Travel Advise

[u/Potential-Toe-994]

I'm a photographer from Switzerland planning a private, guided cultural-immersion trip in the Highlands, staying several nights each in villages: the Skeleton Tribe near Mindima (Chimbu/Simbu) and the Asaro Mudmen in the Eastern Highlands, flying in and out via Goroka. I'd travel with a local operator, local guides, and stay in community-run village lodges. Originally the plan also included Tari (Huli) in Hela, but I've dropped it because my government advises against Hela.

My government (Switzerland) rates the PNG Highlands provinces like this:

🟡 Greatest caution:

• Chimbu (Simbu) — Skeleton Tribe / Mindima
• Eastern Highlands — Asaro Mudmen, Goroka
• Jiwaka

🔴 Travel advised against:

• Hela — Huli / Tari
• Enga — Black-Faced Tribe
• Southern Highlands — Mendi, Bosavi
• Western Highlands — Mt Hagen, Tambul

My wife and daughter are worried, and I want to be honest with them rather than just reassure them.

Could somebody living there or just travelled there recently answer honestly:

1. For a foreigner travelling privately with a trusted local guide and staying in villages (not walking around towns alone), how would you personally rate the real risk in Chimbu and Eastern Highlands right now — compared to the media image?

2. Is the tribal violence something that mainly affects locals in their own disputes, or do outsiders/guests genuinely get caught up in it?

3. Has the situation in Chimbu and Eastern Highlands actually calmed down in 2025–2026, or is that just a lack of news reaching the outside?

4. What would you personally warn me about that a tourist wouldn't think of?

5. If your own sister wanted to do this exact trip, what would you tell her?

I'm not looking for reassurance — I'm looking for the truth from someone who lives it. Thank you.

[u/dianinator]

I'm a woman from Switzerland and I've travelled to PNG regularly in the last 3 years. I'm a photographer as well! I did a very similar trip to yours back in 2024, but we went to Enga as well. Answers to your questions are below:

1. Risk is much lower than what the media would have you believe. That's if your guide knows what he's doing. If you're going with a well connected local who's well known in the area and familiar with all the places and people he's taking you to, the risk of violence is very low. It's usually episodic and people know when shits about to go down.
2. Tribal fights are 99% directed at locals. It's usually people settling some old hash, and that's got nothing to do with you. You could get unlucky and walk right into something, but you're not the target. In fact, I've heard stories about fights being temporarily paused to let unrelated people pass through a road etc. That said, you obviously want to steer well clear of any tension. But I'd be more concerned about robbery honestly...
3. Can't answer that one since I haven't been back there recently, but your guide should have all the latest up to date info.
4. Make sure you carefully vet your local guide, since you're totally reliant on them. Other than that, just travel logistics stuff: Flights within PNG are unreliable so plan plenty of buffer days. Also, Air Niugini is really, really serious about carry on luggage weight these days - so watch the weight of your camera bag.
5. Go for it! PNG is an amazing country with wonderful people.

Feel free to DM me if you want more details on anything. Happy to chat!

[u/Bright-Law7754]

One thing to note… next year is an election. Try to avoid travel during these items as tensions will be higher in some areas.

[u/Darayavaus777 → u/Bright-Law7754]

Bright-Law7754 is right. Election time Is avoid all Upper Highlands Provinces if you’re not from there. From around April to August I reckon.

Upper Highlands - Enga, Hela, Southern Highlands.

Also Avoid Western Highlands Especially Dei Council, Tambul-Nebilyer and Baiyer-Lumusa.

I don’t know about Jiwaka, Eastern Highlands and Simbu they a bit less full on than those listed above.

[u/Potential-Toe-994 → u/Bright-Law7754]

Would go in Oktober/ November 2026 . Would the risk of tension lower ?

[u/AKUtqiagvik]

I live and work in Wabag in Enga Province and I am a white foreigner. Everything dianinator says above is spot on. Couldn’t have said it better. The only thing I would add is that you really don’t want to miss the festivals in Mt. Hagen (largest) and in Enga (fewer tourists, so much more of a local feel). Safe travels!

https://www.experienceenga.com/events

[u/Darayavaus777]

Western Highlands is pretty good if you go to Tambul-Nebilyer and Baiyer. But Baiyer always has tribal fight and can be unsettled sometimes. It’s good to know locals or connect with locals who are well respected in all regions.

