• Dore Atri
  • Triton Bay divers
  • Baliem
  • Baliem
  • Baliem
  • Korowai
  • Korowai
  • Manta

Round trip 16 days Papoua Adventure - Baliem valley and Raja Ampat homestay

This adventurous and cultural round trip takes you to the tribes in the tribes in the Baliem valley and diving and snorkelling paradise Raja Ampat in Papua (former Dutch New-Guinea).

The trip is like travelling some centuries back in a time machine. You’ll visit the very traditional Dani and Yali tribes and you can make beautiful walks in the valley. You stay in hotel Pilamo in the city (Wamena). If you’re in for it, you can also do a few days trekking in the valley.
Then you travel to the idyllic Raja Ampat archipelago, the crème de la crème’ for snorkelers and divers. You stay in a local, very simple homestay and will have time enough to dive or snorkel, watch the birds of paradise and relax.

Target prices

On request

Included and excluded

Included:
•Accomodations based on bed and breakfast
•Lunch and dinner during your stay in Baliem valley and Raja Ampat
•Transfers
•English-speaking guide

Not included:
. Domestic flights Jayapura-Wamena en vice versa (ca € 200 p.p.)
. Local airport tax
. Optional excursions
•Tips and personal expenses
•Travel and cancellation insurance ( mandatory)
•Booking fee and contribution Calamiteitenfonds €30 per booking
•SGR contribution € 5 per person
•CO2 compensation € 22 per person

Day 1 flight Amsterdam-Jayapura

Garuda Indonesia flies non-stop from Amsterdam to Jakarta with her new Boeing 777-300 ER. Experience the hospitality of the Indonesian culture on board of Garuda Indonesia, the national flight company of Indonesia. This direct flight takes you in 13 and a half hour from Amsterdam to Jakarta. Departure from Amsterdam around midday, arrival Jakarta early in the morning. Your connecting flight to Jayapura leaves about 16 hours later and takes ca 5,5 hours. In between your two flights you will use the FM7 resort, a 30 minutes-drive from the airport. Your connecting flight leaves halfway through the evening and arrives around sunrise. A more comfortable alternative is the code-share KLM flight, with departure from Amsterdam around 20:50 and arrival in Jakarta in the late afternoon. Your connecting flight to Jayapura leaves about five and a half hours later. Max. weight: 30 kg.

Day 2 Day stay in FM7 resort

Your flight arrives in the morning in Jakarta and your connecting flight only leaves later in the evening. We booked a room for day-use in the FM7-resort, a 30 minute drive from the airport. At the exit of the airport, outside, your driver is waiting for you and drives you to the hotel.

Day 3 Arrival Jayapura, airport service for transit to Wamena: The time machine

From Jayapura airport you fly with Trigana airlines to Wamena, a flight of almost an hour. When you arrive in Wamena we pick you up at the airport, then visit some villages around Wamena and check you in for 4 nights at the Pilamo hotel in the centre of Wamena.

flight Jayapura-Wamena-Jayapura

Flight with Trigana Air, Wings or NAM Air Daily departures from Jayapura: 06:45, 08:50, 09:05, 11:10 en 13:30 from Wamena: 07:50, 09:55, 12:15, en 14:35

Day 4 Nature around Sogokomo

After breakfast a little more than a half an hour drive to Sogokmo for a day hiking in the wonderful surroundings of the Baliem river. Via a hanging bridge we walk along traditional Dani villages and across sweet potato fields. After our picnic lunch we return to Sogokmo, where the car is waiting to drive us back to the hotel in Wamena.

Day 5 Traditional villages and salt mining

After a one-hour drive we reach Jiwika in the central part of the Baliem valley. Here starts our climb of about one hour uphill through the mountain rainforest. We arrive in a traditional Dani village with a salt mine. Ladies in traditional clothes accompany us and show us the original way of salt mining. After our lunch in the village we walk to Kurulu where we’ll see a very old mummy of de famous Dugum clan. Everywhere the friendly people from Kurulu will show you their jewelry, art, weapons and other curiosities.

