Bougainville Island, Papua New Guinea
24th January – 2nd feb 2025 – 10 nights / 11 days
$3500 US + flights 10 nights
For more than 30 years I have been looking at my globe and dreaming of Bougainville Island, a place defined by natural rugged beauty, historical significance and exotic wildlife and fauna.
a place remote even by Papua New Guinea standards, cut off from the world for many years by civil war and likely to be an independent state by the end of the decade. Bougainville receives few if any tourists, inhabited for over 29,000 years it has a unique a varied culture as well as spectacular scenery and wildlife, this will be an expedition like no other, I will be looking to add some of the Buin & Buka baskets – famous as the best in all Papua New Guinea (& reassuringly light), carvings and hopefully an Upe Boys hat to my collection. Whilst the focus will be on the culture of the Island we will also go birdwatching and look for orchids. Please note visitors are few and the facilities will not be Western standard!
Port Moresby Extension
It is possible to just transit in Port Moresby airport, however if you have two or three days to spare there is lots of interest to see or do – as well as excellent bird watching and scuba diving within easy reach – if enough people are interested we can organise a little extension – or simply help you plan
DAY 1 24th January meet at Port Moresby airport for the flight
Upon arrival at Buka Airport, you will be met and greeted by BET staff and escorted to
your Malasang village. After check in will take a tour around Malasang village. During
dinner presentation about Bougainville history will be presented by Mrs Francesca
Semoso.
Day 2 Buka Island
After Breakfast we will attend cultural day to see dances and singsing at Gogohe,
drive to the end of Buka island to see the beautiful Kesa beach for a swim and by afternoon return to Malasang village and enjoy the afternoon locally served dinner
DAY 3 Tuesday Buka –Wakunai – Arawa
On this day we cross the famous Buka Passage and take a hired land cruiser and drive 3
hours to Wakunai and up to Ipa village to see the Upe boys in the men’s house. After
seeing them drive to Arawa and overnight at Topinang village. When arriving at
Topinang will have rituals to welcome with singsing.
DAY 4 Wednesday Arawa -Nagovis
After breakfast, will drive to Panguna mine and visit the mine site and see the destruction
done during the mining down the Jaba tailings. Along the way may do some birding up
the road to Panguna. After arriving at Nagovis we will tour around Nagovis area and
overnight there in the village.
Day 5 Thursday Nagovis – Siwai
After breakfast will travel to Siwai and tour around cultural villages, Herbal medicine
practioner and overnight at Ruphumo village
Day 6 Friday Siwai
Will have cultural singsing and tour around siwai cultural villages see women weaving
the famous Siwai baskets and will visit the sacred sites. Ruphumo village
DAY 7 Saturday Siwai – Buin – Arawa
In the morning will drive through Buin and will see the WW2 relics along the way to
Buin and will cross huge rivers without bridges, will also passed through where Admiral
Isoroku Yamamoto plane crashed landed when he was shot down by the allied force in
more off the Japanese WW2 relics and see the islands of Solomon Island nearby and
drive to Arawa and stop at Kieta to catch long boat to Pokpok island. Uruna Bay retreat
DAY 8 Sunday Pokpok Island
Stay at Pokpok and tour around pokpok Island may go trekking, snorkeling, kayaking,
fishing and Island Hopping. In the evening will have seafood dinner with string band
music.
Day 9 Monday Kieta – Arawa
Will tour to Arawa town for shopping at Arawa market for souvenir and sightseeing to
Loloho beach and return back to Pokpok Island.
Day 10 Tues Port Moresby GG8823
Take flight to Port Moresby from Kieta on PX2