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Highlands Region
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Explore Papua New Guinea’s Highlands for mountain landscapes, ancient agriculture, coffee country and richly diverse living cultures.

Papua New Guinea’s Highlands Region is a vast interior world of steep valleys, volcanic ridges, grasslands and densely cultivated gardens. It is best understood as a group of highland provinces rather than a single compact destination, spanning the Eastern Highlands, Simbu, Jiwaka, Western Highlands, Enga, Hela and Southern Highlands. The Highlands Highway links several major centres, but distances, road conditions and weather can make journeys slow and demanding. Mount Hagen, Goroka, Kundiawa, Mendi, Wabag and Tari provide the principal urban bases, each with a different relationship to its surrounding valleys and communities.
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The landscape changes markedly across the region. Around Goroka and the Markham-facing eastern valleys, fertile slopes support coffee gardens, vegetables and small farms, while the Wahgi Valley around Mount Hagen and Jiwaka is a broad, intensively cultivated basin framed by mountains. Simbu is more rugged, with narrow valleys and dramatic uplands, including Mount Wilhelm, Papua New Guinea’s highest peak. Enga and Hela extend into colder, higher country, where traditional settlements, grasslands and forested slopes are shaped by altitude. In the south, the Tari Basin and Lake Kutubu area offer a greener, wetter setting with significant birdlife and forest habitats.
The region’s cultural identity is equally diverse. Hundreds of languages are spoken across Papua New Guinea, and customs vary between neighbouring valleys and provinces. Sing-sing gatherings, ceremonial dress, drum rhythms, exchange traditions and garden-based livelihoods are important expressions of community identity, although such occasions are meaningful social events rather than performances created solely for tourists. Visitors should travel with locally informed guides and seek permission before entering villages, photographing people or observing ceremonies.
Archaeology gives the Highlands a global importance. At Kuk in the Western Highlands, ancient drainage channels and cultivation features provide evidence of early plant management and agriculture in New Guinea. Later history includes the gradual expansion of colonial administration, mission activity and commercial coffee production, followed by the construction and improvement of roads linking the interior to coastal ports and cities. These layers remain visible in mission stations, airstrips, market towns, gardens and the region’s evolving urban centres.
The Highlands reward careful planning rather than hurried sightseeing. Walking can lead to village gardens, mountain viewpoints, forest edges and archaeological landscapes, but weather changes rapidly and infrastructure outside the main towns is limited. Coffee, sweet potato, taro, greens and locally raised pork are central to everyday food culture. The region’s appeal lies in the relationship between dramatic terrain and living communities: a journey through the Highlands is as much an encounter with geography, agriculture and cultural diversity as it is a conventional tour of attractions.

When is the best time to visit Highlands Region?

Best: June–August · 24°C
Average daytime high and rainfall by month
MonthHigh (°C)Rainfall (mm)
January24250
February24230
March24210
April24190
May24170
June (best)24150
July (best)24130
August (best)24150
September24170
October24190
November24210
December24230

Getting to and around Highlands Region

How to get there

Most international visitors enter Papua New Guinea through Jacksons International Airport in Port Moresby, which is outside the Highlands Region, then connect by domestic flight to airports serving Mount Hagen, Goroka, Wabag, Mendi or other regional centres when services are operating. Road access is principally via the Highlands Highway from the direction of Lae, also outside the region, although journeys can be lengthy and conditions variable. Tari and some more remote destinations may depend especially heavily on domestic air services and locally arranged transport. Confirm current flights and security conditions before departure.

Transportation

Travel within the Highlands is a mixture of domestic flights, private vehicles with locally experienced drivers, taxis in larger towns and public or privately operated road transport. The Highlands Highway is the main overland spine, while side roads can be rough, seasonal or affected by landslides and local disputes. Independent driving is generally unsuitable for visitors unfamiliar with local conditions. Walking is practical within towns and for guided village or mountain excursions, but remote walks require preparation, permission, a guide and contingency plans for rapidly changing weather.

Top city travel guides in Highlands Region

The cities of Highlands Region, and the easiest places to base yourself.

Destinations in Highlands Region

Resorts, valleys and scenic spots worth a trip of their own.