Day 6 Jiwika Pig feast and dance

All day long we will visit a traditional pig festival in Jiwika. THE opportunity to attend this special ceremony where they prepare a pig on hot stones. The Dani still celebrate these pig festivals, notably for weddings. During our tour this traditional ceremony will be held especially for you, which means a nice little earner for them and allows you, with your guide, to meet and speak with the Dani people.

Day 7 Back to Jayapura and Lake Sentani

Immediately after breakfast we leave the hotel and take the first flight from Wamena, back to Jayapura. You’ll stay there one night in the Swissbell hotel or the simpler, but very cosy beachfront Tablanusa resort in Depapre. The rest of the day you can do a sightseeing tour with a visit to the Mc Arthur war monument and lake Sentani. If you stay in Jayapura you can also go to the museum and the Hamadi market.

Day 8 From Jayapura to the homestay on Raja Ampat

After breakfast your driver takes you to the airport for your flight to Sorong. When you leave the small airport of Sorong your guide is waiting for you. He’ll help you with the necessary local formalities and takes you to the harbour. A porter helps you aboard. You sail with the fast ferry at around 14:00 in about 2 hours to Waisai on the island Waigeo. You will be greeted there and sail with a seaworthy pirogue to the island Pulau Gam where you will be taken to the guesthouse you’ve chosen. If you are too late for the ferry, the guide takes you to your hotel in Sorong and you will make your boat trip to Pulau Gam the following day.

Flight Jayapura-Sorong (Garuda)

Flight GA-699 Garuda Indonesia Departure 11:05 Arrival 13:50 Max weight: 20kg

Culture in Raja Ampat

If you’re talking about Papua, you’re also talking about culture. Let a guide accompany you to experience local life in the kampong. Sundays excepted you might as well be able to visit a school. Anyway, you stay at a local family’s home, so you can ask them everything about life on Raja Ampat. Remember that Sunday is the day of the Lord and you can’t demand too much your host and hostess, but an absolute ‘must’ is going to the church service.

Diving in Raja Ampat

If you’re talking about Papua, then you’re especially talking about diving. There are numerous unique dive spots that are breathtaking. Wobbegong sharks and Manta rays are just some of the highlights. There’s simply too many to mention, you can go diving 5 full days and even then you won’t have seen 25% yet! Diving can be arranged locally. Generally you pay between € 30 and € 40 per dive. You can hire a complete diving-equipment for around € 30 per day. If you want to make a dive trip further afield you can rent a boat for circa € 30 for the whole day. If you wish we make an all-in package with 2 or 3 dives per day.

Birds of Paradise in Raja Ampat

If you’re talking about Papua, then you’re also talking about the birds of Paradise. These beautiful birds generally turn up around sunrise and sunset. The male birds show themselves at their very best to the ladies. Sometimes high up in the trees but sometimes also close to the ground. You will find the birds of paradise on the islands Waigeo, Urai, Gam, Mansuar, Arborek, Kri, Painemu and Friwen.

Snorkelling in Raja Ampat

If you’re talking about Papua, then you’re also talking about snorkelling. From almost any guesthouse it only takes a few steps to walk from the beach into an aquarium... During the length of your stay you can use a pirogue, a local wooden motorised little boat, with which you also can sail to the best snorkelling spots. Raja Ampat is known for the most beautiful coral reefs. Lunchbox on board and you will have a great day!

Vrije dag in Raja Ampat

If you’re talking about Papua, then you’re especially talking about diving. There are numerous unique dive spots that are breathtaking. Wobbegong sharks and Manta rays are just some of the highlights. There’s simply too many to mention, you can go diving 5 full days and even then you won’t have seen 25% yet! Diving can be arranged locally. Generally you pay between € 30 and € 40 per dive. You can hire a complete diving-equipment for around € 30 per day. If you want to make a dive trip further afield you can rent a boat for circa € 30 for the whole day. If you wish we make an all-in package with 2 or 3 dives per day.

