10 Days Kokoda Military History, Eco-tourism and ANZAC Day Treks itinerary (Owers Corner to Kokoda)

Owers Corner - Kokoda

Day 1: Owers Corner to Goodwaters Campsite (3-4 hours)

After a good night’s rest and breakfast at either the Gateway or Ela Beach Hotel in Port Moresby, we are dropped off at Owers Corner. Perched up high on the Sogeri Plateau, this marks the beginning of the trail. We take photographs at the memorial and carry out last minute adjustments to our packs and equipment before setting off. After half an hour’s walk, we reach the Goldie River, which we cross. We pass Uberi and reach our first campsite after another two and a half hours’ trekking. We spend the night at Goodwaters campsite.

Day 2: Goodwaters Campsite to Ioribaiwa (4-5 hours)

We start the morning with a climb up the ‘Golden Staircase’ at Imita Range, which will take us about 2-3 hours. Imita Ridge is where the Australians took their last stand against the Japanese who stopped short at Ioribaiwa. After making our way down Imita Ridge, we have lunch at Ua-ule Creek. In the afternoon, we climb for another couple of hours to reach Ioribaiwa campsite for our overnight stop.

Day 3: Ioribaiwa to Nauro (5-6 hours)

From our campsite, we take a short walk to the top of Ioribaiwa Range. This was the final Japanese defensive position that brought them within reach of Port Moresby before they were ordered to retreat. They could see the Port Moresby city lights from here. We then continue our trek down the range to Ofi Creek, before another good climb up to Maguli Range, including the steep pass known as the ‘Japanese Ladder’. We have our lunch at the top of the range. We then make a gradual descend into Nauro Village to have our evening meal and spend the night. There are some spectacular views of the Owen Stanley Range and Mt Victoria on this last part of today’s section of the trail.

Day 4: Nauro to Menari (5-6 hours)

We leave Nauro Village and head through the famous Nauro Swamp where a section of Australian soldiers became lost and slept in waist-deep water. After about two hours’ walking through the swamp, we meet and cross the Nauro River. From here, we trek up a narrow ridgeline known as ‘The Wall’ and onto Mt Tamata, also known as Menari Gap. We then walk down into Menari Village, where our next campsite and guesthouse is. Menari was captured by the Japanese after the Battle of Brigade Hill.

Day 5: Menari to Efogi (5-6 hours)

Day five begins with a walk along the airstrip at Menari before a steep climb up to Brigade Hill. This was the site of a major four-day battle, where the Japanese outflanked the Australians and cut their position into half. We take a break, have lunch and examine the treacherous eastern slopes where approximately 300 Australian soldiers escaped from a deliberate Japanese attack, before carrying their wounded and sick out into the open after spending three weeks in the jungle. From here, we walk back down to Efogi Village for our campsite and guesthouse.

Day 6: Efogi One to Diggers Rest Campsite (4-5 hours)

We leave our guesthouse at Efogi Village to walk up Launumu to Efogi Two and continue our trek down a steep descent to the creek, passing several cascading waterfalls. From there it’s another climb up to Naduri Village, where we have lunch. Naduri is the home of the last remaining ‘Fuzzy Wuzzy Angel’. After lunch, we continue our trek for another couple of hours until we reach Diggers Rest Campsite where we rest for the night.

Day 7: Digggers Rest Campsite to Templetons Crossing One (4-5 hours)

From Diggers Rest campsite, we walk to the 1900 Crossing campsite before climbing up to the top of Mt Bellamy (2190 m), the highest point on the Kokoda Trail. We then head down to the Kokoda Gap, also referred to as ‘The Gap’, where we enjoy lunch. Looking at the environment, we will note the incredible lack of appreciation for the terrain displayed by Generals MacArthur and Blamey when they gave the order to ‘blow the gap’. On a good day, 'The Gap' offers magnificent views of the Yodda Valley to the north. In the afternoon we walk down to Templetons Crossing One where we set up for the night.

Day 8: Templetons Crossing One to Alola Village (5-6 hours)

We’ll have an early morning start of today’s trek, which will take us to Alola. The part of the trail between Templetons Crossing and Myola (by-passed) was believed to have been the hardest during the campaign. We head past Templetons Crossing Two (there’s a war grave there) and cross Eora Creek, another major battle site where both Australian and Japanese forces lost many lives. We have lunch at Eora before starting a steady climb through numerous razor-deep valleys to our guesthouse at Alola Village. Alola has magnificent views of the valley looking towards the North and Kokoda.

Day 9: Alola Village to Deniki (4-5 hours)

We leave Alola Village and walk to Isurava battlefield where we visit the Battle Field Monument for a brief tour and photographs before we have lunch. This is where Private Bruce Kingsbury was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for bravery and gallantry in action during the battle. With little regard for his personal safety, he charged forward towards the assaulting enemy, while firing his Bren gun from his hip, which broke up the momentum in their attack and forced the Japanese to retreat. He was later shot by a Japanese sniper. We then continue our trek over undulating terrain to Deniki Lookout, our overnight stop. Deniki has amazing views of Kokoda and the Yodda Valley, Hoi and Kovelo villages.

Day 10: Deniki to Kokoda (4-5 hours)

On the last day of our trek, we walk down from Deniki Lookout to Hoi village. We pass through Kovelo village and continue on down to Kokoda Station. It’s mostly a flat terrain from Hoi to Kokoda. Kokoda is the finishing point of our trek. We pay a visit to the Kokoda War Museum before catching our charter flight into Port Moresby, where we wash and rest up and go on a bus tour of the Bomana War Cemetery and the city. You will spend your last night in your four-star hotel room in Port Moresby.

PS: For ANZAC Day treks, you will celebrate ANZAC Day (25 April) at the Bomana War Cemetery near Port Moresby in a dawn service on Day 1 of this itinerary, before travelling up to Owers Corner to begin your trek.