Track 1: McCarthy's Trail 2
| Tour Code: | LFWT Track 1: McCarthy's Trail 2 |
|---|---|
| Direction: | Vunga to Mondrabet |
| Duration: | 4 Day/4 Night |
Difficulty: | Medium |
| Group Size: | Individual Bookings: 1-6 Trekkers Group Bookings: 7+ (Maximum 16 trekkers per group) |
| Tour Dates: |
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Tour Description:
Track 1: McCarth's Trail 2 starts at the remote Bainings village of Vunga (427m above sea level) and ends at Mondrabet village in Open Bay. The track is 55KM in length and takes 3 days to complete.
This is a remarkable opportunity to trek the infamous 'Rabaul Escape' route in remote East New Britain Province (Papua New Guinea).Be amongst the first to trek the infamous 'Rabaul Escape' route, taken by members of the 2/22nd Battalion AIF (Lark Force) as they sought escape from the invading Japanese forces in January 1942. Follow trails long hidden in the jungles of East New Britain and experience the unrivalled hospitality of remote Baining and Pomio villages along the way, with some well earned beach relaxation at the end! This ecotourism route is being developed in partnership with the local landowners and is an emotive and challenging trek to rival the Kokoda Track. For those seeking to explore beyond conventional boundaries, untouched and pristine virgin rainforests and discover the history of Australia's 'heroes of Rabaul', this is a remarkable opportunity not to be missed.
Villages that shall be passed along the track include Baram village (228m above sea level), Renagi village (581m above sea level) and Mondrabet village (364m above sea level).
Key landmarks that shall be visited include – Kerevat River, Toriu River tributaries and Iguam river.
Tour Itinerary:
Day(s) | McCarthy's Trail 2- Vunga to Mondrabet4 Day/4 Night | Time Walked(Hours) |
| 1 | Arrive in Rabaul Trekkers will be collected from the airport and transported to your nominated hotelier. Trekkers will be greeted at the airport by South Sea Horizons personnell. Your SSH representative will advise you about the briefing session, land tour and transfer to Vunga village on the following day. Note: Accommodation is not included in McCarthy's Trail Package unless requested. (Refer to booking form) | |
| 2 | Rabaul/Kokopo Today will consist of a half day land tour around Kokopo and Rabaul visiting a variety of key landmarks in the old town and in Kokopo. The tour will encompass a local cultural aspect aswell as sharing the famous war nostalgia and significance which Rabaul played during the 2nd World War. Afternoon: With all trekkers camping equipment prepared, trekkers will be transferred to Vunga village which is approximately 3 hours by road. Upon arrival into Vunga village, trekkers will be warmly greeted by the local village in traditional song. Here our trekkers will meet their LFWT trekking team - Tour leader, personal porters and food porters. Briefing Session: The LFWT TL will conduct a 30-45minute briefing session with all trekkers that will cover all aspects of the trek. This will include the introduction of ther LFWT team and their role on the track; safety and risks along the track; Trek expectations. The night at Vunga village will be filled with song and dance performed by the local village. Dinner will be prepared and served by the local women of Vunga village. | Land Tour: 5-6 Hours Trasfer to Vunga: 2-3 hours Brief: 45mins |
| 3 | Trek 1 - Vunga to Renagi We will then commence trekking down to the Kerevat river crossing (5 river crossings in total) and then we commence our ascent to Baram village. Lunch will be served at Baram village. Baram is a small village that is currently inhabited by one Bainings family and is perfectly perched up on top of a mountain peak. Baram has a fast flowing creek, offering another perfect opportunity to refresh your sore and weary bodies before setting off for Renagi village. Renagi village is a 2 1/2 hr trek from Baram village and involves a steady but not too steep climb to the mountain top village. Here at Renagi trekkers will be accommodated in the local guest haus that once was the medical aid post. This is now a community building and will be rehabilitated to house tourists and rebuild into a suitable aid post for the village and nearby villages such as Baram. | 6 1/2 Hrs |
| 4 | Trek 2 - Baram to Adenam River This morning we set off from Renagi which is 581m above sea level and commence a 2 hour descent to Sren River. Renagi Village is a much more densely populated village with an approximate population of 40 villagers. After a quick break at Sren River we continue our walk by trekking up to the top of Mount Qaduit. This will take approximately 1 hour to complete. Lunch will be served at the nearby Eboga River which is a 1 hour walk mainly descending from the top of Mount Qaduit. The Eboga River is a fast flowing river that is a great place to enjoy a lunchtime swim. After lunch we continue our trek to Adenam campsite which is a 2 hour trek from the Eboga river. At Adenam the campsite is situated on a large river bank with two campsites built on either side of the river. One side is for the porters and guide and the other for trekkers. After the hard days trekking it is the perfect place to relax and have an icy cold river bath. | 6 hours |