Pulang kampung, terug naar huis

After an early breakfast you sail back to Waisai on the island of Waigeo. Around 09:00 you will board the ferry and sail back to Sorong. Our driver is again waiting for you at the harbour and drives you to the airport or your hotel in Sorong. Lunch and dinner are at your own expense this day.

flight Sorong-Amsterdam via Jakarta

Flight with Garuda Indonesia Sorong-Amsterdam with transfers in Makassar and Jakarta. Departure from Sorong in the late afternoon with transfer of a good 2,5 hour in Makassar, arrival in the evening in Jakarta. The connecting flight leaves in the evening from Jakarta. Arrival Amsterdam in the morning.

Day 16 Arrival Amsterdam

In the morning arrival at Schiphol. The end of a beautiful trip...

FM7 Resort - Jakarta

The luxury FM7 resort is a perfect hotel to stay in between two flights. It’s at a short 30 minute-ride from Jakarta airport. All spacious comfortable rooms are equipped with AC, telephone, TV, bathroom, hair-drier, slippers, coffee and tea-facilities, minibar and safe. Number of rooms: 246 Facilities: Restaurant, swimming-pool, 24-hour reception, safe, room service, gift shop, laundry service, sport-facilities, spa, karaokebar, free shuttle bus from and to the airport. meer info more info Informations supplémentaires

Hotel Pilamo

Pilamo is a simple hotel and centrally situated in the small town Wamena. The rooms are clean and the hotel is reasonably maintained. Best choice is one of the Deluxe rooms, with a small terrace in the courtyard garden. meer info more info Informations supplémentaires

Swissbell Jayapura

Swissbell Jayapura is the first international 4* hotel, situated in the centre of the capital city of Papua. It has a Business centre, 4 meeting rooms, a ballroom, swimming pool, fitness centre, ‘Cartenz Swiss Café and a restaurant. meer info more info Informations supplémentaires

Guesthouse Kordiris - Raja Ampat

Very simple guesthouse, directly on the white beach. Pak Kornelis, the owner, is a diving instructor and has some packs of diving equipment. NB: Not affiliated with PADI! meer info more info Informations supplémentaires

Guesthouse Famangor

Simple guesthouse, directly on the water, on the island Gam near the village Friwen. meer info more info Informations supplémentaires

Guesthouse Monkairi

This cosy and very simple guesthouse is located on a white sandy beach, close to Batu Lima, a wonderful coral reef. meer info more info Informations supplémentaires

Guesthouse Nyandebabo - Raja Ampat

Very simple guesthouse, directly on the beach of Pulau Gam. With a bit of luck you’ll see turtles laying their eggs there in the evening! meer info more info Informations supplémentaires

Guesthouse Paradise

The simple guesthouse Paradise is built above the water. From your terrace you can see the turtles swimming below... The guesthouse has no beach. meer info more info Informations supplémentaires

Dore Atri Homestay - Raja Ampat

Dore Atri is the homestay of pak Martin. The homestay has 3 rooms, divided over 2 cottages. Both cottages are located right on the beach. The family speak English reasonably well and know a lot about the culture and history. meer info more info Informations supplémentaires

Guesthouse Meos Srairam

Simple guesthouse, directly on the water, on a small island at 5 minutes by boat from Friwen (Pulau Gam). meer info more info Informations supplémentaires

Jayapura

Jayapura

Jayapura is the capital of the Papua province. Because of its location between mountains, the city is divided into different "pieces". You have the city itself with the old Kloofkamp district, and further in the area the "districts" Hamadi, Enterop, Kota Raja, Abepura, Dok2 to Dok9, APO (American Post Office).

Jayapura Airport is 25 kilometers away at Sentani Er. There are several flights a day, including to Jakarta, Makassar and Denpasar and to many small destinations in Papua, including the Baliem Valley.

History

The city was founded as Hollandia after having determined the border between England and the Netherlands,that runs midway across the island New Guinea. The Dutch founded Merauke close to the border in the south and, as said, Hollandia in the north.This to restrain possible expansionism of the English.

Later, after that Dutch Nieuw Guinea was incorporated into Indonesia, the city was shortly named Soekarnopoera, and then renamed Jayapura.

