Tauck’s New Guinea: Voyage Of Discovery

Be among the very first to travel by expeditionary cruise ship to the remote and exotic destination of Papua New Guinea. Tauck World Discovery’s new-for-2007 cruise-tour New Guinea: Voyage of Discovery expeditionary cruise will show you the pristine, scenic splendor of this isolated land that very few outsiders have seen. Visit tribal villages where time has stood still, and be mesmerized as villagers share the traditional songs and dances that define their unique cultures. Discover the impact of World War II on the area during your New Guinea travel experience, and view relics of the great battles waged there. Explore New Guinea’s ecology as you walk through its rainforests and snorkel in its crystal-clear waters. Indulge your love of lifelong learning from aboard the beautiful Orion, built in 2003 specifically for exceptional expeditionary cruising in this fascinating area of the world. Your New Guinea travel adventure will be a most memorable one!

Day 1: Arrive Cairns
Your transfer from the airport to the Sheraton Mirage Port Douglas Resort is included in the tour. Please join us to meet the expedition team and your fellow explorers at our welcome reception and dinner this evening.
Meals: Dinner
Lodging: Sheraton Mirage Port Douglas Resort, Port Douglas, Australia

Day 2: Discover the Great Barrier Reef
An amazing adventure awaits you today as you board a Quicksilver vessel bound for the Great Barrier Reef. As you sail out to the reef, a marine biologist will prepare you for the living kaleidoscope of marine life that you will see later while snorkeling. Your personal encounter with this living treasure trove will be an Australian highlight of this New Guinea travel adventure.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch
Lodging: Sheraton Mirage Port Douglas Resort, Port Douglas, Australia

• Day 3: Papua New Guinea bound
After breakfast, take a short flight to Rabaul in New Guinea’s New Britain Province, a tropical port town known for its spectacular setting. After getting settled on your expeditionary cruise ship, Orion, enjoy an exciting performance by the famous local Fire Dancers – a unique event made possible by special arrangement by Tauck – that is sure to be a cherished memory of your New Guinea travel adventure.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard Orion

• Day 4: WWII relics of Rabaul or towering Tavurvur
Although Rabaul’s lovely location creates a feeling of peace and tranquility, its history has been anything but. In its midst lies towering Tavurvur, an active volcano whose 1994 eruption caused the abandonment of the old town and the construction of a new Rabaul. The Japanese occupation during World War II also had great impact on the area. Today, you can choose to explore the site of old Rabaul, continuing on to see the remains of World War II bombers, bunkers, tunnels and barges. Or, paddle with Matupit villagers in their outrigger canoes before joining a local legend for a climb up the side of the volcano.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard Orion

• Day 5: Ocean breezes
A day at sea enjoying the ocean breezes and the passing seascape unfolds before you today. Explore Orion, purpose-built in 2003 to offer an exceptional cruise experience in these waters, and discover why it represents “the latest in the quest to build the ideal expeditionary cruise ship.� Get to know the members of the expedition team and your New Guinea travel companions better as you savor the many splendors of a day spent at sea.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard Orion

• Day 6: An exclusive look at life along the Sepik River
Along the banks of Papua New Guinea’s longest river, life goes on much as it always has. A visit to the residents of isolated Watam village, never visited by a ship prior to 2006, is a Tauck Exclusive! You’ll be intrigued by their traditional lifestyle and charmed as they share their special “dragon dance,� and other dances handed down to them by their ancestors, with you. Visit the village school and see how sago, a staple of the local diet, is made.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard Orion

• Day 7: The varied faces of Madang
A highlight of any New Guinea travel adventure, you’ll want to be on deck with your camera this morning as Orion passes through the spectacular Dallman Passage into Madang Harbour, the final resting place of the U.S minesweeper, the USS Boston, sunk in World War II and still intact today. Visit the pretty village of Madang and explore its Town Markets, with their colorful array of fresh fruits and handmade local crafts and artifacts. Houses in the village are constructed with traditional building materials and often without the use of nails. Listen in wonder as the welcoming Bilbil people share the beloved sing-sing tradition that is so much a part of their cultural and social fabric. Stop to explore the Haus Tumbuna, a local cultural center and museum displaying the large, ocean-going canoes once used for trading between islands.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard Orion