Trek 3 - Adenam River to Mondrabet Our final day poses to be a challenging trek as we trudge through low wetlands, following the meandering bends of the Toriu River and Qilot River. This morning commences with a 2 hour trek from Adenam campsite to the Qilot River (Final river crossing). From the final river crossing at the Qilot River we commence a 1 hour climb up to the top of Mount Imeng. This is a tough climb but very satisfying when reaching the summit. After short break at Mt Imeng we follow a two hoir trek to the Imare river. Upon arrival to the Imare, lunch will be served. This trek takes approximately 2 hours to complete from Mt Imeng. At the conclusion of lunch we continue our trek to Unam which involves another steep descent followed by an equally steep climb and then a final descent to our last river crossing at Breng River. The Breng river is located at the base of Mondrabet village. So after washing off the days sweat, we continue up the steep and final hill to Mondrabet village. The walk the Bren river from the Imare river is approximately 1 1/2hrs and the final climb up to Mondrabet takes approximately 30minutes. Evening: Trekkers will be warmly received by Mondrabet village. Later in the night (after dinner) trekkers will be entertained by the world renowned bainnings fire dance performance. | 7 hrs | |
| 6 | Post Trek Extension - Refer to Special Options |
Trek Structure
- 1:1 Trekker to Porter - All trekkers will be assigned a personal porter. This aims to promote relationship building between porters and trekkers, enhance safety and well being of trekkers and to assist in reaching the ultimate goal of completing the entire track.
- Tour Guide - Each group will be assigned a local tour guide who will be responsible for communication with home base, decision making on the track and liaising between his Lead man (2ic), porters and trekkers. The tour guide is the caretaker of money and is responsible for payments to all villages.
- Compressed formation - The compressed formation keeps the trekking group tightly bonded. This assists the porters, guide and lead man to closely monitor trekkers conditioning. By keeping the group close together, we believe that the team factor and impetus will drive trekkers harder to reach the end goal - Kokoda!
- Trek Content - Guides, Porters, Village fees and permit
- Land Tour - Rabaul and Kokopo
- Transport - Kokopo to Vunga Village
- Village Fees - Gaulim, Vunga, Kainagunan, Baram, Renagi and Mondrabet
- Trek Permits - Lark Force Wilderness Track Limited (landowner company)
- Meals - Trek content + Vunga and Mondrabet (Dinner)
- LFWT Trek Guide - A guide for the LFWT History, Lark Force history, Rabaul, Bainings and East Pomio culture.
- LFWT Presentation - SSH will include a free presentation on Lark Force for small groups (6+ Trekkers).
Optional Add-in's (Pre and Post) - Refer the booking form
- Rabaul Accommodation
- Karlai/Tol Extension
- Baia Wilderness Lodge (Extension) - Fishing or non-fishing
- Tours around the Gazelle, New Ireland Province, Pomio
- Plane Charter from Open bay to Rabaul
 | Download the SSH-Paddy Pallin recommended packing list. All SSH clients receive a 10% discount when shopping at Paddy Pallin. |
 | South Sea Horizons is a supporter of the International Porters Protection Group (IPPG) organisation which is an NGO that dedicates its time towards creatng fair treatment for porters and guides. |
 | FREE LARK FORCE TRACK & HISTORY PRESENTATION SouthSea Horizons is prepared to deliver a presentation about the Lark Force History in East New Britain, PNG, the Lark Force Track and a summary presentation of highlights of East New Britain. The actual presentations are free of charge. DETAILS Presenter: Chris Diercke, voluntary historian/trainer for South Sea Horizons-LFWT. |
Retail Price Range:
LFWT - Scanlan's Trail (5 Day/5 Night)
Note: For agent enquiries and/or local PNG residents bookings please contact>> enquiries@southseahorizons.com
| Cost | 1-6 Trekkers | 7-11 Trekkers | 12-16 Trekkers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult (18+) | $2362.00 | $2332.00 | $2302.00 |
| Student (12-17) | $2305.00 | $2273.00 | $2243.00 |
Discalaimer: Tour package prices are costed "Per Person" based on the number of travellers in a group. All prices are indicative and subject to change at anytime due to change in rates by operators, hoteliers, fuel surcharges and other related costs. Enquiries for prices will be confirmed once a client has completed the book online form. The above rates are for "Land Content Only." Airfares, travel insurance and extra tour activities are not included. Client is advised to read all and agree to the tours "Terms and Conditions" prior to committing to this tour package. ALL PRICES IN AUSTRALIAN DOLLARS
