Eastern New Guinea Cruise

Why Join This Cruise:

• Visits to traditional villages where welcoming locals offer a glimpse of their traditional lifestyle


• Experiencing the visual richness of the contrasting cultures of each region


• Swimming and snorkelling crystal clear waters on coral reefs alive with marine life
• Specialist family, photography, diving or star-gazing departures
• An electrifying welcome dance on the 'Islands of Love', the Trobriands
• Visits to remote volcanic islands ripe for exploration
• A number of days exploring the seldom visited south coast of New Britain
• Wildlife opportunities - prolific birdlife (hornbills, parrots, cockatoos, birds of paradise), dolphins, whales, dugongs and the rich marine life of the coral reefs

Trip Overview
This is an expeditionary voyage in the real sense of the phrase, exploring the islands of the Bismarck and Solomon seas of eastern New Guinea, and an in-depth look at the southern coast of New Britain.

A largely undiscovered paradise, Papua New Guinea is slowly opening its arms to the world. Travellers who are privileged enough to visit will discover a wealth of magnificent tropical scenery and cultural diversity. We'll aim to visit active volcanic islands and walk through pristine rainforest alive with unique wildlife. PNG's warm waters hold more aquatic species than anywhere on the planet - snorkelling magical reefs off white sandy beaches and isolated atolls will give us the chance to learn more about this incredibly diverse marine ecosystem.

Our visits to remote coastal and island villages will give us a genuine insight into a traditional lifestyle that has changed little in centuries. From witnessing a colourful sing sing in the Trobriand Islands to being greeted by a flotilla of outrigger canoes, our experiences with the smiling people of Papua New Guinea are sure to be rewarding.



Itinerary

Day 1 - London Heathrow/ Hong Kong
Depart London on the Cathay Pacific flight to Cairns via Hong Kong

Day 2 - Hong Kong/ Cairns
Fly from Hong Kong to Cairns, with a short stop at Brisbane airport.

Day 3 - Cairns
Arrive into Cairns. Make your own way to your hotel. Rest of the day at leisure.

Day 4 - Cairns/Alotau
Please make your own way via the shuttle bus back to the airport to depart Cairns on the Guinea airlines flight to Alotau flying via Port Moresby. In Alotau you will be met on arrival by members of your expeditionary staff and transferred to your local hotel.

Day 5 - Alotau
Day of embarkation, in the morning you'll be conducted on a guided group tour of the town. Group transfer from your hotel to the port to embark your expeditionary ship.

Day 6 - D'Entrecasteaux Islands
Today we leisurely explore the islands and look for interesting places to land. We may visit the largest of the group, Fergusson Island, notable for its primordial landscape of hot springs, boiling mud pools and impressive geysers. It is said the locals can cause the geysers to shoot up by raising the spirit of the hot springs with ancient magic.

Day 7 - Kitava, Trobriand Islands
We are welcomed by the paramount chief of the famed 'Islands of Love', a group of tranquil coral islands where a unique traditional culture has survived. We may have the privilege to see the energetic yam harvest dances performed by smiling locals in traditional costumes alive with colour. Trobriand Islanders are renowned for their finely carved wooden artefacts, many made of ebony with delicate inlays of mother-of-pearl.

Day 8 - Tufi
This morning we have the opportunity to visit some of the small communities in this area. Greeted by outrigger canoes and a welcome dance, the local people will share with us some of their ancient tribal customs. We hope to take a walk through the rainforest, home to the world's largest butterfly, and explore the clear waters of Tufi's famed outer reefs, looking out for dolphins on the way.

Day 9 - Lababia
We visit the picturesque village of Lababia, whose inhabitants are custodians to one of the most important conservation areas in PNG - the 47,000 hectare Kamiali wildlife management area.

Day 10 - Tami Islands
The stunning tropical setting of these pristine coral atolls will make for some exciting explorations. The islands inhabitants are famous for their intricately carved wooden bowls and we hope to visit their peaceful fishing villages, beautifully located by a well-protected lagoon between the two main islands.

