Kokoda Trail Trek 9 Day Itinerary

9 Day Kokoda Track Trek

Arrival Day

Depart homeport for Port Moresby PNG. Greeted at airport by Wild Spirit staff and or Holiday Inn staff, then transported to Holiday Inn. Wild Spirit staff conducts briefing and
gear check in preparation for trek.

ACCOMMODATION: HOLIDAY INN

Day 1
PORT MORESBY – GOOD WATER CAMP-DUMP 66
4 hours walk
Daily ascent 50m Daily descent 315m

Today we travel by road from Port Moresby via the Bomana War Cemetery to pay our
respect to the fallen soldiers. We then travel to Sogeri where there is a white stone
monument marking the beginning of the Kokoda Trail. Our road journey then takes us to
Mc Donald’s Corner, this is where “B” company of the 39th Battalion commenced their
walk to Kokoda and then onto the North Coast area. “B” company was led by Captain
Sam Templeton and guided by Bert Kienzle; they departed Mc Donald’s Corner on July
7 1942 and arrived in Kokoda July 15 1942. We continue to Owers Corner with an air of
excitement and apprehension for the journey ahead. There is time to relax along the
road and take photographs of the spectacular scenery. On our arrival at Owers Corner
we make final checks and preparations for the trek ahead and meet our personal
porters. Owers Corner was also the place where our Australian troops first received the
morale boosting artillery support from the gunners. Three 25 pound guns were
positioned on the ground and fired over three days 700 rounds into Iorabaiwa Ridge,
where the Japanese made their last big push; it took 25 seconds for the projectiles to
cover the 15miles across Imita Ridge into Iorabaiwa. Our troops also dragged down the
hill one of the 25 pound guns across Goldie Creek and up towards Imita Ridge. Have a
look for the original zig zag track cut along the way which wound its way down the ridge
and up towards Imita Ridge. We start the Kokoda Track with a steep descent down to
the Goldie River. The trail crosses the Goldie River and past the abandoned village of
Uberi. The first camp is deep jungle, in an old wartime campsite location of Dump 66 at
the foot of Imita Ridge. Dump 66 was a major supply/logistic area and also had a
medical aid post.

ACCOMMODATION: JUNGLE CAMP/TENTs

Day 2
GOOD WATER CAMP DUMP 66 – IORIBAIWA
8 hours walk
Daily ascent 660m Daily descent 550m

The first full day of the Trail walk includes the ascent up Imita Ridge. Although this is
not the steepest or the highest of the mountains along the trail, it will give you an
indication of things to come. We stop on top of Imita Ridge and soak in the atmosphere
of the place. Imita Ridge was our last line of defence, the line was drawn in the sand
here, there was to be no further withdrawal. There was a set of “Golden Stairs” on both
sides of Imita Ridge and up towards Iorabaiwa Village. It is important to remember
across the Kokoda Track that there was more then one set of stairs. We descend down
Imita Ridge into the beautiful Ua-Ule Creek area (Pronounced Far -Lay).Here we take
our boots off and put on our adventure sandals to cross the creek 22 times. After the
creek crossings we put boots back on and make our final ascent for the day up the
gruelling Iorabaiwa Ridge. You will now know that all that training was now worthwhile.
Our walk today finishes at the Village of Iorabaiwa.

ACCOMMODATION: VILLAGE STYLE GUESTHOUSE/TENTS

Day 3
IORABAIWA – NAORO AREA
9 hours walk
Daily ascent 1117m Daily descent 952m

We have an early start today as we leave Iorabaiwa Village and make our climb up to
the top of Iorabaiwa Ridge. This is the furthest spot that the Japanese made across the
Kokoda Track, before being ordered to advance to the rear back to Buna. From this
point on the ridge the Japanese could see the lights of Port Moresby. Iorabaiwa Ridge
was also the spot where our artillery was pounding the Japanese and the scene of
bloody fighting. There is also a series of both Australian and Japanese trenches in this
area. Our journey takes us down towards Ofi Creek which was the scene of a very
successful Australian ambush on the Japanese. Our journey across the Kokoda Trail
see us climb one of the most difficult and tiresome sections of the track up and over the
Maguli Range to the village of Naoro this is a long climb up that appears to never end.
Naoro is the first village we see in our travels and is a very pretty place. On the way up
there is a concealed Japanese trench system at the Japanese camp where the
Japanese mountain gun was being used to pound the Australians on Iorabaiwa Ridge.
Depending on time, we camp at Naoro Village or move onto our alternative camp site
near the Brown River.

