Thank you for your interest in a tour with Papua Adventures.
We are always trying to explore new areas, in the hope that we will come up with an area that still has traditional tribal people. In 2005 we did an exploratory trip within the Korowai area.
And what we came up with was really something.
There are still areas within the Korowai that tourists have never been to. And the accessibility is not that difficult.

For over 10 years, the main starting point within the Korowai area was Yanirumah. For us, this area has been finished as a tourist destination for over 5 years. That's why we never offer a trip into the Korowai area. Only the Kombai. And to get to Yanirumah involves chartering a plane US$3500 from Wamena.

We searched out a way to visit the still traditional Korowai people without having to charter a plane. So, the cost of this tour is less expensive than other trips to the Korowai and you will see traditional people. The Korowai living in the Yanirumah area all know of tourists and they put on a show. Before you come to their tree house, they are told to hide their clothes, pots and pans and then put on traditional costume. I don't think that's what you expected and you're not paying a lot of money and traveling half way around the world to be tricked.

This new area within the Korowai, takes a few more days of travel by domestic airlines and then a motorized canoe. But the extra days of travel are worth it.

After we finish our nine days of trekking in the Korowai area we will travel down river to Senggo. After Senggo we will continue down river and overnight in an Asmat village.
We will spend time in their village and enjoy an
evening of drumming, dancing, and singing in the Jeu (mens house).

Then we will continue onto Agats, where we will spend the night.
Then early the next morning we will travel by motorized canoe to Ewer.
From Ewer we will catch our Merpati (domestic airlines) flight to Timika.
We'll overnight in Timika and then catch our flight back to Bali the next morning.
Here is the 18 day KOROWAI - TREE HOUSE PEOPLE and ASMAT tour.

KOROWAI - TREE HOUSE PEOPLE and ASMAT TOUR

18 Days itinerary

Day 1
We will fly from Bali to Jayapura.
Get our surat jalan and spend the night at a hotel in Sentani (close to the airport).

Day 2
We will fly on Merpati airlines to Merauke. This city is in the southeast corner of Papua. Along the Papua New Guinea border. We'll over night in a hotel.

Day 3
We will fly on Merpati airlines to Senggo. Senggo is a settlement on a large river.
We will get our necessary supplies there and overnight in Senggo.

Day 4
We will travel by boat with a motor up river. We will have to travel upstream for one full day. This is the same river that if you continue north will take you to Yanirumah.
But, we will not travel up that far.
Instead we will stop at a small village on the river and spend the night there.

Day 5
We will get our porters and set out for the jungle.
There are several villages in the interior that have not been contacted by the outside.
No tourists have ever visited these Korowai people. And their body decoration is slightly different from the Korowai people to the north. We will camp at one of their villages.

Days 6,7,8,9,10,11,12
We will spend these 7 days trekking is some of the most pristine lowland rain-forest in the world. Along the way we will stay with the various Korowai 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 Korowai 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 within the Korowai that we will visit are still living a stone age existence. They still use only stone and bone tools. And they still do practice cannibalism in the Korowai 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 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 and Korowai 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 13
We will trek back to the village by the river.
We will overnight there and in the morning we will head down river to Senggo.

Day 14
We will travel by motorized canoe down to Senggo.
We will overnight in Senggo.

Day 15
We will travel down river in a motorized canoe to a village and spend the night at an Asmat village. We will visit with the men in the Jeu (mens house). And we'll spend the evening enjoying the men singing, drumming and dancing inside the Jeu.

Day 16
We will continue traveling down river in a motorized canoe and spend the night in Agats. This is the biggest town in the Asmat area. We will overnight in a guest house in Agats.

Day 17
We will travel by motorized canoe to the airport in Ewer. It is about 1 hour from Agats. From Ewer we will catch a Merpati plane to Timika.
We will spend the night at a hotel in Timika.

Day 18
We will catch a flight back to Bali on Garuda airlines.
And we will arrive in Bali at 2:10pm. This will conclude the tour.

THE PRICE FOR THIS 18 DAYS TOUR
2 persons: $US 6700 per person .
3 persons: $US 4950 per person .
4 persons: $US 4200 per person .
5 persons: $US 3750 per person .
6 persons: $US 3500 per person .

This tour price INCLUDES
All hotels, all domestic airline tickets within Papua (3 flights), all chartered motorized boats or canoes, all ground transportation, surat jalan (travel permit), all meals and beverages, porters fees, guide fees, cooks fee, laundry.

This tour price DOES NOT INCLUDE
the Garuda airline to tickets (Bali-Jayapura and Timika-Bali), health insurance, travel insurance, tipping, excess overweight baggage charges, alcoholic beverages.

If you have any other questions concerning this itinerary or
any other tour to Papua. Feel free to contact us at Papua Adventures.
I have a list of references from past clients and would be glad to send it to you.

Sincerely,
Kelly Woolford
Papua Adventures

Tel. 62 8123961438

© 2000-2008, PAPUA ADVENTURES