The Kokoda Track
| country: | Papua New Guinea |
| trip type: | Very challenging trekking holidays |
| departures: | 2009: 12 Apr, 28 May, 25 Jun, 23 Jul, 27 Aug, 24 Sep 2010: 12 Apr, 27 May, 24 Jun |
| price: | From £1781 (15 days) including domestic flights only, as per the itinerary. We can arrange flights from the UK |
the amazing things you'll be doing
The Kokoda Track was the scene of some of the bloodiest conflicts in the Second World War. Today it is one of the world’s classic overland walks. Crossing the mountain ranges of Papua New Guinea, this is an arduous trek - only suitable for the fit, adventurous and prepared. The 90-kilometre trek crosses the mighty Owen Stanley Range, following the trail used during World War II. The trail crosses mountain passes, snakes along ridges and descends into deep gullies. Along the way we visit small, isolated villages, war sites, ancient forests and extinct volcanic craters.
At the end of our trek, we'll celebrate our achievement with a couple of nights at the coastal village of Buna, where we have the chance to fish, swim, and canoe or just relax on the beach. If you are up for a challenge, this journey is constantly rewarding. Includes: tour leader, arrival transfer, accomodation (2 nights comfortable hotel, 2 nights camping, 10 nights village hut), most meals (12 breakfasts, 11 lunches, 12 dinners), transport, local porters.
For nearly 30 years, we have lead the field in small group adventure travel. See the iconic sights as well as get off the beaten track to discover the 'real' country, and come away understanding something more of the world. Our innovative and interactive itineraries include as much as possible to ensure that you get the most out of your valuable time away, but also contain plenty of time to relax and explore by yourself.
Traveling in small group, and by private transport, means that you will have the company of other like-minded travelers, your holiday will be safe and stress-free and that the impact on environment and community is kept to a minimum. As part of our responsible travel policy we also employ local leaders and actively avoid international hotel chains, preferring to give our patronage to authentic, centrally-located and owner-managed establishments whenever possible. Our locally born and raised leaders are great fun and will be a great part of your holiday because of their intimate knowledge of the sights, culture and customs, history and language of their homeland. Once you have traveled with a local leader you will understand that there is no better way!
At the end of our trek, we'll celebrate our achievement with a couple of nights at the coastal village of Buna, where we have the chance to fish, swim, and canoe or just relax on the beach. If you are up for a challenge, this journey is constantly rewarding. Includes: tour leader, arrival transfer, accomodation (2 nights comfortable hotel, 2 nights camping, 10 nights village hut), most meals (12 breakfasts, 11 lunches, 12 dinners), transport, local porters.
For nearly 30 years, we have lead the field in small group adventure travel. See the iconic sights as well as get off the beaten track to discover the 'real' country, and come away understanding something more of the world. Our innovative and interactive itineraries include as much as possible to ensure that you get the most out of your valuable time away, but also contain plenty of time to relax and explore by yourself.
Traveling in small group, and by private transport, means that you will have the company of other like-minded travelers, your holiday will be safe and stress-free and that the impact on environment and community is kept to a minimum. As part of our responsible travel policy we also employ local leaders and actively avoid international hotel chains, preferring to give our patronage to authentic, centrally-located and owner-managed establishments whenever possible. Our locally born and raised leaders are great fun and will be a great part of your holiday because of their intimate knowledge of the sights, culture and customs, history and language of their homeland. Once you have traveled with a local leader you will understand that there is no better way!
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Arrive in Port Moresby and transfer to hotel. |
| Day 2: | Visit Bomana War Cemetery, where many of the soldiers who died on the Kokoda Track lie. Commence trek. We walk across Imita Ridge where the Australian soldiers retreated to make their last stand during the onslaught in June 1942. |
| Day 3: | David's Camp. We scramble through a maze of canyons. The maze is filled with unique vegetation, festooned with epiphytes of every description. We venture along a section of the original wartime track that has only recently been discovered, consequently there are trenches and war wreckage to be viewed. |
| Day 4: | Nauro. Today is a steep climb over the Maguli Range. Nauro is perched in a spectacular position on a narrow ridge with views out over the Owen Stanley Range to Mt. Victoria. |
| Day 5: | Menari. We meander our way down off the Maguli Range into the Nauro River valley. Menari is one of the positions that was over run by the Japanese forces as they circled around Australian lines to cut off supplies. |
| Day 6: | Naduri. On our trek today we pass through the original brigade headquarters position to a memorial. If time allows, we boil the 'billy' and hear recounted stories and memoirs in honour of the young lads who gave their lives. The village of Naduri makes for an excellent overnight stay, with a good guesthouse and the chance to meet Ovuru Ndiki (one of the original Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels). |
| Day 7: | Myola. Today we head to Myola, a small village on the edge of a semi-dry lakebed that was once the centre of a volcanic caldera. The village has plenty of home cooked food, warm showers and comfortable beds. It is a great place to relax and forget the rigours of the past few days. |
| Day 8: | Free day on the trail at Myola. Explore nearby waterfall and war site. The plant, bird and animal life in the area is diverse and the place is totally isolated from the rest of the world. |
| Day 9: | Templeton's Crossing. We trek to Templeton's Crossing, an important defensive position during the retreat from Kokoda and many Australian lives were lost here. |
| Day 10: | Allolo/Isurava. The walking through this section of the trek involves lots of ups and downs with steep drop-offs in some sections. Many streams are forded and great views can be had from some places. |
| Day 11: | Kokoda. Our last day of walking. Much of the day is taken up with the descent into the Kokoda Plateau, through the last vestiges of the rubber plantations described so vividly in the wartime records of the retreat from Kokoda. |
| Day 12-13: | Drive to Buna. We are met by our friends the Buna who give us a traditional welcome. Free day at beach for boat trips, fishing or swimming, see war ruins or traditional craft centres. |
| Day 14: | Fly from Popondetta to Port Moresby. |
| Day 15: | Trip ends in Port Moresby this morning. |
small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places.highly commended
This tourism business was Highly Commended in our 2007 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards - the largest awards of their kind in the world, and organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Times, World Travel Market and Geographical Magazine, of the Royal Geographical Society.Since 2004, the Awards has recognised individuals, companies and organisations in travel making a big commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and helping to conserve biodiversity.
how this holiday makes a difference
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Trek the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea and experience this epic adventure with the help of your local porters, who are proud to take you through this amazing part of the world that they live in. By walking through fragile rainforests and mountain terrain and discovering valuable relics related to the events of the Second World War, travellers are made aware of the importance to preserve the area so that it can be appreciated by future generations. Tourism in Papua New Guinea is in its infancy and to support programs there, this operator is training their local staff on a variety of issues, from environmental awareness to First Aid. This not only assists in the conduct of a tour but also provides them with important life skills. By employing porters born and bred in the region, they are supporting the local economy. Through offering employment and steady revenue, tourism can ultimately make a real positive difference to local communities.
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Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |