Together with a small group of friends, I joined Sam and his team for a couple of days in September 2016 to get to know the Sepik region. Our trip was a great experience. After flowing down the Sepik in motorized canoes, we turned into one of the river’s sidearms. This beautiful ride brought us to solitary villages by the »Blackwater Lakes.« The people living there provided us with housing and so much more than just that. They gave us the opportunity to get to know their crocodile clan culture as well as their day-to-day life: Men gathering on benches and chewing betel nut. Children in canoes paddling to school. Women fishing with hand lines. Water boiling in pots on a clay fireplace. Sam never tired of translating between us tourists and the locals. Sadly, the hunger for mineral resources won’t even stop before the Sepik river. The planned copper mining will permanently change life and the Sepik region. Much of it’s animal world and plant life will be affected. That’s why we’re especially grateful for Sam’s guidance and expertise. Without him we couldn’t have explored Papua New Guinea’s most unique, diverse and untouched region. Sam made sure our journey remains unforgettable.

My wife and I enjoyed the wonderful trip along the mighty Sepik River. It has been one of the best trips we have done so far. With our tour guide Sam and his crew, we travelled in a motorised dugout canoe from village to village, admiring the lush vegetation along the river and catching glimpses of the rich wildlife. The Sepik flows in meanders through the rainforest, neither regulated by dams nor polluted with industrial sewage. It is truly beautiful. We learned a lot about life and traditions of the local villagers during our four day journey. The village people were very welcoming. We slept under the same roof as the villagers, we visited the men’s houses (their spiritual centres), experienced traditional dances and music, and observed how sago and dugout canoes are produced. Sam took care of our every need. He was very knowledgable and warmhearted. To anyone wishing to travel to remote und untouched places, I highly recommend booking a trip with Sam.