Baliem Valley Trekking Package

IntroductionWelcome to Papua! 

I am iron Tabuni, Papuan, and I am an independent trekking guide in the Baliem Valley. I assist people like you to participate in a trekking and to connect with the indigenous families living in the Valley. It is my joy to help you experience true Highland Papuan culture. Together with my wife and two daughters I live in the outskirts of Wamena. For my trekkings I hire only local Papuan people, and I do not make use of any middlemen. For this reason I can offer you reasonably priced, high quality programs, in which you have an opportunity to experience the real Papua. I can guarantee you that joining one of my programs is a journey of a lifetime. 

  

Programs Currently

I have three programs to offer. The first is a 4, 5 or 6 days trekking through the Baliem Valley, where you will visit and sleep in various villages, and will be received by families that over the years I have built connections with. The second program is a three days visit to my ancestral village in Lanijaya-territory. It involves a trekking on the first and the third day, and on the second day meeting with the villagers to experience how they live. The third program is a one or two days local program around Wamena, the capital of our regency, where we visit several local sites. This third program is not a trekking, but involves leisurely walking and the use of local transport, where together with me you explore the area around Wamena. 

Trekking

During the Baliem Valley trekking we walk several hours per day, with many breaks. We will pass through valleys and hillsides, with a different scenery every few hours. It is not a difficult hike, as you will have someone next to you who carries the larger part of your luggage. In the evening we settle for a sleeping place in one of the villages in the Baliem Valley. Meals will be served in the morning, afternoon and in the evening. To cater as much as possible to your taste and possible diet, we will buy the food as much as possible together.  

Support Team

During the trekking, I am your guide. Additionally, every trekking comes with a cook, and one porter per two participants to assist in carrying all the kitchen equipment. Also, you will have your own porter for your backpack. I strongly recommend that even if you have a lot of trekking experience, to make use of this porter.   

Included/Excluded
All trekkings include a support team as mentioned above. Also included is your food and water, tea and coffee. We can buy the food together on the morning of the first day of trekking to match your dietary requirements, if you prefer. Also included are the fees for sleeping in the villages. I will arrange sleeping bags for you if you do not have one yourself. And we will bring tents, in case you prefer not to sleep in a traditional local house. Excluded are personal expenses, such as souvenirs and soft drinks. Also excluded are photo fees: many times people will ask for money to have their picture taken. Although I will help you negotiate a good price, this fee is not included in the trekking program. 



Prices
The price of a trekking depends on the number of people that are joining, as this determines the size of the support team. Below you will find a price overview per day.  




Responsible Tourism
I find it important that the programs that I offer are in balance with the local community and the environment. For this reason the support team is paid well, and above standard. Also, your trip funds the local communities and helps them to elevate from the poverty-trap that is so common in the highlands of Papua. We try to minimize our impact on the environment. For this reason, we take all of our trash with us back to Wamena, instead of leaving it on the trail.  

Permit To visit the 
Baliem Valley and Lanijaya, every foreigner need a permit called ‘Surat Jelang’. It is easily obtainable in Sorong or in Jayapura at the main police station. You just need to bring two photographs and your passport, and state that you want a ‘Surat Jelang’ for these two areas. The permit is free of charge. In emergencies, we are able to arrange a permit from Wamena itself. 

Conclusion
I am looking forward to meet you! I hope I can help you make your visit to Papua memorable! Please let me know if you have any questions

 regarding my programs.