8-day PNG Guided Kokoda Trek
Our PNG guided treks are led by our team of locally trained PNG trek leaders and designed for groups who want to experience the physical challenge of the Kokoda Trail across the original wartime route.
While our PNG trek leaders are masters of their environment and will get you safely across the trail they only have a superficial understanding of the Kokoda campaign strategy and battlefield tactics.
They have been leading treks across the trail for more than 20 years and are well respected by the Koiari and Orokaiva clan leaders across the trail.
Each of our PNG Guided Treks has a local medic trained in First Aid - they also carry two VHF radios and a SatPhone - and have 24/7 back up from our Adventure Kokoda HQ office in Port Moresby.
These treks are best suited for those on a budget who want to experience the physical challenge of the Kokoda Trail, the culture of the Koiari and Orokaiva people across it, and a feel for the sacrifice of our diggers who conquered it.
We require a minimum of eight (8) trekkers for these groups.
What's included
- Meals
- All transportation
- All accommodation
- All trek fees
- Mosquito-proof tents
Trek Itinerary
- Flight to Port Moresby
- Charter flight to Kokoda - trek to Hoi Village
- Hoi Village to the Isurava Memorial
- Isurava to Templeton's Crossing
- Templeton's Crossing to Kagi
- Kagi Village to Menari Village
- Menari Village to Ofi Creek
- Ofi Creek to Imita Basecamp
- Imita Base to Owers Corner - Port Moresby
- Day 10: Return Flight - Port Moresby to Australia
Dates & Availability for Kokoda Trail Trek
Photos from the Kokoda Trail Trek
FAQs about this trek
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.
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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.
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.
The average size of our groups in 2024 was 14 trekkers - this can increase during the peak school holiday periods.
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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
Meet the Trek Leaders
Major Charlie Lynn OAM OL - Director, Adventure Kokoda
In 2015 Charlie was inducted as an Officer of the Logohu by the Government of Papua New Guinea in their New Years Honours and Awards list 'for service to the bilateral relations between Papua New Guinea and Australia and especially in the development of the Kokoda Trail and its honoured place in the history of both nations' over the past 25 years.' More..
Peter Morrison
Peter Morrison is an unassuming young Australian. He first trekked with Adventure Kokoda almost a decade ago and developed a strong desire to learn more about the campaign and the people he met along the trail. Peter is a professional boxer and former NSW Welterweight Champion. More..
Major Scott Babington
Scott joined the Australian Army as a 16 year old apprentice in 1985. He was promoted through the ranks and has spent over 34 years serving in the Australian Regular Army.
Scott has worked with the United Nations in Sudan as a Military Observer and as an Adviser in Afghanistan with the US 82nd Airborne and the 3rd Infantry Divisions. More..
Dave Sherry
Dave began exploring Australia as soon as he was old enough to escape Sydney. He was born in the city but his heart was in the bush and he now lives on a farm just outside the western country town of Horsham. There are few places in Australia that Dave hasn’t trekked on foot or explored in off-road vehicles. He even took to the sea as a crew member on the Tall Ship HMAS Bounty during the Bicentenary in 1988.
Dave first trekked Kokoda in 2006 and began leading expeditions across the trail in 2011. He has now led more than 35 groups across the trail. More..
Jake Leske
Australia’s Honey Bee. Former Navy sailor, Jake Leske, is more than an outstanding Kokoda trek leader, he is Australia’s original ‘Honey Bee’ and a remarkable endurance athlete. Jake first trekked with Adventure Kokoda to learn more about the Kokoda campaign. He returned as a volunteer 2IC and later led his first trek. More..
Peta Bull
Peta is an extremely passionate and natural trek leader who takes pride in educating trekkers about the Kokoda Campaign. Her passion was ignited when she first trekked Kokoda with her Uncle and Father. Peta was quick to develope a good relationship with the villagers along the Trail and our Guides and Carriers have the utmost respect for her. More..
Angelo Tsirekas
Angelo first trekked Kokoda in 2010 and has since trekked it another 10 times with groups he has recruited from the Canada Bay Area. He has been 2IC to Charlie Lynn on his recent treks and has now stepped up to be a trek leader.
He is a former Board Member of the Kokoda Track Memorial Walkway in Concord and was instrumental in establishing the 'Rusty Priest Kokoda Scholarship Program' with students from Rosebank College.
Jesse White
Jesse has recently joined our Adventure Kokoda leadership team and comes with outstanding credentials. After visiting PNG over 10 years ago he formed a strong connection with the people, culture and history.
He served as a rifleman with the 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, completing multiple specialist courses and multinational exercises, including a deployment to Timor-Leste as part of the International Stabilisation Force. More..