During the Second World War the city was the headquarter of The American Army and several things remind of this. The district APO for example, which stands for American Post Office. Here was once the post office of the American army. The beach north of the city is called Base G. And on the hills you can still find aircraft wrecks.
(Source: Wikitravel)

Things to see

On the way to Jayapura airport is Museum Negeri. In the museum you can learn a lot about the different tribes in Papua. There are beautiful objects on display.

Gedung Loka Budaya Museum is located on the grounds of Cendrawasih University in Abepura, a kind of suburb of Jayapura. The museum has a wonderful exhibition of objects from Irian Jaya. A large part comes from the Asmat area.

There are a few beautiful beaches close to Jayapura. Hamadi Beach, where Allied forces landed in WWII, is about 15 minutes from Jayapura by bemo. The beach is located near a busy inhabited area and is very busy. The Base G beach, which owes its name to Mac Arthur who had his headquarters here, is a nicer beach. This beach is also not far from Jayapura and can also be reached by bemo.

Lake Sentani is 40 kilometers from Jayapura, see Sentani.

Wamena

Wamena

The Baliem Valley is located on a plateau in the province of Papua. The valley is located at an altitude of about 1,600 meters, making it a lot cooler than at sea level. Wamena is the capital of the Baliem.

The town has just under 15,000 inhabitants and is often the base for excursions and treks through the Baliem Valley. The airport has several daily flights to Jayapura and daily to Timika and Dekai (towards Korowai). Be sure to visit the Pasar Jibama market here.

The valley itself measures approximately 20 x 80 kilometers and is the habitat of the Dani tribe. The Lani and Yali live at a somewhat greater distance from Wamena. The basic food in the valley is the sweet potato. Rice doesn't grow here. Furthermore, vegetables are grown and pigs are kept (and cherished!).

A trip to the Baliem Valley is like a trip with the time machine. The population lives very primitively in small bead villages with at most ten mud huts with thatched roofs and a large communal kitchen. The pigs also often have one of the huts. The men usually only walk with a koteka (penis sheath) and the women only wear grass skirts.

It is wonderful to walk in the Baliem Valley. Enthusiasts can take a multi-day trekking, but the day trips from Wamena also invite you to explore the valley. At the village of Sogokmo you cross the river via a suspension bridge and walk through the sweet potato fields past several traditional villages. At the village of Jiwika you can climb to a traditional salt mine and at Kurulu you come face to face with the famous ancient mummy of the Dugum clan. You can also view such a mummy at Alkima, but it has now become a touristic event.

It is also special to spend part of the day at the Pig Festival. Normally the party is held during a wedding, but the residents are proud of their traditions and are happy to show it to tourists. A pig is slaughtered with a bow and arrow and stewed on hot stones. As a guest you will be offered a piece of meat with vegetables. Tasty is different, but just to be polite you grab a bite and then enjoy the lunch that your guide has brought.

The Baliem Festival takes place annually in the month of August. The three Dani, Lani and Yali tribes wage war for three days, but now with different rules of the game than before.

Baliem valley - Tribes

The original population are the Dani people, a well-known tribe in Papua. The Dani are known for their war-minded attitude. When the valley was discovered, people noticed that everywhere high, slim towers had been built. These were lookouts to warn the villagers that hostile clans were approaching. These lookouts were little by little put down when the area got under Dutch administration and war-making was forbidden. The Dani of the Baliem valley are related to the tribes from the mountains west of the valley, that are called western Dani or Lani. Their area is more densely populated than the area of the Dani. A third tribe are the Yali, who live in sparsely populated areas high on the mountain flanks of the Jayawijayain mountain chain.

Under Indonesian administration in the 70’s the situation became tense with the Dani, who were considered as underdeveloped people. In the early seventies the Indonesian government tried with 'Operation Koteka' to motivate the Dani to change their Koteka for clothes and to house them in modern square houses. Many Indonesian soldiers, who had to carry out the policy, regarded the Dani as 'savages' (little more than animals, an attitude that’s still alive among many Indonesians) and treated them very badly. Opposing Dani were sometimes even killed. In 1977 the Dani rebelled led by the Organisasi Papua Merdeka, the Dani fought with bow and arrow against Indonesian soldiers with rockets, attack planes and helicopters with which they bombed the Dani villages. It is estimated that 500 Dani died during the fighting, that was concentrated around the villages Pyramid and Bokondini in the north of the valley. 'Operation Koteka' was a complete failure.

