E-mail a friendShip: Odyssey
Itinerary: Circumnavigation of New Guinea - Part II: Port Moresby to Wewak
cabins & deck plans | additional itineraries | cancellation policy
| Day 1 : | Brisbane, Australia |
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| Day 2 : | Brisbane / Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea (PNG) / Embark Clipper Odyssey |
| Day 3 : | Bonarua Island |
| Day 4 : | Fergusson & Dobu Islands, D'Entrecasteaux Islands |
| Day 5 : | Kitava and Narutu Islands, Trobriand Islands |
| Day 6 : | Gawa Island, Marshall Bennett Islands |
| Day 7 : | Rabaul Island, East New Britain Islands |
| Day 8 : | Cruising the Steffan Strait / Expedition Stop |
| Day 9 : | Tingwon Islands |
| Day 10 : | Nauna Island, Admiralty Islands |
| Day 11 : | Baluan Island |
| Day 12 : | Murik Lakes, Sepik River Delta / Wewak |
| Day 13 : | Wewak / Disembark / Cairns, Australia |
| Day 14 : | Cairns / Brisbane |
| Click for full itinerary |
| Days | Dates | Deck + Cabin Type | ||||||
| Category 1/ A-Deck | Category 2/ Main | Category 3/ Main | Category 4/ Lido | Category 5/ Bridge | Category 6/ Balcony Suite | Owners Suite | ||
| 14 | Mar 31, 2009 | $8,880 | $9,380 | $9,880 | $10,380 | $11,180 | $12,180 | $15,280 |
| Can combine with Part I for complete circumnavigation- contact us for rates! | ||||||||
| Destinations : Australia, Papua New Guinea, South Pacific Activities : Cultural Activities, Modern History, Nature Viewing, Photography, Scuba Diving, Snorkeling, Whale Watching |
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Exotic and ultimately diverse, New Guinea never fails to astound travelers with its landscapes and fascinating cultures. Join us for a two-part expedition circumnavigating the world’s second-largest island. Afloat and ashore, these voyages dazzle with unforgettable images: sky-piercing volcanoes, idyllic coral islets, thatched-roof villages, kaleidoscopic reefs teeming with marine life, the exuberant traditional welcomes of Asmat warriors, soaring white-tailed tropicbirds, and the sweet scent of frangipani.
Day 1 : Brisbane, Australia
Arrive in Brisbane in the morning, check in to our hotel, and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure. This evening join us for a welcome dinner and overnight at our hotel.
Day 2 : Brisbane / Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea (PNG) / Embark Clipper Odyssey
This morning we fly to Port Moresby, capital of PNG, where we enjoy a brief tour, visiting the National Museum and Art Center. We may also view fine-quality carvings and handicrafts at a local shop. This afternoon, embark the Clipper Odyssey and set sail south-eastward at sunset.
Day 3 : Bonarua Island
As we follow the coast of Papua New Guinea, the peaks of the dramatic Stanley Owens Range soar to 13,000 feet. After an introductory lecture on regional marine life we arrive at the island of Bonarua (officially: Badila Bedda Bedda Bonarua Island). A local choir welcomes us ashore where we view fishing and weaving demonstrations, and wander through the enchanting village, sampling local delicacies made from sweet potatoes, taro, and yams. Birders trek into the thicket for their first sightings, and the warm inviting waters of the Coral Sea offer a perfect introduction to the undersea wonders on our first snorkel and dive of many to come.
Day 4 : Fergusson & Dobu Islands, D'Entrecasteaux Islands
Today we make expedition stops in the Solomon Sea at these soaring, jewel-like islands marked by active volcanoes and� thermal pools. Only 600 islanders call this tiny atoll home and we visit tranquil, traditional seaside villages where fishermen cast nets and children play in the surf. Here women and children continue to wear traditional dress. Ferguson Island, the largest island of the group, is notable for its hot springs, bubbling mud pools, spouting geysers, and extinct volcanoes. Tiny Dobu, made famous by its ancient sorcery practices, is matrilineal and matriarchal and women have kept their prominent roles in the island society.