Best attractions in Highlands Region

The Highlands’ attractions are distributed across a large, mountainous area and combine living culture with agricultural and natural landscapes. In the Western Highlands, the Wahgi Valley offers gardens, coffee-growing communities and access to the archaeological landscape associated with Kuk. Mount Hagen provides a base for cultural events and excursions into surrounding valleys, while Goroka is known for Eastern Highlands scenery, markets and public sing-sing traditions. Simbu offers access to rugged mountain country and guided approaches towards Mount Wilhelm, where conditions demand serious preparation. Enga’s high valleys around Wabag have distinctive grassland and settlement landscapes, while Tari and the wider Hela area are associated with highland forests, birdlife and community-guided cultural experiences. In the south, Lake Kutubu and the surrounding forested country provide a contrasting environment of water, wetlands and wildlife. The most rewarding activities are usually arranged through local guides: walking between gardens and villages, visiting coffee producers, observing birds, exploring archaeological contexts and understanding highland farming. Infrastructure is limited beyond the main towns, and attractions may not operate as formal, permanently staffed visitor sites, so permission, local knowledge and flexible timing are essential.

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Best landmarks in Highlands Region

Mount Wilhelm in Simbu Province is the Highlands’ most prominent natural landmark and the highest mountain in Papua New Guinea, rising above a landscape of steep ridges, alpine vegetation and changing weather. The mountain is a serious trekking objective rather than a casual viewpoint, and routes require local guidance and preparation. The Kuk Early Agricultural Site in the Western Highlands is a landmark of global archaeological importance, preserving evidence of ancient drainage and cultivation in the Wahgi Valley. Lake Kutubu in Southern Highlands Province forms a major natural feature of the southern interior, framed by forest and associated with wetland and aquatic habitats. The broad Wahgi Valley itself is a geographical landmark, its cultivated floor contrasting with enclosing mountain walls. In Hela, the Tari Basin is notable for its highland setting, forest margins and distinctive cultural landscapes. Urban landmarks are generally more functional than monumental: markets, churches, airfields, government compounds and road junctions reveal the region’s modern development and its links with surrounding villages.

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Explore Highlands Region on the map

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Best restaurants in Highlands Region

Highland dining is closely connected to gardens, markets and household agriculture rather than a separate restaurant tradition. Sweet potato is a principal staple, accompanied by taro, greens, corn, cassava in some areas and locally raised pork prepared for family, community and ceremonial occasions. Fresh vegetables from the cool valleys are widely traded, and coffee from the Highlands is the region’s most recognisable commercial product, with locally grown beans often available through cafés, hotels or producer visits. In Mount Hagen, Goroka and other provincial centres, visitors will find a mixture of Papua New Guinean meals, Chinese-influenced cafés, bakeries, hotel dining rooms and familiar international dishes. Rural meals may be simple and arranged as part of a guided cultural visit rather than purchased from a conventional restaurant. Markets provide insight into seasonal produce, but visitors should use normal food and water precautions. Where invited to share food, follow the host’s lead, clarify payment or contribution arrangements beforehand and remember that ceremonial feasts carry social meaning beyond ordinary dining.

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Best bars in Highlands Region

Nightlife in the Highlands is modest and concentrated in hotels, licensed restaurants and a small number of town-centre venues rather than dedicated club districts. Mount Hagen and Goroka have the broadest choice of evening settings, including hotel bars, casual restaurants and occasional live entertainment, while smaller provincial centres generally become quiet earlier. In rural areas, evenings are more likely to centre on family, church or community life than commercial nightlife. Visitors should avoid walking after dark, seek local advice before going out and use transport arranged through accommodation. Alcohol is not necessary to experience highland culture, and public drunkenness can create avoidable risks. Cultural festivals and sing-sings may include music and evening social activity, but arrangements vary and should be confirmed locally rather than assumed to operate as regular nightlife events.

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Best nightclubs in Highlands Region

Nightlife in the Highlands is modest and concentrated in hotels, licensed restaurants and a small number of town-centre venues rather than dedicated club districts. Mount Hagen and Goroka have the broadest choice of evening settings, including hotel bars, casual restaurants and occasional live entertainment, while smaller provincial centres generally become quiet earlier. In rural areas, evenings are more likely to centre on family, church or community life than commercial nightlife. Visitors should avoid walking after dark, seek local advice before going out and use transport arranged through accommodation. Alcohol is not necessary to experience highland culture, and public drunkenness can create avoidable risks. Cultural festivals and sing-sings may include music and evening social activity, but arrangements vary and should be confirmed locally rather than assumed to operate as regular nightlife events.

