Wilhelm and Giluwe

Overview

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Mountains of Papua New Guinea: trekking and climbing in the South Pacific

Introduction

"Thank you and your team at Jagged Globe and our gracious and friendly hosts in PNG. A superb job!" SM, 2025
"One of the best trips I have done, very well organised and fun." RB.

Mt Wilhelm (4,509m) is the highest peak in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Giluwe (4,368m) is the highest volcano in Oceania. This exciting trip features ascents of both summits, plus an acclimatisation ascent of Mt Hagen (3,834m). Adventure tourism in PNG is in its infancy; few foreigners visit and some of the facilities are basic. This large and diverse country has huge potential and several niche operators are beginning to offer diving, surfing, birdwatching and mountain trekking activities. You will stay in simple tourist lodges run by local people who are keen to open PNG's unique environment to outsiders. Village people are knowledgeable about the mountain trails and are eager to work as guides and porters for foreign visitors. They speak English, so you get an amazing insight into their lives and customs. This trip offers lots of interest and variety in a country well beyond the normal tourist destinations.

Join us on Wilhelm and Giluwe

• Read Robert Anderson's article from the 2025 trip here
• A unique trip and one of the most adventurous in our programme. Jagged Globe has organised five previous expeditions and our planning is based on this invaluable experience
• Climb the highest volcano in Oceania and the highest mountain in Papua New Guinea
• Cultural highlights include meeting the Mudmen of Papua New Guinea's Asaro tribe and the Huli Wigmen from the Hela province
• Teams are led by a Jagged Globe leader, supported by local guides and porters. You will stay in locally-owned accommodation and use the services of some of PNG's pioneering tourism businesses

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Experience Required

To join our trek you need to be a fit and active mountain walker and scrambler, with previous remote travel experience. Wilhelm involves a significant amount of scrambling with lots of exposure.

Additional Information

If you wish to discuss any aspect of the trek or your suitability for it, please phone +44 (0)114 276 3322 or contact us.

Dates & Prices

Date	With Flight	or Meeting in	Availability
Sun 7 Jun – Wed 24 Jun 2026	UK	Singapore	Available Book now »
	£6,695	£5,895
Sat 5 Jun – Tue 22 Jun 2027	UK	Singapore	Available Book now »
	£6,795	£5,995

This trek is available to book in GBP, USD and EUR.
Click to Change currency for prices on this site.

Group size: 5 – 12 people.

For comparison, this trek starts from £328 (GBP) per day (price Without Flights).

With Flight pricing

Our 'With Flight' price includes an Economy class return airfare from the UK. The cost is based on a group fare that we have already reserved, or individual seats that we have budgeted for. Note that in some circumstances, the earlier you book, the less expensive the airfare and the 'With Flight' price.

Know Before You Go

Jagged Globe supports the British Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) 'Know Before You Go' campaign. We recommend that you read the FCDO Travel Advice for Papua New Guinea and Indonesia on the FCDO website.

What the price includes

• International flights to/from Singapore (unless joining 'Land Only').
• 2 x hotel nights in Singapore on a twin-sharing, bed and breakfast basis.
• Flight from Singapore to Mt Hagen and return.
• Airport transfers in PNG.
• Baggage allowance of 17Kg on internal flights.
• All hotel accommodation in PNG as listed in the itinerary (on a twin sharing, bed and breakfast basis).
• All meals (except lunch and dinner in Singapore).
• All camping facilities and breakfast/lunch/dinner on trek.
• Any track access fees or hut use fees required.
• All costs for leaders and local guides.
• Porter costs for group equipment and 1 personal porter per 2 team members (carrying up to 20 Kilos maximum: approx 10kg per team member).
• Jagged Globe kitbag or lightweight fleece.

What the price does not include

• Visa fees.
• Overseas airports taxes not paid in advance through the international airline ticket.
• Additional hotel/meals in Port Moresby or Mt Hagen if delayed there.
• Lunch and Dinner in Singapore
• Any costs incurred as a result of delays or of finishing the expedition early.
• Evacuation or unplanned departure from the mountain costs due to illness or other problems.
• Additional personal porters.
• Excess baggage charges.
• Bar bills and laundry.
• Cancellation and medical insurance.
• Optional trips.
• Tips.

We can organise this trek on a ‘tailor-made’ private basis for groups of friends, families, clubs, charities or any other group. Depending on your trekking experience, you may want a Jagged Globe leader or go ‘self-led’ with the assistance of local guides. The cost of going private can be surprisingly reasonable, particularly if you take the self-led option. Please contact us to discuss the itinerary and your preferred dates. We will then send you a quote, with no obligation.

