PAPUA STONE AND PEOPLE (8 Days / 7 Nights )

DAY 1. Jayapura – Wamena (D)
Arrive at Jayapura Sentani Airport and take a short flight to Wamena. After arrive in Wamena transfer to The Baliem Valley Resort. (www.balliem-valley-resort.com)

DAY 2. Wamena City Tour (B,L,D)
In the morning drive from the resort to the big native market in front of the town. Here you can meet hundrets of Dani who sell their agrarian products every day. Traditional arts and crafts like stoneaxes, grassnets, arrows and bows are sold, too. Visit to the water power station at the upper course of the beautiful Wamena-River. Here we have lunch break surrounded by wonderful nature. Drive on to the powerful Baliem-River near Wesaput, where a big suspension bridge has to be crossed due to the traditional Dani hamlets on the other side of the river that we want to visit. Before we drive back to the Resort you have the possibility to make some small purchases in Wamena.

DAY 3. Saltspring, Kurulu-Mummy, traditional Dani hamlet (B,L,D)
In the morning one hour drive to Jiwika in the central Baliem-Valley. Start of a one hour-long walking-tour uphill (about 300 m height) trough a beautiful mountain-rainforest to the traditional salt spring of a Dani clan. Native women in traditional costumes accompany us. They will demonstrate the old way of the salt production. After the relegation we have lunch on the mountains base. After lunch we walk to the close Kurulu hamlet, where a very old mummy of the famous Dugum clan can be admired. Afterwards the women show us how the brought brine is processed. In the neighbourhood we see more picturesque hamlets. Everywhere the friendly natives offer their arts and crafts, weapons and curiosities. In the afternoon drive back to the Resort

DAY 4. Pig Festival of Dani Tribe (B,L,D)
All day long traditional “pig-festival” in an old Dani-hamlet within the Resorts´ area or in the Jiwika region. Many dressed up clanmembers in traditional costumes celebrate the party with us. A “pig-festival” with the hot stones and the earth pits is probably the most interesting thing to see on a travel to Irian Jaya. Photograhs and movie makers will totally be satisfied to day. The unique of such an event can hardly be described by words. You have to see it with your own eyes. Lunch will be inside the hamlet. Of course there is also the opportunity for each guest to eat out of the traditional earth pit. The fresh pig meat and the sweet potatoes taste delicious. Back to the Resort in the late afternoon

DAY 5. Trekking Pugima-Valley (B,L,D)
Drive in the morning to the church of Siepkosi. Our easy walking tour into the Pugima-Valley starts here. On our way we reach a cave where the Yuan-River comes back to the surface. The wide and fertile Pugima-Valley is highly populated by Mountain-Papuas. In one of the farms we visit the valleys´ only pottery. Beautiful pottery is made here under very simple circumstances. Many objects have already found their way to the Resort´ inventory. In the early afternoon we reach the Baliem-River in the region of Wesaput, where we have lunch. Before we reach our bus a big suspension bridge has to be crossed. On our way back we pass Wamena where we have enough time for a short shopping.

DAY 6. Voyage by Boat on the Baliem River (B,L,D)
In the morning we drive to the north over Wamena until we reach the Assologaima region. With our bus and the big raft we can drive to the bank. Start of our voyage downstream until we reach the suspension bridge of Wesaput. The comfortable voyage passes beautiful fertile-woods and wild groves of sugar cane. All the time we see old, hidden Dani-hamlets in the shadows of big acacia-trees next to the river. We observe how Dani-women wash the sweet potatoes and sometimes we meet natives on their traditional one-tree-boats. In the afternoon we reach the suspension bridge of Wesaput where our car is waiting for us. We drive back to the Resort, after our raft it’s safely tied on the cars´ roof.

DAY 7. Wamena – Jayapura (B,L,D)
Transfer to Wamena and take a short flight to Jayapura. Upon arrival direct city sightseeing Jayapura. Visiting Cendrawasih Museum and local Market Hamadi. Overnight at Sentani Indah Hotel.

DAY 8. Jayapura Departure (B,L,D)
Breakfast, then transfer to airport for your departure