FAQs

If you lead a sedentary lifestyle you will need a minimum of three months physical training and preparation.

You should start with a complete medical check-up then consult with your local gymnasium to prepare a personal training program aimed at increasing your aerobic fitness level. As a guide we recommend you start with minimum of 45 minutes of aerobic activity (walking, power-walking, jogging, cycling, tennis, etc) at least four times per week.

You should aim to increase your work rate by ten percent each week after that.

Your training needs to include extensive walking, preferably in a hilly-area, carrying a weighted pack. In the last month of your training you need to be capable of walking at least 10 km daily, carrying 3 to 5 kg more than the weight you expect to carry on your trek.

Think of your training as a deposit in your fitness account – everything you do between now and the trek will pay a dividend on the trail.  If you haven’t made enough ‘deposits’ into your fitness account you will have to go into ‘debt’ on the trail – and debt of any kind is always painful!  

You can’t cheat yourself on Kokoda – if you have done the work you will complete it OK – if you haven’t you will be a candidate for an emergency evacuation!  

39th Battalion preparing for the Kokoda campaign on the Sogeri plateau in 1942

The trek across Kokoda is the toughest physical challenge most people will encounter. 

The decision as to whether to carry your own backpack is important because it can mean the difference between enjoying the experience or suffering and having to withdraw from the trek.

Some trekkers in the past have stubbornly refused to engage a personal carrier because they want to do it like ‘the diggers did it!’

If this is your rationale we suggest you purchase a pair of hobnail leather boots, carry a canvas backpack with webbing pouches; travel with a half-blanket which you will willingly share with up to six other trekkers; borrow a rifle and ammunition; sleep outside your tent and leave your underwear and toiletries at the hotel in Port Moresby!

For those who are young, confident and physically fit it will not be a problem.  But for those who lead a sedentary lifestyle; who might be carrying an extra kilo or two; who might be harbouring some self-doubt about their ability to burden themselves with extra weight; or who do not maintain a daily regime of physical training it will be a struggle – you will find the track does not make concessions to anybody!  It is therefore important that you do an honest assessment of your physical capabilities.

If you are physically fit, are an experienced extreme conditions trekker, and have prepared yourself with a strenuous training program then you should be able to carry your own pack.  On the other hand if you have any doubts about your ability then you should consider engaging a personal carrier for yourself or sharing one with a mate. 

If you engage your own Personal Carrier prior to your trek we provide them with a trek uniform and purchase additional food and camping gear for them before we leave Port Moresby – there is none available along the track.

The cost of a Personal Carrier is between $660 - $790 per person, depending on the trek type/duration.  The cost will be displayed when completing the online Booking Form.

If you decide to engage one after you arrive an additional $150 surcharge will apply to cover the additional costs we have to incur as short notice.

From time to time we have trekkers who realise they cannot carry their backpack after the second or third day - we then have to try and recruit additional carriers along the trail. This is a difficult exercise in the middle of the Owen Stanley Ranges as we are not able to arrange for additional food, uniforms or camping gear for the additional carriers.  It’s also unfair as our PNG trek guides and carriers, who already work hard under extreme conditions, don’t appreciate having the size of their meals reduced whenever we have to engage additional personal carriers during the trek.

A Personal Carrier will carry your backpack and act as your ‘trek caddy’ for the duration of your trek – he will often catch you before you fall; will assist you over the most difficult sections of the trail; assist you with packing up and setting up and proudly introduce you to his family in his village. 

Adventure Kokoda Video:  Should you Hire a Personal Carrier?

The most comfortable time to trek Kokoda is during the 'dry' season from April through to October each year. 

Trekkers can still trek comfortably during the monsoonal periods between December and March provided they are equipped with proper gear.

The temperature on the Kokoda Trail is a constant 29 - 30 degrees Celsius throughout the year.

Humidity is high however trekkers are protected from direct sunlight most of the time because they are under the jungle canopy.

Over the higher part of the Owen Stanley's the temperature can drop to 1 - 2 degrees Celsius during the night.

It can rain in the 'dry' season and be quite dry in the 'wet' season - so it's best to be always prepared for rain!

The Kokoda Track Authority (KTA) is a PNG Government 'Special Purpose' body administered by the Minister for Provincial and Local Level Government Affairs.