ACCOMMODATION – VILLAGE STYLE GUESTHOUSE/TENTS

Day 4
NAORO VILLAGE AREA – BRIGADE HILL
8 hours walk
Daily ascent 985m Daily descent 330m

The Naoro area was also the scene for some aerial supply drops, better known as
biscuit bombing. From our camp site, we cross the Brown River, after about an hour’s
walk through marshy ground. It’s mostly level to the river with the more difficult sections
crossing with log bridges and causeways. There is a steep climb shortly after the
Brown River known as the wall; this climb will certainly test your fitness. This climb
brings you to a crest with views down to Menari Village – our overnight stop. A steep
descent and a walk through the tidy village will bring you to Menari village. A former
Fuzzy Wuzzy Angel who is a village elder runs it. Menari is also the site of one of the
most famous speeches made regarding the Kokoda Track campaign by LT COL Ralph
Honner. It was his inspirational thank you address to the heroic men of the 39th battalion, those “ragged bloody heroes”. We continue onto Brigade Hill for our overnight
camp. Local fruit and vegetables can usually be purchased here to supplement the food
carried. As with all villages along the Kokoda Trail, travellers are well accepted by the
villages, and often are eager to talk to visitors and are keen about their lives and
families in Australia and elsewhere, many have a working knowledge of English. One of
the guides can always assist should communications “bog down”. By now, an easy
routine has been established on arrival at the day’s end of the trail. Drop the pack at the
campsite, collect clean clothing from the pack and off for a bath and swim in the nearby
creek. While the group members are away freshening up, the guides and group leaders
set up the cooking arrangements arrange purchases of fresh vegetables and prepare
accommodation for the night. By then the main part of the group have returned, things
are organised and dinner is being served. There is time to explore the area, meet local
people and photograph what catches your eye. Remember – you can never take too
much film; there is just so much to look at. Usually just before the tropical night fall
everyone gathers to exchange experiences of the day and hear what is to come. After
dinner the fire is the focal point and while the guides and carriers clean up, the
conversations flow amongst the walkers. Each day will bring a sense of personal
achievement a good last thought before sleep.

ACCOMMODATION: JUNGLE STYLE GUESTHOUSE/TENT

Day 5
BRIGADE HILL- NADURI VILLAGE
7 hours walk
Daily ascent 860m Daily descent 460m

We leave Brigade Hill and along the track occasional weapon pits mark “stay behind”
positions of both Japanese and Australian Forces as they withdrew. Brigade Hill was
also nicknamed “Butchers Hill” by the Australian soldiers due to the number killed, on
both sides, during the Australian withdrawal. 101 Australian Soldiers lost their lives
between the 6-8 September 1942 during the battles of Brigade Hill and Mission Ridge.
We stop and reflect on the knoll about the battles and lives lost during this bloody and
ferocious fight. We then descend down from Brigade Hill and stop at Nisimura’s stump.
Nishimura is the Japanese soldier who pledges to recover the remains of his deceased
company. He is known as the “Bone Man” Our journey takes past the turnoff to Mission
Ridge and the alternative track to Myola Lakes. There are remarkable views as the trail
approaches the crest and there are even more spectacular panoramic views on the
Northerly slopes of the mountain of the villages of Kagi and Efogi spread out below.
Efogi Village is the major settlement on the Kokoda Trail, with an airstrip and a first aid
post. Efogi is the halfway mark and the altitiude climbed becomes apparent in the rapid
cooling of the evening after night falls. Jacket and light slacks are recommended... now
you know why they were on things to bring!
We continue our climb up to the village of Naduri.

