Best time to go to Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea is very close to the equator, so expect high heat and humidity whenever you travel.![]()
The best time to go to Papua New Guinea is from Apr-Oct, when the rains ease off somewhat. It’s never dry here though, so be prepared with lightweight waterproofs, and keep an open mind should rain stop play. Most festivals take place during the dry season, so check dates if there are any you are particularly interested in. This is also the best time to take on the Kokoda Track. Small ship cruises tend to take place at the end of the dry season, while scuba divers will enjoy good visibility and warm water all year round.
Papua New Guinea Weather Chart
MIN °C
MAX °C
RAIN (mm)
JAN
10
29
267
FEB
10
28
282
MAR
10
28
319
APR
10
28
272
MAY
10
28
250
JUN
9
27
196
JUL
9
27
190
AUG
9
27
210
SEP
9
28
222
OCT
10
29
280
NOV
9
29
243
DEC
10
29
279
Our Papua New Guinea Holidays
Papua New Guinea small group tour
Stay with tribes and visit a festival in Papua New Guinea
From
£8595
16 days
ex flights
Goroka Show holiday in Papua New Guinea
Small group tour to attend the Goroka & Kalam Festivals
From
£5865
8 days
ex flights
Melanesia cruise, history and wildlife cruise
Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu expedition cruise
From
US $11195
17 days
ex flights
West Papua small group tour
A cultural expedition like no other
From
£6199 to £6399
15 days
ex flights
Papua New Guinea holiday, The Kokoda Trail
Papua New Guinea, The Kokoda Trail
From
£2595
11 days
ex flights
Melanesia birdwatching holiday
World renowned west pacific birding voyage + Bonin Islands
From
US $10680 to US $12495
4 weeks
ex flights
When to go to Papua New Guinea
Our top Papua New Guinea Holiday
Papua New Guinea small group tour
Stay with tribes and visit a festival in Papua New Guinea
From
£8595
16 days
ex flights
Small group travel:
2023: 9 Aug
2023: 9 Aug
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about Papua New Guinea or need help finding a holiday to suit you we're very happy to help.
01273 823 700
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Things to do in Papua New Guinea
What to do in Papua New Guinea...
What not to do in Papua New Guinea...
Papua New Guinea travel tips
Culture & festivals
Culture & festivals
Alan Manning, a Papua New Guinea expert from our supplier Intrepid, shares his advice on visiting the country and on walking the Kokoda Track:
“PNG is an intrepid traveller’s paradise, and the abundance of cultures is one of its unique selling points. Many of our travellers, after being on trips to other festivals in the world, have mentioned that the Goroka Show and the Rabaul Mask Festival are up there with the top three cultural events they have seen. The main reasons for this are the raw nature of the performances and the diversity.”
“PNG is an intrepid traveller’s paradise, and the abundance of cultures is one of its unique selling points. Many of our travellers, after being on trips to other festivals in the world, have mentioned that the Goroka Show and the Rabaul Mask Festival are up there with the top three cultural events they have seen. The main reasons for this are the raw nature of the performances and the diversity.”
What is special about PNG?
What is special about PNG?
“PNG is the destination for those travellers who have been to Africa, done India tours and so on. It is for people who want to travel to unique destinations that are not off the stock standard template I believe. This is a pioneer destination for people to visit; it isn’t mainstream and you won’t be dealing with mass travel and the crowds associated with mass travel destinations.”
Porters on the Kokoda Track
Porters on the Kokoda Track
“Each trekker has a personal porter who carries the trekkers pack. We have a 1:1 trekker to porter ratio to. Our aim is to provide greater employment opportunities for porters. Our intention is also that relationship building between the trekkers and the porters becomes one of the most important experiences of the trip, reflecting the wartime bonds between Australian troops and the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels.”
Why hike the Kokoda Trail?
Why hike the Kokoda Trail?
“Travellers undertaking the Kokoda Track can expect a sense of achievement at having completed one of the world’s most famous walks. They will have firsthand observation of unique and spectacular natural features of the land, as well as some understanding of what the Australian soldiers must have gone through in their fight to protect our country. Similarly, they can also achieve a sense of comradeship that can only be gained by a group of people who have worked under trying conditions to attain a common goal.”
Safety on the Kokoda Track
Safety on the Kokoda Track
“The track is isolated and backup medical and rescue services are not easily available, but we have drawn up a contingency plan for evacuation from along the track in the unlikely event of a serious problem occurring. The focal point of any communication with the outside is our satellite telephone and two way radio. We track all our groups with a GPS tracker which give us a 10 min ping location of the group. And of course, we have a medical first aid kit on track at all times.”
More about Papua New Guinea
PNG is remote, wild and largely unexplored. It's covered in impenetrable mountains and lush jungles, and surrounded by some of the earth's richest seas...
The Kokoda Track follows the brutal route of Allied and Japanese forces during World War II, in the bid to take Port Moresby...
When it comes to abundance, colour and sheer exoticism, Papua New Guinea’s birdlife can’t be beaten.
Home to around 750 tribes, each with its own distinct beliefs and customs, Papua New Guinea is a place of living and flourishing traditions.
The Goroka Show is one of the largest tribal gatherings on the planet.
Cut-throat canoe races, exuberant sing-sings and yam feasts – holidays to the Kenu and Kundu Festival give you a glimpse into the astonishing mix of island communities that jigsaw Papua New Guinea.