Unfortunately the employment of officials without any commercial management qualifications or experience has led to gross incompetence, poor governance, and corruption.

The KTA has not published a financial report for more than 10 years - most of the money they collect for trek permit fees now circulates in Port Moresby will little reaching village communities across the Trail.

They have not updated their official website since 2012 – it is no longer a source of reliable information.

They no longer conduct due-diligence checks when issuing tour operator licenses – as a result most Kokoda tour companies do not comply with the Investment Promotion Authority (IPA) and are therefore operating illegally in PNG.

They do not require local PNG operators to have any form of Public Liability Insurance policies.

Trekkers should therefore be aware of the rule of 'Caveat Emptor' i.e., 'Let the Buyer Beware' when selecting a Kokoda tour company to lead them across the Kokoda Trail.

LINK: The Kokoda Track Authority

No - we declined an invitation to join as we do not subscribe to their exploitation of the PNG guides and porters they engage.

The Kokoda Tour Operators Association (KTOA) was established to protect the business interests of a small group of Australian tour companies. It has emerged as a shameless Australian lobby group.

Their exploitation of vulnerable subsistence villagers would not be tolerated in Australia and should not be tolerated in PNG.

Their method of operation has been exposed on this link:
Kokoda Tour Operators Association: A Shameless Australian Lobby Group

Adventure Kokoda was rated as the best Kokoda trekking company on the Kokoda Trail in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and again in 2023.

What is the Travellers' Choice?

Travellers' Choice (formerley Certificate of Excellence) recognises businesses that earn consistently great reviews.

We are very proud to be rated number one on Tripadvisor for the 9th successive year which shows our commitment to providing an outstanding experience to all our trekkers, ensuring they have an enjoyable, challenging and informative historical and cultural experience among friends.

View Tripadvisor reviews here.

Our groups stay at The Sanctuary - a popular boutique hotel situated in the diplomatic quarter in Port Moresby and nestled amongst one of the city’s most prestigious neighbours just 10 minutes from Jackson’s International Airport.

A highlight of the hotel is the charming attitude of the staff - mainly young men and women from Milne Bay Province who are never without a smile. Rooms are modern twin-share, meals are superb, and the surrounds are serene.

 More information is available on this link: The Sanctuary Hotel

We contract PNGs premier air charter operator, TropicAir to fly our trekkers directly into and out of Kokoda. 

We do not try and cut costs by using scheduled flights into the Oro Provincial capital at Popondetta, then subject trekkers to a bumpy 90 km ride in the back of a truck to get to Kokoda.

Scheduled flights into Popondetta are notoriously unreliable and often result in tour companies arriving into Kokoda after dark then having to reorganise themselves for a 3-hour night trek to their first campsite at Deniki.

When planning a trek across the Kokoda Trail the most common questions we get relate to safety.

The Kokoda Trail is a rugged and remote 138 kilometre jungle path across some of the most hazardous terrain most people will ever traverse. The trail itself can be quite dangerous with steep jungle clad mountains and swift-flowing rivers/creeks strewn with large rocky boulders.  Much of the area is inaccessible by helicopter.  Rivers and creeks can rise rapidly after heavy rain in the catchment area and can be dangerous to cross.

In order to minimise risk it is therefore essential to trek with a reputable Kokoda tour company.

If an emergency occurs it is vital that your trek leader is experienced and capable of handling the situation.  It is essential that they are equipped with a satellite phone and VHF radio with a reliable back-to-base line of communication that maintains a 24/7 listening watch in Port Moresby.

As a trekker you need to ensure you are protected with a personal Travel Insurance policy to cover your medical evacuation and treatment costs should you become sick or suffer a personal injury.  It is your responsibility to ensure the insurer you select will approve immediate helicopter evacuation from the Kokoda Trail if the call is made by your trek leader.

You also need to ensure the operator you choose to trek with has suitable Public Liability Insurance protection.  If they don't have it don't even think about trekking with them.

You should not confuse Personal Travel Insurance (your responsibility) with Public Liability Insurance (your tour company's responsibility).

Adventure Kokoda only use trek guides and personal carriers from the Koiari and Orokaiva people who live along the trail. These are descendents of the famous 'fuzzy-wuzzy angels' who look after our trekkers just as their fathers looked after our diggers.

