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HGU destination photo
TIZ destination photo

HGUTIZ

Which side of the plane to sit from Mount Hagen Kagamuga Airport (Mount Hagen) to Tari Airport (Tari)?

Our Recommendation
8.5

Left Side of the Plane

The left side offers the most dramatic views of Papua New Guinea's volcanic landscape, specifically the massive Mount Giluwe and the unique limestone karst topography of the Southern Highlands.

Left Side Highlights
8.5
🌋

Mount Giluwe

Unrivaled views of the second-highest mountain in PNG and the highest volcano in Oceania, featuring ancient alpine grasslands.

🏔️

Limestone Pinnacles

Dramatic karst formations and sharp limestone ridges that define the rugged terrain of the Southern Highlands.

🏘️

Tari Basin Entrance

A sweeping perspective of the wide valley as the aircraft enters the Hela Province, showing traditional Huli homesteads.

💧

Tagari River Gorges

Deeply incised river valleys that have carved through the highland plateau over millions of years.

Sit on the left side and aim for an early morning flight, ideally before 09:00, to avoid the heavy convective cloud cover that usually obscures Mount Giluwe by mid-morning. Use a fast shutter speed to capture the sharp details of the limestone ridges against the deep green forests.

Right Side Highlights
7.2
🌋

Mount Hagen Massif

The extinct volcanic peaks north of the departure airport, visible during the initial climb out of Kagamuga.

🌿

Enga Province Valleys

Views into the steep, fertile valleys of the neighboring Enga region, characterized by intensive terrace farming.

🏔️

Central Range

The distant, towering spine of the New Guinea mainland stretching toward the northern horizon.

🌫️

Morning Valley Mists

Beautiful atmospheric effects where clouds settle into the deep mountain crevices during the first flights of the day.

While less iconic than the peaks on the left, the right side is excellent for seeing the sheer scale of the Central Range. Polarized sunglasses are highly recommended to cut through the tropical haze and morning glare common at these high altitudes.

Top Activities in Tari
Route Information

Distance: 149 km (93 miles)

Approximate Flight Time: 15 min

Departure: HGU (-5.826789855957031, 144.29600524902344)

Arrival: TIZ (-5.84499979019, 142.947998047)

Route Type: Domestic

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