Sepik Spirit
Description:
The Sepik Spirit is a 9-room river cruise boat with a unique design inspired be the local architecture of the spirit house. This “one of a kind” cruise ship is used to take guests on a voyage along the waterways of Papua New Guinea’s Sepik region. Thus, allowing for the unique opportunity to journey into remote villages that could not otherwise be reached on daytrips. Currently, the Sepik Spirit primarily journeys on the Karawari River, the storied tributary of the Sepik River, and on to the Krosmeri River which allows entry to the mysterious Blackwater Lakes. The densely forested riverbanks of the Karawari River open up to the wide-open expanse of the Blackwater Lakes. Both regions are rich in bird life.
Accommodation:
To make your stay comfortable the Sepik Spirit is fully outfitted with nine-rooms with ensuite bathrooms, artistically designed dining room and air conditioner. Typically, the boat cruises span from 3 – 4 nights in length and it can operate for a minimum group size of 8 or up to 18. The Sepik Spirit is accessible by charter flights that operate in/out of the Karawari airstrip from Mount Hagen or Ambua Lodge (charter flights from other locations can also be arranged). As such, cruises typically, both begin and end at the Karawari lodge.
Activities:
The tribes in the area live their life on the water. For them the spirits of the crocodiles and the river gods are still highly revered. As you coast along the rivers you will be met by the welcoming calls of the villagers resting or working on the banks of the river, by the women fishing from their hollowed canoes and the children paddling to school. The tribes that inhabit the Sepik region still maintain many of their traditional beliefs and ways of life, such as their reverence for the Spirit house and the ancient and unique sculptures and art that decorates them. Guests will disembark the boat each day, where time will be spent visiting the spirit houses, family homes and important places in the villages and hearing about the traditional rituals, warfare, initiation ceremonies and ancestral beliefs.
The tribes of this region express their beliefs and creativity through the creation of unique and beautiful tribal art, such as masks, flutes, drums and spirit figures. You will have the opportunity to view and purchase arts from the small village markets.
