Festival en Papouasie (en anglais)

The bird of paradise sanctuary. You arrive at Jayapura and upon arrival you are directly driven to Nimbokrang. There you meet Mr. Alex, an ornithologist known for his guided tours to see the birds of paradise. His guesthouse has simple but clean rooms. After a lunch prepared by Mr. Alex’s family, you set off on your first guided birding tour with him. The walk through the forest is easy. The most important thing is to be patient. If it is not raining, you have a high chance to observe different species of birds of paradise, including the Lesser Bird of Paradise, the King Bird of Paradise and the 12-wire Bird of Paradise. Almost every day, the males come to their spots to impress and attract the females with their singing and dancing. In the evening, you have dinner at the guesthouse.

Early birding tour and transfer back to Jayapura for a tour on Lake Sentani. The sun rises and you head back into the forest. The very early morning hours are the best time to see the birds of paradise, which are very active at this time of day. By late morning you are back at the guesthouse and your driver brings you back to Jayapura. Here you again check-in in Hotel Horex and directly continue to Lake Sentani for a boat cruise and visit of the artists villages of Asei and Ayapo. Later dinner in the hotel. Transportation: 2 hours of drive. Walking time: 2 hours. Guide included. Accommodation: Hotel Horex. Meals: full board. 

Flight to Wamena, and transfer to The Baliem Valley Resort. After breakfast Siprianus brings you to airport for the flight to Wamena. At Wamena airport, you meet your local guide and your driver. On the way to The Baliem Valley Resort, we visit the market of Wamena. Here local Danis offer their agricultural products. Besides the very popular sweet potato, many other vegetables and fruits are offered. The market of Wamena is also the biggest trading place for the very sought-after wild boars. Once at The Baliem Valley Resort, you settle in your bungalow and, depending on the time of day, you can enjoy lunch or an afternoon coffee. Later, dinner is served in the restaurant.

Transportation: Flight time to Wamena: 30 minutes. 45 minutes of drive. Guide included. Accommodation: The Baliem Valley Resort. Meals: full board.

Hike to a Dani salt water spring and visit of the famous Jiwika Mummy. Today we drive to the village of Jiwika where we meet local Dani women of the Dugum clan who escort us to their salt water spring. Together, we hike through a fairy-tale mountain rainforest to reach the hidden spring. Up there, they show us the old techniques of salt gathering. Then we all enjoy a picnic before hiking down to the village and admire the 300 years old mummy of the clan. Seated in the men’s house, it is still decorated with its godeka and hair ornaments. It is a popular place because such mummies are very rare and usually difficult to see. Return to the Resort in the afternoon.

Transportation: 2 hours of drive.  2 to 3 hours mountain hiking (+1000m). Guide included. Accommodation: The Baliem Valley Resort. Meals: full board.