Day 3: Hoi campsite to the Isurava Memorial via Deniki and Isurava village
Your trek leader will wake you at 4.30 AM to allow you time to pack your gear before breakfast. Your PNG campsite support crew will then pack up your tents while you are having breakfast.
At 6.30 AM your trek leader will check your welfare then provide a detailed briefing on the day ahead. He will stress that it is important for you to trek at your own pace and not to try and keep up with those who like to be at the front. It is important that you take it easy whilst your body is acclimatising to the tropical conditions and you are adapting to the trek.
You will then commence your first climb up towards the abandoned village site of Deniki. The Australians launched a brazen attack from here to recapture Kokoda which they held for a short time before being forced back to Deniki. They then withdrew to Deniki which was the scene of another short battle before being forced to withdraw to Isurava.
The trek continues up the ridge towards Borogo Creek at XXXX m AMSL where you will have a break for lunch before continuing your climb to Isurava village at XXXX m AMSL. The village was relocated to this location after the war, You will then continue to your campsite at the Isurava Memorial which was the site of the first major battle of the Kokoda campaign from 26-30 August 1942.
The battlesite was rediscovered by Charlie Lynn in 1996 with the use of Australian Army Survey Corps maps and a modern GPS. The Australian Government later built a memorial which was opened by the former Prime Ministers, John Howard and the PNG Grand Chief, Sir Michael Somare on the 69th anniversary of the Kokoda campaign, 26 August 2002.