Insurance

You will need a travel insurance policy that caters for the activities you will undertake on your trip with Jagged Globe. It is a requirement of our booking conditions that you have such a policy. For a list of insurers who specialise in mountaineering, trekking and skiing, please see our Travel Insurance page »

Itinerary

Here is an outline itinerary for this trip. A more detailed day-to-day itinerary is available as a downloadable PDF »

Outline Itinerary

Day 1 - 2:	Fly London to Singapore Those joining on a 'land only' basis should arrange their international flight to arrive today. Overnight hotel.
Day 3:	Fly Singapore to Papua New Guinea Flights from Singapore to PNG will be arranged by Jagged Globe.
Day 4:	1 hour drive to lodge Arrive in Mount Hagen in the Western Highlands province. One hour drive to a lodge, the team's base for the next few days.
Day 5:	Rest Day with short acclimatisation hike Recover from travel and take a short hike on local paths linking fields and villages to get used to the altitude and temperatures. Overnight lodge.
Day 6:	Acclimatisation climb on Mt Hagen (3,834m) Hike from the lodge through cultivated fields and gardens, then through the woods for a few hours until you exit into open grassland at 3,300m. A broad ridge line is followed to a subsidiary summit. A lengthy additional ridge hike to the true summit at 3,834m. 8-12hrs round trip. Overnight lodge.
Day 7:	Rest day Visit nearby villages to see examples of traditional crafts and costumes. You may also see a display of song and dance. Overnight lodge.
Day 8:	Trek to Giluwe Base Camp (3,720m) 2-hour drive to roadhead where you'll meet our porters and begin the hike to Base Camp. Depending on the road and trail conditions there are two options. The preferred, shorter option takes 6 hours, the longer though more scenic option takes 9-11 hours. Overnight camping.
Day 9:	Summit day on Giluwe (4,368m) The first part of the climb follows an easy trail on moderately angled slopes of grassy tussocks and heather. The second part is steeper with a few short rocky steps between the tussocks. The rocky summit is reached 3-4hrs after leaving camp and you should get fine views of far mountain ranges rising above the early morning clouds. Overnight camping.
Day 10:	Descend / Rest Overnight lodge.
Day 11:	Drive to Kegsugl Drive towards Mt Hagen then turn eastwards onto the Highlands Highway. The route leaves Western Highlands province and enters Simbu province. This agriculturally rich region is among the most heavily populated in PNG and small farms line the route. Driving 5-6hrs to reach Kegsugl. Overnight lodge.
Day 12:	Trek to Mount Wilhelm Base Camp (3,575m) It's an easy 5.75km (3-4hr) hike from Kegsugl to the ANU hut, located by Pindaunde Lake. The first section follows a well maintained path through forest to 3,200m. The second section is through more open grassland with fewer trees. Overnight in basic mountain hut.
Day 13:	Summit day on Mount Wilhelm (4,509m) 1,000m of ascent over 6km should take 5-6hrs. The trail contours around the first lake before climbing 100m to the level of the second lake. It then bears SW up a grass slope to a height of 4,000m. Then a long, gently rising traverse begins passing below numerous false summits before gaining the ridge at 4,450m a short distance from the true summit. Descent by the same route via the ANU hut to Kegsugl. Total time 10-14hrs. Overnight lodge.
Day 14:	Spare day An alternative summit day or rest day. Overnight lodge or ANU hut.
Day 15:	Drive to Mt Hagen A return journey along the highlands highway. Overnight hotel.
Day 16:	Fly Mt Hagen to Singapore Overnight hotel.
Day 17:	Depart Singapore Team members arranging their own homebound flight should depart Singapore no earlier than the evening of Day 17.
Day 18:	Arrive home

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• Summit of Giluwe 2018

Reports & Reviews

First Trek: August 2016
Total: 5 trips

Have you been on this trip? If you'd like to contribute a trip report then we'll post it up on the site.

Team Member Reviews

• “

  One of the best trips I have done, very well organised and fun. It was more organised and ran smoother than some of the trips I have done in more developed countries which was surprising.

  ” Wilhelm and Giluwe 2018, RB
• “It was an amazing experience to climb mountains in a remote place as PNG and experience the culture and the people - a place I never thought I would visit.” TI, Wilhelm and Giluwe, Aug '16

Leader Reports

• Wilhelm and Giluwe Trip Report 2023
  “We went looking for adventure in Papua New Guinea and we found it! The fun started in Singapore when our overnight flight to Port Moresby was delayed, meaning we got a comfy hotel bed downtown. Unfortunately, this resulted in...”
  report added 29/Jun/23
• Wilhelm and Giluwe 2019
  “Machetes, axes, fishing poles. Only if you can embrace the unexpected is Papua New Guinea remotely for you. This September Jagged Globe sent out what might be considered an exploratory mission. Not the usual mountain trip of...”
  report added 25/Oct/19
• Mt Wilhelm and Giluwe 2018
  “This trip undoubtedly offers the most diverse range of experiences in the Jagged Globe programme, in a country that few outsiders have heard of and even fewer could place on a map. The fact that most of us arrived in Papua New...”
  report added 17/Sep/18
• Mt Wilhelm and Giluwe 2016
  “Members of the first Jagged Globe expedition to the South Pacific island of PNG are travelling home after successfully climbing the country's highest peaks. On 1 September eight of the ten climbers reached the 4,368m summit of...”
  report added 08/Sep/16
• Mount Wilhelm (4,509m) and Giluwe (4,368m)
  “Mount Wilhelm (4,509m) and Giluwe (4,368m) - Reconnaissance trip report At the end of the Jagged Globe Carstensz Pyramid expedition (report here) the team members flew home to the UK and I chose to spend a few extra weeks in the...”
  report added 24/Sep/15