Thank you for the interest concerning a tour to Papua. We have put together
a 12 day itinerary that will take you to some of the most interesting areas
within the Korowai area. Also with a visit to the Asmat tribe. Once the most
feared tribe in all of Papua. Made infamous for their headhunting raids.
But now renown for their interesting wood carvings.

The Korowai are also a very interesting tribe. We have visited their area many times
and we are always discovering something new about their unique "stone age" culture.

The Korowai people live in tree houses that range in height from 6- 12 meters high. Sometimes the tree house is built from a single tree.
But usually the base for the tree house is made up of several live trees
and then wooden poles added for extra stability.

The area in the rain forest that we will visit have only recently seen westerners.
Other tour companies go to the more "established" areas in Korowai.
These tribes that we will visit still use stone and bone implements in everyday life.
But, they also possess metal knives and machetes.
In some areas they still carve their arrows  with shells, Cuscus teeth and mice teeth.
We have been to many places within Papua and visited with many tribes,
and the Korowai are one of the more interesting tribes within Papua.

HERE IS A 15 DAY ITINERARY AND COSTS.

Day 1
Bali to Timika, Papua. Fly on Garuda Airlines. Spend the night in a medium priced hotel. We will get the travel permit (surat jalan) from the police the same day.

Day 2
Timika to Agats (Asmat village). Because there is no regular air travel
between Timika and Agats at this time. Only chartered planes fly to Agats
from Timika now. We will take a boat (or boats depending on the size of the group)
to Agats. We don't go far out to sea, but stay within sight of the coast.
We have life jackets for all clients.
You'll spend the night in a Agats at a medium priced hotel.

Day 3
Agats up river to Senggo. You will use the chartered long boat with
motor to take you up river. We'll spend the night in Senggo.

Day 4
Senggo to the Korowai area. You will use the chartered long boat with motor.
We have a special place in the Korowai where we visit.
It is not Yanirumah where all the other companies go. But much, much better
and you'll see real Korowai people living in amazing tree houses. You are traveling
far and spending a lot of money. So, you want to see the best places.
You will spend the night in a village house on the side of the river.

Day 5
Trekking in the Korowai area. We are right at the border of the Citak and Korowai tribes. This night you will make camp close to a Korowai or Citak Tree house.

Days 6,7,8,9,10
Trekking in the Korowai area. Each night you will make camp close
to a Korowai Tree house. The Korowai living in the jungle don't live
in small settlements, but prefer to live within 1-2 tree houses that
are shared by a few families. The tree houses range in height from 6-12 meters.
And some are even higher.
 
The Korowai have many daily activities. But their life revolves around food.
Gathering food from their nearby gardens or hunting for wild prey.
The main staple of their diet is Sagu, from the Sagu palm tree.
They have a unique way of processing the raw Sagu and turning it
into an edible substance. We will participate in the cutting of the Sagu tree
and splitting the bark off the tree to expose the fibrous Sagu inside.

They'll extract the Sagu nutrients from the raw Sagu fiber.
This is a process that involves using water and a system of Sagu palm branches. Everything used in this process comes from the jungle. They don't use any
western made tools to process the Sagu. The only time a western machete
will be used is when they cut down the tree and cut the palm branches off.

The Korowai men set traps to catch a variety of wild animals to eat.
They make assorted traps to catch these main animals,
the wild pig and the Cassowary bird.

The Korowai also have another form to catch food as a protein source.
They have 3 kinds of fishing techniques. One is to damn a small stream.
Scoop the water out with the rounded part of the Sagu palm branch.
Second is to use a traditional plant, actually more of a root that looks like rattan.
And they damn a small stream and beat this root into the water.
This releases a milky substance into the slow moving stream and deprives
the fish of oxygen. The fish will then surface and they will be caught by hand or
if they are too big, they will be shot with a bow and arrow. And the third way to fish
is to make a basket from Sagu leaves. A tightly woven basket that has leaves
and bits of a small ant hill inside. The smaller fish will enter the basket
that is placed in the stream by a pole. The fish feed on the ants
and then the basket is pulled up by the pole with the small fish still inside.

Day 11
Trekking back to the village on the river. Spend the night there.

Day 12
Use the chartered long boat with motor and travel back downstream
toward Agats. You will spend the night in a Asmat village on the side of the river.

Day 13
Continue the chartered long boat ride back to Agats. Depending on what time
you reach Agats you can do a tour around Agats or visit Suruh village which is close by. You will spend the night in Agats at a medium priced hotel.

Day 14
We will travel back to Timika by boat. After we reach the port,
we will travel by automobile back to Timika, about one hour away.
We'll spend the night in Timika at a hotel.

Day 15
Fly back to Bali on Garuda airlines. The tour is concluded.

THE TOUR PRICE FOR THIS 15 DAY ASMAT
and KOROWAI TRIBE TOUR IS
2 PESONS: PRICE PER PERSON $US 6750 ·
3 PESONS: PRICE PER PERSON $US 5500 ·
4 - 6 PESONS: PRICE PER PERSON $US 5000 ·

THIS PRICE INCLUDES
Round trip airline tickets on Garuda airlines, Denpasar, Bali to Timika.
The chartered long boat with motor from Timika to Agats, and Agats to Timika.
The chartered long boat with motor from Agats to the Korowai area
and return to Agats. All hotels in Timika and Agats. Chartered taxi transportation
to and from the hotels in Papua. Taxis to and from the city of Timika to the port
where we catch the boat to Agats. All meals and beverages
on the boat ride to and from Agats. All food and beverages on the boat from Agats to the Korowai area and return. All food and beverages on the trek in the Korowai area. English speaking guide. Porters who carry food and equipment in the Korowai area.
The surat jalan(travel permit) from the police in Timika. Airport departure taxes.

THIS PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE
Personal health insurance, travel insurance, alcoholic beverages.
All meals and beverages in Timika and Agats. Overweight luggage fees, tipping, laundry.

NOTE:
Prices are subject to change depending on the cost of the round trip
airline tickets and petrol costs within Papua.

Sincerely,
Papua Adventures
PT. Biak Papua Adventures

Under the new autonomy law governing Papua, all tour and independent groups
must use a travel company that is registered in Papua.
You must show proof of using a registered tour and travel company within Papua,
before you will receive your surat jalan (travel permit) from the police.

PAPUA ADVENTURES is a registered tour and travel company in Papua
and is licensed under the name PT. BIAK PAPUA ADVENTURES.

Many tour groups have been barred from traveling in Papua
because they did not follow the new regulations.
If you are a tour company or an independent group wanting to travel in Papua.
Then PAPUA ADVENTURES can help you secure
the necessary documents to ensure your entry into Papua.

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