As we have been trekking and exploring the furthest reaches of Papua for
the past 20 years it has been a source of great pride for me to be able to share
my passion for this remarkable territory with fellow enthusiasts from all walks of life.
As we have pushed for more and more challenging expeditions into unexplored territories we have long entertained an idea in the back of my mind that has had me wondering if it was indeed possible to connect all the dots and actually make happen. After calculations, months of planning, and serious consideration we can now say
with confidence that it definitely is. What we are referring to here is the
“Trans Papua Expedition”. We will cross from tail to tip the length of Papua, from Merauke to Sorong, a journey of more than 2000 kilometers.

Many of the places we will visit we've already trekked to and my local guides
know the terrain well, but we have never done it all in one big push. It is
important for anyone interested in going on this expedition to understand
that the route we are taking has never been done before.

An expedition like this requires extensive research and coordination,
especially among government agencies, police, tribal leaders and local guides.

All of this must be done well in advance. This is not something that can be done
casually just by showing up one day and start trekking. Far from it. Since we will be trekking for 8 weeks or more, careful coordination of boats and porters is essential.
For an undertaking of this magnitude it is vital to have the best porters we can get and to have experienced boat men to take us up and down the rivers we'll be traveling on.
To help fill in the gaps where we have not been before we will rely on our contacts
among the local Gaharu Wood collectors who have the most extensive
knowledge of jungle routes which are used exclusively by them.
They will guide us from the Mamberamo River through the Waropen area.
This will be all new territory for westerners in Papua.

In order to make an undertaking like this a success, as we have said,
advanced planning and coordination is essential. Also you need to accept the fact that
Papua is not a cheap place to travel, and cutting corners in an attempt to save money could in fact jeopardize the entire expedition. Unlike Bali or Java where food,
transportation, petrol etc. is cheap. Basic staples such as rice, vegetables,
cooking oil are at least 4 times more expensive in Papua. Thus, making the costs
of many items comparable to many western countries. Travel using boats for example are extremely expensive. One liter of petrol on the Mamberamo river where we will be traveling is $5 per liter($20 per gallon). The places we are going to are remote
and petrol is scarce. Also, we'll have to buy and have petrol waiting for us when we arrive. It will have to be brought in by plane and across very rugged terrain by truck.

Before the expedition starts we will visit smaller villages in the Wamena
area to recruit strong, young, hard working Papuan men instead of the usual porters
from Wamena. Times have changed and the usual porters who don’t get much work
anymore and have grown a bit lazy.

We'll be sending these strong porters ahead to Yokhimo (Dekai). They will wait there for us to arrive and carry our gear from there up to Wamena. As well as carrying gear down to the Mamberamo River. And through the Waropen area to Nabire.

Having these special porters is crucial to our success. Porters for an expedition like this will get 3 times their usual pay because of the degree of difficulty and we will have to pay for their food and accommodation while they wait in Dekai before we arrive and again from Nabire back to Jayapaura and then onto Wamena. After we are finished with them when we arrive in Nabire, we'll send them back to Wamena via Jayapura.
The costs will be considerable for their transportation, food and lodging.
But it is necessary for the success of the expedition.

We will have to use local boats at least 3 times on this expedition with the pick ups timed with our arrivals. This is also crucial to the timing and flow of the expedition.
It is not possible to just show up at a village and expect to get boats.
They will need to be reserved, prepared and waiting for us along
with the necessary amount of fuel. All of this will be in place before the expedition starts. This gets especially tricky when we get to the mysterious Mamberamo River, one of the most isolated places in Papua. Petrol and supplies will be flown in
or sent by trucks on terrible roads. taking days to arrive.
Boats in the Mamberamo area will cost thousands of dollars depending on
how many will be needed and as we follow a river that snakes around for several days.

Special visa will be prepared for everyone. It will be a social visa that is
good for 6 months but will have to be renewed after 60 days. All passports
will go to immigration office in Denpasar, Bali where they will be extended
while we are trekking. When we're all done, we'll pick them up.

A preliminary trek will be made by my guide and I to many places along the route in advance of the actual expedition to make sure that everything is in place and minimize unexpected situations. We will do our best but as anyone who has traveled in this part of the world can tell you, it is an adventure, expect the unexpected.
This advance logistical run in itself is extensive requiring numerous flights and considerable expenses.


Remember, it's the behind the scene support crew which enables all expeditions to be carried out successfully. Much in the way that climbs on Everest and K2 are dependent on the locals for ferrying supplies to higher camps, laying fixed ropes, etc. We to will have such a support team. The cost for this expedition isn't cheap.

The expedition cost is $US 40,000 per person and there will have to be a minimum number of 4 persons. Remember this expedition will take well over 2 months.
And we have a targeted starting date of July 1, 2011.

You may want to see if you can raise sponsorship for yourself
as well to help cut the costs.

Since the Trans Papua expedition has been up on our website, I've already had
a great number of people contact me about the expedition. Many of the people
interested have already been to Papua several times and have done some really
nice and difficult treks. They realize that this is a chance of a lifetime for them to trek across the island and visit at least 37 different tribes along the way. But, others who have never been to Papua, but have done extensive trekking in other parts of the world have also shown a keen interest.


As you can see we are being very thorough in our preparation for this historic endeavor and we appreciate any input you may have to offer. Also, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask them. We hope you will be joining us!


Sincerely,
Papua Adventures
PT. Biak Papua Adventures

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