Highlands Highway Overland Tour

Highlands Highway, or Okuk Highway is definitely the nation's lifeline.
Main Export products like Gold, Tea, Coffee are transported to coastal town of Lae & Madang for export, and imported consumer goods go up the Highway.
Here is the virtual tour of Highlands Highway from Mt Hagen to Lae.

Mt Hagen at altitude of 1600m is a commercial centre in the Highlands Region.
Outside the Mt Hagen, you can see a large Tea plantation on the road side.
You will then pass the limestone country of Chimbu Province and arrive Goroka, Coffee capital of Papua New Guinea.

The Road will wind down the valley to lowland, through grassland country of Eastern Highlands.

On the way, you will encounter a breathtaking view of Yonki Hydro Dam. The Dam supplies most of the electricity in Highlands, Madang & Lae.

Further going down the mountain, you will reach Markham Valley outside of Lae.
The temperature dramatically changes from freezing 10 degree to "sweating" 30+ degree .

Travelling the Highland Highway is not as comfortable as you drive the highway in other countries. However, if you have a bit of adventurous mind, it is worth taking as you can enjoy different scenery, plants, people and culture.

If you next visit Papua New Guinea, don't miss this exiting part of the country.