Papua New Guinea (PNG)
The Highlands

Parts of the Highlands remain untouched just as they were when first 'discovered' in 1933. In fact, some remote villagers have yet to see a white man.

The people are hardy and village life depends on subsistence farming. Visitors will be fascinated by the bright ochre colours and two metre high head-dresses swathed in plumes of the Bird of Paradise worn by the tribal elders. Dancing is proud and fierce at traditional sing-sings, with drums beating long into the night.

The Eastern Highland Province is a one hour flight north from Port Moresby or half an hour from Lae or Mt Hagen. Once there, you are surrounded by steep, rugged mountains covered in dense rainforest graduating to subalpine vegetation.

The valleys are blanketed in grass and the panoramic views contain every imaginable shade of green. Altitude varies from 600 metres in the south to Mt Michael's 2,750 metre summit.

Goroka, the largest town and capital lies at 1,600 metres or 5,000 feet above sea level.

Goroka (Eastern Highlands)

Located in the Eastern Highlands is the town of Goroka. The temperate spring climate, large green shady trees and colourful flower beds make this Highlands town a delight to visit. The town offers a number of attractions. The J.K. McCarthy Museum is second only to the National Museum. Among its exhibits are a variety of pottery styles, weapons, clothing and of particular interest is the Leahy Wing which houses a fine collection of photographs taken by early explorers in 1933. Mt. Gahavisuka National Park, with breath-taking mountain scenery and wonderful collection of exotic plants and bird life, such as the Princess Stephanie Bird of Paradise. Visit the home of the now famous Asaro mudmen.

Mount Hagen (Western Highlands)
Just about all flights to the Highlands go via Mount Hagen, so your stay could be as short as a plane turnaround or an overnight or two. Located at 5,000 ft above sea level, the air is clear and crisp. The attractions of this area are not in town but in the surrounding rolling hills stretching upwards to majestic mountains.

Drive through the fertile Waghi Valley dotted with small garden beds and large expanses of coffee and tea plantations. Visit the Mt.Hagen market, see a performance by the Chimbu Players or take a nature walk.

Bismarck Range
The Bismarck Range, part of the central highlands of northeastern New Guinea, includes Mount Wilhelm, the highest mountain in Papua New Guinea.

Despite their tropical location, the highest peaks in the range are often snowcapped. Several rivers, including the Ramu, Sepik, and Purari, rise in the range. The flanks of the mountains are forested, but above 3,400 metres (11,155 feet), there are alpine meadows and areas of treeless tundra.

The mountains were named after the Prussian statesman Otto von Bismarck (1815–1898), a reminder of Germany’s occupation of northeastern New Guinea from the 1880s to 1914.

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