Lake Kutubu

Destination: Tubo Lodge, Lake Kutubu

Closest town: Moro

Accommodation: Betty’s Lodge

Cost: K150 per/room/night

         K100 canoe fuel

         K100/guide

Difficulty: This is a relaxing trip.  The turn off down to the lake was a bit hard to find but we asked a few locals beside the road.  The drive took us about 6 hours with patches of great road, patches of pot holes and others with steep rocky gravel (well larger than gravel).  The car needs to be left on the side of lake when you catch the canoe to the island in the middle.  Finding the contact phone number for this place was hard to track down.  I eventually tracked it down by phoning the World Wildlife Fund in Madang. 

Equipment:  We took all our own food.  Insect repellent is a must, as you are staying right near water. The walk up the stairs from the water to the lodge is steep and a bit slippery but not too difficult.  There is a handrail. The temperature is lovely and we were happy to be swimming in the water.

Tips:  Tell them to clean the bathroom well before you come or be prepared to clean it yourself.  As with all travel in PNG confirm arrangements each step along the way and often.

Contact: Mr Jessy Ya’asa +675 7315 7283

Bert, Aiva, Joel and I headed off from Hagen with Shadrach.  We dropped off Shadrach at his village with a promise to pick him up on the way back.  The road to Mendi was pretty good with patches where we could drive 100km/hour.

At Mendi we stopped at Kirubu Lodge for a loo stop (and a cup of tea).  Looked like a nice place to spend a weekend.

We continued on our way.  The next part of the trip the road was rougher with largish stones over the hills.  The sight of the river weaving through the mountains was gorgeous.

Towards the lake they were grading the road it is was lovely and smooth.  Once we found the lake we phoned the lodge to come and pick us up with the canoe.  

I love introducing people 'firsts' and this was Joel's first time in a boat.  We loaded all our stuff onto the canoe and headed for the lodge in the island in the middle of the lake.

The views were amazing!  Sunsets stunning! 

On Sunday, we took a tour around the lake where we listened to stories about how land features came to be and viewed burial sites, took a dip and climbed a mountain to see a cave and bats...well the boys did.  We just went part of the way up.

On Monday, we returned to our car where my electronic door key wouldn't unlock the door.  I opened in manually thinking the battery in the key must have died or got wet.  But, alas the problem was greater.  It wasn't the key battery....it was the car battery.  Apparently, the 12V connector continues to work when the engine is off.  The drink cooler was left in and drained the battery.  After numerous attempts to push start the car....you can't do this with these modern cars, Bert and Joel headed off to find some jumper leads and battery.  Eventually, they returned with one and just as the lodge came across with a 12v.  We managed to start it and headed for Hagen. 

At Mendi, we 'bilased' the car in the traditional way to show we had been to Southern Highlands.

Near the boarder of Southern Highlands and Western Highlands we encountered a jack-knived semi across the road.  The poor driver was harassed as he tried to move the truck a bit.  We managed to squeeze our way around the edge after about an hour setback.

Thankfully, we had set off early in the morning.  You just never know what is going to happen.

Hutu Caves

Destination: Hutu Caves, Pangia via Ialibu, Southern Highlands.
Closest town: Mt Hagen
Cost: Coming soon
Travel: 4WD (5 hours return from Hagen)
Difficulty: Outer caves are easily accessed by walking and some climbing up slopes.  The guides will cut footholds with their bush knife as you go. I didn't go in the "inner" caves but proper caving equipment is needed for these.
Contact: Joel +675 7280 5795 (Tok Pisin) or Patricia +675  7214 7881 (English)

After getting my tyre repaired Siobhian and I set off just after 8am, with Joel to the Southern Highlands.     Parts of the highway are great and others are rather bumpy.  There is a police checkpoint at the boarder crossing into Southern Highlands but we must have been too early for them and so didn't get stopped.  Turn off the highway at the market and take the road to Ialibu.  This is the area of Prime Minster, Peter O'Neill.  Needless to say the road was great once we turned off the highway.  Not a pothole to be seen!  

At the T-junction in Ialibu turn left and follow the road.  It is a smart bitumen road that has some twists and turns.  We did hear a story of the PMV missing a bridge in the dark and coming a cropper.  There is a small market where you turn into the village.  There are no signs so you will need to pick up someone from the area in Hagen who can show you the way.  It took us about 2 and 1/2 hours drive, one way.

The track into the village was somewhat different to the other roads.  We were grateful that it was dry season.  The road would need serious 4WD in the wet season.  High clearance is needed in the dry too.  At times I wondered if we were on a road or a walking track but the car fitted and we drove through some small villages to reach Pangia.  Watch out for children as you drive near homes.