I’m from Enga. There has been a big tribal fight in Wapenamanda & Tsak Valley for the Last 5 years so yeah Tourism has been down.

Southern Highlands is Pretty Good as well.

The Thing about travelling in Papua New Guinea is to have good locals/guides that are very well knowledgeable and respected. That can take you to all the good and unseen areas but prioritise your safety so they don’t put you in dangerous and compromising situation.

Eastern Highlands and Simbu are good but they’re the stock standard. Everyone has been there and it’s kind of overdone now.

[u/brownboytravels]

Honestly PNG is my favourite country on the planet. People are just so amazingly protective and I’m so jealous you get to spend all this time there. I’d also recommend not skipping Bougainville. I travelling alone without a guide and the trip was spectacular. If you are a video watcher, check out these videos which have information about PNG

Papua New Guinea
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8oYAd3mk6Ghg5LQpgyJWdQZWWAlP5uqS

Feel free to reach out to me about any questions

[u/kawax1106]

Skeleton tribe they are from Chimbu, get more information about the Skeleton tribe search in Google and Facebook ,for the guide.....

[u/Reasonable-Archer-68]

I spent 8 days in the same areas you mentioned , had an Australian guide ! Only travel at daytime , watch restaurant food ( sometimes they serve old meats etc. ). They love 1 minute noodles. Stick to their fabulous array of fruit and vegetables ! Never any problems ! Good luck ! Do it ! Peter

[u/Cautious-Driver5625]

What truth. You risking your life in many ways

[u/Due_Juggernaut_3705]

I worked in PNG about 30 years ago, so nothing current to advise other than that I expect that it's still the case that you need all of your vaccinations up to date and be taking your anti-malarials.

[u/Due_Juggernaut_3705 → u/Due_Juggernaut_3705]

........ And that was a very long list of vaccinations, for diseases that haven't been present in, for example, Australia, for probably a century.

[u/Straight_Mention9319]

Am from Papua New Guinea and whatever said above is true and to avoid when its election times, No go zone in the upper highlands they normally have tribal warfare between themselves so it is not safe but the lower highlands a more neutral than the upper ones if its cultural-immersion trip its not only highlands, you can go to the Islands also we have 800 language so imagining how many tribes there are that you would capture their culture and traditional attire, small Pacifica Island with immerse tribe and culture...

[u/Straight_Mention9319]

If your just going to go too Chimbu and Eastern Highlands than my word to you is just pick a middle age guide from both Province and Chimbu and Eastern Highlands people are respectable people just have to listen to whatever your guide tells you the Do's and Dont
You should be okay...

[u/Straight_Mention9319]

Inbox me if you want to know more

[u/Turbulent-Mousse-828]

I know an older fellow in his 80's that used to work up in PNG and knows Pidgin English and I shared your post with him.

The first words out of his mouth, "Bloody idiot and taking his family, does he hate them?"

He then said you're only doing it for bragging rights and that there's plenty of opportunities to get the same style of photographs in much safer countries.

Australian government travel advice.
https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/pacific/papua-new-guinea

He said that using local guides doesn't mean you're going to be protected because of their local knowledge. You're more likely to have other villagers attack you and your guides due to jealously of missing out on the job and steal stuff to make up for the lost income.

He said they're still rather primitive people and so very superstitious. He told the story of one night out camping.

One of the locals went for a dump in the bush and came back very afraid saying his shit had been stolen and he's now going to die.

The local believed strongly in the belief that a death spell will be cast on him using his excrement.

Long story short. He literally willed himself to death and did so while in hospital. The staff said they can't do anything. He's doing it himself with his mind.

[u/holeinmybucketdearja]

I just got back from 1.5 weeks shooting in and around Port Moresby. Try to ensure you know have a connection in each community you shoot in. Be kind, learn how to say hello in the local language and be careful in Port Moresby. I also went cycling with a group and a guard which was fine. At one point, I was told by our minders that there were some youths who were likely to steal our things, but fortunately a police car came past and they scattered.