Trek in Irian Jaya (now Papua) - May 1994
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I
started this one-month trek from Wamena in the Baliem Valley located in Central Irian Jaya (now called
Papua). The trek took me to Anguruk and other
villages near Anguruk. From Anguruk
I then went north to Landikwa and Pass Valley, from
where I returned to the Baliem Valley (see map sketch
below). I had hired 4 porters in Wamena, but even
with their help the trek was quite strenuous (difficult terrain, dense
vegetation, frequent rains, steep changes of elevation). Unfortunately, I took
a limited number of photos and I did not keep precise track of where I took
most of them. Due to lack of prior information, I had not prepared this trek
well enough. In retrospect, I think I should have used this first experience to
return to Papua and do a longer, better prepared expedition. Perhaps I will do
it in the future, but things have probably changed a lot since 1994.
Map
of Papua, with trekking area framed in red.
Map
sketch of trekking area, with approximate itinerary in red dots.
Me with Dani people near
Anguruk.
Landscapes traversed
during the trek.
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Highland scenery (Papua
has many mountains above 3000m).
Muddy trails.
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Left: climbing a cliff,
Papua style. Right: view of the ″ladder″ from the top.
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Bridges. No rope, no nail, no
metal. Only
tree branches and lianas (a lot of them).
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Two of my camps, one in
the forest (first photo) and the other in a village with people watching
(second photo).
Small villages.
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People encountered
during the trek. I generally found them extremely friendly.
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Market day in Anguruk.
People watching a small
plane ready to take off in the airfield of Anguruk.