The mountain wasn't far from where we parked the car and Joel (one of my security guards) had organised his mates to even make a nice entrance for us.  Papua New Guineas are masters at using nature to create decorations or bilas as it is called here.  So after a short walk (10-15min) we arrived at the caves.  The boys had built some rather flash steps, complete with had rails.

The caves had many entries.  Large chambers were easily accessible and we weren't well equipped enough to venture into the depths of the smaller tunnels.  Which suited us just fine.  We could walk through a few different large chambers and hear stories of the tribal fight time when locals hid in the caves, being dubbed "flying foxes" as they stood on the entrances keeping watch.

There is water under the caves and children catch fish by putting leaves from a tree into the water to stun the fish.  There are eels in the water too that locals catch with an ingenious trap and a poor frog.  

 

            

Guides can organise a picnic "local" lunch for you if you wish.  You will need to negotiate the price and what you want days before going.  

As with all adventures in PNG.  You go at your own risk.  There will be no insurance and little risk assessment or work place health and safety.  Although locals will judge your ability pretty quickly and not take you where they think you can't cope.  When climbing down slopes a brave man will stand between you and the cavern to catch you.

There are some guesthouses out that way but none at Pangia yet.  

You can probably negotiate for your primary age kids and under to be free. I recommend that teenagers wanting to explore the inner caves do so with a parent.

We also heard stories of tourists removing bones etc from the caves.  Please show respect and don't ask to take things.  Even asking is not appropriate.  People will say 'yes' because it is rude to say no, even though they don't want you to take things.  How would you feel if someone tool your grandmother's bones from her grave?

A fantastic day trip from Hagen.

Mt Wilhelm

Destination: Mt Wilhelm

Closest town: Kundiawa

Accommodation: Betty’s Lodge

Cost: K280per/night (Includes meals)

          K10 each track fee

          K150/guide (we took 3)

          Porter K60

Difficulty: The climb isn’t too challenging.  There is some rock scrambling and walking along edges.  The guides will hold your hand. The altitude can get to you, well it did get to me.

Equipment:  You need to take food for base camp. A warm sleeping bag, snacks, warm clothes (scarf, gloves, beenie), rainproof jacket, good walking shoes and if you have them walking sticks wouldn’t go astray.

Contact: Betty +675 71005432

When my friend Katie came to visit we decided to attempt Mt Wilhelm.  Jonah, one of my teachers, who had visited Katie's classroom in Australia, came along with us. It has been his dream to climb the mountain.  We took along a security guard for good measure.

We picked up Betty at the Airport (Butterfly) Cafe.  You can get a good breakfast here.  Her husband looked at my Ford Ranger and commented that it wouldn't make it up the mountain.  We decided to give it a go.  

We stopped for a loo and coffee/diet coke stop in Kundiawa.  Then headed up the mountain.  It was great to have Betty with us to show us the way and for her wonderful inspirational stories.

As we approached the steep part of the road it started to rain.  Well the road was mushy, the tracks were deep but packed with some timber.  Off we set in low range.  Katie giving advice, me driving.  We made it through the first section with sheer determination and team work.  We swapped for the second section and Katie took the wheel as she was biting at the bit to have a drive in the PNG conditions.  We made it to the top and surprised everyone when we drove in, in the Ranger.  Up here people think that Land-cruisers are the only vehicles and what more two white girls had driven up this Ranger!  

We enjoyed our tour of the trout farm and the fresh trout for dinner.  In the morning, after breakfast and sorting out a few local guide issues we headed off for base camp.  We took our time and arrived at the lakes in the afternoon.  It was super cold!  We decided to sit around the fire with guides and ask them to tell us stories.  Apparently, this isn't usual for the trekkers. 

We cooked ourselves some veges and 2 min noodles for dinner and tried to get an early night.  My cold had finally caught up with me and I was freezing and couldn't sleep.  

At 12am the guides woke us to climb to the top but it was raining and I was concerned that if we set out in the rain we would be too cold at the top.  We waited for the rain to stop and set off at about 2.30am.

The walk was not too difficult but I had altitude sickness and felt nauseous all morning.  When we reached Christopher's corner I was shivering and the weather was coming in and the guides were worried we would be on the summit in the rain.  I was not keen to climb on rocks in the rain.  We made a decision to return home.  So we didn't reach the summit.  But we did make 4181m.

  
                 
                 


   

As we turned to come down altitude sickness got the best of me.

We paused shortly at base camp on the way down where I slept in the space blanket which warmed me for a bit until I woke shivering 45min later.  I then heated myself around the fire and we headed for Betty's Lodge.  My security guard, Sepik, was so glad to see us he cried, bless him.

We loaded up on Mt Wilhelm super cheap strawberries on the way down.  20t (10c) for a stick with strawberries sewn on. YUM.

We had a pleasant drive back and I spent the next week coughing and on antibiotics.  My tip - don't climb unless you are well.

I hope I get another chance to climb and hopefully reach the summit.

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