Kokoda Track Guide

pilko14:29 UTC11 Jul 2007

Hi,

Has anyone recently turned up to Kokoda or Owen"s Corner, hired a local guide, payed the fee and started walking. Is it difficult to find a local guide? We want to carry our own things, cook our own food. we only want a guide to show us the way and to help us communicate with people along the track.

How much should a guide cost?

Feedback from people who have actually done it this way (successfully or unsuccessfully) would be greatly appreciated.

Kind Regards

northmelbournedn16:14 UTC11 Jul 2007

You can't pay the Track fee at Owen's Corner. It can be paid at the Kokoda Track Authority in the Brian Bell Plaza, Boroko, Port Moresby.

If you were able to spend some time in the villages on the way to Owen's Corner you should be able to hire a guide. I know there are guides available who live in the Varirata National Park. You will see the turn off to Varirata on the way to Owen's Corner. Just drive about one KM into the Park and you will come to a group of 3 or 4 houses. Ask there for a guide.

I haven't walked the whole Track (yet) but I have walked the Imita Ridge - Owen's Corner 3 times and done a number of other treks in the vicinity of Owen's Corner, all with local guides. I have meet a lot of local boys who have done the trail many times. I am sure that you would be able to meet someone and hire them to go with you. You would of course have to take the risk that no one is availble on the day you turn up, but that is probably unlikely, but there would be no guarantee.

The boys tell me that the tour operators pay them between K60 - K100 per day. You need to take food for your guide as well, as he will onl take the clothes he is wearing for the trek. Good luck.

nomadtales11:34 UTC12 Jul 2007

I have showed up at Popondetta (north of Kokoda) and a guide has found us. We negoiated a rate of 70kina a day (this was in 2005) and the cost of hif flight from port moresby back to Kokoda. If you are going to do it north to south just pop in the police station and ask if they know a reputable guide available (of course they will tell you about their cousin, but it is all good).

BTW the guide we used would be more than happy to do more guiding. His details are below. I really recommend him. If you want to read the tale of my trek, have a look here.

Emmanuel Sangai
c/o Kokoda Primary School,
P.O. Box 19,
Popondetta, Oro Province,
Papua New Guinea.

jon200019:07 UTC17 Jul 2007

They can arrange a guide for you at the Kokoda Track Authority at Brian Bell Plaza in Port Moresby. You will need to go there anyway to get your trekking permit. It costs 80k a day. They can also organise transport to Ower's Corner and from Kokoda if required.

A friend and I did this recently. We arrived in Port Moresby on a Monday afternoon and were walking the following morning.

Kokoda Track Guide Country forums / Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea / Papua New Guinea
pilko14:29 UTC11 Jul 2007	Hi, Has anyone recently turned up to Kokoda or Owen"s Corner, hired a local guide, payed the fee and started walking. Is it difficult to find a local guide? We want to carry our own things, cook our own food. we only want a guide to show us the way and to help us communicate with people along the track. How much should a guide cost? Feedback from people who have actually done it this way (successfully or unsuccessfully) would be greatly appreciated. Kind Regards
northmelbournedn16:14 UTC11 Jul 2007	You can't pay the Track fee at Owen's Corner. It can be paid at the Kokoda Track Authority in the Brian Bell Plaza, Boroko, Port Moresby. If you were able to spend some time in the villages on the way to Owen's Corner you should be able to hire a guide. I know there are guides available who live in the Varirata National Park. You will see the turn off to Varirata on the way to Owen's Corner. Just drive about one KM into the Park and you will come to a group of 3 or 4 houses. Ask there for a guide. I haven't walked the whole Track (yet) but I have walked the Imita Ridge - Owen's Corner 3 times and done a number of other treks in the vicinity of Owen's Corner, all with local guides. I have meet a lot of local boys who have done the trail many times. I am sure that you would be able to meet someone and hire them to go with you. You would of course have to take the risk that no one is availble on the day you turn up, but that is probably unlikely, but there would be no guarantee. The boys tell me that the tour operators pay them between K60 - K100 per day. You need to take food for your guide as well, as he will onl take the clothes he is wearing for the trek. Good luck.	1
nomadtales11:34 UTC12 Jul 2007	I have showed up at Popondetta (north of Kokoda) and a guide has found us. We negoiated a rate of 70kina a day (this was in 2005) and the cost of hif flight from port moresby back to Kokoda. If you are going to do it north to south just pop in the police station and ask if they know a reputable guide available (of course they will tell you about their cousin, but it is all good). BTW the guide we used would be more than happy to do more guiding. His details are below. I really recommend him. If you want to read the tale of my trek, have a look here. Emmanuel Sangai c/o Kokoda Primary School, P.O. Box 19, Popondetta, Oro Province, Papua New Guinea.	2
jon200019:07 UTC17 Jul 2007	They can arrange a guide for you at the Kokoda Track Authority at Brian Bell Plaza in Port Moresby. You will need to go there anyway to get your trekking permit. It costs 80k a day. They can also organise transport to Ower's Corner and from Kokoda if required. A friend and I did this recently. We arrived in Port Moresby on a Monday afternoon and were walking the following morning.	3