Goroka Festival
4 Days Starting and ending in Goroka, Papua New Guinea
Visiting: Goroka, Port Moresby
Tour operator:
Tour code:
2616
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Special diets catered:
Vegetarians
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Interests:
Activities:
Tour Overview
- Witness a traditional cane-swallowing ceremony
- Experience two days at the Goroka Festival - Papua New Guinea's biggest sing-sing
- Visit the Tumbuna market for local handicrafts
- Delve into tribal and WWII history at the McCarthy Museum
Experience one of the largest tribal gatherings in the world with more than 100 tribes participating in the event which attracts thousands of local participants in traditional dress delivering an insight into hidden customs.
Performing extraordinary displays of traditional song, rituals and dance whilst decked out in unique costumes, glorious colours and stunning face paintings, the tribes show off their distinct cultures with an undeniable passion.
Join us as we experience the Goroka Festival - Papua New Guinea's biggest sing-sing.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1 - Arrival Goroka
Location: Goroka
Accommodation: Lodge
Accommodation Name: the Emanuel Lodge or similar
Meals Included: Lunch, Dinner
Welcome to Papua New Guinea. Upon arrival in Goroka, you will be met at the airport on arrival and transferred to your hotel.
Keiya Village and Cane Swallowing
Following lunch at the hotel, head to Keiya village. Here you will witness some incredible cultural performances including the ‘Cane Swallowing’ ceremony of boys’ initiation where a cane rope is pushed into their stomach through their mouth to cleanse themselves as an initiation ceremony. Often referred to as Dring Kol Wara (Drink Cold Water) by the Bena people of Eastern Highlands, the initiation is practised only by men. In previous times, women were never allowed to know about it, much less see it.
The cane is carefully carved to achieve a smooth surface to allow easy ingestion. With careful preparations, final touches are made to bend the cane into a U-shape before hanging it to dry in kitchen huts. It is dried for about one month before being used. Now and then the dried cane is taken out and left in water to regain moisture to maintain its outer covering. Its length may vary from two to three metres.
The initiation period may last for two to three months, depending on the amount of pork available for meals in the ‘Haus man’. Mothers of young boys cry for their sons as they are taken away to learn their customs and embrace manhood.
During this initiation, initiates are required to lie on their back, face-up, to sleep as it is believed that that will straighten and elongate the intestines in preparation for the Neheya. Meals provided for the initiates comprise of only pork fat and boiled kaukau (sweet potato), believing that this dish, also known as hosamaya, ensures the smooth passing of the cane along the digestive tract. It is prepared only by elderly women who have gone past menopause. To witness this ancient practice is a rare experience.
Return to your hotel for dinner.
Meals
Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation
Red River Lodge or similar
Services
Private vehicle and guide
Day 2 - Goroka Festival
Location: Goroka
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Red River Lodge or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Enjoy an early breakfast as you depart at 7:30 am to get your bearing at the festival. The sing-sing groups start to arrive from 9 am. You will be in awe at their body decorations, colourful traditional costumes and vibrant face painting. Learn about the different types of costumes and their significance in the cultures of these people.
Colours, Kundu drums and chanting explore your senses as thousands of warriors, all dressed in their very finest traditional regalia, performing and dancing and in sing-sing. Each group, with their own cultures and languages, vow to outclass the other groups. Walk among the dancers, shake their hands and meet them.
Tumbuna Market
Following the festival, you will be transferred to the Tumbuna market for the opportunity to purchase locally-made handicrafts before returning to your hotel late in the afternoon.
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation
Red River Lodge or similar
Services
Private vehicle and guide
Day 3 - Goroka Festival
Location: Goroka
Accommodation: Lodge
Accommodation Name: the Emanuel Lodge or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
This morning you will enjoy another festival day at the arena with your guide. A picnic lunch will be provided so you do not miss any of the action.
McCarthy Museum
After the festival at approx. 3.00 pm, you will visit the McCarthy Museum just near the showground.
The museum’s main collections are artifacts and specimens from the Highlands region including wooden dishes, stone mortars, stone blades, magic stones and sandstones for making stone blades. There are also some WWII relics on display including a P-39 Airacobra.
Meals
Breakfast, Picnic Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation
Red River Lodge – Single Premium Room
Services
Private vehicle and guide
Day 4 - Departure
Location: Port Moresby
Meals Included: Breakfast
After breakfast at 7:00 am, you will be picked up from your hotel and transferred to the airport for your flight to Port Moresby (flight not included).
Meals
Breakfast
Services
Private vehicle and guide
What's Included
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Meet and greet service on arrival
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3 nights accommodation
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3 Breakfasts, 3 Lunches, 3 Dinners
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English speaking translator
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All activities as per itinerary
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Private transportation
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Entrance fees, sightseeing and permits
What's Not Included
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International and domestic flights
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Visas
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Travel and medical insurance
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All services, meals other than those indicated above
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Personal porters
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Any changes to the proposed and confirmed program.
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All items of a personal nature e.g. drinks, laundry, telephone calls, tips etc
Check out our Q&As
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What cultural experience can I expect at Keiya Village?
