The Sepik River: spirit houses and carving villages

Why visit the Sepik

The Sepik is the heartland of some of the finest traditional art in the Pacific. Each village along the river has its own style of masks, hooks, stools and figures, and many pieces in the world's great museums came from here. Visiting means travelling by motor canoe, sleeping in simple village guesthouses and spending time in communities where the river is the road.

The middle Sepik

Most trips focus on the **middle Sepik**, between Ambunti and Angoram. **Kanganaman** has one of the oldest and largest haus tambaran, or spirit houses. **Palembei**, **Yentchen**, **Korogo** and **Kaminabit** are known for carving and ceremonial houses. Side trips to the **Chambri Lakes** reach villages famous for pottery and fine carving.

Crocodile culture

Many Sepik peoples believe they descend from crocodiles. Young men in some villages undergo initiation with skin cuts that heal into raised scars like crocodile scales. The **Sepik River Crocodile Festival** in Ambunti, usually in August, celebrates this with dances, canoe races and carving. Confirm dates locally before you plan around it.

Getting there and around

Fly from Port Moresby to Wewak, then drive to Pagwi or Angoram on the river. From there you travel by motor canoe with a local guide or a tour operator, who arranges fuel, guesthouses and village visits. Some upscale trips run a few days on a river vessel. Fuel and boats are the major costs, so group travel helps.

What to expect

Accommodation is basic, often a village house with a mattress and a mosquito net. Bring a net of your own, insect repellent, antimalarials, a water filter, a head torch and cash, as there are no banks or ATMs along the river. Mosquitoes are intense, especially at dusk. Ask before photographing people or entering a spirit house, as some are closed to women or to outsiders at certain times.

Buying art

Carvings are made to sell, and buying directly supports the villages. Larger items can be bulky to carry, and wooden pieces must pass biosecurity checks at home, so ask how to treat and declare them, and keep the item clean of soil and insects.

Safety

The river villages are generally welcoming, but Wewak and the road to the river have some crime. Travel with a guide known to the communities, avoid travel after dark and check government advice for East Sepik before you go. Use the free trip planner to allow enough days, and our places to visit list for ideas.

A suggested week

Fly to Wewak, overnight in town, then drive to Pagwi the next morning. Spend two or three days travelling downstream through the middle Sepik villages such as Yentchen, Palembei and Kanganaman. Take a side trip to the Chambri Lakes, then continue to Angoram before returning to Wewak by road. Allow a spare day for delays from weather, fuel or boat problems.

What to pack

A lightweight mosquito net, strong repellent, long sleeves, a sun hat, a dry bag, a head torch, a water filter and a basic first aid kit. Bring enough cash for the whole trip in small notes, plus snacks, as food in villages is simple and mostly sago and fish. A power bank or small solar charger helps, as electricity is limited.