The Kokoda Trail is our most famous trek here in Papua New Guinea. It is steeped in WWII history and is an emotional and physically challenging walk. We have spent many hours on the track opening up new areas for trekkers to visit pertaining to the Kokoda campaign. Our bond with the Koiari people along the track is strong. Our sustainable development projects in the villages are ongoing and are now bringing in an income for the villagers. The long days include river crossings, steep and gradual ascends and descends. The 96 kilometre trek is predominately through rain forest. Usually conditions are wet and slippery as rain can be expected on most days. Temperatures range from 24-30 degrees celcius during the day and 16-24 degrees celsius at night. This track was made famous during WWII and still bares the scars of a fierce campaign. For those of you who had loved ones fighting in PNG during WWll, this walk can be a very spiritual and emotional experience. Trekking in mud up to your knees and tricky river crossings indicates exactly the conditions under which our diggers fought. Our guides are extremely knowledgeable about the WWII history across the track. They have all spent time exploring battlefields and found interesting side trips for our trekkers to see ammunition pits, war artifacts and areas where the Japanese and Australians dug in to fight. Trekkers need not have an Australian connection with the track. It is the most beautiful walk, the scenery is stunning, we get to camp out and integrate with our PNG crew working for us. There is a lot of singing and telling of stories around camp fires in the evenings. When we stay in villages your guide will take you for a walk around the village so you get to meet all our friends. They will talk to you about the PNG culture and maybe organize a village sing a long that evening. The local people who live along the track are Koiaris. They are warm, friendly and generous people who welcome trekkers onto their land. This is a complete learning experience. You learn about the WWII History, the culture, the people, the flora and fauna and will walk away from our country a better person for having this experience. Although ideally suited to walkers who are of reasonable fitness, training for this trek is necessary. Please try and be as fit as you possibly can. It is one of the toughest treks in the world. Remember the fitter you are the more enjoyable the trek will be. The best time to do the track is between the end of April and the beginning of November.
On arrival at Port Moresby International Airport guests will be met by PNG Trekking Adventures representatives and transferred to their hotel. After checking in there will be a gear check followed by a briefing of what is going to happen over the next 8 days. Ask lots of questions. Trekkers please arrive in Port Moresby on one of the lunch time flights. Qantas or Air Niugini, both fly into Port Moresby around mid day. Accommodation – Hotel
Please book the following domestic flight. Air Niugini PX852 POM-POP 6:30-07:15. We can book this for you and invoice. Approx A$160.00 On arrival in Popendetta trekkers will be met by our PNG Adventures trekking crew, loading our gear onto 4WD's and driving approximately 2 1/2 hours to Kokoda. The road can be challenging at times. On arrival at Kokoda we drive directly to the Kokoda Plateau. Take time to visit the War Museum and the other memorials here. Our crew will sort out packs and Silas our head guide will introduce you to your personal porter. He is going to be your fuzzy Wuzzy Angel along Kokoda. This is where Bravo Company from the 39th Battalion was attacked on the night of the 29th July 1942. Remembering the average age of one of the sections was only 18 years old. We start our trek here, following the footsteps of the young soldiers fighting bravely well outnumbered by the Japanese. The walk begins here with 2 hours of relatively flat going passing rubber, cocoa and oil palm plantations. Passing through Kovelo Village onto Hoi Village. We stop here for short break. From here is is a steep 45 minute walk up to Deneki Campsite which is our overnight camp. Our crew will have gone ahead and there will be hot water available on arrival. Arriving mid to late afternoon. Beautiful views down the Yodda Valley and back to Kokoda. Deniki was an Australian Camp Head Quarters during the battle of Kokoda. It was here that the Australians launched an attack to recapture Kokoda, holding this area for a short time before being over run by the Japanese and having to retreat back to Deneki. Accommodation – Campsite (BLD) Highlights: Kokoda & Museum, Rubber Plantations, Hoi, Deniki,
As to get into a pattern, we set off early this morning. We wake up at 5 and will be walking by 6:30am every morning. It will take 3-4 hours walking up hill through the choko fields and under the beautiful Kokoda jungle canopy arriving at Isurava Village for an early lunch. From the Village it is an easy undulating walk for 1 1/2 hours to Isurava Memorial. This evening we will hold a service at the Memorial to honour the diggers that lost their lives during this battle which raged between the 26-30 August 1942. The Isurava Memorial was opened by the then Australian Prime Minister John Howard and the late PNG Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare on the 69th Anniversary of the Kokoda campaign, 26 August 2002. This was the site of the most significant World War II battle on Kokoda and now one of the most sacred sites along the trail. After the service sit and take time to reflect of where you are, enjoy panoramic views of the Kokoda and Yodda valleys, and listen to the silence. Accommodation - Campsite (BLD) Highlights: Isurava Village, Isurava Memoria.
5:00am wake up call. Walking by 6:30am. This morning our first stop is Surgeons (Cons) Rock 45 minutes out from the Memorial. This is a very emotional story. We will also divert off the track just prior to lunch and climb up onto Eora Ridge to view the Japanese ammunition pits. This was where the Japanese dug in for their last battle along the track before retreating to Buna and Gona. We continue along the ridges into Eora Creek where we stop for a late lunch. After lunch we have one of the more difficult ascents along the track. It's a good 1 1/2 hours steep climbing walking along the ridge before descending to Templetons 2 our campsite for the night. This is a long hard day on the track. Accommodation - Campsite (BLD) Highlights: Surgeons Rock, Alola Village, Eora Creek.
