16Days
Kombay & Koroway Tribe Adventure
Day 01 :
JAYAPURA - ARRIVAL (D)
Arrive at Sentani airport of Jayapura, met and welcomed by our local
representative, then transfer to Sentani Indah or similar for dinner and
accommodation
Day 02 :
JAYAPURA - WAMENA (BLD)
Breakfast early in hotel, short transfer to Sentani Airport for your flight
departure to Wamena on Merpati Schedule flight. Upon arrive in Wamena
airport, transfer to Baliem Pilamo Hotel for check-in and refreshing. After
a short brief about trip, visit Jibama traditional market and Sinatma
village with traditional rope’s bridge. Lunch at local restaurant, afternoon
continue drive to Wesaput village and visit Dani Museum. Return to hotel
late afternoon, for dinner and accommodation.
Day 03 :
WAMENA – YANIRUMA (BLD)
(by charter aircraft). After breakfast in hotel, you will transfer to
Missionary Airfield for your flight departure on a small chartered aircraft
to Yaniruma in the south lowland of Papua. After one hour flight over the
mountain, you will arrive at Yaniruma, walk to Missionary guest house at the
end of airstrip for your accommodation. The rest of the day explore the
village and experience the isolated life of Korowai and Kombai tribes who
live in the village couple years ago. Your guide will arrange porters and
other trip’s preparations in the next day into the interior.
Note :
* Our charter flight of missionary aircraft has been confirmed earlier but
it can be cancel or delay for the following reason : bad weather, emergency
flight or the needs of the church and local people service from remote place
in Irian Jaya.
* When
our flight delay or cancel due to one of the reason above, our flight will
be scheduled in the next following day
Day 04 –
Day 11: YANIRUMA–KOROWAI-KOMBAI (BLD).
We begin our 8days expedition into the Korowai or Kombai tribe through the
dense tropical rain forest. we will trek through the swampy lowland,
crossing the rivers by paddle local canoe or walk over the fallen tree
serves as a bridge in a small river. Everyday we walk 6 - 7 hours approx.
with local people support carry our bags, food and other camping equipment
to find and meet the Korowai or Kombai who build their house on the top of
the trees (9 - 25 m above the ground).
KOROWAI
& KOMBAI TRIBE ; Korowai and Kombai always moves from one place to another
in order to be close to the foods and hunted animals provides by nature.
Both Korowai and Kombai are hunter and gatherer who move and build a new
tree house once every 3 years. For this reason we do not fix the place of
our destination or what activities we do day by day. Once we arrive in
Yaniruma, our contact person will telling us and update all the information
in Korowai and Kombai area including the people and their tree house or if
there is any sago grub feast take place while we are in the area. Sago grub
feast is the main ritual ceremony in Korowai and Kombai tribe to re-new
their world and relation with God/Spirit and among their own people in the
clans or groups. We will arrange our visit to the place where the feast will
serve a lot of foods including the most delicacy "Sago Grub" to the invited
guests and every one will put on their best wear and dancing. Traditional
wear of Korowai is very simple, men wear a piece of leave or a small penis
gourd to cover their penis and women wear the skirt made of woven sago
leafs. The Kombai tribe wear the same with Korowai but some of Kombai men
wear hornbill head instead of the gourd during the feast time.
THE
TRAIL ; The trail is going through the swampy lands so you will get wet and
could be very slippery and muddy when it rains. The weather is very
unpredictable here in the last two years and the area was very wet and
floods. During the dry season (May - Oct) it can be very dry. So, prepare
your self to the wet or hot weather condition with a humidity from 65 - 99%
or may be more. The surface of our trail into the forest is almost flat, no
hike and we likely walk under the canopy of the forest's trees most if the
time. Tropic rain forest provides varies of wild life, beautiful and exotic
fauna and flora, but you have to concentrate and watch carefully your steps
especially when you have to walk on logs or fallen tree in the small river
or sago swamp. For that we will always take 15 to 30 minutes break every
time you need to drink water after one or two hours walk.
NIGHT
CAMP; We overnight a tent near the tree house, but should you want to sleep
on a tree house with Korowai or Kombai family bring your own mosquito net.
We sometime spend 2 - 3 nights in one place of the tree house of there are
some interesting event in the place and the family would like to host us
that we can joining their daily activities. We really think that by joining
the local daily activities is the best way to understand and experience the
local life and culture. If there is no sago grub feast take place while we
are in the area, we will joining the local people daily life activities
(e.g. gathering foods/sago, fishing, hunting or put on the trap for animal
like pig or birds). We sometime watch people build a new tree house
Day 12 :
KOROWAI OR KOMBAI TREE HOUSE - YANIRUMA (BLD) We walk back to Yaniruma and overnight at Missionary
guest house. You will find the village and the guest house like a city's
hotel after one week in the forest.
Day 13 :
YANIRUMA - WAMENA ( BLD)
We fly back to Wamena on our chartered small air-craft of missionary, and
your accommodation at Baliem Pilamo Hotel. Lunch and dinner at one of the
local restaurant in town or at the hotel's restaurant. The rest of the day
is free at leisure
Day 14 :
WAMENA - JIWIKA - WAMENA (BLD)
After
breakfast at hotel wee drive 30 min. to visit Jiwika in the northern of
Baliem Valley and at some other traditional Dani villages. Lunch at Lauk Inn
(small restaurant) in Jiwika, then see the 350 years old mummy at the
village of Sumpaima. Continue walk to the next village Anemoigi to see the
Dani Mock Battle with dances. This is the arranged show for you but you can
have a good time and interact with the people which can be a unique
experience for you. You will see the people dance. Back at hotel for dinner
and overnight stay.
Day 15 :
WAMENA - JAYAPURA (BLD)
Breakfast at hotel then transfer to Wamena airport leaving for Jayapura.
Upon arrival continue with an excursion to Sentani Lake for boating and
visit Assei village. Lunch at local restaurant. Dinner and overnight at
Hotel.
Day 16 :
JAYAPURA – DEPARTURE (B)
After breakfast at hotel, transfer to Sentani airport and departure
back
