Papua New Guinea and Sepik River

Cairns, Shangri-La Hotel:
The five-star Shangri-La Hotel, The Marina, Cairns is one of the city's most distinguished hotels and sets an innovative benchmark in accommodation excellence for the region. Ideally located in the heart of Cairns, Shangri-La Hotel gently frames the city's foreshore, overlooking the Marlin Marina, Trinity Bay and surrounding mountain ranges.

Your guestroom will have a spectacular view of the Marlin Marina, the tranquil Trinity Bay, Rainforest Gardens, or the crystal blue hotel pool. All rooms have private balconies with Deck Chairs.

The Hotel offers a range of Services and Facilities and as it is adjacent to the Pier Shopping Centre via the Hotel Lobby so you will have direct access to a wide range of shopping and dining options.

Port Moresby, Airways Hotel:
The Airways Hotel is ideally located with immediate access to both the business area and shopping. The hotel offers spectacular views of the airport, Owen Stanley Range and the Coral Sea. This modern hotel has a light decorating touch with natural wood and pastel colors, glass and art objects.

The hotel facilities include a swimming pool, licensed bars and restaurants, coffee shop, casino bar and night club. There is also an outdoor pool, sauna, tennis court, tour desk, gift shop, and secretarial and business center.

Your accommodation features air conditioning, tea/coffee making facilities, ISD/STD phones, Cable TV, internet access, In-room safe, 24 hour room service.

Mt. Hagen, Rondon Ridge:
At 7,1000 feet above sea level, with panoramic views, the Rondon Ridge enjoys the year round temperate climate in the Highlands. This location promises the visitor eternal spring weather and magnificent views of the Hagen Range, Mount Giluwe, the Sepik Divide, the Baiyer Gap and the Waghi Valley. Surrounded by landscaped gardens, the peaceful Rondo Ridge is just minutes from the famous Mt Hagen market. The lodge is intimate, with only twelve rooms. Each comfortable guestroom features modern facilities, satellite cable TV and room service.

Karawari, Karawari Lodge:
This unique lodge stands high atop a hilltop overlooking the expanse of the Karawari River area. Amidst spacious, manicured gardens, there are 20 river or jungle view cottage/rooms with private bathroom, and an artifact dining/lounge/bar area provide a touch of luxury totally off the beaten path.

Sepik River, MV Sepik Spirit Cruise:
Specially constructed to allow passage into the heart of the mighty Sepik River, The MV Sepik Spirit is a "floating hotel", built specifically with a shallow draft, this vessel plies into the heart of the Sepik River and areas not otherwise accessible to larger vessels. The vessel complies with the highest safety standards including both the American Bureau of Shipping and Papua New Guinea safety regulations. Refurbished in 2006, the MV Sepik Spirit is air conditioned and accommodates no more than 18 passengers in nine deluxe, spacious twin bedrooms each with private bathroom. Facilities aboard also include a dining room, lounge, bar, video and covered upper observatory deck.

Tari, Ambua Lodge:
Ambua Lodge is an inspired mixture of local architecture, spectacular views and modest luxury off the beaten track. Located at 7,000 feet, in the Southern Highlands, homeland of the Huli clan, the lodge features Highland’s architecture with a main building housing the lounge, bar, dining room, and a cozy centre fireplace. Separate areas include the video room, heated spa and sauna. Guests are accommodated in 40 individual units set in a sea of flowers, each unit featuring 180° picture windows, modern bathroom, and electric blankets and continental quilts for the cool highland evenings.

Ambua Lodge was the recipient of a Pacific Heritage Award that sighted it as a “superb example of culturally sensitive and ecological responsible tourism.”

Madang, Madang Resort Hotel:
One of the Great Hotels of the Pacific, Madang Resort Hotel is set alongside the beautiful entrance of the Madang Harbor, amid five acres of exotically landscaped grounds – you are surrounded by native and hybrid orchids, palms and native flora. The Madang Resort Hotel is strategically located overlooking the many islands that make up the Madang Harbor and its fine waterways with magnificent views of the majestic volcanic island of Kar Kar.

