5TH TO 7TH AUGUST, 2026 🐊
Celebrate Culture Along the Mighty Sepik
The Sepik River Crocodile & Arts Festival is a vibrant three-day cultural celebration held annually in Ambunti, deep in the heart of the Sepik River region.
Where Man & Crocodile Share a Sacred Bond
The festival honours the crocodile’s powerful cultural significance to the people of the Sepik River. In Sepik tradition, the crocodile symbolises strength, power, and manhood, with stories, beliefs, and ceremonies connected to this ancient animal passed down through generations.
One of the festival’s most significant traditions is the renowned skin-cutting initiation ceremony, where ceremonial scars are cut into the skin to resemble the textured back of a crocodile — marking an important rite of passage into manhood.
Experience One of Papua New Guinea’s Great Cultural Festivals
Set along one of the Asia-Pacific’s largest river systems, the festival brings together communities from across the Sepik for traditional sing-sing performances, canoe races, cultural displays, music, dance, and art.
Visitors can experience the rich traditions of the Sepik River people while exploring a region famous for its spirit houses, carvings, and strong cultural identity.
Festival Dates
Held annually from 5–7 August.
