Thanks for the email concerning a tour to Papua with us,
Papua Adventures. I have put together a 15 day itinerary that will take you to some of the most interesting areas within the Kombai area.
The Kombai are a very interesting tribe. I have visited their area many times and I am always discovering something new about their unique "stone age" culture.

The area in the rainforest that we will visit have only recently seen westerners. And the westerners that they've seen have all been with me. Other tour companies go to the more "established" areas in Kombai. These tribes that we will visit still use stone and bone implements in everyday life. They carve their arrows with shells, Cuscus teeth and mice teeth. I have been to many places within Papua and visited with many tribes, and the Kombai, are one of the more interesting tribes within Papua.

That is why we offer several tours a year to the Kombai area. We specialize in visiting tribes that have had minimal contact with the outside world. And the areas that you will visit on this tour are both pristine in nature and tradition.
I believe this is the kind of experience that you want from Papua.

KOMBAI - TREE HOUSE PEOPLE

15 Days itinerary

Day 1
We will fly from Denpasar, Bali to Jayapura, Papua.
Check into our hotel and get our travel permit. We will also get the necessary food supplies that we will need for our 11 days of trekking in the Kombai area.

Day 2
We will fly from Jayapura to Wamena. We will overnight at a hotel in Wamena.
During the day we will go to the local market and get our supplies ready for
our trip into the Kombai area.

Day 3
We will fly in the early morning on a chartered Pilatus Porter airplane to the Komobai area. We will get our porters ready and then spend some time getting to know the village chief. And we will overnight in a former Missionary house.

Days 4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11
We will spend these 8 days trekking is some of the most pristine lowland rain-forest in the world. Along the way we will stay with the various tribes that inhabit the region.
We will try and make camp each day by a tree house and sometimes we will spend 2 nights at one tree house. The Kombai usually live in isolated tree houses.
Sometimes 2-3 families will live in one tree house. These tree houses are usually 2-6 hours of walking apart. And the tree houses range in height from 8-12 meters high.
And some even higher.

The area of the Kombai that we will visit are still living a stone age existence.
They still use only stone and bone tools and have only experienced outsiders (westerners) from the previous clients that I've brought there. And they still do practice cannibalism in the Kombai area. Don't worry they won't kill and eat us.
It is ritual cannibalism among themselves and we are outsiders,
so there is nothing to worry about.

We will make camp by their tree houses and spend the days with these tribes and also be able to witness them in their everyday lives. They will look for sago trees to fell and get the pith out of to eat. We will experience this with them. They will gather sago grubs (which they are crazy about) and eat them. And we can watch as they build fish traps and try and catch small fish from the streams. And the amazing thing about all of this is that they use nothing from the outside world. Everything is made of plants,
vines and tree bark.

Really, these are some of the only real "stone age" people left in the world.
And I have to tell you that every time I go into the Kombai area, I am deeply touched.

I have high quality rain proof North Face and Kelty tents to sleep in and Therma-Rest ground pads that are very comfortable to sleep on.
Porters will carry all of your equipment.
All you will need to carry (if you want) is your day pack with camera and water bottle.

Day 12
We will trek back to the village where the plane dropped us off.
And we will overnight in that village

Day 13
The chartered Pilatus Porter airplane will come in the morning to pick us up
and take us back to Wamena. We will check into our hotel and explore
around the Wamena area.

Day 14
We will fly to Jayapura in the morning. We will check into a hotel in Jayapura and have the day and early evening to explore around the city of Jayapura.
We will go to the arts and crafts village of Hamadi.
There you can purchase handicrafts from various places within Papua.

Day 15
We will fly from Jayapura back to Denpasar, Bali. The tour will be concluded.

The Kombai area that I go to is still pristine. The culture is still "stone age".
Other areas in the Kombai are mixed with traditional and modern conveniences.
And that is not what you are coming half way across the world to see.

Also, we will need to charter a Pilatus Porter airplane for the drop to the Kombai area and the pick up and return to Wamena. These planes are expensive,
that is normal for chartering a plane anywhere in the world that is remote.

COSTS FOR THE KOMBAI - TREE HOUSE PEOPLE TOUR (15 DAYS)
2 persons: $US 6700 per person •
3 persons: $US 5700 per person •
4 persons: $US 5400 per person •
5 persons: $US 5100 per person •
6 persons: $US 4900 per person •

This tour price INCLUDES
Round trip airfare (Denpasar, Bali to Jayapura, Papua) round trip airfare (Jayapura-Wamena), the Pilatus Porter charter airplane, all accommodation,
all meals and beverages, travel permit, all guide fees, porters,
ceremonial fees and airport taxes.

This tour price DOES NOT INCLUDE
Alcoholic beverages, laundry, tipping, travel insurance and personal health insurance.

This is a very interesting tour and you will experience something
that you will never see anywhere else in the world.

If you have a question about an itinerary or any other tour to Papua.
Feel free to contact us at Papua Adventures.

A reference list of past clients is available on request.

Sincerely,
Kelly Woolford
Papua Adventures

Tel. 62 8123961438

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