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 celcius 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. Trekkers please arrive in Port Moresby on one of the lunch time flights. Qantas, Virgen, Air Niugini all fly into Port Moresby. Accommodation – Hotel
We fly from Port Moresby on a Private Charter. It is a 35 minute flight to Kokoda and upon arrival we walk from the airstrip to Kokoda Station to see the War Museum and other memorials. We start our trek here, walking approximately 2 hours arriving at Hoi Village. It is here that the reality hits you that the Kokoda Track will not be easy. It is a very steep ascent out of Hoi; however, do not throw in the towel yet. Take it easy, we are walking in the heat of the day today. It will take around 1 hour to walk up to the Deniki Camp Site where we will have lunch. Our boys will have gone ahead to boil the billy. Deniki was an Australian Camp Head Quarters during the battle of Kokoda. It takes another 3 – 3.5 hours walking up hill before we arrive at Isurava Village. Depending on what time we are able to fly into Kokoda we may not get here until late afternoon, anywhere between 4 & 6pm, following approximately 6‐7 hours walking time. Accommodation – Campsite (BLD) Highlights Kokoda & Museum Rubber Plantations Hoi Deniki.
As to get into a pattern, we set off early this morning. Normally waking at 5 and walking by 6:30. We head for the next village of Alola, and then on to Eora Creek. On the way we will stop and visit the Isurava Memorial, which Australian Prime Minister John Howard visited in August 2002 to open this magnificent war memorial. 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. Enjoy panoramic views of the Kokoda and Yodda valleys. On the way to Alola Village we will also pass Surgeons (Cons) Rock. This is a very emotional spot. We will also climb up onto Eora ridge to look at Japanese ammunition pits just prior to arriving at Eora Creek. 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 which is our camp for the night. Today is approximately 5‐6 hours walking time. Accommodation – Camp Site (BLD) Highlights Isurava Memorial & Battlefield, Service held here Alola Eora Creek
We have one of the more difficult ascents out of Eora Creek today before descending down to Templeton’s 2. From here it’s another up and down again into Templeton’s 1. Finally it’s another big climb up onto Mount Bellamy, the highest point of the Kokoda Trail. Diverting off the ridge and walking into Myola "look out". This is where the biscuit bombers dropped supplies to the Australians. A most beautiful walk and well worth the effort. From here 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. Today is approximately 10 hours walking time. Accommodation – Campsite (BLD) Highlights Templeton’s 2, Moss Forrest, Mt Bellamy, Myola Lookout, Crashed Bomber
It is a most beautiful walk this morning through the moss and pandanas forest. 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 and ascent into Launumu Village. Stopping here only for a break before descending on down a gentle hill to Efogi, where we are booked into what is one the nicest guest house 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. Today is approximately 6 hours walking time. Accommodation – Village (BLD) Highlights Pandanas Forrest Naduri, Efogi Village
It’s another climb this morning onto Mission Ridge before Brigade Hill, which together with Isurava is one of the most sacred sites of the Kokoda Trail. We stop here to pay homage to the diggers that lost their lives. We then have a long descent down into Menari Village. We should be at Menari River just before lunch. After lunch it’s again straight up “the wall”, we are rewarded from the summit with fine views of Menari. We then descend down to 720 meters to our camp site tonight. This is another lovely spot with a river running through it for trekkers to swim in. Approximately 7 hours walking time. Accommodation – Campsite (BLD) Highlights Mission Ridge Brigade Hill Menari Village The Wall
An early start again we arrive at the Brown River, cross and then walk for another hour until we start climbing the 9 false peaks. At the 7th false peak we arrive at Naoro Village. It’s another 2 false peaks to go before we start walking across the Maguli Range. This is a long hard walk with muddy false peaks all the way. We then descend to Ofi Creek for a well deserved break, this descent is long and hard, most of us suffer from laughing legs at the end. We have lunch beside this delightful river. It’s then a cracker of a climb out up onto Ioribaiwa Ridge, where the Japanese were turned back. From here it’s a gentle 45 minute trek down to tonight’s camp site after approximately 9-10 hours walking time. Accommodation: Village (BLD) Highlights Brown River and Swamp, Naoro Village, Japanese Ladder, Ofi Creek, Ioribaiwa Ridge
This morning we descend down to Ua-Ule Creek which we will cross approximately 12 times. We will stop here for morning tea and if the sun is out have a swim and a sing along with our guys before our last hard grind of the day up onto Imita Ridge, we then descend what was during the war the ‘Golden Stairs’ to Goodwater our camp site tonight. This is another lovely campsite, nice river to spend the afternoon relaxing and swimming. Time to reflect on what you have achieved over the last 7 days. Today is approximately 6 hours walking time. Accommodation – Campsite (BLD) Highlights Ua-Ule Creek, Imita Ridge, Golden Staircase
Even though a short day we are up at the same time 5am. We all walk 1 hour to Goldie River. Please don’t think this will be a dry crossing if our staff have anything to do with it. Trekkers then have 45 minutes up to Owers Corner as a group. Before crossing under the arches at the end hold hands and walk under them together. This is a very emotional moment. We are met by our transport with a much appreciated hamper of cold drinks and salad rolls. On our way back to Port Moresby we will visit Bomana War Cemetery. Will be back at hotel around mid day. Accommodation – Hotel (B) Highlights Owers’ Corner, Bomana War Cemetery. Service held here.
Today the group will be transferred to the International Airport to commence their journey home. (B)
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