Arrive at Tokua Airport, Kokopo, New Britain, the capital of East New Britain Province and transfer to your hotel for the first night. Meet your fellow travellers and the expedition team over dinner this evening.

Join the expedition team as you explore Rabaul, which is surrounded by six beautiful cone-shaped volcanoes. Visit parts of old Rabaul which were covered by ash from the eruption of Mt Tavurvur in 1994. Explore local markets and travel along roads built by Singaporean and Burmese prisoners of war under the direction of the Japanese during WWII and tour sites including a Japanese submarine base and barge tunnels. Board the Spirit of Enderby in the afternoon and settle into your cabin. Join the captain and your expedition team on the bridge as you set sail.

You are sure to see some amazing creatures and wildlife as you sail through the rich nutrients upwelling from the New Britain Trench, which lies just off the south-east coast of New Britain. Experience your first sing-sing (welcome) Papua New Guinea style and explore the war wrecks still in the region.

Positioned in the Solomon Sea and historically known as the ‘Islands of Love’, the Trobriands offer a glimpse of traditional culture largely unspoiled by outside influence. Meet the Trobriand islanders of Kitava and view energetic, time-honored dances that celebrate fishing and the seasonal yam harvest. Learn about the history of the ‘Kula Ring’, a circular pattern of ceremonial trade relationships that binds the islands of Milne Bay and eastern Papua New Guinea together in a long-established network of friendship. These islanders are also renowned for the exquisite quality of their ebony wood-carvings, often decorated with mother-of-pearl shell inlays. Take to the water around Narutu Island and snorkel among kaleidoscopic coral reefs populated by parrotfish, neon damsels, and other brilliantly-hued species. Those who prefer viewing birds and plant-life can join the expedition team on a walk around the island in search of flying foxes (fruit bats), sulphur-crested cockatoos, and helmeted friarbirds.

The Louisiade Archipelago, which stretches some 400km along the northern rim of the Coral Sea, is one of the great island arcs of the South Pacific. Rarely visited by outsiders, this area is a wonderland of literally hundreds of islands, lagoons, and extensive barrier reefs and home to the seafaring Dobu people. Snorkel around the old Japanese base and discover a ‘Zero’ fighter plane in shallow waters.

The largest island in the archipelago is Tagula Island, which endured a gold rush that peaked in 1889 and is dominated by 806m Mt Riu (Mt Rattlesnake). Go ashore here to investigate the tropical moist broadleaf forest. Endemic birds you can hope to see are the Tagula honeyeater, white-chinned myzomelo, Tagula butcherbird, and white-throated white-eye. While exploring also keep a look-out for the five endemic frogs and two endemic lizard species.

Awake this morning in the D’Entrecasteaux Islands and have two full days to explore this unique island group, from the highs of Mt Lamanai to the protected harbor at Sewa Bay. One highlight is the geothermal area with hot springs and bubbling mud pools surrounded by lush vegetation. Visit the small village with less than 1,000 inhabitants on Dobu Island.

Today discover the scenic beauty of the rarely visited Tufi Fjords. Featuring 25 individual canyons with sheer basalt cliffs, these are the only fjords in Papua New Guinea. Take in the spectacular views as you cruise close to the towering cliffs before boarding the Zodiacs which take you ashore for a closer look and to meet the locals. Due to the protection of the fjords, the coral reefs are very rich in color and variety and the waters offer remarkable visibility. Find a suitable spot to snorkel amongst the gobie, Mandarin fish, pygmy seahorses, and sponge and shelf corals. Later take a walk in the surrounding rainforest to look for the world’s largest butterfly, the Queen Alexandra bird wing.

Travel ashore to the picturesque village of Lababia, gateway to one of the most important conservation areas in Papua New Guinea – the Kamiali Wildlife Management Area. Local guides accompany you as you explore the area and walk the David Suzuki Trail through the prehistoric rainforest. Hope to attract a wide array of native birdlife including hornbills, palm cockatoos, parrots, and the iconic Raggiana bird-of-paradise.

This morning view the White Limestone Cliff as you take the Zodiacs up the Pulie River towards the small local villages. In the afternoon explore a WWII battleground where between 15 December 1943 and 24 February 1944 over 400 soldiers lost their lives during the conflict between the Japanese and the Allied forces in and around this maze of small islands.

The Siassi Islands lie in the Vitiaz Straits, between the Huon Peninsula on the island of New Guinea and the western end of the island of New Britain. Plan to visit Tuam and Umboi, which offer a mix of both mainland and Bismarck Archipelago cultures. Watch the locals perform their traditional welcome dances and savor the warm village hospitality before joining your expedition team for a nature walk and some snorkelling at Umboi Island.

Madang sits on a peninsula within one of the South Pacific’s most beautiful harbors. With a backdrop of steep mountains and lush tropical vegetation, the harbor shelters a number of picturesque islands. Madang’s thriving community is renowned for its traditional artists, world class diving opportunities, and the richness of its surrounding forests. This morning take a tour to explore the amazing diversity of wildlife in the surrounding area, before returning to Madang to visit the markets. Upon disembarkation your expedition concludes with a complimentary transfer to your hotel or the airport.