Trek Itinerary

Show: Owers Corner to Kokoda

Trekking Kokoda

Owers Corner to Kokoda

Day 1
  • From International Airport you will fly directly to Port Moresby. You will be met by Frontline Kokoda staff and transferred to check into hotel, pack equipment and receive trek briefing.
Day 2
  • Transfer from Hotel to Owers Cnr to commence trek North to Kokoda. Steep descent from Owers Cnr across the Goldie River and then a short days trekking to the base of Imita Ridge.
Day 3
  • Steep ascent to the top of Imita Ridge. Australian troops were given orders to stop the advancing Japanese at this point and that there would be no permission given to retreat from it.
  • Descend from Imita Ridge and follow the picturesque Ua Ule creek system until lunching at the base of Ioriobaiwa Ridge.
  • Climb Ioriobaiwa Ridge, known as the furtherest Southern point the Japanese officially reached on their advance and scene of some vicious fighting.
  • Descend until reaching the campsite at Ofi Creek.
Day 4
  • The mighty Maguli Range is before us today, an unrelenting climb, which will take 1/2 a day.
  • Morning tea at Nauro Village, approximately halfway down the Northern side of the range, before a muddy excursion through the Nauro Swamp and a lunch stop prior to crossing the treacherous Brown River.
  • From the river, a short, sharp climb over the Ladavi saddle with a great view of the Ranges North as a reward. Campsite tonight is the village of Menari, one of the largest on the track.
Day 5
  • A steep descent below Menari is a spectacular log crossing and it is then a substantial climb to the top of Brigade Hill.
  • This feature is the site of the largest battle of the Kokoda Campaign with considerable loss of life on both sides.
  • After pausing to reflect at the battle site, we wind our way downhill, past the Australian defensive positions and into the village of Efogi where we overnight.
Day 6
  • Climb to the village of Efogi 2 before commencing the rugged trek to Kagi village, a resupply point for Australians during the war.
  • From Kagi it is a short hop across to its sister village of Naduri, via an inspection of the idyllically sited Kovovo school.
  • Overnight at Naduri village, home of one of the original Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels, Mr Ovuru Indiki.
Day 7
  • Spectacular walking today through prehistoric moss forests, enroute to the geographically unique Myola lakes.
  • These lakes were used as supply dumps during 1942, utilising the famous “Biscuit Bombers.”
  • We inspect a substantial ammunition dump in the area, while enjoying the different topography and easy walking to our creek side campsite known as “1900 Crossing”.
Day 8
  • Firstly we climb to the highest point of the Kokoda Track, the top of Mt Bellamy.
  • On our descent we pause to view the pass known as the Kokoda Gap, an infamous focal point during the campaign.
  • The track contours past the historic places of Templeton’s Crossing 1 and 2, beside the remnants of Australian weapon pits, before finishing the day at Eora creek.
  • Our days trek was the scene of some of the most hardly fought over terrain during the Kokoda campaign, with no quarter shown by either side.
  • Eora Creek was depicted famously by wartime cameraman Damien Parer, revealing the chaotic nature of an army fighting in this terrain.
Day 9
  • From Eora Creek it is a steep climb to review the Japanese positions overlooking the creek and begin to understand the benefits of the “high ground” in a battle.
  • It is then another steep climb to the beautiful village of Alola, before overnighting at the highlight of the Kokoda Track, the Isurava memorial site.
Day 10
  • Today is one long descent.
  • Through Isurava village and choko vine covered clearings.
  • Past the deserted wartime village site of Deniki, until we reach the flat ground of the Yodda valley and the villages of Hoi and Kovovo.
  • We walk for an hour and a half surrounded by palm oil and rubber tree plantations, finally reaching our destination of Kokoda where we overnight.
Day 11
  • Charter aircraft to Port Moresby.
  • Visit Bomana cemetary, burial place of the Kokoda campaign heroes.
  • Check into hotel, clean gear, and presentation dinner at Hotel.
Day 12
  • Breakfast and lunch before heading to airport for flight back to Australia.

