EM61 – SIMBAI EASY TREK PACKAGE FOR INDEPENDENT TRAVELLERS 4 nights ex-Madang (with optional extensions to Ramu River or Sepik River) Simbai to Kanains is a predominantly downhill walk along an overgrown four-wheel-drive track that follows the contours of ridges, with no overly steep gradients. The track is usually impassable to vehicular traffic due to landslides, and is mainly used as a footpath. This is the main walking route joining the Simbai sub-district with Aiome mission station and the Ramu River, and as you walk along you will not only enjoy chance encounters with villagers in hamlets en route, you’ll also meet local walkers coming the other way, tackling the climb to Simbai. Along this route the villages are still traditional, and people still stop and stare at outsiders. Your chances of meeting another tourist out here are about nil. The flora and fauna along the track is of great variety – wild orchids grow everywhere and birds of paradise and furry mammals are common but eagerly hunted by locals so close your eyes if you are squeamish. On arrival at Simbai you may wish to opt for an extra night to explore the local caves or do some day hiking in the Kaironk River valley (more remote / more traditional people but more difficult walking). At the end of the standard easy trek (Kanains) you can keep walking and take the Ramu River and Bogia extension or fly out to Timbunke for the Sepik River extension. For information on Simbai and the Kalam tribe go to our web site www.em.com.pg, click on “PNG TOURIST INFORMATION” then follow the links to “Madang” and “Simbai – home of the Kalam tribe”. To see prices, trip notes and detailed list of inclusions, click here to download the itinerary for EM61 in Acrobat (PDF) format.
Welcome committee at Simbai Colourful green beetle head-dresses, Simbai	GENERIC ITINERARY: DAY 1: MADANG TO SIMBAI 0700 Check in at Madang airport for your light aircraft flight to Simbai (your ticket will be available for collection at the check-in counter). NB Simbai flights do not operate on a fixed schedule – departure and arrival times are flexible to meet the needs of passengers and cargo customers at various remote airstrips around the Madang province, and therefore you may need to be patient if the aircraft has to do a run to another airstrip and back before doing the Simbai run. Unless the weather is really bad, the Simbai flight always operates Mon-Sat but you may have to wait. On arrival at Simbai airstrip you will be met by our local guide with a few extra guys to help carry bags. From the airstrip it is a 30 minute hike to the Kalam Guest House NEAR Nugent village where you will spend your first night. Today you will explore the tiny Simbai government outpost, visit the little Kalam Culture Centre which has displays of traditional tribal artifacts, and walk around a couple of the satellite villages within an hour’s walk of Simbai. This will be an opportunity to learn some basics of the Kalam tribal culture, and a few words of the language, before venturing further afield. Overnight Kalam Guest House, Simbai. A traditional Kalam tribal sing-sing will be held in your honour this evening
Track from Simbai to Kamboin US Explorer's Club president Dan Bennett and co at Kamboin	DAY 2: SIMBAI TO KAMBOIN After breakfast, commence hiking with your guide and porters along the rough vehicular track (some call it a “road”) that links Simbai with Aiome mission station. The track follows the contours of the hills, undulating with a net downhill gradient but no very steep inclines or descents because the route was originally surveyed as an access road for vehicles. (Regular landslides during the wet season cause the track to be impassable to vehicles most of the time.) As you walk you will have opportunities to enjoy visiting with the people and observing the native flora and fauna en route. Wild orchids, birds of paradise and furry mammals are common in this area – your guide will help you spot them and hopefully will resist the primal urge to trap and kill them, which is what they have been taught to do since they were old enough to walk. Today’s hike will take about 5 hours including side-trips into the forest and occasional stops to visit villagers in hamlets en route. If you need more time than this to walk at a slower pace, or make frequent stops, or take a side trip into the forest for bird-watching, your guide will follow your lead. It’s your trek. The itinerary is designed so that even the slowest tortoise will still arrive at Kamboin before dusk. Apart from impromptu stops at hamlets along the way there will be a scheduled lunch stop, at Kambaneng village about 3 hours from Simbai. Early to mid afternoon, arrive at Kamboin Forest Hut, a lovely native-style lodging that fits snugly in the surrounding environment. People from a village down in the valley operate the hut and they will cater dinner for you. (Lunch and breakfast supplies are flown in with you from Madang and carried by your porters).
Cuscus in tree photographed by Rodrigo Gallegos (from Mexico) on the way to Kanains	DAY 3: KAMBOIN TO KANAINS This morning shortly after you commence walking from Kamboin you can turn off the trail and follow a creek upstream about 20 minutes to a waterfall marked on the map as “Falls” (optional, if you are walking well). Another 3 to 4 hours walking from Kamboin and passing through a number of hamlets brings you to Kanains village. If you are interested in birds, the guest house owner can take you out bird-watching for a while before dark. There are some good bird of paradise nesting sites around Kanains and late afternoons is a good viewing time. No promises, but good possibilities to see male birds in display mode. BYO binoculars. Overnight Kanains village guest house.
Typical wild orchid visible on the roadside along the route to Kanains	DAY 4: KANAINS TO MADANG After breakfast, a short walk to the airstrip and wait for today’s light aircraft flight to Madang. End of standard Simbai Easy Trek package or select extension to Ramu River or Sepik River - see detailed itinerary.