As the western half of New Guinea, the world's second largest island, the inhabitants of Papua are ethnically and culturally distinct than the rest of Indonesia; in Papua itself, almost 250 languages are spoken by a variety of peoples, including Yali pygmies, Dani tribesmen, and nomadic peoples who live on Lake Sentani.
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Fly by chartered plane to Angguruk to meet the Yali tribesmen who are pygmies and former cannibals, and are even more remote than the Dani. They had no contact with the modern world until 1976, and even today few outsiders venture here as the only access is by foot or chartered plane.
Spend a day in the life of the Yali, whose daily activities include hunting, gathering, cooking, and tending pigs. If you stay overnight, the only accommodations are a local missionary house, which has only very basic facilities.
Fly south to the Casuarina Coast, home of the Asmats, former headhunters known for their ferocity in battle. The Asmats have long been renowned for their woodcarvings – boats, statues, drums, and shields, all of which are central to the tribe’s mythology and rituals.
To reach the dense, swampy tropical lowlands of Dayo, travelers must charter a plane south, cross the river by canoe, and trek to the village by foot. Spend the night in tents and shelters in the local village and share a meal with the villagers.
Fly to Jayapura on the far eastern border; human habitation in the area dates back 60,000 years. Within the area are indigenous tribes whose way of life is little changed from that of their ancestors, including mysterious and intriguing rituals seen by few outsiders. As it is one of the least developed areas in Asia, few visitors have journeyed to Jayapura.
Drive one hour to Jiwika to meet the Dani people, famously fierce headhunters who wear boar tusks in their noses. They are known for their decorative headdresses, their ancient mummies and their elaborate funerary rites.
Meet the Korowai people, who live in scattered tree houses high above the ground, and who, until the 1970s, had no contact with the outside world. Spend the night in a tree house, or, if you prefer, in a tent on the ground.
Visit nearby Lake Sentani and travel across its waters by motorized canoe to a fishing village where the locals live in stilted houses over the water. Stop by the home of a village family and learn about their lives and traditions, including the woodcarvings and other handicrafts for which the area is famed.
Participate in a festive pig roast with the colorful Dani tribesmen.
Travel by boat to Wus village, where you spend the day with the tribesmen whose usual activities include fishing, collecting crab and making sago starch.
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Explore Papua, Indonesia’s largest province that is far off the tourist trail, on this epic 11-day luxury journey. You’ll get bird’s-eye and close-up views of Papua’s expansive river system from plane and boat, stay in local villages and interact with local tribespeople, and camp under the stars of remote jungles.
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