Australian and Canadian government advisories, updated April 2026, warn travelers to reconsider all non-essential travel to Papua New Guinea’s Highlands provinces — Enga, Hela, Southern Highlands, and Western Highlands — due to escalating inter-tribal violence. Clashes in the Porgera Valley since August 2024 have killed at least 79 people across multiple incidents, with local authorities imposing alcohol bans and curfews in affected areas.
The violence involves semi-automatic weapons and hired mercenaries, making conflicts uncontrollable and unpredictable. Port Moresby and coastal PNG remain accessible but carry high crime warnings — Highlands travel is now a reconsider-level risk for all nationalities.
Papua New Guinea’s Highlands Region has become a no-go zone for travelers after Australian and Canadian governments raised advisory levels in April 2026. The warnings target four provinces where inter-tribal clashes have killed dozens since mid-2024, with violence intensifying despite military intervention and ceasefire attempts.
The immediate trigger: Porgera Valley in Enga Province has seen continuous fighting since August 2024, linked to land disputes around the reopened Porgera Mine. Illegal miners and settlers have terrorized landowners, escalating into clan warfare that killed up to 30 people before a temporary ceasefire in late 2024. That truce collapsed — 49 people died in February 2025 clashes in Enga alone.
The violence is not random banditry. It follows tribal retribution cycles where initial grievances — often land disputes or election outcomes — trigger clan solidarity, youth-led attacks using smuggled firearms, and mercenary involvement that overwhelms traditional elder mediation. Police lack resources to intervene, leaving communities displaced for months or years.
Travelers transiting Port Moresby or visiting coastal PNG face high crime risks but not the reconsider-travel threshold. The Highlands provinces are a different category — active conflict zones where road ambushes, curfews, and suspended flights make movement unpredictable.
What the advisories cover
Both Smartraveller.gov.au and travel.gc.ca now list Enga, Hela, Southern Highlands, and Western Highlands at “reconsider travel” levels. The Canadian advisory specifically names the Porgera Valley clashes as the catalyst, noting casualties and property destruction since August 2024.
The death toll: At least 79 confirmed fatalities across 2024-2025 Highlands incidents, including 60 deaths in 2024 and the 49-person February 2025 massacre in Enga. A separate 2024 ambush killed 54 people. The Hilton Peace Accord ceasefire, signed in late 2024 after 17 tribes agreed to halt fighting, lasted weeks before violence resumed.
| Date | Location | Deaths | Key event |
|---|---|---|---|
| August 2024 | Porgera Valley, Enga | Up to 30 | Mine-related land clashes begin |
| 2024 (unspecified) | Enga Province | 54 | Ambush incident |
| Late 2024 | Enga Province | 0 | Hilton Peace Accord ceasefire |
| February 2025 | Enga Province | 49 | Ceasefire collapses, massacre |
| April 2026 | Highlands (4 provinces) | Data pending | AU/CA advisories updated |
The violence has displaced 30,000 people in the Highlands since 2021, with women and girls facing sexual violence and healthcare access barriers during prolonged displacement. Alcohol bans and curfews are in effect across affected areas, but enforcement is inconsistent due to police under-resourcing.
Air Niugini operates limited flights to Mt Hagen (HGU) but suspends service during active clashes. Qantas and other carriers serving Port Moresby have not altered schedules, though flights to Papua New Guinea from Australasia now carry heightened transit warnings for passengers considering onward Highlands connections.
Why this cycle won’t break soon
The Porgera Mine reopening in 2024 accelerated violence by displacing locals without resolving land and royalty disputes. Illegal miners and settlers moved into contested areas, triggering clan solidarity responses that follow a predictable pattern: initial grievance, youth-led attacks ignoring elder mediation, mercenary involvement, and brutal outcomes like ambushes.
Modern escalation factors include the youth demographic shift and weapon availability. Semi-automatic firearms have replaced traditional bows, making clashes deadlier and harder to contain. Mercenaries — fighters hired by clans — operate outside tribal neutrality rules, attacking civilians and prolonging displacement.
State presence is minimal. Police stations in the Highlands are under-resourced, and military deployments are reactive, not preventive. The Hilton Peace Accord ceasefire in late 2024 involved 17 tribes agreeing to halt fighting, but it collapsed within weeks when a new land dispute reignited retribution cycles.
Economic loss compounds the instability. Displaced communities lose access to subsistence farming, healthcare, and education for months or years. Women and girls face sexual violence during displacement, with limited recourse due to collapsed local governance.
Protect your trip or avoid the region
The Highlands provinces are active conflict zones — reconsider all non-essential travel to Enga, Hela, Southern Highlands, and Western Highlands.
- Check advisories daily: Smartraveller.gov.au and travel.gc.ca update province-level alerts in real time. Register with STEP (US), DFAT (Australia), or equivalent for SMS updates before any PNG travel.
- Port Moresby transit only: If connecting through PNG, remain in airport lounges. Use airline apps (Qantas, Air Niugini) for secure transfers. Avoid road travel between terminals or into the city.
- Verify insurance coverage: Comprehensive policies (e.g., World Nomads) include political evacuation but exclude “known unrest” zones. Add a Highlands rider if essential travel is unavoidable, and confirm via broker before departure.
- Hire armed security for essential visits: Licensed firms vetted by the PNG Tourism Promotion Authority provide armed escorts for mine sites or aid work. Verify credentials and vehicle tracking before engaging.
- Monitor flight NOTAMs: Air Niugini suspends Mt Hagen (HGU) service during clashes. Check airline NOTAMs 24–48 hours before departure for cancellations or rerouting via Port Moresby.
Watch: The next ceasefire attempt will likely involve international mediators, but past accords have collapsed within weeks. Monitor Smartraveller.gov.au for any downgrade in advisory levels before reconsidering Highlands travel.
Are flights to PNG Highlands airports still operating?
Air Niugini runs limited services to Mt Hagen (HGU) but suspends flights during active clashes. The airline issues NOTAMs with 24–48 hour notice for cancellations or rerouting via Port Moresby. International carriers do not serve Highlands airports directly — all connections require a domestic leg from Port Moresby, which adds exposure to suspension risk.
How does the Porgera Mine reopening affect travelers?
The mine’s 2024 reopening displaced locals into contested land, increasing road ambush risks for miners, aid workers, and tourists. Mine-access roads are now high-risk zones where clashes occur unpredictably. Police advise avoiding all roads near Porgera Valley in Enga Province. If mine-related travel is essential, hire armed security vetted by the PNG Tourism Promotion Authority and use helicopter transport where possible.
What insurance covers tribal violence evacuation?
Comprehensive policies like World Nomads include political evacuation clauses, but most exclude “known unrest” zones — which now includes PNG’s Highlands provinces. You must add a specific rider for Highlands coverage before departure. Verify the policy’s conflict zone definition with your broker, as some insurers void claims if government advisories were active at booking time.
Does this affect Port Moresby or coastal PNG travel?
Port Moresby and coastal areas remain at “high degree of caution” levels due to crime, not reconsider-travel status. The Highlands violence is geographically contained to the four named provinces. However, crime in Port Moresby includes carjackings and armed robbery — avoid road travel outside the airport, use hotel transfers only, and do not walk after dark.
Can dual nationals or aid workers get exemptions?
No. Australian and Canadian governments may mandate evacuation for their nationals if violence escalates further, and insurance policies void coverage in tribal conflict zones regardless of nationality or work purpose. Aid organizations operating in the Highlands use armed escorts and helicopter transport as standard protocol — individual travelers cannot replicate this security infrastructure.