ACCOMMODATION – VILLAGE STYLE GUESTHOUSE/TENTS

Day 6
NADURI – TEMPLETON 2 CAMP SITE
9 hours walk
Daily ascent 500m Daily descent 600m

Our journey is a day of steep ups and downs. Naduri is also the home of one of the last
remaining Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels. We then climb up and over the shoulder of Mt Bellamy
towards our evening camp. There are spectacular views back to Kagi and Efogi. This is
the region that the Japanese conducted their infamous lantern parade. Brigadier Potts
also ordered an aerial attack along the Kagi Ridge prior to the battle of Brigade Hill and
Mission Ridge. You can feel the spirit of the Australian Soldiers as they withdraw down the ridgeline back towards Efogi. We walk past large village gardens with high fences to
keep wild pigs out of the crops. Without the vegetables grown in these gardens,
villagers would starve, so the prodigious effort in felling, trimming and dragging logs
form a 1.5 metre high fence line is a matter of survival. Along part of the razor ridge
leading up to Mt Bellamy is open Kunai grass without any tree cover. This cleared
areas of the gardens means an exposure for some two hours to the tropical sun. It is
not the place to loiter as water consumption increases and the full packs slow
movement down. “Stay behind” pits are scattered along the track, the larger (3 man
size) indicate position of a machine gun. Engagement ranges vary from 3-4 metres out
to 5 metres. Very close combat indeed!

Mt Bellamy is higher than Mt Kosciusko and the effects of such heights start to wear on
the trekkers. Our trek towards camp takes us through an ancient Arctic beech forest
with magnificent giant pandanus and beech trees. The camp this night is in the jungle
some two hours climb below the crest, it is also the place that we discovered the
skeletal remains of 4 Japanese Soldiers from the 41st Regiment killed in an Australian
ambush by the 2/16th Battalion between the 3 and 5 September 1942 . An eerie place,
as you progress along the track, which is now corridored with trees and vines with
moss. The moss hangs in streamers from dead and living trees with little light to pierce
the gloom. Until the war, this was a taboo placed and avoided by all. Once you stop
walking the cold altitude is apparent. Humidity is still high, which, accompanied by cloud
and night makes for a continuous patter on the leaves of falling droplets of
condensation. We now start upward to the highest point of the track on Mt Bellamy at
2190m. We stop at a vantage point called “Kokoda Gap” with magnificent views (on
clear days) of the surrounding mountains, the lower part of the Owen Stanley Range
and the Yodda valley in the distance. The “Kokoda Gap” is the area that Generals
Blamey and Macarthur wanted to dynamite to prevent the Japanese from coming
through! This was to be our Thermopylae our 300 Spartans to hold back the ravages of
the Japanese Army! Nice plan except the Kokoda Gap is over 12km wide and all the
Spartans were killed! As you could imagine our boys were not real fond of the plan!
Planes can be heard droning overhead several times during the day as they make their
way through the gap on their way to Kokoda or returning back to Port Moresby. What
takes nine days for those walking the Kokoda Trail, an aircraft does in 35 minutes!
The descent from the Kokoda Gap lookout is steep initially, but eases some 3 hours
down the Trail to a steady decline toward Iora Creek at Templeton’s Crossing One. The
area is dotted with weapon pits. Major delaying actions were fought here Japanese
positions on the North side and Australian positions to the South side of the Creek.
As we have found, most of those who travel the Kokoda Trail have very little accurate
knowledge of the true position of battle sites or even a good knowledge of what
happened during the campaign. They plod past areas unaware of relics and earthworks
hidden 3 or 4 metres off to their sides. They miss a great deal.

Bridging the creek is by a temporary span masterly constructed by the boys made of
logs bundled together. We cross carefully, with dry feet – for a change. The dry foot
does not last long as we come upon Templeton’s Crossing Number Two. The muddy
track parallels (generally) Iora Creek and is intersected with innumerable small creeks
flowing across the track, often in only a short distance, until cascading down into the
main creek, Iora. The main creek joins these tributaries and, when Templeton’s
Crossing Number Two is reached, it is a foaming torrent. The noise is constant,
amplified by the deep, sharp-sided valley. The deep valley means that the sun sets
early in the day. A series of areas were levelled here during the campaign for the
construction of store huts, medical post, kitchen (Haus Kook) and other native built
buildings, the buildings are long gone, but the level sites stand out from the roughness of the terrain. Digging explorations on a number of trips has turned up a wide variety of
relics from expended and live ammunition of all calibres, (Australian and Japanese) 36
pattern hand grenades to personal equipment such as an Australian Army kit preserved
in the soil covering it – webbing buckles, water bottles; also telephone equipment and
numerous other items.

