Papua is the easternmost island of Indonesia that shares a border with Papua New Guinea in the east and Australia in the south (separated by Arafura Sea). This island will never disappoint you when it comes to the talk of natural resources and cultural heritage. As an act to keep the resources in a good hand, Lorentz National Park was established in 1997. Curious about what kind of place is this national park? Keep reading.
Lorentz National Park as One of the UNESCO-acclaimed World Heritage Cites
View this post on Instagram
Situated just at the heart of Papua Island, this national park is considered as the vastest protected national park in the region. The national park takes around 2.35 million hectares; and it is no wonder that the vast area covers so many diversities—even the contrasting ones.
Rich faunal diversity
It’s nothing surprising to know that this island is kind of secluded than the rest; but being a remote spot to visit has brought the spot some benefits.
Situated in the equatorial area, Lorentz National Park has an outstanding ‘collection’ of ecosystems. If you are a nature-lover, a visit to this national park won’t bore you even a bit. Home of more than 600 bird species and 120+ species of mammals, you can see 70% of Papuan bird species in the park.
Another cool fact of Lorentz National Park is that some animals which are known to be only in Australia also exist here. To mention some, there are pig nose turtles and tree kangaroos. The famous birds of paradise—mini in appearance yet so lovely in colors, are also the inhabitant of the park.
Read More : Museum of Ice Cream Singapore, as the First Instagram-Friendly Ice Cream Museum in Asia
Diverse geological features
Given that the Lorentz National Park is located around the equatorial area, it isn’t weird to have the floral diversities are somehow related to tropical forest.
But do you know that the Lorentz national park is also the home for the highest summit in the Southeast Asia, extensive low-altitude wetlands, and tropical marine area? With such diverse geological facts embedded into the national park, it becomes so interesting to have a kind of adventure in this land.
Meet the indigenous tribes
If you would like to witness the indigenous people of Papua, it’d be better to make your way here. However, don’t go here alone—locals may find it hard to learn about new people. Consider finding a travel agent to help you get through the language and other barriers.
The indigenous tribes you will find in Lorentz will include Asmat, Dani, Sempan, Nduga, Komoro, and Amungme. It has been years, thousands of years to be exact, that these tribes come in existence. An interesting fact of them is that they keep a semi-nomadic lifestyle. Basic agriculture is the only way they live their lives, and that’d be an unforgettable moment to meet them.
Witness the dignity of Puncak Jaya summit
Given that the Lorentz Park is situated in the tropical country, it makes it weird to have a glacial summit here. But well, that’s what happens. Isn’t it unique to have it all combined with the swampy lowland, southern marine ecosystem, and the rich faunal and floral densities?
The summit is basically an end-product of both Pacific and Australian tectonic plates thousand years ago. Being situated in a tropical country, there are still five tiny remnant glaciers till date. It is unfortunate that the effect of global warming influences such Lorentz peak glaciers, though.
Read More : The Facts about Eiffel Tower in Paris, France
How to Go to Lorentz National Park
If you crave for a complete package of cultural and natural attractions with lots of adventures in it, Lorentz National Park can be put in your itinerary. That said, it becomes crucial to know how to get to this amazing spot in the east side of the country.
How to go there
If you are coming from the capital, it means you must take several connecting flights. The Papuan cities which you can set as your final flight destination are Wamena, Biak, Timika, or Jayapura. However, if you want to get a visiting permit, it’d be best to fly to Wamena through Jayapura.
Boat trip can as well be your alternative. Though fun, this one isn’t recommended due to its uncertain schedule and limited connecting hub from the capital.
Read More : Facts about Red Square in Moscow, Russia
Where to Stay
It’d be a bit tricky to find a nearby BnB if you are visiting Lorentz National Park. So, you should consider staying in big city nearby, such as Timika or Wamena. However, the number of hotels is minimum in these cities. That is why it would be better if you are traveling with an agent.
If you are planning to visit Lorentz National Park, make sure to take a thorough planning since the facilities are quite limited there—but it doesn’t mean you can simply do backpacking holiday there. For flights and accommodations, Airpaz.com will help you to find best deals for your upcoming holiday. Available on Airpaz.com or Airpaz apps, now you can travel while keeping the fare as lowest as possible!