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Best shops in Highlands Region

Shopping in the Highlands is centred on markets, small town high streets and locally produced goods rather than large retail districts. Mount Hagen and Goroka offer the greatest range of practical shops, supermarkets, craft stalls and market produce, while smaller centres have more limited but locally important trading areas. Fresh vegetables, sweet potatoes, fruit, coffee and other garden products are central to market life, although availability changes with season and transport. Visitors may find bilum bags and other woven goods, carved items, beadwork, shell ornaments and textiles, but quality, cultural meaning and provenance vary; buy respectfully and ask before photographing makers or their work. Coffee is a practical regional purchase when properly packaged for travel, and locally made crafts can provide more meaningful souvenirs than imported merchandise. Bargaining is not automatically appropriate everywhere, so establish the price politely and pay agreed amounts. Avoid purchasing sacred, archaeological or protected natural materials, and check airline and customs rules before carrying food, feathers, wood or plant products across borders.

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Highlands Region essentials

Currency and Payment
The currency is the Papua New Guinean kina, coded PGK. Larger hotels, banks and established businesses in provincial centres may accept cards, but facilities can be unreliable and connectivity is often limited outside towns. Carry clean kina notes in modest denominations for markets, local transport, guides and small purchases, while keeping cash discreetly secured. Exchange and banking options are much more limited in rural areas than in Port Moresby or the main highland towns, so plan funds before leaving an urban base.
Safety
Travel in the Highlands requires current local advice and careful arrangements. Tribal fighting, land disputes, road blockages and isolated criminal incidents can affect particular areas without affecting the whole region, so avoid travelling into unrest and do not attempt to cross a confrontation. Use reputable accommodation, locally recommended drivers and guides, and avoid walking alone after dark. Keep valuables inconspicuous, seek advice before visiting markets or settlements, and take mountain weather, slippery paths, altitude and limited medical access seriously.
Emergency Situations
Papua New Guinea’s national emergency arrangements apply throughout the Highlands, but response times and telephone coverage can be limited away from provincial centres. Police, fire and ambulance services are commonly associated with the national emergency numbers 112, 110 and 111 respectively, although visitors should confirm the current arrangements with accommodation providers or local authorities because access can vary. For serious incidents, notify the police, your accommodation and your embassy or consular service, and ensure that remote excursions have a clear evacuation plan and reliable local communications.
Do's and Don'ts
Dress modestly and practically, especially in villages, churches and community settings. Ask before taking photographs and never assume that a person, object, ceremony or landscape is available to be photographed. Accept local instructions about restricted places, gardens and customary boundaries, and do not enter a home or village area without invitation or an agreed guide. Tipping is not a universal obligation, but agreed payments for guides, drivers and cultural visits should be clear in advance. Avoid displaying wealth, discussing tribal affiliations casually or treating traditional dress as a costume.
Local Tips
Use the provincial centres as distinct bases rather than assuming that one town provides access to the entire Highlands. Goroka is a useful base for Eastern Highlands landscapes and cultural events, Mount Hagen for the Wahgi Valley and Western Highlands, and Tari for guided experiences in the Hela highlands, subject to current security and transport conditions. Coffee visits, village walks and mountain excursions are best arranged through local organisations or trusted guides. Festivals change dates and arrangements, so verify details locally rather than building an itinerary around an unconfirmed event.
Eve, your Evendo local guide

From Eve

Local phrases worth knowing

You don't need to get them perfect. A few words go a long way, and locals appreciate the effort.

