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

Day 1: Kokoda to Deniki (4-5 hours)

We get transported to Kokoda by charter flight from Port Moresby. At Kokoda, we visit the Kokoda War Museum before starting our trek. We walk through mostly flat terrain first and pass Kovelo village and Hoi village before starting our climb up to Deniki Lookout, the place of our first overnight stop. Deniki has beautiful views over Kokoda and the Yodda Valley, Hoi and Kovelo villages.

Day 2: Deniki to Alola (5-6 hours)

From Deniki, we climb to Isurava battlefield, where we visit the Battle Field Monument for a tour and photographs. 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 walk to Alola, which also offers great views of the valley looking north towards Kokoda. We spend the night at our guesthouse in Alola Village.

Day 3: Alola to Templetons Crossing One (5-6 hours)

Today, we leave Alola Village to climb down, then up and then down again through numerous valleys to Eora Creek. This is a major battle site where both Australian and Japanese forces lost many lives. We cross the creek and continue our trek, climbing up and over ridges, passing Templetons Crossing Two (with a war grave) to reach our campsite for the night at Templetons Crossing One. The part of the trail between Templetons Crossing and Myola (to be by-passed) was believed to have been the hardest during the campaign in the war.

Day 4: Templetons Crossing One to Efogi Two (5-6 hours)

We leave our campsite at Templetons Crossing One and climb up to the highest part of Mt Bellamy (2190 m), which is the highest point on the Kokoda Trail. We continue our trek to the Kokoda Gap lookout, where we can see ‘The Gap’ and the terrain that was grossly underestimated by Generals MacArthur and Blamey when they gave their order to ‘blow the gap’. From there we trek up and down the mountains before reaching Naduri village. Naduri is the home of the last remaining ‘Fuzzy Wuzzy Angel’. From Naduri, we climb down the mountain to the creek, which we cross. We then have a bit of a steep climb up to Efogi Two where we spend the night here in a guesthouse.

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

We leave Efogi Two, climb down to Efogi One 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. Here, we take a break and look at the treacherous eastern slopes where about 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. We then continue our walk past Mission Ridge before making our descent into Menari, our campsite and guesthouse for the night. The Japanese had captured Menari after the Battle of Brigade Hill.

Day 6: Menari to Augulo Campsite (4-5 hours)

This morning is a short trek where we start with a climb up and down Mt Tamata, also known as Menari Gap before descending steeply down a narrow ridgeline called 'The Wall' which leads us onto our Augulo Campsite, our campsite and guesthouse for the night where we spend the rest of afternoon and the night

Day 7: Augulo Campsite to Ofi Creek (6-7 hours)

From Augulo Campsite, we reach and cross Nauro River than we trek past the famous Nauro Swamp where a section of Australian soldiers became lost and slept in waist-deep water, until we reach Nauro Village. than climb up the Maguli Range. We then descend down to Ofi Creek, a section of which is a steep pass known as the ‘Japanese Ladder’ our campsite and guesthouse for the night.

Day 8: Ofi Creek to Ua-ule Creek (4-5 hours)

Today, we head up from our campsite at Ofi Creek which brings us to the top of the 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 head down to Ioribaiwa than climb further down where we trek through numerous creek crossings and a canyon in encroaching jungle foliage before reaching Ua-Ule Creek, our second last campsite for the night.

Day 9: Ua-ule Creek to Owers Corner ( 5-6 hours)

From Ua-ule Creek, which we cross, we climb up to Imita Ridge. This is where the Australians took their last stand against the Japanese who stopped short at Ioribaiwa. From the ridge, we head down the ‘Golden Staircase’ to Goodwaters, pass Uberi and cross Goldie River, before climbing up to the finish point of the trail at Owers Corner. Here we spend a little time at the memorial taking photographs before being transported back to our four-star hotel in Port Moresby. Back in Port Moresby, we shower, rest and have lunch before going on a bus tour of the Bomana War Cemetery and Port Moresby city before returning to thr hotel at five for dinner. Your last night will be in a soft bed in the 4-star hotel.

PS: For ANZAC Day treks, you will celebrate ANZAC Day (25 April) at either the Isurava battlefield or Owers Corner in this itinerary. In the former, you will walk from Deniki to Isurava on Day 2 of this itinerary, instead of Deniki to Alola. In the latter, you will complete your trek at Owers Corner right on ANZAC Day.