Baliem Valley Trekking

Baliem Valley trekking offers an unforgettable journey through Papua’s stunning highlands, where adventurers can experience rugged landscapes and immerse themselves in the rich traditions of the Dani people. This trek provides a rare glimpse into untouched nature and a culture that has thrived for centuries in harmony with its surroundings.

Traveling to Papua is rough, but highly rewarding. Still an off-the-beaten-path destination, Papua doesn’t see many visitors. Trekking the Baliem Valley is even more challenging, with barely 700 people hiking the mountains per year. If you are looking on how to Prepare your trek, see below our Guide to Baliem Valley Trekking.

Provided That

Your Papua adventure trek route goes from villages to villages, and not through the jungle at any point
To tour Papua, you need to be in super good shape physically.
Your bag is not too heavy, due to the constant up and down and unmaintained trails
You speak Bahasa or are ready to spend a long time translating all communications via Google Translate!
If you are planning on taking a path outside the villages, then you need a porter to at least show you the way, and help you cook the food, and create an emergency shelter if need be.

Wamena

The most significant city in the Papuan Highlands, Wamena is the central hub for all activities and the departing point for all treks to the Papua trekking Baliem Valley. Given the remote location and the terrain around Wamena, there is no road access. Flying is your only option. More information about Wamena coming shortly.

Flights from Jakarta to Wamena

From Jakarta, Indonesia we flew to Jayapura, which took about 7hrs 45mins. Next, we flew 35mins to Wamena

Airlines

Airlines that fly between Jayapura and Wamena. Wings Air by Lion Air and Trigana Air both offer flights online.

Luggage

Small planes cannot offer a generous baggage allowance. Passengers can check up to 10 kg/22 lbs and carry-on one piece of luggage weighing up to 7 kgs/15 lbs. Some exceptions were made for our scuba diving and sports gear at the discretion of the airline. You can also pay for overweight luggage. I believe this was a dollar or so per kg when we went but it is always best to check with the airline for the most up to date information.