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  4. Papua New Guinea Expedition: Firedance Festival
Map of Papua New Guinea Expedition: Firedance Festival including Papua New Guinea

A cultural spectacle that awakens all the senses.

Travel deep into Papua New Guinea to experience local cultures, natural splendour and island life on a nine-day adventure culminating in the spectacular Firedance Festival. Watch as local villagers invite you into their communities and perform a traditional dance around the fire – a culturally rich and awesome sight to see. Along with this festival, discover the wild beauty of the Duke of York Islands, learn of the fascinating military history of East New Britain, encounter resident spinner dolphins, and let local island life delight your senses. For those interested in a South Pacific adventure that is definitely one-of-a-kind, let Papua New Guinea’s islands capture your imagination.

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Terms & Conditions
Start
Rabaul, Papua New Guinea
Finish
Rabaul, Papua New Guinea
Destination
Papua New Guinea
Style
Original
Theme
Expedition, Festivals and Events
Code
TESD
Physical rating
Ages
Min 15
Group size
Min 1, Max 15

Why you'll love this trip

  • As a small group, be welcomed into a local village and watch as traditional Baining dancers circle a growing fire and perform dancing rituals – a insight into one of Papua New Guinea’s indigenous cultures.

  • Spend time before and after the performance learning more about these traditional customs, sharing meals, stories and laughs with local community members.

  • Jump into island life of the Duke of York Islands, marvelling at an active volcano, tucking into a beachside barbecue and experiencing a traditional sing-sing with the villagers.

  • Discover how the World Wars played out in the Pacific, by visiting the War Museum in Rabaul and heading underground for a tour of the Japanese tunnels in Kokopo.

Is this trip right for you?

  • The joining point for this trip, Rabaul, is easily accessed with a flight from the capital, Port Moresby, on either Air Niugini or PNG Air (approximately 2 hours). From here, Port Moresby offers onward international connections to Australia and parts of Asia. As Papua New Guinea is small, there are limited flights in and out each day and prices can fluctuate quite dramatically, so it is recommended to book your flights as far in advance as possible to ensure the best connection. Please speak to your booking agent for more information.

  • There are lots of water-based activities, so being comfortable on a boat is essential.

  • This trip has some communal accommodation with shared bathroom and toilet facilities and very simple shared sleeping arrangements during the village & island stays.

  • Note that depending on the departure date of your trip, the order of destinations and activities may change based on the dates of the Firedance Festival.

Experience the Firedance Festival in Papua New Guinea with Intrepid Travel
Swim with the resident spinner dolphins of East New Britain
Visit Yamamoto's bunker in Rabual, Papua New Guinea

Itinerary
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Welcome to Rabaul and Papua New Guinea – a land of dense jungle, bright coral reefs and wartime secrets. There aren’t any activities planned for today until an important welcome meeting at 6.30 pm where you’ll meet your group leader and fellow travellers. For those arriving today, you’ll be met at Tokua (Rabaul) Airport for an included transfer to your accommodation. If you do happen to arrive early, good for you! Why not get out and about and soak up the chilled-out vibe of New Britain. Wherever you are, you’ll be sure to see the dominating Tarvurvur Volcano looming in the distance.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Meals Included
There are no meals included on this day.
Special Information
It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting as we will be collecting insurance details and next of kin information at this time. If you are going to be late please let your travel agent or hotel reception know. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place.

Set off on a historical tour of Rabaul town with your group. There’ll be some walking on uneven surfaces, so pack some good walking shoes. For lunch, you’ll visit a village called Baai Village, where you’ll be treated to a mini cultural show performed by six of the region’s tribes. Today’s tour will include stops at military sites including Yamamoto’s bunker, the Japanese submarine base and the Japanese tunnels, as well as the Rabaul markets and the New Guinea Club, where you’ll gain some insight into life in Rabaul before PNG’s independence and the 1994 devastating volcanic eruption.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch

Spend the full day experiencing what everyday life is like in a typical Rabaul village today. Learn how to make agir (a traditional coconut stew) from scratch for lunch, explore the peaceful village making new friends and enjoy a passionate performance from the local church choir. Return to your hotel for the evening.
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch

The neighbouring islands all have their own personality, customs and cultures, and today you’ll cruise around a few to explore and experience the ‘real’ Papua New Guinea. Your destination today is Duke of York Island, but on the way, be sure to keep an eye out for wildlife too, as dolphins and even dugongs are known to play in these crystal-clear waters of the Pacific. A local village will host you while you visit Duke of York and there’ll be opportunities to learn about traditional weaving, cooking and fishing. Head on a tour of the island with your group leader, and then have plenty of time to relax into island time. All that you’ve got to worry about this afternoon is sitting back and enjoying the warm hospitality and magical singing voices of the Duke of York islanders at your overnight homestay.
Accommodation
  • Island Homestay (1 night)
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

Rise and shine early for a memorable expedition out to swim with East New Britain’s resident spinner dolphins. Spend around an hour watching the dolphins’ acrobatic displays then head back for breakfast and enjoy another full day of village life.
Accommodation
  • Island Homestay (1 night)
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

Island life is at its most peaceful in the morning, so take an opportunity wake up early and explore the sights and sounds at dawn. You could also go for a stroll through the village and chat further with the villagers who are so kindly hosting the group. Return to Kokopo for more historic sights including the Bitapaka War Cemetery – where soldiers from World War I and II have been laid to rest, as well as the island’s markets and the Blue Lagoon.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

This morning, head into the highlands of the Gazelle Peninsula. It’s here that the Firedance Festival takes place, and tonight you’ll enjoy the first of your homestays. You’ll be welcomed to Vunga village with a traditional Melanesian welcome ceremony – a common practice to show the village residents that your group is welcomed. Afterwards, enjoy a traditional mumu lunch – where root vegetables are wrapped in leaves and cooked under hot stone. Settle into the local feel of the village, and then later in the evening, this is where all the festivities start. The traditional fire dancing ceremonies are a cultural spectacle for locals and visitors alike, and your expert local guides will be able to explain to you the historical importance of the dance, as well as the costumes and elements of the performance. As it goes on into the night, villagers add bundles of firewood to the bonfire and the fire-dancers will perform until their feet put out the last flames. Enjoy a barbecue dinner as you cherish this cultural moment.
Accommodation
  • Village Homestay (1 night)
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

This morning, make your way to the village food hut where a fresh continental breakfast with organic fruits and brewed coffee awaits. Afterwards, the festivities continue with a number of masked performances, as well as a closing party during which the village will farewell their guests. After saying goodbye, you’ll make your way back to the group’s hotel and settle in for lunch. The afternoon is free for you to relax and share photos with your group of last night’s performances.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

With no activities planned for today, you are free to depart at any time after breakfast, provided you comply with the hotel’s internal check-out policies. Please note that a transfer to Tokua (Rabaul) Airport is included.
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
Want to tailor this itinerary?

Meals

8 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 4 dinners

Transport

Private vehicle, Boat

Accommodation

Hotel (5 nights), Island Homestay (2 nights), Village Homestay (1 night)

Dates & availability

Trip departures are unavailable.

There are currently no scheduled departures on our Papua New Guinea Expedition: Firedance Festival trip. If you are interested in other trips in the region visit one of the links below.

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Important notes

1. An arrival & departure transfer is included on this trip. Please provide us with your flight arrival & departure time for Rabaul (RBA) no later than 7 days before your trip commences. If we do not receive this information we will not be able to meet you at the airport. Late-night arrivals in particular will be difficult and daunting to make your way to our starting point on your own.
2. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement excludes the Island & Village Homestays where you will be in shared accommodation, and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.

Essential trip information

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