Miscellaneous
Gifts for Villagers
The most appropriate type of gift to bring for villagers along the track is a sporting item (soccer ball, volleyball, football) or educational items which can be shared by all the children in the village. You will need to keep the weight of the item you bring to a minimum however as our porters do not have the capacitiy to be laden with any additional items.
Other suitable items which will benefit villages along the way are painkillers (aspirin/panadol), antiseptic and anti-fungal creams, anti-biotics, anti-malarial tablets and band-aids/bandages.
Please do not take balloons as these quickly burst and the rubber takes years to break down. Please do not take lollies for the kids as they are now beginning to show signs of tooth decay with the increasing numbers of trekkers. If you wish to leave something substantive then take a football, soccerball, or volleyball which will benefit all the kids in the village for some time.
Gifts for Porters and Guides
It is recommended you take advantage of your visit to the Duty Free Shop to purchase a carton of Benson & Hedges cigarettes. On arrival in Kokoda you should give the carton to your guides. This is one of life's small luxuries for them and the gesture is well appreciated. During the course of the trek you will see how much it is appreciated - and how much they deserve it as they inevitably go out of their way to assist each and every one of the group at some stage.
We appreciate the normal concerns people have about giving cigarettes to local guides however they will only chew betel nut and smoke a rough unfiltered tobacco in lieu. Filtered cigarettes are a lot less repulsive than these alternatives.
Cash Requirement for the Trek
You should take about $200 with you on the Track. You will use it to pay for offerings of fresh fruit and vegetables. It is always a most welcome offering and is one of the few opportunities local people have for earning a bit of petty cash in their villages.
You can change this into the local currency (Kina) when you arrive at the Port Moresby International Airport. There is a currency exchange facility in the arrivals/baggage collection area. The PNG Customs staff will allow you to proceed through and change $50 to Kina to pay for your Visa - you should use this opportunity to exchange a further $200 into small K2 and K5 denominations for use along the track.
Gratuities for Guides and Porters
It is appropriate to pay a gratuity of one days pay (K60) which equates to approximately $30. This should be paid to your PNG Trek Leader who will then distribute it to the other guides and porters. If you have a Personal Carrier you should consider an additional gratuity for him of $30
Any donations of clothing, boots, shoes or camping equipment you might not use again will be much appreciated.
Port Moresby
- In Port Moresby your meals (breakfast and dinner), accommodation and transport are all included in the price of the trek (except for those who book the Niugini Expedition ex-Port Moresby). You will only need extra money for:
- Any additional room service/telephone charges you incur in your room at the hotel.
- Alcoholic Drinks
- Souvenirs.
You will get to visit a PNG Primitive Art warehouse as part of your half-day tour on Guided Treks or if time permits on Self-guided Treks. You can use Visa/Mastercard/Amex/Diners Club cards to make purchases.