6 phrase groups · English, local and pronunciation

Basics
EnglishLocalSay it
HelloYumi[Yoo-mee]
GoodbyeBai[Bye]
YesYes[Yes]
NoNo[No]
Please/You're welcomePlis[Pleez]
Thank youTenkyu[Ten-kyoo]
Excuse me/SorrySori[So-ree]
How are you?Yu orait?[Yoo or-ite?]
Fine. And you?Orait. Yu?[Or-ite. Yoo?]
Do you speak English?Yu tok Pidgin?[Yoo tok Pee-jin?]
I don't understandMi no save[Mee no sah-veh]
Eating & Drinking
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to see the menu, pleaseMi laik lukim menu, plis[Mee laik loo-keem men-yoo, pleez]
I don't eat meatMi no kaikai mit[Mee no kai-kai meet]
Cheers!Sori![So-ree!]
I would like to pay, pleaseMi laik pay, plis[Mee laik pay, pleez]
Emergencies
EnglishLocalSay it
Help!Help![Help!]
Go away!I go![Ee go!]
Call the Police!Kolim Polis![Ko-leem Po-lis!]
Call a doctor!Kolim dokta![Ko-leem dok-ta!]
I'm lostMi lus[Mee loos]
I'm illMi sik[Mee seek]
Shopping
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to buy...Mi laik buy...[Mee laik bye...]
I'm just lookingMi lukim tasol[Mee loo-keem tah-sol]
How much is it?Hamass i kamap?[Ha-mas ee kah-map?]
That's too expensiveDat i tumas expensive[Dat ee too-mas ex-pen-siv]
Can you lower the price?Yu ken daunim pris?[Yoo ken down-im pris?]
Time & Numbers
EnglishLocalSay it
What time is it?Hu long taim?[Hoo long time?]
It's one o'clockI wan klok[Ee wan klok]
Half past (10)Haf past ten[Haf past ten]
MorningMornin[Mor-ning]
AfternoonAftanun[Af-ta-noon]
EveningIvening[Ee-ven-ing]
YesterdayYestede[Yes-teh-day]
TodayTude[Too-day]
TomorrowTumoro[Too-mor-row]
1Wan[Wan]
2Tu[Too]
3Tri[Tree]
4Fo[Fo]
5Faiv[Five]
6Siks[Six]
7Sev[Seven]
8Eit[Eight]
9Nain[Nine]
10Ten[Ten]
Transport & Directions
EnglishLocalSay it
Where's a/the...?Wea em ...?[Wee-em ...?]
What's the address?Wet naim bilong?[Wet name bee-long?]
Can you show me (on the map)?Yu ken soim mi (long map)?[Yoo ken so-im mee (long map)?]
When's the next (bus)?When em next (bus)?[When em next (bus)?]
A ticket (to ....)Wan tiket (go ....)[Wan tee-ket (go ....)]

History of Highlands Region

Kuk and the beginnings of highland agriculture

The Kuk Early Agricultural Site in the Western Highlands preserves evidence of ancient drainage systems and deliberate cultivation dating back several thousand years. Its remains demonstrate that people in New Guinea were managing wetland environments and domesticating or tending useful plants independently of developments in some other parts of the world. Kuk is important not simply as an archaeological attraction but as evidence of long-term adaptation to the Highlands’ difficult terrain. The surrounding Wahgi Valley still reflects this deep agricultural inheritance through intensive gardens, drainage channels and settled village landscapes.

Ancient highland societies and exchange networks

Long before European contact, the Highlands contained numerous communities linked by marriage, ceremonial exchange, trade and sometimes warfare. Stone axes, shells, pigments, feathers, food crops and other valued goods moved across mountain passes and valleys. The exact forms of social organisation varied considerably, but exchange helped connect communities separated by formidable terrain. Sweet potato later became a particularly important staple, supporting dense populations and reshaping highland farming. Many modern customs should not be read as unchanged survivals; they are living traditions that have adapted through generations of social and economic change.

Patrols, missions and colonial administration

Australian-led patrols entered and mapped parts of the central Highlands during the early twentieth century, followed by the expansion of colonial administration, mission stations, schools and medical services. Contact was uneven and sometimes coercive, and local responses differed from valley to valley. Missions introduced Christianity and new forms of education while colonial officials sought to impose outside legal and administrative structures. Airstrips, posts and roads gradually connected previously isolated communities to coastal centres. The legacy remains visible in town layouts, churches, government stations and the continuing importance of local customary authority.