ACCOMMODATION- JUNGLE CAMP- TENTS

Day 7
TEMPLETONS 2 – ALOLA VILLAGE
6 hours walk
Daily descent 275m Daily ascent 450m

We continue our journey along the track past Iora Creek; the track takes us over small
ups and downs as we cross Iora Creek. After about one and a half hours the Track
begins to steadily climb to the crest where more and more weapon pits become visible.
As the track descends here it becomes apparent you are clearly passing through a
major defensive area. The track drops suddenly, almost vertically, to the abandoned
Iora Creek Village. This is a small level area with an open, iron roofed shelter marking
the site of the village centre. This too, was a major staging centre. Overhead is a
massive hill which overlooks the whole area, the Japanese defence system here, halted
the returning Australians in their tracks for two weeks, before they overcame the
tenacious defence of the Japanese. Often late afternoon mist creeps up the valley
enclosing the already dark canopy the place has a special atmosphere all of its own.
Further on lays Alola Village, some three and a half hours ahead. The track rises
mostly along the contour line of the ranges until a sudden drop to the river below. With
the usual bush bridging (we make our own if the earlier efforts have been washed away)
it’s across the river then up into Alola Village. The rest house at Alola is to a degree
dilapidated and you wonder how it stands but the view is fantastic. Similarly, the wash
point nearby has spectacular views, toward Kokoda. The locals are friendly folk and
often we can buy supplements like vegetables and fruit. We are literally up in the
clouds here and often Alola is covered with a fog like veil. However, it clears in a few
hours and the panoramic view is spectacular. Alola was a strategic area for the
Australians with Brigadier Potts having his Headquarters’ here during the battle of
Isurava.

ACCOMMODATION: VILLAGE STYLE/TENTS

Day 8
ALOLA VILLAGE-HOI
Ascent 120m Descent 1265m

After leaving Alola we trek towards Isurava Battlefields. This is the location of what has
been described as one of most significant battles of the South West Pacific War, the
“Battle that saved Australia”. A greatly outnumbered force of Australians, held a vastly
greater number of Japanese for some 4 days between the 26th and 29th August 1942,
their important timetable unravelled, initiating the beginning of the final destruction of the
Japanese units. This is also the area that Private Bruce Steele Kingsbury won his
Victorian Cross. The original site of Isurava Village is still cleared with a magnificent
memorial constructed commemorating the battle. The villagers moved out of this area
after suspecting sorcery over some events. The new Isurava Village is about one hour
from the old site and is in a well set out location with small hedges and gardens
amongst the huts. A long day as the track unwinds into a long one, but it is nearly all
downhill. We are very excited as we sense that the finish line is very close, caution is
needed as we need to stay focused on the job of walking safely. Our walk this morning
takes us to firstly to the new Isurava Village, and continues down, crossing numerous streams and open spaces where shrubs and trees are blanketed by leafy Choko vines.
We pass through the abandoned Village of Deniki which was the scene of a short sharp
battle during the Australians fighting withdrawal across the Kokoda Track. Deniki offers
spectacular views down to Kokoda. Occasionally the open space coincides with the
sides of the valleys and expansive views are exposed of the lower countryside and
coast. A short walk further on and you step out onto a bare ridgeline with the village on
the side. The jungle recedes with dramatic suddenness and children from the village of
Hoi shout greetings, running to gather around the walkers. We stop at Hoi to saviour the
moment have a swim in the river and contemplate our journey.

ACCOMMODATION: VILLAGE STYLE OR TENTS

Day 9
HOI-KOKODA-PORT MORESBY
Descent 125m ascent 45m

From here, it’s a fast walk on undulating terrain, along a wide well kept track to the
village of Kokoda. An hour from Kokoda the track becomes a rough road, 20 minutes
and power lines appear. Village folk using the same road become more frequent
responding to greetings with wide smiles – they know you have come over the Kokoda
Trail and respect you for it. Finally Kokoda! Sometimes it almost seems anti climatic in
those first few minutes of arrival. Somehow you expect a mayoral reception or a band
welcome… then, slowly it sinks in. You have walked the Kokoda Track and the sense
of personal achievement grows, along with appreciation of the endeavours and
sufferings of those before have truly walked in their footsteps. After exploring Kokoda
our flight departs for Port Moresby. We arrive in Port Moresby around lunchtime and our
transport returns us to the Holiday Inn Hotel for welcome showers.Dinner in the
restaurant, before an early night, or a night of celebrations!

Departure Day
PORT MORESBY – HOME PORT

Today we say our goodbyes and depart Port Moresby for our homeports.

* Itinerary may vary due to conditions.

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