This morning wake up call at 5am, breakfast, detailed briefing of what is happening today and of course it is another big hill directly out of our camp site before descending down to Templeton's 1 stopping here for an early morning tea. The group is now going to climb up onto Mt Bellamy, the highest point on the Kokoda Trails at 2190m. We will divert off the ridge and walk into Myola "look out". Stopping here for a late lunch. Cpt Bert Kienzle discovered this area and is where the biscuit bombers dropped supplies to the Australians. A most beautiful walk and well worth the diversion. We are walking on a carpet of moss, giant pandanus trees, all varieties of fungi and ferns. From Myola it’s another 45 minutes to our overnight camp site, along the way visiting where the American plane (B13) crashed. There are only spare parts scattered around and a couple of large bombs to be seen now, however it still well worth a visit. Accommodation – Campsite (BLD) Highlights: Templeton’s 1, Mt Bellamy, Moss Forrest, Myola Lookout, Crashed Bomber
It is a most beautiful walk this morning through the moss and pandanas forests. We normally arrive at Naduri Village around 10 am for morning tea. We do not go through Kagi. From Naduri Village it is a very steep descent to Efogi Creek followed by a very steep ascent up into Launumu Village. There is a Japanese monument here erected by Corporal Nishimura. He returned to PNG 45 years after the war to to locate his comrades bodies and release their spirits. He also wrote the book "The Bone Man" (We only stop here for a break before descending on down a gentle hill to Efogi Village. We are booked into what is one the nicest guest house's along the track. This is owned by our very good friend Lendy. We pick up our food for the second half of our trek here. Later this afternoon trekkers can take a leisurely walk around the village, maybe play games with some of the village children and chat to the Mums and Dads about their lives. Accommodation – Village (BLD) Highlights: Pandanas/Moss Forests, Naduri Village, Efogi Village
Today is a long hard day on the track getting up earlier so we arrive at our campsite late afternoon. It’s another climb this morning onto Mission Ridge before reaching Brigade Hill, which together with Isurava is one of the most sacred sites along the Kokoda Trail. Mission Ridge was defended by the 2/27th Battalion on the 7th September 1942. Often referred to as Butchers Ridge due to the carnage inflicted on the Japanese attackers during the battle. We continue walking passing the positions occupied by the 2/14th and 2/16th Battalions before climbing a small knoll onto Brigade Hill. We stop here to pay homage to the diggers that lost their lives. We then have a long descent down to Vabuyavi River followed by a steep short climb up to Menari Village, stopping here for lunch. This was where Lt Col Ralph Honner addressed his young soldiers after the battle of Isurava. After lunch it’s again straight up “the wall”, we are rewarded from the summit with fine views back across the Owen Stanley Ranges. We then descend down 720 meters, we are now walking along the flat in what is called the swamp area. We do hope it is dry, if wet can be extremely tiring walking through sticky mud. Our next challenge is crossing the Brown River, boots off. We walk for another hour until we start climbing the 9 false peaks. At the 7th false peak we arrive at Naoro Village. Accommodation – Campsite (BLD) Highlights: Mission Ridge, Brigade Hill, Menari Village. Swamp
An early start again, days briefing before heading off, we have to finish off the final 2 peaks and commence the long hard slog across the Maguli Range. Always muddy and never ending false peaks. On the descent we stop at Engineers Ridge, named after the sappers who built into the side of the hill 3,400 steps up onto a Japanese defensive position. The descent continues testing our stamina into Ofi Creek, breaking here for lunch. Fuel up as we now have a very steep ascent onto Ioribaiwa Ridge. This is where the Japanese received orders from Tokyo to withdraw, they could see the search lights at Port Moresby from here. From the ridge it’s a 45 minute trek down to Ioribaiwa Village. Stopping for 10 minute break before descending down, down to Mananama and Mokure Creeks. Cris crossing Manama Creek approximately 7 times arriving at Ua Ule Creek Campsite our destination for today. Accommodation: Campsite (BLD) Highlights: Ofi Creek, Ioribaiwa Ridge. Day 9: Ua Ule Creek Campsite to Owers Cnr to Port Moresby (via Bomana War Cemetery) We will rise 4am this morning to allow the group to arrive Owers Cnr early afternoon. Walking 1 hour to the base of Imita Ridge. It is then 1 hours climbing up onto Imita Ridge. The Australians had to hold this area at all costs and were told to fight to the death. If the Japanese took Imita there was nothing between them and their objective Port Moresby. We descend what was during the war the 'Golden Staircase' or the 'Stairs to Hell' arriving at Goodwater campsite for a quick break. From here to Goldie River is another hour, boots off to cross. Almost home but the track throws in another steep 45 minute grind up to the arches at Owers Cnr. This can be very emotional walking under the arches. Sometimes tears, but lots of happiness to be finished one of the hardest treks in the world. On our way back to Port Moresby we will visit Bomana War Cemetery and hold a small service here. Take time to reflect, the stories we have been telling across the track they are now reality. Arriving back in Port Moresby mid to late afternoon. This evening we will all meet for dinner and presentations. Pam & Mark will take everyone somewhere locally for dinner. Accommodation: Hotel (BLD) Highlights: Imita Ridge, Goldie River, Bomana War Cemetery, Finishing.
Today the group will be transferred to the International Airport to commence their journey home. (B)
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