Day 5 : Kitava and Narutu Islands, Trobriand Islands
Today we arrive in the Trobriands. The yam cults, Kula Ring of trading, and overwhelming friendliness toward visitors characterize this island group. Watch on deck as we are greeted by war canoes and the hearty sound of conch-shell “trumpets.” We go ashore on Kitava, an upthrust island clearly showing the staircase levels of coralline limestone rising from the ocean floor. We walk up gentle slopes to an immaculate village bordered by fragrant frangipani trees. Dancers greet us with performances that are among the best of the South Pacific.
We spend the afternoon at the nearby idyllic island of Narutu, with superb opportunities for snorkeling, diving, swimming, and beachcombing from the palm-lined white-sand beach. Our naturalists lead a hike around the island and through the forest where we might spot flying fox (fruit bats), helmeted friarbirds, and channel-billed cuckoos.
Day 6 : Gawa Island, Marshall Bennett Islands
Gawa is a makatea island—a coral atoll uplifted by geologic activity. Its fertile high plateau, atop steep cliffs, is populated by several villages. We hike up the hillside to Kweupa where the village chief and elders welcome us with ceremonial greeting dances in the town square. During our visit we observe enclosed canoe houses which store the island’s great trading canoes, elaborately decorated with pearl shell work and carvings. Gawa, tied culturally and commercially to the Trobriands and Woodlarks, sends soulava (necklaces) to the Trobriands and receive mwali (armbands) from the Woodlarks as part of the Kula Ring of reciprocal gift exchange. We view intriguing handicrafts and artifacts, including lime pots made from gourds and intricately carved coconut shells and drums.
Day 7 : Rabaul Island, East New Britain Islands
Six cone-shaped volcanoes, some of which remain active, ring Rabaul’s dramatic flooded caldera harbor. In 1994 a thick blanket of ash from the joint eruptions of two volcanoes inundated the city. At the hilltop seismology station, we witness the fascinating reminders of the havoc caused by these powerful eruptions. Our exploration also reveals the history of WWII; the Japanese under Admiral Yamamoto made Rabaul their headquarters in the South Pacific theater. We visit the war museum in Kokopo as well as the network of barge tunnels dug by the Japanese to shelter barracks, weapons, tanks, and even aircraft and barges.
The Baining people, the original settlers of northeastern New Britain, have retained many of their cultural traditions. Tonight, in what is surely an unforgettable trip highlight, we watch an astonishing— and rarely seen—performance of the Baining tribe’s fire dance. The eerie wailing and rhythmic drumbeats of a bamboo band penetrate the quiet night as the male tribe members leap and dance over crackling, red-hot coals in a centuries-old ritual honoring ancestral spirits and demonstrating the importance of masculine courage. A black soot-like substance coats the dancers’ bodies, and magnificently crafted masks cover their upper torsos and heads.
Day 8 : Cruising the Steffan Strait / Expedition Stop
We cruise the region that lies between New Hanover and New Ireland with the possibility to snorkel or dive in the waters near Selapiu Island.
Day 9 : Tingwon Islands
Our ship moors off the reef that completely surrounds this small group of three wooded islets. We walk inland along an avenue of coconut palms to meet the 360 inhabitants of charming Tingwon—a postcard-perfect village. After a lively cultural performance, we are introduced to daily life here through displays of traditional house-building, basket and mat weaving, sago making, dug-out canoe artisanship, fire-building, and cassava and sweet potato gardening. We have ample opportunity to explore the underwater wonders by Zodiac or glass bottom boat. Some of the finest snorkeling and diving of our trip—along the coral reef that drops off dramatically to great depths—highlights spectacular gorgonian fan corals and ripple-lipped giant tridacna clams, along with possible sightings of many large pelagic fish.
Day 10 : Nauna Island, Admiralty Islands
One of PNG’s most remote islands, Nauna greets us with waving palms and ribbons of sand, and a cultural world different from any we have experienced so far on our voyage. Nauna is the first male-dominated (patrilineal and patriarchal) island of the trip. We make an expedition stop here, a favorite of past Zegrahm travelers, and visit with local villagers who fish using spider web lures and a traditional kite-flying technique. In the afternoon, snorkel or dive the exceptionally clear waters of the area.