Our trek leaders are trained emergency evacuation procedures and are qualified in remote area first aid.  They also carry satellite phones and VHF radios with direct links to our operational HQ in Port Moresby which is monitored 24/7 during our treks.

Adventure Kokoda is one of the few trekking companies to complete a  comprehensive risk assessment of the trek and has been able to secure public liability insurance protection for trekkers as a result.  The policy has a limit of A$10 million per claim. 

Our good relationship formed over the past 33 years with our guides, carriers and the people living along the trail ensures our trekkers have safe passage.

The difference is the dialogue we have within the group during and after our presentations.

We have a combined total of 160 years professional military experience - our trek leaders have served in Papua New Guinea, Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq. They are able to relate discuss the ground and conditions to the strategic situation of the time and the various principles that apply to the different phases of war.

They have also experienced the emotional aspects of perhaps never seeing their families again - and they understand mateship because they have experienced it under combat condtions.

As a result they are able to provide informed debate surrounding some of the decisions made by commanders in the heat of the campaign and relate many of the personal stories of veterans they have previously served with.

This is not stuff you can learn from a book - it comes from personal experience in the army and makes for interesting and lively dialogue.

According to Major General Gordon Maitland, a distinguished military historian there are three types of military historians:

• Journalist historians, who show little respect for the facts in order to tell a good story
• Academic historians, who have the time and facilities to unearth new and valuable information, but mainly at the political and strategic levels
• Soldier historians, who are the only ones one can trust at the tactical level, for they have been taught to understand the key factor – ground'.

Adventure Kokoda engages 'soldier historians'! who meet Major General Maitland's criteria of understanding key tactical factors and are able to incorporate them into interesting and entertaining battlefield presentations.

NO! 

PNG trek guides are masters of their environment however their knowledge of the Kokoda campaign and their presentation skills do not rate at this stage of their development.

Adventure Kokoda organises PNG led Kokoda treks for groups who are looking for a physical challenge in preference to learning about the wartime history of the Kokoda campaign.

Whilst our PNG leaders have been well trained in expedition leadership and are the best in the business they do not have the knowledge of the military history of the Kokoda campaign or the presentation skills to conduct battlesite briefings. 

Trekkers meeting PNG support crew on arrival at Kokoda airfield

The average size of our groups in 2024 was 14 trekkers - this can increase during the peak school holiday periods.

If you trek from Owers Corner to Kokoda via the wartime trail you follow the footsteps of our young Diggers as they advanced across the Owen Stanley Ranges to meet the Japanese 144th South Sea Islands Regiment.

If you trek from Kokoda to Owers Corner via the wartime trail you follow the route of the Australian withdrawal in the face of overwhelming Japanese odds back to the last line of defence on Imita Ridge.

There is no 'best' way to trek Kokoda. The experience is just as powerful in either direction (that is the opinion of Charlie Lynn who has trekked 63 times from Kokoda to Owers Corner and 38 times from Owers Corner to Kokoda).

The difference is the experience and knowledge of your trek leader.  If your trek leader has a detailed understanding of the history of the Kokoda campaign you will get maximum value from your trek.  If they don't you will be disappointed and will soon realise the savings you made from going 'cheap' are a false economy in more ways than one.

The distance across the Kokoda Trail between Owers Corner and Kokoda as the crow flies is 96 km.

However if you were to strap a Garmin GPS to the leg of the crow and get him to trek it via the wartime trail the actual distance is 138 km - you would also climb a total of 6748 metres.

We provide a personal 2-man tent for each trekker. 

Our tents are fully screened and provide protection from malarial mosquitos, leeches, cockroaches, mice and other creepy-crawlies who inhabit the night.

For personal protection, privacy, comfort and convenience our guides will set up your tent each night - pack it up the next morning - carry if to the next campsite and have it ready for you again.

Guesthouses in villages along the trail are built from local bush materials - they offer basic shelter from the elements but don't have any privacy or screened protection from malarial mosquitos, leeches, cockroaches, rats and mice, etc!

The increase in trekker numbers over recent years has led to an increase in infestation in villages guesthouses.

If you have to sleep in these because your trek operator does not provide mosquito proof tents make sure you sleep with your mouth closed and that you don't mind the pitter-patter of little mice running across your forehead - if you are a bit sensitive in this area the only guarantee you have against the local infestation is to sleep in an insect proof tent.

