Region
Highlands
Fly to Port Moresby or Lae, then charter a local flight to a hub town (Goroka, Mt Hagen or Mendi); stay 5–7 nights with a local operator; avoid independent road travel.
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Key facts · Papua New Guinea
- Currency
- Kina (PGK, K)
- Language
- Tok Pisin
- Plugs
- I · 240 V
- Time zone
- UTC+10, no daylight saving
Rules in force · 6
- Oceania ↗Oceania's island states guard their farms and reefs at the border: tick 'yes' on the arrival card for any food, plant, animal product, soil or used outdoor gear, and let the officer decide.
- Oceania ↗Across the tropical South Pacific, cyclones are possible from November to April: choose insurance that covers weather delays and keep one spare night before a long-haul departure.
- Melanesia ↗Malaria is present in Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and parts of Vanuatu (not Fiji or New Caledonia): ask a travel clinic about tablets before you go.
- Papua New Guinea ↗Every visitor needs a visa (an online e-visa, or a visa on arrival for a short list of passports) and must file the free Digital Arrival Card before landing: check the PNG Immigration and Citizenship Authority for your passport before booking.
- Papua New Guinea ↗Some governments advise against travel to parts of the Highlands provinces because of tribal fighting; check your own government's current advice before you go.
- Papua New Guinea ↗Almost all land is customary: ask permission before walking, swimming or photographing, and expect to pay fees to landowners.
The Highlands are a high‑altitude plateau of remote towns and villages. Most visitors stay in a hub town (Goroka, Mt Hagen or Mendi) arranged by a local operator, then use charter flights or guided treks to explore festivals, coffee farms and bird‑watching sites. Independent road travel is risky; plan 5–7 nights for a solid experience.
Where to sleep
- Mount HagenGuide: planned
Western Highlands hub, hosts the Hagen Show in August.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
Plan the nights
How to split the nights, day-trips and what to do with your bags
Open Plan the nightsClose Plan the nights3 partsNights · Day-trips · Bags
Night sequences
- 5 nights
- Goroka 5 (Goroka Show if in September)
- 6 nights
- Mt Hagen 4 + Mendi 2 (Hagen Show in August)
- 7 nights
- Goroka 3 + Mendi 4 (Tari Basin walks)
- Travel advisories warn of tribal clashes and curfews in Hela, Enga and Southern Highlands; check current government advice before booking.
- Roads can become impassable during the rainy season (Dec–Mar); allow extra travel time.
Day-trips door to door
| To | From | Door-to-door p50 | Last return | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tari Basin | Mendi | 30 min | check | Guided village walk, 3–5 km (1.9–3.1 mi) each day.Guided village walk, 1.9–3.1 mi (3–5 km) each day. |
| Mt Hagen | Goroka | 45 min | check | Scenic drive on Highlands Highway, 4WD required. |
| Kokoda Track start | Goroka | 120 min | check | Fly to Kokoda airstrip, then trek; arrange with operator. |
Bags between cities
Luggage forwarding between hub towns is limited; most operators arrange pickup at the airstrip and delivery to the lodge; confirm with your lodge.
When to go
Months and weather
Open When to goClose When to go2 partsSeasons · Climate
Seasons at a glance
Pick a month to see where to go.
Show all 12 months, country by countryHide the 12-month table
| Country | JJan | FFeb | MMar | AApr | MMay | JJun | JJul | AAug | SSep | OOct | NNov | DDec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goroka | ok | ok | ok | ok | ok | ok | ok | ok | go | ok | ok | ok |
| Mendi | × | × | ok | ok | go | go | go | go | go | go | go | × |
| Papua New Guinea (country-wide) | ok | ok | ok | ok | go | go | go | go | go | go | go | ok |
Computed from each country’s own data; hover a country name for the source. Advisory countries are left out.
Climate strip
| Zone | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highland plateau | cool | cool | cool | cool | cool | cool | cool | cool | cool | cool | cool | cool |
- Highland plateau
- Temperatures 15–22 °C (59–72 °F); rain year‑round, wetter Dec–Mar.Temperatures 59–72 °F (15–22 °C); rain year‑round, wetter Dec–Mar.
Best months are May–Oct; avoid the rainy peak Dec–Mar when roads become impassable.
Getting in and passes
Arrival times and regional passes
Open Getting in and passesClose Getting in and passes1 partGet in
Get in
| From | To | How | p50 | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Port Moresby (PNGL) | Goroka (GKA) or Mt Hagen (HGU) | Air Niugini or PNG Air domestic flights | ~1 h 30 min flight | Flights run 3–4 times weekly; book early. |
| Lae (LAE) | Goroka or Mt Hagen | PNG Air | ~45 min flight | Lae is a common gateway for eastern Highlands. |
Eat and move on
Regional food and where to go next
Open Eat and move onClose Eat and move on1 partGo next
Planning aids
Built from this guide's own data
Open Planning aidsClose Planning aids2 partsIn numbers · Going in…
Region in numbers
- Where to sleep
- 3 bases
- Day trips
- 3, 30 min to 2 h
- Nights suggested
- 5–7 nights
- Ways in
- 2 listed
- Best months
- No month rated best
Going in…
Pick a month for the weather in each zone of the region, plus the country-wide rating and holidays.
Pick a month.
Deep dive
Photos, reading and every source
Open Deep diveClose Deep dive1 partSources
Sources
Ask about Highlands
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