Wild at Heart | Trekking Across West Papua, Indonesia

If you’re looking for an alternative and truly authentic adventure, you’ve just come to the right place. Papua is often described as the final frontier of travel, a land where wilderness still rules and where the Himalayas, by comparison, could feel like a luxury holiday. This journey combines jungle trekking with immersive encounters among stone age tribes, offering not just an expedition but the chance to live among people who preserve traditions thousands of years old.

https://vimeo.com/206644919
https://vimeo.com/210776442

Papua lies between Australia and the equator in the vast Pacific Ocean, approximately 10,600 km from Dubai. It forms the easternmost part of the Indonesian archipelago and is the second largest island in the world. Remote, rugged, and breathtaking, Papua remains one of the most isolated places on Earth.

Our exploration takes us to the Baliem Valley, a lush gorge approximately 70 km long and 20 km wide, resting at 1,800 m above sea level and surrounded by peaks rising up to 4,500 m. Remarkably, this valley was unknown to the outside world until the 1940s, when aerial surveys revealed its hidden communities.

Nestled in the Jayawijaya Mountains, the Baliem Valley is a vibrant patchwork of rivers, forests, and farmland. It has been inhabited for over 9,000 years and is home to more than 400 distinct tribes, including the renowned Dani, Yali, and Lani people. These tribes still maintain their ancestral way of life, living in round thatched huts called honai, cultivating sweet potatoes and pigs, and practicing rituals that seem to leap directly from the pages of prehistory.

Visitors often witness customs that are both fascinating and deeply symbolic such as tribal war dance performed to resolve disputes or celebrate victories. Men adorned with penis gourds (koteka) and women wearing grass skirts, reflecting a heritage untouched by modern fashion. Body ornaments, scarification, and age-old rites still mark important stages of life.

For about a week, we will live their life: trekking between villages, sleeping in tribal houses, sharing meals, and discovering an entirely different rhythm of existence. This is not a packaged holiday, it’s an immersion into one of the last authentic adventures on Earth. Papua challenges and quickly rewards you. It is raw, untamed, and profoundly human.

Dare only if you are wild at heart!

Day 01 // Wamena - Sogokmo - Kilise Village (5 hrs trek)
Arrival at Wamena Airport, meet our team and enjoy a short refreshment. Transfer by car (approx. 40 minutes) to Sogokmo, the starting point of the trek. The trail leads through plantations and lush forested valleys, offering the first encounter with the Dani tribe’s traditional lifestyle.
Arrive at Kilise village in the afternoon. Explore the community while our cook prepares dinner.
Overnight: Tribal house in Kilise village.

Day 02 // Kilise - Ibiroma - Syokosimo (6 hrs trek)
After breakfast, descend a steep trail to a traditional hanging bridge across the Baliem River. The path is narrow and slippery, with highlights including a small waterfall stop for refreshment and lunch served by the cook. Continue trekking through challenging terrain and cross another rustic bridge before reaching Syokosimo village.
Overnight: Tribal house in Syokosimo village.

Day 03 // Syokosimo - Hitugi (4 hrs trek)
Today’s hike is shorter and more relaxed (about 4 hours). The route passes scenic landscapes and small villages before reaching Hitugi village by noon. Spend the afternoon discovering local life and traditions.
Overnight: Tribal house in Hitugi village.

Day 04 // Hitugi - Kurima - Wamena (4 hrs trek + transfer)
After breakfast, begin the return trek toward Sogokmo via Kurima village. Though this is the longest walk of the trip, the terrain is relatively gentle. Upon arrival at Sogokmo, transfer back to Wamena by car.
Overnight: hotel in Wamena.

Day 05 // Yuarima - Obia War Dance - Wamena
Breakfast at the hotel, then visit Obia village, home to the Dani tribe, where traditions such as the penis gourd, grass skirts, and honai (round houses) are still preserved. Witness a staged tribal war dance, an ancient cultural expression once triggered by disputes over women or land. After the performance, experience a traditional stone-cooking feast that may last up to 3 hours.

Continue to Anemoigi and Sumpaima villages to see a 250-year-old mummy in a traditional house. End the day with a short visit to a natural limestone cave at Wosilimo village.
Overnight: hotel in Wamena.

Day 06 // Wamena - Jayapura - Susuna Kissi Beach
Morning flight to Jayapura, followed by a 2-hour drive to the secluded Susuna Kissi Beach. Spend the day exploring pristine shores, turquoise waters, and postcard-worthy scenery.
Overnight: hotel in Jayapura.

Day 07 // Jayapura - Jakarta
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your 09:00 flight to Jakarta.

Level of difficulty: Moderate - this is a travel in the area with limited facilities.

Activities: trekking, encounter indigenous tribes.

Duration: 7 days

• Trip starts at Jakarta CGK domestic terminal DEC 27 at 22:30 (flight at 00:45)
• Trip ends at Jakarta CGK domestic terminal on JAN 03 at 12:15

We recommend minimum of 4 hrs minimum layover between international flights.

Accommodation & meals: included - hotels (double sharing) and tribal houses. Basic facilities ahead.

Portering: included upto 10kg.

Requirements: daypack, weatherproof clothes, trekking shoes, head torch, hat, sunscreen, sleeping bag, mattress.

Cost: 10300 AED including 4 local flights, excl. flight to Jakarta (approx. 3400 AED). Cost valid until DEC 15.

Specifically excluded:

• visa,
• international flights to JAKARTA - you can chose any flight at your convenience,
• restaurant meals (outside trek),
• entrance fees - if any.
• extra luggage allowance on local flights above 10kg (approx. 3 USD per extra kg).

G2 gallery from our first trip back in 2016:
https://www.meetup.com/trekkup/photos/26785858/

See yah in Papua x

Trekkup Crew
Whatsapp 0504848238 / info@trekkup.com