Perhaps the most famous cultural show in Papua New Guinea amongst locals, the Mount Hagen Show brings together sing-sing groups from all over the country in an amazing conglomeration of colour, beauty and culture.
The Mount Hagen Cultural Show was first staged in 1964 by many different tribes from the Western Highlands Province. The show was for the purpose of sharing cultural experiences with each other, calming the ever present tribal animosities by bringing all tribes together in one cultural event to expose the positive side of life and to celebrate the diversity of cultures amongst the natives. Join Crooked Compass in witnessing this festival for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity as the tribes dance, sing and perform wearing some of the world’s most fascinating tribal ware.
Welcome to Papua New Guinea! Upon arrival Mount Hagen airport, you will be transferred to your hotel for lunch and time to freshen up. Later this afternoon enjoy a city tour around Mt Hagen City and 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 females who are courting.
Return to your hotel this evening for diner. (L,D)
3 nights Jiwaka Mission Resort or similar
Enjoy an early breakfast this morning before you depart to visit the Sing-Sing (tribal gathering groups) groups from different provinces in their camps. Witness how their body decorations, colourful traditional costumes and vibrant face painting is done. Your guide will offer explanations outlining the various types of costumes and their significances in differing the cultures of these tribes people.
Proceed into the showgrounds to witness hundreds of warriors, all dressed in their very finest traditional regalia, dancing and singsing, each group in 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 right in the middle of the action at the showground.
Later in the afternoon, you will return to the hotel. (B,L,D)
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 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. (B,L,D)
After breakfast this morning, you will be transferred to the Mount Hagen airport for your flight back to Port Moresby (flight not included). (B)
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* Pricing is subject to change at anytime until full payment has been received.
* A minimum of 2 adults is required to guarantee this departure.
A non-refundable deposit of $1000 AUD per person is required to secure your place plus any additional airfares. Final payment is due no later than 60 days prior to departure. Travel insurance is mandatory for travelling with Crooked Compass. For full terms and conditions, please click here.
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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.
Suggested preparation : At least 3 months prior to departure, it is recommended that you undertake aerobic exercise (this may include jogging, cycling or fast walking) for 30 minutes, three times a week. It is also advised to walk on variable terrain and in variable weather conditions. For a cycling adventure, road cycling twice a week is recommended and for adventures which involve paddling and kayaking, it is important to gain confidence and rhythm rather than speed prior to departure.
This category of tours involve trekking, kayaking and cycling for period of 6 to 8 hours a day at a fairly consistent pace. Ideal for people looking to slightly increase the heart rate. For our moderately rated tours, you must have a good level of fitness and also be in good health. It is also important to be prepared for variable weather conditions. Altitude may also come into play. This category of tours may involve visiting remote areas where facilities can be quite basic. Accommodation may also involve camping, homestays or basic accommodation where facilities may not be considered of western standards. To enjoy this style of travel, it is suggested for travellers to have a reasonable level of fitness and health, a positive attitude, as well as a fairly active lifestyle. An open mind is also required.
Suggested preparation: At least 3 months prior to departure, it is recommended that you undertake 45mins – 1 hour of aerobic exercise, three to four times a week. Some potential exercises that could be beneficial include hill walking with a backpack on over variable terrain and weather conditions, as well as running and cycling dependent on the activity you plan on undertaking.
This category of tours involves trekking, kayaking, cycling or other adventure activities in remote areas for up to 8 to 10 hours a day. It is important to note that with the remoteness of some regions comes a variety of other challenges such as variable weather conditions, accommodation as well as facilities. You must have an excellent level of fitness and good health to be able to partake in this category of tour. You must have confidence in your own ability and be in good physical condition. Includes extended periods of endurance.
Suggested preparation: At least 3 to 4 months of strenuous exercise, four times a week. When preparing for treks it would be beneficial to participate in hill walks with a weighted day pack (approximately 5-8 kg) once a week for aerobic fitness and strengthening of leg muscles. It is also important to do this on variable terrain to prepare for challenging adventures. When preparing for cycling adventures, regular bike riding (at least 4 to 5 times a week for 1-4 hours is essential). It is also important to cycle on uneven surfaces or even participate in other aerobic exercises such as running or swimming to build up strength and stamina. Altitude may also be a factor in these tours.
This category of tour often involves extreme trekking, cycling or other extreme adventure activities. It is important to expect remote and poorly defined tracks and to be prepared for variable weather conditions for 10 to 12 hours per day (may sometimes be more depending on weather and altitude). These adventures are suitable for travellers who have prior experience in strenuous travel and activities, are extremely fit and have excellent health. It is also important to note that some of the terrain on these adventures will involve trekking in snow, at high attitude levels and may require technical equipment.
Suggested preparation: It is important to note that physical fitness should be an ongoing activity, commencing around 5-6 months prior to departure, or even before if you have no prior fitness. Exercise should focus on building maximum endurance and stamina. Four to five hard sessions of 40-60 mins per week should be completed and can include exercises such as going to the gym, running, swimming or cycling to focus on building aerobic stamina. It could also be beneficial to prepare by hiking on rough terrain, in extreme weather conditions or partake in altitude training.
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