Expeditions to Papua New Guinea and West Papua

By guest blogger Steve Newman

Travellers seeking a path less travelled to neighbouring Papua New Guinea and West Papua during 2011 will need to move quickly as Orion Expedition Cruises will visit this tropical paradise for only one season of cruises on their chic little Orion during March and April.

Two voyages will feature the popular Papua New Guinea Cultural Highlights itinerary while the third is an exciting all-new West Papua & Maluku expedition, taking in many rarely-visited places across the north of Papua New Guinea and West Papua, where even Google struggles to provide in-depth information!

Under the watchful eye of the specialist expedition team, Orion’s guests on the signature Voyage of Discovery expedition, departing April 14, will redefine the word ‘remote’, visiting rarely seen areas across the top of West Papua, including Mapia Atoll (just north of the equator) and the marine wonderland of Rajah Ampat, the Bird’s Head Peninsula, Kei and Yamdena Islands in the Tanimbars, concluding in Darwin.

11-night Papua New Guinea Cultural Highlights (March 23 and April 3)

Starting with an overnight in Rabaul, this voyage visits Sepik River & Watam Village, Madang, Tami Islands, Tufi, Fergusson Island, Samarai and Kwato Islands and Alotau (Milne Bay) before finishing in Cairns (April 3 voyage in reverse). Prices from £5,265 per person including 11 nights onboard Orion, all meals, entertainment and educational programmes, use of the ship’s sporting equipment and facilities, Zodiac excursions, port and handling charges, tender transfers and government fees and taxes. Two-for-one air is also available on these voyages.

11-night West Papua & Malaku Voyage of Discovery (April 14)

Starting in Rabaul, this 11-night voyage visits Wewak, Jayapura, Urbanasi, Mapia Atoll, Raja Ampat, McClure Gulf, Kei Islands and Tanimbars before finishing in Darwin. Prices from £4,785 per person, including 11 nights onboard Orion, all meals, entertainment and educational programmes, use of the ship’s sporting equipment and facilities, Zodiac excursions, port and handling charges, tender transfers and government fees and taxes. Two-for-one air is also available on this voyage.

For reservations and enquiries, visit http://www.orionexpeditions.com/ or call the UK's adventure cruises specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd.

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