation for cultures, tradition and the natural world. We call them Cultural Purists.
-
I am concerned about my impact on travelling through untouched regions. Can I offset?
Yes. All travellers on Crooked Compass tours have the option to offset their part of their tour’s carbon footprint by donating $4AUD (tax-deductible) at time of booking. 100% of these funds are donated to Greenfleet, an environmental non-profit organisation dedicated to protecting our climate by restoring our forests. By partnering with Greenfleet, we are confident that our carbon offset program provides genuine and lasting environmental benefits. Your offset donation funds plant trees and restore permanent native forests in Australia and New Zealand. As they grow, these forests provide many community and environmental benefits by absorbing carbon emissions, protecting our unique biodiversity, restoring habitat for native wildlife, preventing soil salinity and erosion, improving water quality and much more. If you’d like to find out more and offset the rest of your carbon emissions, visit www.greenfleet.org.au
Reviews of this operator
1 Select your preferred date
Friday - Sunday
Aug 15, 2025 - Aug 24, 2025Book with Confidence
-
Low Deposit
Crooked Compass requires a minimum deposit of 20% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 60 days before departure.
-
Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of crooked compass charges.
Up to 61 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 60 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.