Located just above the continent of Australia and occupying the eastern half of the large island known as New Guinea, the Independent State of Papua New Guinea is a place that few in the western world are familiar with, and for good reason. It was almost completely unknown to the western nations until early in the 1800s, and as such its cultural and geographical condition has remained to this day largely unchanged. One tangible way in which this preservation can be experienced is in the coral reefs which surround almost all of the main island. They are under strict and effective protection to this day.
Papua New Guinea is one of the most heavily rainforested countries on earth, and nearly the entire country is mountainous. In fact, these two factors combine to make the development of transportation infrastructure extremely difficult; this is one of the main reasons that the country has managed to remain so relatively unspoiled. Ecotourism is popular in this area, as those traversing the land seek to minimize or even eliminate their impact on it with careful planning and minimization of the human footprint. Life in the rainforests, as one might expect is incredibly dense and diverse, making it very attractive to those who are willing to immerse themselves in the complex and otherworldly environment. There are a large number of species native to the area which are endangered, and found in few other places around the world. Bird watching in the area has become increasingly popular, and a perfect example of the localized and rare forms of life in the area are the species referred to as birds of paradise. Indeed, the country is so well known for these birds that one variation actually adorns the country’s official flag.
The predominantly low lying mountains of the country are particularly well suited to trekking by foot or bicycle, mountain climbing, and bush walking. This is not just because of the nature of the terrain, but also because the same attitude of conservation seen applied to the surrounding reefs has been applied as well to the forests. Looking around in the depths of many of these areas, it is impossible to tell that a human has ever set foot on them.
In addition to these features, there are a significant number of volcanoes in the region which mostly reside on the outer islands which surround the main land mass. Most of them are a part of what is known as the “Pacific Ring of Fire,” whose suggestive name is quite appropriate here; these volcanoes are among the most active in the world. Many of Papua New Guinea’s islands are quiet and calm, though, making them perfect for expeditions beyond the coastline. Island to island sailing is popular, and along the way visitors are likely to see many participating in adventure travel enjoying the water in one way or another, whether it be snorkeler’s tubes piercing its surface, skiers and wakeboarders trailing behind powerboats, or people simply splashing about on the miles of sandy shoreline, you’ll be hard pressed to find somone in Papua New Guinea not enjoying themselves.
Papua New Guinea is one of our premier destinations for expeditions and adventure travel to tribal lands. The people and the island are unique in everyway. The words ‘adventure’ and ‘expedition’ were invented just to describe a typical trip on this island.
S2Si has a long history working in the jungle here and with it’s friendly and interesting people. If you are after an adventure tour with a professionally trained expedition leader to get you off the beaten track then we are the ones to call.
But it’s not just the tribes or the jungle that hold all the adventure. Expeditions can be led to the smaller islands off the coast or even diving adventures to it’s many coral reefs.
Tel:+44 (0)131 2208246