Kerry Symes
Kerry brings a wealth of knowledge to our leadership team due to his success in senior management in PNG over a 10 year period. He has a Graduate Diploma in Strategic Leadership and was previously employed as the Operations Manager of PNGs major fuel distributor which took him around the country. More..
Gerhard Hattingh
Gerhard grew up on cattle stations in the Gulf country and is a natural bushman. He joined the Army in 2000 where he served for 21 years.
He was a specialist Sergeant Gunnery Instructor in the Royal Australian Armoured Corps where he taught soldiers to employ and fight armoured vehicles.
He later transferred to the Australian Army Aviation Corps where he was engaged as an aircrewman and loadmaster in Taipan helicopters. He completed jungle survival courses as part of his qualification for this role. More..
Captain Reg Yates
Over the past 34 years Captain Reg Yates has explored most of the WW11 battlesites in PNG. He is fluent in Tok Pisin and is well respected by village elders along the Kokoda Trail. More..
Major Craig Moffat OAM
Craig joined the Australian Army in 1979 and was posted to the Royal Australian Infantry Corps where he has served for 40 years with over 20 years serving in Special Operations Command as a Commando.
Craig has seen regimental service as a soldier and officer rising through the ranks within The Royal Australian Regiment and Special Operations Command, his career culminated as soldier with two Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) appointments prior to commissioning to officer in 2005. More..
Peter Davis
Peter served in the Army Reserve for 7 years and has two grandfathers who served in both World Wars - one being a highly decorated soldier. Peter recently graduated with a MPhil in Military History with the Australian Defence Force Academy and is now studying for his PhD. More..
Warrant Officer James 'Max' Walker
James ‘Max’ Walker (first trek with Adventure Kokoda Aug 2018 – 2IC Apr 2024).
Max Walker is a former career soldier who first joined the Australian Regular Army as a young apprentice.
During his service, Max was posted to the United Nations in Cambodia and deployed to the Republic of Narau prior to the establishment of the Australian offshore immigration detention facility. More..
Tau Maguli - Quartermaster
Tau Maguli is our PNG Quartermaster with an enormous task, he coordinates the allocation of 350 of our PNG guides and porters to ensure each trek has an equal number from each village across the Trail and each one gets at least six (6) treks a year. More..
Tracie Watson - General Manager
Tracie is the General Manager and engine room of Adventure Kokoda - she is on-call 24/7 and will look after your every need and concern from the moment you book your trek until you arrive back in Australia. More..
Bernie Rowell
Bernie is a Kokoda tragic. He first trekked with Kokoda to honour his father who served in New Guinea during the war. He has since trekked it 55 times. Bernie has transposed his success in business to his passion for leading treks across the Kokoda Trail. More..
Major Chad Sherrin MM
Chad is a decorated Vietnam veteran - he was awarded the Military Medal for bravery in action. Chad first joined the 8th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (8 RAR) as a tracking dog handler. He was promoted through the ranks to Sergeant while serving with 8 RAR and served with the Battalion in Malaysia and South Vietnam. More..
Lieutenant Colonel Rowan Tracey LLB BA
Rowan is a pioneer of the Kokoda Trail. He first trekked it 30 years ago when he served with the PNG Defence Force. He is fluent in the local language 'Tok Pisin'. Rowan is a military historian and is acknowledged as the most eminent authority on the strategy and tactics of the Kokoda campaign. More..
Commodore Simon Hart CSC MSc MA
Simon joined the Australian Navy a Cadet Midshipmen in 1973 and carved out an outstanding career spanning 33 years. He specialised in maritime surface ship operations and spent the majority of his career at sea. More..
John Nalder
Prior to John joining Adventure Kokoda he used to wrestle crocodiles with Steve Irwin. John is a qualified para-medic and expert bushman. He has a deep emotional commitment to Kokoda and the veterans he has met over the years. He is a keen student of the Kokoda campaign. More..
Joe Uwea - Chief Guide
'Big Joe' as he is fondly known is the Chief PNG guide for Adventure Kokoda.
'Big Joe' has been trekking across the Kokoda Trail for almost 20 years and is fast approaching his 100th crossing.
He has earned the respect of his Koiari and Orokaiva counterparts during this period. He is a man of few words but there is no doubt about his authority along the trail. He is well-known and highly respected by all village elders and community leaders. More..
Why Trek with Adventure Kokoda
Our primary goal is to lead you safely across the Kokoda Trail and ensure you have an unforgettable wartime historical and cultural experience.
Charlie has led 101 expeditions across the Kokoda Trail over the past 32 years.
He previously served in the Australian Army for 21 years. During this time he saw active service in Vietnam; was assigned to the joint Australian, New Zealand and British (ANZUK) Force in Singapore/ Malaysia from 1970-72, and as an exchange instructor in Airborne Logistics with the United States Army from 1977-78. He is a graduate of the Army Command and Staff College.