The superbly appointed Executive Rooms are located in a prime location; the suites are larger and are serviced by specially trained housemaids to ensure that you are treated as a VIP.

There are two Restaurants offering fine cuisine, a seafood buffet and light snacks. Leisure facilities include 25-meter swimming pool, tennis court, P.A.D.I. Dive Shop and artifact gallery. All guests receive automatic membership at the Madang Country Club.

DAYS 1 – 3, Friday – Sunday Cairns, Australia
Depart from home on Friday, cross the International Date Line and arrive on Sunday. Spend the first full day in Cairns at your leisure. Meet your fellow travelers and discuss the upcoming journey at a festive dinner party.

DAYS 4 – 6, Monday – Wednesday Port Moresby & Mt. Hagen, Papua New Guinea
Fly from Cairns to Port Moresby to discover one of the finest collections of primitive art in the world at the National Museum. Then fly to Mt. Hagen, the capital of the Western Highland, to witness the legendary Mudmen reenact tribal folklore through dance and costume.

DAYS 7 – 10, Thursday – Sunday Cruise up the Sepik River
Board the M/V Sepik Spirit, a comfortable 16-passenger vessel, as we journey up one of the world’s great rivers. Each clan along the Sepik has its own unique artwork, spirit masks, spiritual figures and legends. Tambanum features exquisitely crafted houses lining the waterfront. The Middle Sepik is populated mainly with small, traditional villages where tribal life centers on the Haus Tambaran, or Spirit House. In Palembei, get a real taste of the culture as you walk through gardens of corn, kaukau (sweet potato), melons and stands of breadfruit trees.

DAYS 11 & 12, Monday & Tuesday Tari
Discover the lush tropical paradise of Tari and spend two nights at the mountaintop Ambua Lodge. This cool alpine setting is the home of the Huli Wigmen, renowned for their elaborate and colorful dress. This evening we are treated to a traditional tribal Sing-Sing, presided over by tribal elders, distinguished by their two-meter-high headdresses displaying the brilliant colors of plumes from the Birds of Paradise.

DAYS 13 – 16, Wednesday – Saturday Madang & Cairns, Australia
Today we fly to Madang, often referred to as “the prettiest town in the South Pacific.” Madang is a totally unexpected montage of tribal cultures, immense beauty and friendly people. Kranket Island offers a variety of easily accessible places to swim and enjoy the superb sea life amid world-famous coral reefs. Return to Cairns via Port Moresby by air for one last evening and a farewell dinner party.

Touring Date	Land Only	Land + Air	Single (Land Only)	Single (Land + Air)
7/30/2010 - 8/14/2010	$8,875
10/8/2010 - 10/23/2010	$8,875
Airfare Disclaimer A NOTE ABOUT AIRFARE: We encourage you to buy your airfare from the tour operator, because if your tour cancels then your airlines tickets will be covered. Purchasing flights separately at a lesser rate and incorporating it with a Non-Guaranteed Departure Date can result in loss of total cost of your flight investment. Depending on the fare rules, flights may be Non-Refundable and/or Non-Transferable. Neither the tour operator and/or Atlas Cruises & Tours will be held responsible for loss if a tour is cancelled for Lack of Participation. If you would like to check for discounted fares on Guaranteed Departures or for competitive pricing on air and hotel packages, we invite you to follow this link. Documents TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: Necessary Travel Documents such as Passports and Visas is the responsibility of the traveler. Passports must be valid six months from your return travel date.

Cruise to remote regions of the Sepik River aboard the comfortable, air-conditioned M/V Sepik Spirit

Meet members of a remote Highlands tribe untouched by Western civilization

Experience an exclusive, festive Sing-Sing with the Huli Wigmen

Enjoy a private, after-hours tour of the world-famous primitive art collections of the Port Moresby National Museum

Savor a unique visit to a traditional spirit house

Swim and snorkel among colorful fish and coral at Kranket Island

All tour prices are per person, in US dollars, based on double occupancy

Single Supplement $2,600

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