Trek the Kokoda Trail Travel Blog

Posts Tagged ‘trekker safety’

If I had one dollar for everytime I have been asked this question, I would be a wealthy man.

The best time is anytime during the Kokoda trekking season. The Kokoda trekking Season commences in April and is usually heralded with treks we have designed to be on the Track for  Anzac Day the 25th April. The season officially finishes after the completition of the Fuzzy Wuzzy Commemorative trek which we have coordinated to be at Kokoda Village on November 3 each year for the big celebration which is held there on that date.

The numbers who trek during December through to the end of March can be counted on your hands and toes.  ( Stats available from the KTA)  The reason being is that the Kokoda Track ‘region’  experiences the most rain fall during this period (monsoonal) and high summer heats and humidity.  Though you can trek during  that time, it is not at all  reliably pleasant and therefore we do not recommend it as an option.

For some reason there is a perception with many Aussies that the  best  time (climatically) and therefore the only time to trek  has to be in the middle of the official winter and near winter months, these being May, June  and July.   These are the treks that usually book out first each season. 
 After personally completing 25 treks over the Track in all months and having organised nearly 100 Teams over the Track,  from all those reports  I can honestly state that weather wise, temperature wise etc,  etc, you have as much chance of having a fine weather, low rainfall,  low humidity and all round great  trek in  August, September, October or November as you do in June or Jul . You could  ’toss a coin’ as to what month you booked during the trek season and make a decision that way if you wished,  it would be just as ‘scientific’.
I have trekked in June and it has rained just about every day and next year at the same time it has been fine.  During your trek you will spend 90% of your time in the Owen Stanley mountains. Mountains alone have a significant influence on weather changes.  There are so many variables that can change the trekking environment from one month to another, one trek to another, that they are 2 numerious to mention.
I  trekked in July one year and  had good weather and little to no rain. The following year I did the same trek and had high humidity and after a very brief and heavy downfall, we found our Team  stranded for a couple of hours on the south side of Ua Ule Creelk late in the afternoon with our campsite tantalizingly close about 100 metres away on the other side.  The water rose too high for us to cross while we stood there watching.  It dropped eventually and we could then safely cross. 

In summary, my advice to all potential trekkers is to select your trekking team by the  Team departure time which is most suitable for you. If you stay within the trekking season , April to November and trek with Back Track Adventutres you will have a wonderful , safe  and memorable trekking holiday that you will cherish forever.

See you on the Track anytime that is suitable for you during the trekking season.
Happy trekking

Team 4  flew into Brisbane yesterday on the daily Air Niugini flight  after completing a successful traverse of the Kokoda Track.  A large part of this Team was made up of students and teachers from the Cressy School in Tasmania.
On speaking with them  it was plain to see that trekking the Kokoda Track is a fantastic experience for young adults. It takes them out of their comfort zone  and places them in a totally foreign environment where they have to adapt and perform.

Many of these young leaders of tomorrow said that they would love to do the Track again with friends and family.

Well done Cressy School and on behalf of your trekking company, Back Track Adventures  and your trek Leader Jo Macione, it was  agreat experience for us as well. You were all great trekkers and great fun.  Well done and congratulations on your contribution to another  safe and rewarding trek for the whole Team.

It was great to see the Channel 7  presentation and the subsequent news paper stories referring to the latest  ‘discovery” along the Kokoda Track.

The story was a welcome change to the recent  negative articles  regarding trekker’s health and safety issues. Hopefully exciting and interesting stories such as this will only encourage Aussies to get  up and get out on the Track.
Back Track trek leaders would like to point out to all interested in trekking the Kokoda Track, that this lost battlefield is included in all  2011 trekking itineraries.

Carry your own pack  on the Kokoda Track?
The Pros:
*  The achievement factor – doing it tough like the diggers
*  Possible increase in your level of fitness by the end of the trek
The Cons:
*  Be fit; be very very fit. Train hard to get results. Have you got the time and inclination to do this ?
*  Consider the following scenario: The trek is well underway, your pack is too heavy; you’re not enjoying it. You begin to even hate it. Your Kokoda experience has turned decidedly sour.
Hire a porter to carry your pack on the Kokoda Track ?
The Pros:
*  The trek isn’t easy. But it’s a hell of a lot easier with a personal porter.
*  You’ll have a great trekking companion who is there to support you.
The Cons:
*  nil

Our trekkers health and safety are a major concern for us all. The Track is a remote location and if any problems are encountered along the Track it is essential that we have systems in place to handle any emergency situation.

The most important requirement is that our trek leaders have ready access to outside assistance should it be required.  Just a quick call on the satellite phone will put the Leader in contact with a Doctor back here in Australia and if there is a real medical emergency,  systems are in place to arrange for a helicopter evacuation.

From the moment one of our trekking teams departs Australia, our back up emergency operations  plan comes in to play.  24 hours a day, our operations managers  in Australia and in Port Moresby carry with them  mobile phones  linked through to our Trek leader’s satellite phone on the Track. If a call is received at any time the Operations manager carries with him a complete list of all the details of each trekker from their insurance details right through to their emergency contacts.  From back in Australia the Ops manager is therefore able to  assist the Trek leader in any emergency situation.