Day 11 : Baluan Island
Several years ago Zegrahm was the first to call at this tiny southernmost Admiralty island, formed by a now extinct volcano. The lowland tropical rainforest is the habitat of endemic mammal and bird species, including the mosaic-tailed rat, the Manus fantail, superb pitta, and white-naped friarbird. We visit two contiguous but competing small villages, Mouk and Lipan, each with about 400 inhabitants. The Mouk people are mariners, dependent on fish and sea cucumbers, whereas the Lipan people are farmers and fishermen. We are greeted with a rhythmic drum and dance exhibition, then have the opportunity to walk up to the crater for stunning views, or along the shore to visit another village. Snorkeling and diving excursions are excellent.
Day 12 : Murik Lakes, Sepik River Delta / Wewak
We enter the Sepik River region today, a 700-mile-long river whose tribes are famous for their traditional carvings linked to spiritual beliefs. In the Murik Lakes area, we explore a series of lagoons, mangrove-and-grass-covered islets, and sago wetlands forming the delta of the mighty river. The Sepik carries down great quantities of silt, creating a constantly changing landscape of river bars; the tides of the day determine our Zodiac access. We plan to visit the village of Kopar, where a women’s chorus welcomes us ashore. The 300 residents of this typical Lower Sepik village subsist on sago, cultivated in nearby swamps, and fish, caught by the local women.
Day 13 : Wewak / Disembark / Cairns, Australia
We disembark this morning for a brief city tour. Wewak is an attractive town, lying under a headland and surrounded by golden beaches and palm trees. The region is steeped in the history of WWII; at nearby Cape Wom, a Japanese general surrendered to the Allies, ending the war in the South Pacific. Memorials to the Australians and Japanese who died in the conflict honor the valiant men of both sides. In the afternoon board our flight to Cairns for dinner and overnight.
Day 14 : Cairns / Brisbane
Depart on your independent flight to Brisbane this morning and connect with flights homeward.
NOTE: Due to rising fuel costs, a $20/night fuel surcharge will be assessed to your shipboard account onboard for departures starting in July 2008.
Prices are based on a 3% cash discount.
Ship Description: Odyssey
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Odyssey
The Odyssey was built in 1989 in Tsu, Japan, by Japanese craftsmen to the design of a master Dutch yacht designer, Studio Acht, and is eminently suited for the year-round itineraries in the Pacific. These range from as far south as New Zealand and Australia's Great Barrier Reef, to as far north as Japan, the Kuril Islands, and the Russian Far East, including the Kamchatka Peninsula.
The Odyssey measures 340 feet long, 51 feet wide, and has a draft of 14 feet. Staterooms are all outside and average a generous 186 square feet in size, and are furnished with either twin or queen-size beds and a sitting area with a sofa. Each cabin features a spacious bathroom with tub baths and shower, individually controlled air-conditioning, in-room music system, ample wardrobe space, three-sided mirrors, personal safe, refrigerator, and television.
A fleet of Zodiac landing craft can be launched in minutes to take passengers ashore in places where no infrastructure exists. The vessel is equipped with state-of-the-art satellite navigation and communication equipment including telephone, fax, and email.
An outdoor swimming pool, dedicated jogging track, and two sun decks offer ample opportunities for outdoor recreation. Inside, the spacious public areas of the ship include two lounges, a small library, and a single seating dining room.
An experienced cruise staff, physician, and onboard lecturers accompany all voyages to enhance the passengers’ enjoyment of the places visited.
All meals are prepared to order on board. The ship's chefs, graduates of the finest American culinary schools, combine the highest quality American ingredients with the influences and spices of the places the Odyssey visits. The resulting "fusion cuisine" provides a taste of the destinations visited.
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Category 1/ A-Deck A Deck Outside Double Cabin with sitting area, portholes Approx. 185 sqft |
Category 2/ Main Forward Main Deck Outside Double Cabin with sitting area and a window Approx. 175 sqft |
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Category 3/ Main Main Deck Outside Double Cabin with sitting area and a window Approx. 175 sqft |
Category 4/ Lido Lido Deck Outside Double Cabin with sitting area and a window Approx. 175 sqft |
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Category 5/ Bridge Bridge Deck Outside Double Cabin with sitting area and a window Approx. 230 sqft |
Category 6/ Balcony Suite Bridge Deck Outside Suite with private veranda Approx. 230 sqft |
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Owners Suite Bridge Deck Outside Suite with separate bedroom and private veranda Approx. 310 sqft |