In the nineties a new fight broke out for independence, which also was put down violently by the Indonesian government, that in 1997 even tried to put up the tribes against each other and thus stay out of range itself. Until the middle of the 20th century the valley was closed territory. A lot of Indonesian government officials still consider the valley as ‘the end of the world’.
(Source: Wikipedia)

Raja Ampat

Raja Ampat

Raja Ampat is an archipelago in West Papua (former Irian Jaya) and consists of 610, mostly uninhabited islands. The four largest islands are Waigeo in the north, Salawati (southwest of Sorong), Batanta (north of Salawati) and Misool in the southwest. The name Raja Ampat is also based on these four islands and literally translated means "the four kings".

Raja Ampat is a relatively unknown area in Indonesia, but this destination is well known among divers. This is due to the wide range of various fish species and fantastic coral reefs, varying from hard to soft coral. But the islands themselves are also impressive. The Raja Ampat Islands have quiet lagoons with crystal white sand and water that varies from bright green to bright blue.

Diving is especially popular in the Dampier Strait. Here you will find numerous dive spots with an incredible amount of coral and fish. Cape Kri, Blue Magic and Manta Point are real eye-catchers.
Misool is also loved for its wide variety of fish and coral.

Raja Ampat is open all year round, but from mid-July to mid-September you are more likely to experience rain and high waves. Misool is closed between mid-June and mid-September.
Raja Ampat has dozens of dive resorts and homestays. The homestays often use local diving schools, such as the Arborek dive shop. The more luxurious diving resorts offer not only more comfort, but also more safety. Sorido Bay resort, Raja Ampat Biodiversity and Papua Explorers are our favorites in the Dampier Strait, Papua Paradise Eco resort off Batanta Island. The Scuba Republic is an excellent middle class resort.

A fast public ferry runs twice a day between Sorong and Waisai on Waigeo Island. Waigeo also has an airport with a daily flight to Sorong.

Liveaboards

Liveaboards usually offer weeklong dive cruises in northern Raja Ampat (Dampier Strait and the northern Wajag karst islands. Longer, often 10-day trips also cover the southern part around Misool. Most liveaboards operate Raja Ampat cruises between September and March April, then dock and sail in the waters around Komodo for the summer season.

Video Raja Ampat snorkel cruise

Sorong

Sorong

Sorong is the westernmost city on the island of New Guinea. The city is located on the Sele Strait of the Pacific Ocean on the Vogelkop Peninsula. It is the base for trips to the Raja Ampat Islands.

Two hours' drive south of Sorong is the rainforest in the Klasow valley with all kinds of strange birds. You will find different types of Paradise birds and the endemic Cassoway, a peacock or smaller ostrich species.

Sorong is the logistical center of the oil and gas industry around West Papua, which manifests itself in growing wealth and economic prosperity. The city has over 50,000 inhabitants, making it one of the larger cities of Papua. Most of the inhabitants are transmigrants from Sulawesi, Java and other islands.

Directly off the coast is the island of Jefman, which until 2012 had the airport of Sorong. The new airport has daily connections with Jakarta, Makassar, Manado, Ambon and several cities in Papua, among others.

Sites to see

The city has a nice beach promenade and some historical buildings dating from the Dutch oil period. It’s a city full of contrasts. The following sights are close to the city:

Cape Cassuwary: 3 km from Sorong, beach with coralreefs;
Crocodile island, 500 metre out of the beach;
The island Kafiau;
The island Matan;
The hot springs of Klaijili, 60 km from Sorong;
A protected forest area, 15 km from Sorong;
Sorong is the most important gateway for trips to the nearby Raja Ampat-islands and the coralreefs of the Coral Triangle.
(source: Wikipedia)