Papua New Guinea Expedition: Firedance Festival

Papua New Guinea Expedition: Firedance Festival

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9 Days From

$4490

Papua New Guinea Expedition: Firedance Festival

9 Days Starting and ending in Kokopo

Visiting: Rabaul - Kokopo, Rabaul, Vunagum Village, Duke of York Islands, Duke of York Islands - Kokopo, Firedance Festival - Vunakaur village, Vairiki village - Firedance Festival

Tour operator:

Intrepid Travel

Tour code:

TESD

Guide Type:

Fully Guided

Group size:

1 - 18

Physical rating:

Medium

Age range:

15-99 years

Interests:

Cultural

From: $4490

NB: Prices correct on 23-Dec-2024 but subject to change.

Tour Overview

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.

Highlights

  • 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.

Itinerary

Expand All

Day 1: Rabaul - Kokopo

Location: Rabaul - Kokopo

Accommodation: Hotel

Welcome to Kokopo 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 East New Britain. Wherever you are, you’ll be sure to see the dominating Tarvurvur Volcano looming in the distance.

Day 2: Rabaul

Location: Rabaul

Accommodation: Hotel

Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch

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. 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. Tonight we stay in a different hotel in Rabaul.


Included Activities:
-Vunagum Village - Cultural activities

Day 3: Vunagum Village

Location: Vunagum Village

Accommodation: Hotel

Meals Included: breaksfast, 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 maybe even enjoy a passionate performance from the local church choir. Return to your hotel for the evening.

Included Activities:
-Rabaul - Historical tour
-Rabaul - Rabaul Markets

Day 4: Duke Of York Islands

Location: Duke of York Islands

Accommodation: Island Homestay

Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch, dinner

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 the Duke of York Islands, 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.

Included Activities:
-Duke of York Islands - Cultural activities

Day 5: Duke Of York Islands

Location: Duke of York Islands

Accommodation: Island Homestay

Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch, dinner

Rise and shine early for some time out on the water for swimming and snorkelling around the Duke of York Islands. Your leader and boat skipper will find the best place based on tides and weather conditions. Work up an appetite then head back to the village for breakfast and further immersion in local life. 


Included Activities:
-Duke of York Islands - Boat tour including snorkelling
-Duke of York Islands - Cultural activities

Day 6: Duke Of York Islands - Kokopo

Location: Duke of York Islands - Kokopo

Accommodation: Hotel

Meals Included: breaksfast

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.

Included Activities:
-Kokopo - Bitapaka War Cemetery
-Kokopo - Blue Lagoon

Day 7: Firedance Festival - Vunakaur Village

Location: Firedance Festival - Vunakaur village

Accommodation: Village Homestay

Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch, dinner

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 Vunakaur 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.

Included Activities:
-Vunakaur Village - Traditional mumu lunch
-Vunakaur Village - Melanesian welcome ceremony
-Vunakaur Village - Firedance Festival

Day 8: Vairiki Village - Firedance Festival

Location: Vairiki village - Firedance Festival

Accommodation: Hotel

Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch, dinner

This morning, make your way to the Vairiki village where 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.

Included Activities:
-Vairiki Village - Firedance Festival

Day 9: Rabaul

Location: Rabaul

Meals Included: breaksfast

With no activities planned for today, you are free to depart at any time after breakfast. Please note that a transfer to Tokua (Rabaul) Airport is included today, so please ensure you inform us of your departure flight details.

What's Included

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

  • Meals

    8 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 4 dinners

  • Vunagum Village - Cultural activities

  • Rabaul - Historical tour

  • Rabaul - Rabaul Markets

  • Duke of York Islands - Boat tour including snorkelling

  • Duke of York Islands - Cultural activities

  • Kokopo - Bitapaka War Cemetery

  • Kokopo - Blue Lagoon

  • Vunakaur Village - Traditional mumu lunch

  • Vunakaur Village - Melanesian welcome ceremony

show more

Transport

Private vehicle , Boat

Accommodation

The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline only and may change. On some occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our preferred accommodation. In these cases, we will use a similar standard of accommodation.Throughout the trip, we request that our properties prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However, this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination or on some trips, have use of shared day rooms until all rooms are available.

Important Information

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.

Mode of Transport

Private vehicle , Boat

Check out our Q&As

  • 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.

  • What policies are in place for Covid-19?

    Please contact us for latest COVID-19 policies

  • How long has the tour company been trading?

    Intrepid Travel has been taking travellers around the world for over 30 years

  • Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?

    Yes

  • What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?

    Since 2002, The Intrepid Foundation has supported over 130 organisations across the world. We’re creating positive impact through the joy of travel, community and connection.

  • Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?

    Over 50% of traveller travel solo with Intrepid. You can choose to share a room with another solo travelle of the same sex for no additional charge, or choose to pay a single supplement if you’d like your own room. Please request this when booking, and we will secure you a single supplement wherever possible. Please note, if you are booking a last-minute trip, it may be harder for us to secure a single room

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Sep 24, 2025 - Oct 02, 2025
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Sep 24, 2026 - Oct 02, 2026
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Prices last published on 22-Dec-2024

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