• Day 8: Reflection and relaxation
Use a full day at sea to relax and reflect upon what you’ve seen and seen and experienced since beginning your New Guinea travel. You’ll know that Papua New Guinea has begun to weave its magic as you think of all that you’ve learned from what you’ve seen and done thus far in this exotic and remote part of the world. And, more marvels await you in the days ahead.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard Orion

• Day 9: Cape Nelson, a splendid secret world
Cape Nelson’s magnificent coast, with its 30 fjords, is a place unknown to most of the world and seldom visited by outsiders. Today is one of active exploration in this beautiful place. Cruise into spectacular Kwapurina Fjord to Smith Island to meet a local guide. Board traditional outrigger canoes to be paddled further into the fjord while observing local people engaged in the hunting and gathering lifestyle of their ancestors along the shore. Disembark for a walk through the rainforest to view a demonstration of traditional canoe-making techniques. Returning to Smith Island, you’ll be warmly welcome by villagers who will perform dances unique to this area of Papua New Guinea. During a walk to take in the spectacular views from Suicide Point, look for the world’s largest butterfly, the “Queen Alexander,� which can only be seen on a New Guinea travel experience.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard Orion

• Day 10: Yams and tapioca
In the remote Trobriand Islands, yams reign supreme as both a dietary staple and a revered part of culture and traditions here. On Kitava Island, take the opportunity to visit a village in search of the famous Trobriand Yam houses, in which the yam crop is proudly displayed and carefully stored after the harvest. A special treat during New Guinea travel is the performance by locals of dances unique to the Trobriand Islands, to include the Tapioca Dance. Local handcrafts include the lovely Bagi shell necklaces; return to Orion and continue cruising.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard Orion

• Day 11: Right out of a tropical fantasy
Why the Deboyne Lagoon in the Louisiade Archipelago has been termed “a little bit of paradise� will be clear the moment you see it. With its remote location, crystalline water and beautiful beaches framed by coconut palms, there are few more delightful places on earth. Using Orion’s fleet of Zodiacs, go in search of the best locations for swimming, snorkeling and sunning. Perhaps you’ll locate one of six Japanese Zeros believed to have crashed in the lagoon during the Battle of the Coral Sea in World War II, which now rest in relatively shallow water within snorkeling distance of a beautiful beach. If the weather cooperates, there may be an opportunity to use Orion’s sea kayaks today as well. Your day spent in this tropical paradise will be a treasured memory of your New Guinea travel.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard Orion

• Day 12: World War II and village life
As your New Guinea travel experience draws to a close, Orion docks at Alotau in Milne Bay today for further exploration of local traditions and customs, as well as memories of World War II. The Battle of Milne Bay was the first time Allied troops had defeated the Japanese land forces. During a half-day tour of the area, visit the Turnbull War Memorial located at the notorious Airstrip 3 and the beaches of Ahioma, where the wrecks of wartime barges still languish.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard Orion

• Day 13: At sea once more
Share your impressions and newfound perceptions learned on this New Guinea travel cruise with your fellow explorers during another glorious day at sea. Today might be a good day to share a cocktail with new friends in Leda Lounge, visit the beauty salon, sample the services of the Vegas Health Spa or work out in the gymnasium. The choice is yours.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard Orion

Day 14: Australia’s aboriginal peoples
Bid Orion farewell and disembark in Cairns. Discover a fascinating culture that has been in the making for 40,000 years at the Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park. Through the use of a variety of creative venues and experiences, the story of the Tjapukai and Australia’s other Aboriginal peoples, from the ages before time until the present, unfolds in soul-stirring and most memorable ways. Join the expedition team and those who have shared this extraordinary expedition with you at our farewell reception and dinner this evening.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Hilton Cairns, Australia

Day 15: Depart Cairns
We wish you a safe and pleasant homeward journey.
Meals: Breakfast

New Guinea travel is unlike any other – seize the opportunity to be a true pioneer in the world of expeditionary cruising on our first-ever New Guinea: Land of Discovery journey. With only two departures in 2007, space will sell out quickly!