THE KOKODA TRACK IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA – DAY 6 - MONDAY 29 MAY 2023

VILLAGES: Naoro, Offi, Ioribaiwa

SITES: Ioribaiwa Ridge, Japanese Ladder (Maguli Ridge)

DISTANCE: 20.3km

UPS & DOWNS: 1295m + 1621m = 2916m

ELEVATION GAIN: 733m to 352m

TREKKING TIME: 7hrs 40min

ELAPSED TIME: 11hrs

AVERAGE SPEED: 2.6km/h

 

Today was easily the worst day of the trek so far and in the end !!! An inverse hell on earth – why ? Because instead of fire, water - it rained the entire day. Instead of brimstone, mud everywhere - so much so that we took our shoes and socks off and walk bare foot for a few kilometres. Now we knew what it was like for some of the porters who also went barefoot the whole trip !!! The first few kilometres were unrelenting - constant rain and mud everywhere. The only high point was two river crossings, which were a lot of fun. This morning's trek was highlighted by the nine false peaks - a very gradual uphill climb and just when you think you're at the top there's even more uphill hence the name !!! This torturous teasing climb ends at the village of Naoro where I let up my 4WD drone Ava and got some pretty good shots of the surrounding valleys. I also did a few low sweeps over the village with many happy and screaming locals waving at Ava. After this a very long to descent down to the Offi Creek where we were supposed to stay tonight but we wanted to press on in order to get a half day back in Port Moresby tomorrow to celebrate. We faced a steep uphill trek to Ioribaiwa Ridge, which is the furthest point that the Japanese advanced before being recalled back to Guadalcanal. Another short climb to Maguli Ridge where the Japanese had built a ladder to be able to carry munitions backwards and forwards. From here it was all downhill to the Manama River, which we had to cross eleven times before reaching our final campsite for the night. We all decided to keep our boots and shoes on since they were now totally wet and full of mud. The upside was that we had clean boots and clean socks by the time we got to our campsite - a site for sore eyes in  the failing light !!! Tonight was the only night that we had all six tents pitched under the same hut. The roaring Waule River would take care of any snoring so no blue-tak tonight. Our last meal together on the Track was mashed potato and specks of spam. Suffice to say everyone retired to sleep quickly given how wet we had become and how much we were looking forward to a nice dry sleeping bag and a monster celebration tomorrow night back at Port Moresby !!!