The Highlands Highway and commercial agriculture

The development of the Highlands Highway transformed movement through the interior, linking the urban centres of the Wahgi, Simbu and Eastern Highlands with the coastward road network. Its construction and subsequent upgrading enabled wider access to markets, schools and public services, although sections have long been vulnerable to landslides, flooding and maintenance problems. Coffee became a major cash crop in parts of the Highlands, particularly around the Wahgi Valley and Eastern Highlands. Smallholder gardens and market production continue alongside coffee, making agriculture central to both household livelihoods and regional identity.

The Second World War and the mountain interior

The Highlands were not the principal battlefield of Papua New Guinea’s Second World War campaigns, but the conflict altered the country’s transport, communications and political landscape. Aircraft operations, wartime roads and intensified movement through the interior helped bring remote areas into closer contact with the colonial state and the wider Pacific war. Later infrastructure often followed routes whose strategic importance had become apparent during this period. The war therefore forms part of the background to the Highlands’ modern connectivity, even though many visitors associate the most prominent battlefields with coastal and island regions elsewhere in Papua New Guinea.

Independence and provincial identities

Papua New Guinea became independent from Australia in 1975, and the Highlands entered nationhood with strong local identities, diverse languages and established political networks. Provincial administration has changed over time, including the creation of Jiwaka and Hela from areas formerly administered within larger provinces. These changes reflect efforts to bring government closer to local populations, but they also influence how travellers understand geography and services. Mount Hagen, Goroka, Mendi, Wabag, Tari and Kundiawa each function as regional centres, while customary landholding continues to shape access, development and local decision-making.

Contemporary Highlands: agriculture, culture and change

Today the Highlands combine subsistence and commercial farming, expanding towns, church communities, government services and strong customary affiliations. Coffee remains important, while sweet potato, vegetables, pork and other products circulate through markets and family networks. Cultural festivals and sing-sings provide public expressions of regional identity, but communities also face pressures linked to land disputes, population growth, infrastructure limitations and climate variability. Tourism is consequently most rewarding when it supports local guides and communities, recognises security realities and approaches cultural encounters as relationships governed by permission and respect.

Highlands Region in Photos

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Evendo: Your Ultimate Travel Guide to Highlands Region, Papua New Guinea

Discover the beauty of Highlands Region with Evendo - a 100% free app-based travel guide covering attractions, landmarks, restaurants, and more.

  • Detailed information on attractions, landmarks, shops, bars, nightclubs, restaurants, hotels, tours, experiences, and activities
  • Rich content including images, descriptions, local tips, maps, and contact details
  • Easy booking for hotels, tours, tickets, and experiences
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Experience the Highlands Region like never before with Evendo. Your ultimate guide to attractions, landmarks, restaurants, and more, all in one free app.

  • History and travel essentials of Highlands Region
  • Local advice to maximize your visit
  • 'Near Me' feature to find nearby attractions
  • Curated local tips for an authentic experience
  • 100% free with no in-app purchases

Welcome to the Highlands Region of Papua New Guinea, a land of majestic landscapes, rich culture, and unforgettable experiences. With Evendo, you'll have a comprehensive travel guide right at your fingertips. This 100% free app offers detailed information on all the best attractions, landmarks, shops, bars, nightclubs, restaurants, hotels, tours, experiences, and activities. Whether you're exploring the vibrant Hagen Market, marveling at the stunning Rondon Ridge, or dining at the renowned Highlander Hotel, Evendo ensures you won't miss a thing.

Planning your trip has never been easier. Each location in the app comes with rich information, including images, descriptions, local tips, maps, and contact details, making it effortless for you to organize your itinerary. Want to book a hotel or a tour? Evendo has you covered. You can easily book hotels, tours, tickets, and experiences directly through the app, so you can focus on enjoying your trip.

The app also features a detailed history of the Highlands Region, travel essentials, and tons of local advice to help you get the most out of your visit. The 'Near Me' feature allows you to see what's around you, no matter where you are, and curated local tips help you experience the region like a local. From the cultural festivals in Goroka to the serene beauty of Lake Kutubu, Evendo is your ultimate travel companion.

Download Evendo today and unlock the wonders of the Highlands Region. It's free, easy to use, and covers over 7,000 other destinations worldwide. With Evendo, the world is literally in your pocket.

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