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Rabaul Mask Festival, 7 - 16 July 2020

The National Mask Festival celebrates Papua New Guinea's masks and the culture associated with them. The annual festival is held in Rabaul. Originally focused on the island traditions of PNG, the festival has expanded to include masks and customs from other parts of the country.

We have designed an itinerary around the National Mask Festival in Rabaul. The trip enriches your experience with exploration of Papua New Guinea's highlands and the Sepik River lowlands.

Fly to Rabaul via Port Moresby, to witness the National Mask Festival. The creation and traditions of ancestor masks, spirit masks and tumbuan (dance masks) are the focus of the festival. The masks vary in size, design, spiritual meaning and purpose. Some masks are attached to bilas, the customary attire worn at ceremonial events. Others are mounted on family homes or men's houses as protection. The tumbuan, worn during traditional performances, often cover much of the dancer's body.

The dances and performances intrigue visitors and are famously photogenic. The artifacts and handicrafts offered for sale at the festival stalls are interesting even to the non-shopper. Highlights of our National Mask Festival itinerary include attendance at a night time performance by the Baining Fire Dancers.

From Rabaul continue to the highlands staying at Rondon Ridge, outside Mount Hagen overlooking the fertile Wahgi Valley. Tours from Rondon Ridge reveal how centuries old traditions continue to influence the lives of people who were unknown to the rest of the world until the 1930's. You can accept the lodge's invitation to get up early for the opportunity to go looking for Birds of Paradise.

From the highlands you take a scenic flight into the Sepik lowlands, an area renowned for producing a wide range of tribal art. Here your accommodation is Karawari Lodge. The people of the villages welcome you to family homes, men's houses and spirit houses with drumming, dancing and stories.

Itinerary

COST: $5,005 per person (twin share). $1,743 (single throughout except twin share at Kokopo Beach Bungalows)

Charter Flights: $1,046 per person
Mon 13 July Mount Hagen/Karawari
Wed 15 July Karawari/Mount Hagen

Special Note Regarding Charters:

Maximum baggage allowance is 10kg per person and a maximum of 5kg carry on baggage per person.Large, hard sided suitcases are not permitted on charter aircraft.

Important Note:

You are only to book and ticket the domestic Air Niugini flights together with your international flights. We will book the Air Charter flights.

The Air Niugini flights you are to book and ticket are:
Tue 7 July PX274 Port Moresby/Rabaul
Fri 10 July PX275 Rabaul/Port Moresby
Fri 10 July Port Moresby/Mount Hagen
Wed 15 July Mount Hagen/Port Moresby

Land Cost Includes:

Accommodation, airport transfers and tours on a seat in a bus basis, meals from dinner on 7 July to breakfast on 16 July except for meals at Airways, only breakfast is included. Also included are services of local guides at each location and show gate fees.

Land Cost Does Not Include:

Domestic and international flights, gratuities, visa fees and services of a personal nature such as beverage, laundry charges, phone and fax bills etc.

To secure space due to the popularity of our show programs, a non-refundable deposit per person is required to confirm the booking.

For more information
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Dive Discovery
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1 800 886-7321
(415) 444-5100
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