Show: Kokoda to Owers Corner

Trekking Kokoda

Kokoda to Owers Corner

Day 1
  • From International Airport you will fly directly to Port Moresby. You will be met by Frontline Kokoda staff and transferred to check into hotel, pack equipment and receive trek briefing.
Day 2
  • Transfer from Hotel to charter aircraft for flight to Kokoda village. Meet carriers, organize equipment, and inspect Kokoda and the site of the Australian defenses there. After a lunch break we will commence our trek South. We have a pleasant walk of an hour and a half surrounded by palm oil and rubber tree plantations, finally reaching our destination of Hoi village where we overnight, nestled at the base of the Owen Stanley Ranges.
Day 3
  • Today is one long, slow ascent up to the Isurava memorial. As you pass the deserted wartime village site of Deniki, it is important to take your time as you are not yet acclimatized and to make sure you are drinking frequently. The jungle breaks open occasionally to reveal choko vine covered clearings and picturesque streams, with views back down the Yodda valley. We will stop for lunch about ¾ up the hill and rest again at the current Isurava village before arriving at the magnificent Isurava memorial in the late afternoon.
Day 4
  • After a comprehensive briefing at both battle sites at Isurava we will continue south, stopping for a rest at Alola village. From here we can see across the valley to tonight’s goal of the village of Abuari. This is a diversion from the main route, but the walk is challenging, visually stunning and historically the scene of some savage fighting involving the 53rd and 2/16th Battalions. Enroute we will inspect a magnificent waterfall where Lt Col Key, commander of the 2/14th Battalion was captured on his escape from the battle of Isurava. Despite some anecdotal reports, he was never officially seen again. As the villagers of Abuari do not receive many visitors, their hospitality is a highlight.
Day 5
  • We retrace our steps to rejoin the main track and head towards Eora creek for lunch. There is a substantial Japanese defensive position overlooking the site, where many wartime relics can be found. Wartime cameraman Damien Parer, revealing the chaotic nature of an army fighting in this terrain, depicted Eora Creek famously. After lunch we trek to Templeton’s Crossing, passing the remnants of several Australian weapon pits. The area we have trekked through today saw some of the most violent action of the Kokoda campaign, as the Australians pushed North against some fanatical Japanese resistance.
Day 6
  • We contour past another confusingly named Templeton’s Crossing before climbing to the highest point of the Kokoda Track, the top of Mt Bellamy. On our ascent we pause to view the pass known as the Kokoda Gap, an infamous focal point during the campaign. The other side of Mt Bellamy ends in a pleasant campsite, aptly named “1900 crossing” (inspection of an altimeter will reveal why). The rest of the day is spent walking through spectacular, prehistoric moss forests, and a visit to the geographically unique Myola lakes.
  • These lakes were used as supply dumps during 1942, utilizing the famous “Biscuit Bombers” and there is a substantial ammunition dump still sitting silently in the jungle.
  • Tonight we camp at Naduri village, home of one of the original Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels, Mr Ovuru Indiki.
Day 7
  • From Naduri it is a short hop across to its sister village of Kagi, via an inspection of the idyllically sited Kovovo school. What follows is one of the more rugged sections of the track, through the village of Efogi 2, where the Japanese formed up before unleashing a major attack, down to Efogi village, where we resupply and overnight.
Day 8
  • A substantial climb leads out of Efogi, to the top of Brigade Hill. This feature is the site of the largest battle of the Kokoda Campaign with considerable loss of life on both sides.
  • After pausing to reflect at the battle site, we wind our way downhill, negotiate a spectacular log crossing and discover one of the Track’s largest villages, Menari where we overnight.
Day 9
  • Leaving Menari, we have a short, sharp climb, over the Ladavi saddle and down into the Nauro Swamp, with a crossing of the treacherous Brown River. The Track now skirts the worst of the Swamp before once again heading up, through the relocated village of Nauro and over the mighty Maguli Range, with it’s numerous false crests. Near the top of the range is an area called “Japs Ladder”, the Japanese version of the famous “Golden Staircase” on Imita Ridge. As we descend the Southern side of the range, there are Eastern views to a controversial copper mine. The campsite tonight is at Ofi creek, a perfect place for a refreshing swim.
Day 10
  • From Ofi Creek we head immediately up, before us is Ioriobaiwa Ridge, the furthest point of the Japanese advance. We then follow the picturesque Ua-Ule creek system, cris-crossing it many times until eventually reaching the base of Imita Ridge, an ascent that after nine days of trekking, we hardly notice.
  • This is where the Australian soldiers were ordered to make their final stand and told that there would be no permission given to retreat from that position. With Imita conquered, we make camp for our final night on the Track.
Day 11
  • An early start and a short walk to a crossing of the Goldie River and from there a steep ascent to Ower’s Corner, the Southern end of the Kokoda Track.
  • Buses will transfer us to Bomana War Cemetery, resting place for those famous names of 70 years ago. From there it is back to the hotel, a hot shower and a cold beer!
Day 12
  • Breakfast and lunch before heading to airport for flight back to Australia.

 

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