So, what has been described up to this point is a 6-day
trip. There are however, many variations of this area that could result in any
length of hike you want. Here are some ideas:
Day hike – honestly, I wouldn’t recommend a day hike
out to this area. By the time you arranged transport to Sogokmo Trailhead (and
back at the end of the day), and then got on the trail, you wouldn’t really
make it very far before you would have to turn around and come back. Just
sayin’. Although, you could probably get to Ugem and back to Wamena in a day,
if you really only have one day. Nice views from Ugem!
Overnighter (i.e. 2-day hike) – a good overnighter
would be to hike to Hitugi, stay overnight, then simply come back the same way.
i.e., get a drive to Sogokmo Trailhead, hike to Hitugi, then return same way.
You would get a good taste of what the Baliem valley looks like, and Hitugi is
a nice village, with places to stay (find the nice house with blue trim beside
the church!).
4-day trip – a great hike would be straight out to
Yogosen, via Hitugi and Yuarima. You will see the breadth of the Baliem and
Mugi, and get up high. Night 1 = Hitugi, Night 2 = Yogosen. Coming back you
could retrace your steps, or, if looking for a bit of adventure, come back via
Seikama, cross the Mugi on the traditional footbridge after Seseg, and go back
via Ugem (i.e., Night 3).
7+ days – an alternative, if you have tons of time,
is to do the route we did, but spend more than one night in locations. Yogosen
would be a good place to spend 2 nights, with potential day-hiking options for
your “day off”. Also, Wesagalep, Tangma, or Ibiroma would make nice rest days
to extend the trip. You might want a day off in Wesagalep J
Hot tip:
·
Unless you are only going to Hitugi and back, I
recommend carrying extra food, and giving yourself an optional buffer day in
case you need to spend an extra night out in the villages. It’s the kind of
place where a lot of things can happen, like taking the wrong trail, washouts,
weather, and so on, can mess up even the best-laid plan. There is no way out,
other than walking, so there is no emergency extraction options to get back for
your 10 am flight J.
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