At Keiya Village, you will witness the traditional 'Cane Swallowing' ceremony, an initiation ritual for boys where a cane rope is ingested to cleanse themselves. This practice is unique to the Bena people of the Eastern Highlands and is a rare cultural experience.
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What is the Goroka Festival known for?
The Goroka Festival is known for its vibrant sing-sing, where thousands of warriors in traditional regalia perform and dance. The festival features colorful costumes, face painting, and the sounds of Kundu drums and chanting, showcasing the diverse cultures and languages of Papua New Guinea.
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What can I purchase at the Tumbuna market?
At the Tumbuna market, you have the opportunity to purchase locally-made handicrafts, which are a reflection of the local culture and craftsmanship.
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What historical insights can I gain from the McCarthy Museum?
The McCarthy Museum offers insights into tribal and WWII history with its collection of artifacts and specimens from the Highlands region, including wooden dishes, stone mortars, and WWII relics like a P-39 Airacobra.
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What type of accommodation is provided during the tour?
The tour includes accommodation at the Red River Lodge or similar, offering comfortable lodging with all necessary amenities for a pleasant stay during your exploration of the Goroka Festival and surrounding cultural sites.
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Is transportation provided during the tour?
Yes, private transportation is provided throughout the tour, ensuring a comfortable and convenient travel experience as you explore the Goroka Festival and other cultural highlights in Papua New Guinea.
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Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?
Yes. Focusing on providing authentic experiences where ever you are in the world, Crooked Compass has access to a vast array of accommodation styles. From boutique properties in larger cities to local guest houses and home stays within small villages. Crooked Compass ensures that local authenticity flows through your accommodation throughout your tour without compromising standard.
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What sort of transportation is used for your tours?
Transportation utilised on a Crooked Compass escorted small group tour is a combination of a private air conditioned vehicle and local transport where appropriate. This may include a local bus ride, use of the cities metro system, a domestic flight to another city or overnight train ride.
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What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?
Crooked Compass strives to be a leader in sustainable tourism. Crooked Compass is firmly committed to the principles of ethical travel. Our comprehensive Sustainable Tourism Practices policy summarises our commitments and actions. Although the very basis of our ground operations lends itself to the ethos of sustainable tourism, this policy re-iterates our commitment to: Use locally owned hotels Use locally owned ground agents Use local guides and drivers Promote community tourism projects from homestays to craft shops Support charities that work within the destinations that we travel to Carbon offset our travels
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Who runs your tours and are they experts in their fields?
Crooked Compass works with the worlds best operators who are specialists in their country, region and cities providing you with in depth local knowledge. We use local guides who live and breathe the areas they work in, making sure you experience their region, their way. We believe it is far better to have a local guide who knows a lot about a little than a text book trained Western tour guide who knows a little about a lot. Using local guides also ensures that money stays within local communities and supports the regions we visit.
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What can I expect from a Crooked Compass tour that I wouldn't get from travelling with an alternative company?
Crooked Compass provides a sensory way to understand the world – we help you live like a local, eat like a local, do what the locals do and seek the faces behind the places whilst discovering untouched lands and natural beauty. Crooked Compass tours delve deep into the heart and soul of a destination ensuring you get out of your journey all you intended and much, much more. Our intriguing itineraries have been created by travellers for travellers. Steering travellers to follow a different path, Crooked Compass’ itineraries allow you to experience the world’s most fascinating destinations in ways you never dreamed possible. It brings to life those ‘bucket list’ experiences you have yearned to do and separates the travellers from the tourists. Crooked Compass tours are culturally rich, reward travellers with unexpected encounters and uncommon rendezvous, creating truly unique, authentic travel experiences.
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Who do your tours cater for?
Crooked Compass escorted small group tours cater for those who are well travelled seeking the what’s next and what’s new. Our travellers are curious minded soft adventurers who want to uncover something more than the mainstream tourist trail. Crooked Compass tours draw travellers with an interest in sustainable tourism and conservation for the areas they visit. A Crooked Compass traveller is someone who is seeking something fresh and unique, who has a yearning for authenticity and discovery, with an appreciation for cultures, tradition and the natural world. We call them Cultural Purists.
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I am concerned about my impact on travelling through untouched regions. Can I offset?
Yes. All travellers on Crooked Compass tours have the option to offset their part of their tour’s carbon footprint by donating $4AUD (tax-deductible) at time of booking. 100% of these funds are donated to Greenfleet, an environmental non-profit organisation dedicated to protecting our climate by restoring our forests. By partnering with Greenfleet, we are confident that our carbon offset program provides genuine and lasting environmental benefits. Your offset donation funds plant trees and restore permanent native forests in Australia and New Zealand. As they grow, these forests provide many community and environmental benefits by absorbing carbon emissions, protecting our unique biodiversity, restoring habitat for native wildlife, preventing soil salinity and erosion, improving water quality and much more. If you’d like to find out more and offset the rest of your carbon emissions, visit www.greenfleet.org.au
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Sep 12, 2025 - Sep 15, 2025Book with Confidence
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Low Deposit
Crooked Compass requires a minimum deposit of 20% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 60 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of crooked compass charges.
Up to 61 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 60 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.