Karawari Lodge
Perched majestically on a lone ridge, high above the banks of the Karawari River and overlooking an endless expanse of dense tropical lowland rain forest, is Karawari Lodge. This is one of the most remote and un-spoiled destinations in Papua New Guinea. The only way in or out is by the lodge's private airstrip from Mount Hagen or Ambua Lodge.
Built in the traditional ‘haus tambaran’ style or spirit house, the main dining and lounge areas feature a vast collection of Sepik artifacts. The views from the lodge at dusk over the jungles is truly awe inspiring. Traditional stilted villages line the river banks and waterways, and dugout canoe traffic is the only mode or transportation as there are no roads and no evidence of the modern world here at all.
Accommodations at the lodge include ten separate cottages, each built out of local bush materials and inspired by traditional architecture. Each cottage has two private twin rooms, each with modern en-suite bathrooms with modern amenities and a common breezy balcony. Despite its remoteness, the lodge has electricity, hot & cold running water, comfortable mosquito-netted beds and ceiling fans. For the more adventurous, you may opt to stay in a nearby traditional village overnight.
Karawari Lodge arranges river excursions in 18-seat motorized boats to the surrounding villages. Hop off and back in time to visit traditional homes, witness ceremonial dances and celebrations and see what life among the Sepik people is like. The people of this remote region speak more than 250 languages and are knitted together in intricate systems of trade and cultural interaction. Life in the Sepik area revolves around the river with men paddling narrow dugout canoes full of goods for trade, women fishing or making sago and children swinging from trees to splash in the river. You marvel at tales of headhunting, cannibalism, painful rites of passage and animistic rituals that make up the Sepik people’s traditional way of life. The Sepiks express their culture and beliefs through their art, inspiring the carving of incredible masks, drums, baskets and sculptures that integrate with their daily life and animist beliefs. You may observe these master carvers at work and purchase from a selection of finely hand-crafted artifacts.
This tropical lowland rainforest is one of earth's most complex of habitats, housing an immense variety of flora and fauna with a staggering amount of different bird species. Optional birding cruises are available with opportunities to spot elusive 12-Wire Birds of Paradise, cockatoos, parrots, hornbills, cormorants and other water birds.