There is also no protection from the inevitable snorer in guesthouses where everybody is required to bunk together.

According to reports we receive we are the only Kokoda tour company operator to provide nutritious fresh meals during our treks.

Over the years we have trained our PNG support crews to prepare, cook and serve meals and this has proved to be a most attractive option to trekkers.  Life is too short for ration packs!

Our menu includes breakfast cereals, tropical fruits, biscuits, jam-vegemite-nutella-peanut butter-cheese, pasta, noodles, rice, meat and vegetables with potato, tea/coffee/hot chocolate etc as standard fare.

We are also able to provide for special diets as required.

Most of the emergency evacuations from the Kokoda Trail are caused by gastro problems which cause severe vomiting and diarrhoea leading to dehydration - the most likely source of this condition is contaminated food cooked and served by villagers.  This is why we carry ALL of our food with our trek groups.

The villages along the Trail are Seventh Day Adventists. They are vegetarian, don't drink alcohol, and strictly observe their Sabbath between 4.00 PM on Friday and 4.00 PM on Saturday each week.  They also have two church services in each village each day - one at 6.00 AM and one at 6.00 PM and most of Saturday.  Trekkers are asked to respect these religious protocols and proceed quietly through any village observing the Sabbath.

Each village has a designated area for trekkers to camp. 

They also have dedicated toilets for trekkers if required - your guides will identify these areas for you.

There are also separate bathing areas for males and females.  To avoid embarrassment you should ask your guides to show you where they are.  Ladies should wear a sarong to their bathing area. 

Most evacuations from the trail are due to gastro-intestinal problems which cause severe vomiting, diarrhoea and chronic dehydration.

Unhygienic handling and preparation of food is the most common cause of the gastro problems which lead to medical evacuations.  Most evacuations result from trekkers who eat vegetables prepared by local villagers. 

To avoid this we carry all of our own food which we purchase from supermarkets in Port Moresby.

We actively discourage our trekkers from eating food prepared in villages as we cannot guarantee the standard of the local hygiene.

Some operators rely on village food to save costs - If the operator you choose includes ‘village food’ as part of their catering plan it might save them money but it could lead to your evacuation from the trail.

Our Adventure Kokoda headquarters in Port Moresby is equipped with satellite phones and VHF radios which are monitored 24/7 while we have groups on the Trail.

If an emergency arises the situation is immediately assessed by our trek leader who is qualified in advanced first-aid. 

If evacuation is required he/she will contact our Port Moresby manager to initiate emergency procedures. 

Our Port Moresby manager will  immediately initiate evacuation procedures by contacting the helicopter company and the travel insurance provider. 

The patient will be met by Adventure Kokoda staff on arrival in Port Moresby and transported immediately to the Pacific International Hospital for assessment/treatment.

If the situation is deemed urgent we will arrange for an emergency team from the Pacific International Hospital to accompany the helicopter to the site of evacuation on the Kokoda Trail.

In 1958 the Commonwealth Battles Nomenclature Committee awarded the Battle Honour ‘Kokoda Trail’ to the Papuan Infantry Battalion and the 10 Australian battalions who fought in the Kokoda campaign.

In 12 October 1972 the PNG Government proclaimed the name ‘Kokoda Trail’ (PNG Government Gazette No. 88 of 12 October 1972, page 1362, column 2. Notice 1972/28 of the ‘PNG Place Names Committee’ refers).

The official term ‘Kokoda Trail’ was adopted by the Australian War Memorial and the Returned Services League of Australia and remains proudly emblazoned on the Regimental Colours of the battalions who fought for the honour.

After Prime Minister Paul Keating kissed the ground at Kokoda during his visit for the 50^th anniversary of the Kokoda campaign in 1992 the term ‘Kokoda Track’ emerged as the politically correct term due to the linkage to of the term ‘Trail’ to America.

This overlooks the fact that America saved us from a Japanese onslaught in 1042.

One city-based journalist supported the politically correct term as he reported that ‘track was the language of the ‘Australian bush’. He was obviously unaware that the entire Australian continent is criss-crossed with ‘fire trails’.

Research on the issue can be viewed on this link: Official Name of the Kokoda Trail