Why walk the Kokoda Track?

One of the most common questions we have heard is Why walk the Kokoda Track? For many, Kokoda represents a piece of Australian history. Especially for Adam, whose grandfather fought in PNG in World War II, it represented an opportunity to see firsthand what the conditions we like, to experience a little of what it must have been like to spend time in those jungles.

It was common for us to be asked – Why walk the Kokoda Track? Why put yourself through all of that pain, and heat and sweat just to walk through the jungle? Not to mention the time and cost…is that really a holiday? To these questions we simply said – ‘Because we want to’. Kokoda is the most rewarding experience for those who really want to challenge themselves.

Walking Kokoda represents doubts and fears overcome; the culmination of months of hard work and a dream to succeed. To push yourself to the absolute limit (and then over it) is one of the greatest feats of human endurance, and we believe everyone should experience that gratifying feeling at least once in their life. To realise that it IS possible, and finally to say thank you to all of those brave men, on both sides, who made the ultimate sacrifice thousands of kilometres away from home, away from their loved ones, in the jungles in a foreign land. Janna wrote a blog post about learning from the Kokoda Challenge straight after coming back, which we have now published here – 6 things you can learn from the Kokoda Track.

‘But what about all the deaths!’ Aren’t you scared?’, came the retort from loved ones. Sure, we were concerned about the risks – this is natural. But you must trust in your own ability. Get outside the safety of your own world. Without risk there is no gain. For us, we knew intuitively that we were in good hands with our trekking company, and that commonsense would carry us across the Owen Stanley’s quite safely.

Why walk the Kokoda Track? Kokoda will provide you with memories for a lifetime. We can all relate to the thrill of adventure, to the emotion or being alive, to literally feeling the blood coursing through your veins. This above all made the trip so special. It broadened our perspectives and encouraged us to tackle new adventures later.

When you answer this question for yourself, you will find the motivation, inspiration and determination it takes to train and complete the track. So, when you’re thinking about walking the Kokoda Track, ask yourself: Why walk the Kokoda Track?