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Papua & Solomons

Fri, 14 Aug 2026 – Thu, 20 Aug 2026

7 Days 6 Nights

About this expedition

This is a once-in-a-lifetime itinerary, stitching together some of the world’s most unforgettable bucket-list experiences.

Papua New Guinea is the cultural heartbeat of Oceania, and the Mt. Hagen Festival is its crown jewel: one of the world’s greatest festivals. Dozens of ethnic groups come together in a powerful explosion of sing-sings, traditional body paint, and ancestral costumes found nowhere else on Earth.

From there, we continue deep into Melanesia to the Solomon Islands—a true South Pacific secret. Expect raw adventure, untouched beaches, and crystal-clear waters hiding WWII shipwrecks beneath the surface. Our Expedition explores two of the country’s most iconic islands: Guadalcanal, steeped in wartime history, and Gizo, a legendary diving paradise.

And as always, you won’t do it alone—you’ll share it all with an exceptional group of like-minded travelers.

Spots are extremely limited. Don’t overthink it. Apply now.

Itinerary

Day 1: Port Moresby to Mt Hagen

  • Arrive in Port Moresby a day early, so you can have some time to rest before we start early on Day 1 with our flight out to Mt Hagen for some prefestival preparations.

  • Overnight in Mt Hagen.

Day 2: Mt Hagen Festival

  • Today is the main day at Mt Hagen Festival and we'll be making the most of our time going through all the sing sing groups, taking pictures and mingling with them. This is one of the most unique Festivals in the World.

  • In the afternoon, we'll explore the best Mt Hagen has to offer.

  • Overnight in Mt Hagen.

Day 3: Mt Hagen Festival

  • Today is the second day and last of the Festival. We'll head out early, to enjoy the backstage preparations and get to see some of our favorite sing sing groups again. There is a chance to buy amazing arts & crafts and have lunch before we catch our afternoon flight to Port Moresby once the Festival ends.

  • Overnight in Port Moresby. 

Day 4: Fly to Honiara 

  • Today we fly direct from Port Moresby to Honiara and explore the best highlights the main island, Guadalcanal, has to offer, including the Crafts Market Centre, Central Market, the American Memorial, and the Solomon Peace Memorial, located on Mt. Austin and built by the Japanese.

  • Overnight in Honiara. 

Day 5: Flight to Gizo

  • We will take a domestic flight to Gizo, the second-largest town in the Solomon Islands. We will explore the island or walk along the scenic coastline to the most famous beaches of the country.

  • Overnight: Gizo

Day 6: Gizo

  • Today, experience the underwater beauty of Gizo, which boasts some of the best and most exciting snorkeling and diving sites in the world. From WWII wrecks to vibrant reefs with some of the highest fish counts globally, there is always something new to discover. Snorkel near the famous WWII Japanese wreck in Gizo's crystal-clear waters. This is truly one of the top spots in the Western Pacific for underwater exploration.

  • Overnight: Gizo

Day 7: Fly back to Honiara

  • After a slow morning of more diving and peaceful Pacific Island life, we fly back to Honiara. 

  • The Expedition finishes at the airport, so you can choose to fly out that same day or stay an extra night and fly out later.

For those interested, you can continue your journey with our last Pacific Expedition, starting in Koror, Palau on August 22nd that ties easily with just a layover in Brisbane.

 

What's included

  • Domestic Flights — 4 Domestic flights: - Port Moresby to Mt Hagen, return flights. - Return flights to Gizo from Honiara (valued at 450€ pax).
  • Hotels — Shared rooms in 3*-4* hotels.
  • Transportation — Ground transportation and getting around the islands within our itinerary.
  • Entrance Fees — All activities mentioned in the itinerary.
  • Contribution to local communities — We make sure our visit directly impact and contribute to the economy of the tribes and local communities we meet.

Things to know

HOW DO I GET A VISA FOR PAPUA & SOLOMONS?

Most nationalities are visa free or can get a visa on arrival to visit Solomon Islands, and Papua requires a straightforward evisa. We'll assist you in the process should you have any doubts.

WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO GET THERE?

Wander Expedition doesn't book flights for you and is ultimately not responsible for your flight connection, but we can offer guidance and support when you research the best options for you. You will be flying to Port Moresby and from Honiara. If you are on our Pacific VI Expedition, we'll fly Honiara - Brisbane - Koror to be ready to start on August 22nd.

ARE PAPUA & SOLOMON IS. SAFE?

This is a fantastic opportunity for those of you that want to explore this secluded region with a great group.

WHO IS THIS EXPEDITION FOR?

This Expedition is for everyone looking to have a fun time, explore an off the beaten path destination, make new travel friends and memorable travel stories. Vanuatu is the perfect unique off-the-grid adventure, offering great cultural depth, secluded tribes, and stunning outdoors. It will be filled with travel stories!

WHAT IS THE PRICE?

Wander Expeditions is not a traditional travel agency where the first to pay is the first to go. We take you to stunning destinations, but we know the people you share it with is even more important when you travel. That’s why we have a refined selection process where we filter and vet candidates to ensure that groups are fun, balanced, diverse and interesting! We make sure candidates are on the same page and share our values of being fun, flexible and fearless, so we can guarantee everyone will have an amazing experience. We create travel families, so #trusttheprocess. Halfway through our process, we share the price with all pre-selected applicants. It only takes 5 min to apply, so you literally have nothing to lose! What are you waiting for to join the Wander Fam?

Traveler stories

5.0 126 reviews

Laurie

Laurie "Dublin"

15 expeditions 8 months ago

Papua New Guinea I

The best way to see not only the Mt Hagen festival but also the highlights of the PNG highlands. Safe, exciting, and lots of fun.

Laurie

Laurie "Dublin"

15 expeditions 8 months ago

Indian Himalayas & Bhutan

A spiritual and cultural-focussed expedition, not the typical style of other Wander trips, but I absolutely loved it. Bhutan is beautiful and this expedition was the best way to see it, the tricky visa and tour guide requirements were all handled and the itinerary gave the very best of the country in a few days. Northern India was equally serene and even as someone who hates hiking, having a great group to champion you along the way made it fun.

Laurie

Laurie "Dublin"

15 expeditions 8 months ago

West Africa III

The best overland adventure you could ever ask for. Two weeks, 22 people, 6 cars, endless laughs. Sure, the days are long, and you definitely need to bring snacks, but it’s so much fun and the best way to see the parts of Africa that most people don’t go to! And it has everything - beach, nature, pool days, local communities, cities and middle-of-nowhere adventures. I’d even go as far as to say I’d do it again….. never say never!

Jose

Jose "Managua"

4 expeditions 8 months ago

Malta: Every Country Twice

LOVED IT!

Mustafa

Mustafa

1 expedition 9 months ago

Libya III: East Libya

My trip to Libya with you Wander Expeditions was unreal! Everything was super well organized, the group vibe was like family, and the guide kept things fun with stories and games along the way. Libya itself blew me away amazing people, amazing places, and good energy everywhere we went.

Laurent

Laurent

2 expeditions 11 months ago

Malta: Every Country Twice

A pure pleasure celebrating with Alvaro and the gang - vibes unbeatable & can’t wait for the next reunion!

Where you'll be

About us

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Wander Expeditions

Experience unforgettable group trips with Wander Expeditions! Discover unique destinations while forming lasting connections. Our curated travel families ensure a fun, flexible, and fearless adventure for all.

6 years traveling200+ expeditions3.9k+ travelers120+ reviews

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