Day 11 - Karkar Island
Today we plan to visit the remarkable Karkar Island. Dominated by an active volcano that rises over 1,800 metres, Karkar is one of the most fertile places in PNG and has a thriving copra industry.

Day 12 - Sepik River
The Sepik is one of the world's great river systems and culturally one of the most fascinating parts of PNG. Village life remains virtually unchanged from when first contact was made by German explorers in the late 1800's. Today we will travel upstream from the mouth of this mighty river to explore the lower Sepik region. Visiting some of the small villages that line the riverbank, we hope to witness a memorable sing sing from the friendly residents of Watam village.

Days 13 - 14 Admiralty Islands
We spend two days exploring the remote Admiralty Islands, a scattering of low-lying atolls and 18 islands. Only a handful of expedition ships have ever visited here and we will spend out time in search of the pristine landscapes and unique cultures that exist here.

We hope to visit a number of traditional villages and with the help of our anthropologist, learn more about the rich maritime traditions of the local people.

The islands are also hope to a number of endemic bird species including the Manus fantail, superb pitta and the Manus hawk owl.

Depending on weather conditions, we will either visit Tingwon Island or the Tsoi Islands. Located west of New Hanover, picturesque Tingwon Island is surrounded entirely by a coral reef and is home to an advanced culture of around 400 inhabitants.

Rarely seen by outsiders, we hope to visit some of the villages on this remote island and gain an insight into their traditional way of life. We will also aim to snorkel on the reefs and take a stroll through Tingwon's virgin forests.

Day 15 - Tsoi Island
Amid the white sand beaches and coconut palms, we hope to Zodiac up some of the island's rivers and also visit a megapode colony. These unusual birds bury their eggs in burrows in the sand, using the areas geothermal heat for incubation.

Day 16 - Disembark Rabaul
Surrounded by six volcanic peaks, we cruise into stunning Simpson Harbour and dock in Rabaul. Disembark the boat. Guided group tour of Rabaul.

Day 17 - Rabaul/Cairns
Airport transfer to depart on the early morning flight from Rabaul back to Cairns flying via Port Moresby.

Day 18 - Cairns/ London
Shuttle bus back to the airport to depart Cairns on the afternoon Cathay Pacific flight to London Heathrow flying via Hong Kong

Day 19 - London
Arrive back into London Heathrow

IMPORTANT: Travelling through this remote, little-visited area is both thrilling and challenging, particularly from an operational perspective. Please be aware that the daily itinerary will need to be able to incorporate a certain amount of flexibility to make the most of what the opportunities you find.

Activities available on all departures

• Exploring pristine islands on foot


• Snorkelling


• Zodiac cruising


• Kayaking**

** = Please note that this activity attracts an additional surcharge



The Boat
The following boat operates this particular cruise:

Marina Svetaeva

2010 cruise dates

Awaiting confirmation. Please contact the office if you would like us to notify you once they are published

Guide Price

	Prices based on 2 or more sharing from:
Quadruple cabin	£2,295 pp*
Triple cabin	£2,450pp*
Twin cabin with shared bathroom	£3,045 pp*
Twin cabin with private bathroom	£3,545 pp*
Mini Suite	£3,790 pp*
Suite	£4,140 pp*

*Please note: These prices exclude International flights and are subject to exchange rate fluctuations.

What's included?

• Transfers to and from the group hotel at the beginning and end of the voyage


• On board accommodation and food on full board basis


• All shore excursions from the ship including Zodiacs

What's not included?

• Air transport to and from the ship


• Hotels and meals not included in ship cruise itinerary


• Drinks, laundry and gratuities


• Optional excursions not included in ship cruise itinerary

Single Supplements on board
Please contact the office for a quotation.

For further details or to check availability, please either call one of our consultants on 01285 880981 or complete our enquiry form.


Steppes Travel cruise destinations include: Alaska, Amazon, Antarctica, Arctic, Baja Mexico, Galapagos.