Hike The Kokoda Track

The adventure

The track climbs and falls without mercy, up ridges so steep you're pulling on roots, down into valleys and through rivers, then up again. It's hot, humid and often wet, and the mud can come up to your knees. The jungle closes in overhead, alive with birdsong.

In 1942, Australian soldiers, many of them young and untrained, fought a fighting retreat along this track against the Japanese army, supported by Papua New Guinean carriers the Australians called the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels. Along the way you pass battle sites, memorials and the villages of the people who live here now. It's one of the toughest treks in the world, and a moving one, and finishing at the arch in Owers' Corner or Kokoda feels earned.

Why it’s epic

• 96 kilometres through the Owen Stanley Range.
• Battle sites and memorials from the 1942 campaign.
• Trekking with local guides and porters from the villages along the way.

What it is

A 96-kilometre trek through the jungle and mountains of Papua New Guinea, following the route of the 1942 Kokoda campaign, when Australian troops held back the Japanese advance on Port Moresby.

How to do it

Book with a licensed trek operator, who arrange the permit, local guides and porters, and flights to or from Kokoda village.

Top tip

Train on steep hills with a pack for months beforehand; the climbs are relentless.

Need to know

• A trek permit is required; licensed operators arrange it.
• Very high fitness is needed, and the humidity is exhausting.
• Check current travel advice for Papua New Guinea and get specialist insurance.

Plan this trip

Rough cost

£2,000 to £5,000 per person, including flights from the UK

Time needed

8 to 10 days

Best time to go

April to November, the drier season

Fly into

POM airport

Guided treks with flights and porters are costly; getting to PNG is too.

Make it happen

• FlightsSkyscanner

Why it’s on my list

Not done yet. If you’ve done it and have tips, tell me about it.