Saturday, October 17, 2009
Mount Bosavi Legacy
We just came back from the area of the Southern Highlands in Papua New Guinea called "Mount Bosavi".
Mount Bosavi was most recently featured on the BBC Production called "Lost Land of the Volcano" where several scientists stayed in the region and discovered amazing new creatures from around and inside the Mount Bosavi crater.
It was a spectacular journey and we even took zodiacs up the Hegigio river to stay at the Nunupi base camp, where some of the research was documented.
This trip will be an exclusive and brand new, adventure offered through, Northern Distracktions (www.northerndistracktions.com.au) an Australian run company, who has a close connection with the Kasua people. Northern Distracktions was one of the first Kokoda Track trekking companies and for over 25 years they have been running amazing high end PNG trips.
We were lucky enough to be permitted to enter the area by authorisation. We stayed at Moro until we could get into the rain forest region by chopper. We flew down the amazing Agogo gorge and followed it until popping up into the air and over a karst landscape eventually touching down outside Fogomiayu village. The village had a huge welcome party with singing and dancing and expressed their excitement to see our leader return to the area once again.
We comfortably got acquainted with our guesthouse, which is hand made totally from bush materials, complete with kitchen area, inside fireplace, and 4 separate bedrooms.
What an amazing experience!!!! The people are so friendly and caring and accommodating.
The next few days we explored the surrounds, including a swim in the waterhole, a zodiac trip down the fast flowing currents of the Hegigio river, and hikes throughout the region listening to birds of paradise and snapping photos of the kids or beautiful birdwing butterflies.
We then hiked from that village to the next village, which took us the better part of 6 hours, but they were 6 absolutely beautiful hours. I got to photograph a species of horned frog and many butterflies, plus the antics of the villagers who lead the hike...very funny!
We arrived in the late afternoon at Telisoo, where dancers welcomed us and fed us well in the village long house. Food in this area consists mostly of village greens (usually pumpkin shoots, or choco shoots or the like, cooked in coconut milk- very tasty!), Kaukau -which is sweet potato, Samboo, which is sago that has been cooked in bamboo, and sometimes pumpkin. Protein is hard to come by and only on big sing-sing's (festivities) do they kill a village pig to feast on.
The next day we continued our hike further afield, and after about 9 hours through more beautiful country-side and across cool fresh streams, did we reach seyenna falls. We stayed two days at this village, but if I could afford more time off, I would've stayed a week. The site of a huge hausman (Men's long-house for festivals etc.) which was just completed, we witnessed the very first festival sing-sing and it went ALL NIGHT LONG!! no kidding! The people had the strength to dance and sing all night, and believe it or not, they don't have any bush narco's or alcohol to spur them on, it's all adrenaline!!!
This trip was incredible and the village desparately wants responsible eco-tourism so with coupling up with Northern Distracktions, they are excited for the possibilities opening up to them and of course, their children.
I can't wait for the next adventure....
Mount Bosavi was most recently featured on the BBC Production called "Lost Land of the Volcano" where several scientists stayed in the region and discovered amazing new creatures from around and inside the Mount Bosavi crater.
It was a spectacular journey and we even took zodiacs up the Hegigio river to stay at the Nunupi base camp, where some of the research was documented.
This trip will be an exclusive and brand new, adventure offered through, Northern Distracktions (www.northerndistracktions.com.au) an Australian run company, who has a close connection with the Kasua people. Northern Distracktions was one of the first Kokoda Track trekking companies and for over 25 years they have been running amazing high end PNG trips.
We were lucky enough to be permitted to enter the area by authorisation. We stayed at Moro until we could get into the rain forest region by chopper. We flew down the amazing Agogo gorge and followed it until popping up into the air and over a karst landscape eventually touching down outside Fogomiayu village. The village had a huge welcome party with singing and dancing and expressed their excitement to see our leader return to the area once again.
We comfortably got acquainted with our guesthouse, which is hand made totally from bush materials, complete with kitchen area, inside fireplace, and 4 separate bedrooms.
What an amazing experience!!!! The people are so friendly and caring and accommodating.
The next few days we explored the surrounds, including a swim in the waterhole, a zodiac trip down the fast flowing currents of the Hegigio river, and hikes throughout the region listening to birds of paradise and snapping photos of the kids or beautiful birdwing butterflies.
We then hiked from that village to the next village, which took us the better part of 6 hours, but they were 6 absolutely beautiful hours. I got to photograph a species of horned frog and many butterflies, plus the antics of the villagers who lead the hike...very funny!
We arrived in the late afternoon at Telisoo, where dancers welcomed us and fed us well in the village long house. Food in this area consists mostly of village greens (usually pumpkin shoots, or choco shoots or the like, cooked in coconut milk- very tasty!), Kaukau -which is sweet potato, Samboo, which is sago that has been cooked in bamboo, and sometimes pumpkin. Protein is hard to come by and only on big sing-sing's (festivities) do they kill a village pig to feast on.
The next day we continued our hike further afield, and after about 9 hours through more beautiful country-side and across cool fresh streams, did we reach seyenna falls. We stayed two days at this village, but if I could afford more time off, I would've stayed a week. The site of a huge hausman (Men's long-house for festivals etc.) which was just completed, we witnessed the very first festival sing-sing and it went ALL NIGHT LONG!! no kidding! The people had the strength to dance and sing all night, and believe it or not, they don't have any bush narco's or alcohol to spur them on, it's all adrenaline!!!
This trip was incredible and the village desparately wants responsible eco-tourism so with coupling up with Northern Distracktions, they are excited for the possibilities opening up to them and of course, their children.
I can't wait for the next adventure....
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