Track 1: McCarthy's Trail 1
| Tour Code: | LFWT Track 1 - McCarthy's Trail 1 |
|---|---|
| Direction: | Vunga to Mondrabet |
| Duration: | 5 Day/5 Night |
Difficulty: | Medium to Difficult |
| 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 – McCarthy's Trail starts at the remote Bainings village of Vunga (427m above sea level) and ends at Mondrabet village in Open Bay. The track is 59KM in length and takes 4 days to complete.
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, Sren falls (150m above sea level) and Suneng Falls (559m above sea level).
For those who are able to extend their visit (post trek), this will include a 4 wheel drive off road ride from Mondrabet to Karlai village (Wide Bay). On a short banana boat trip from Karlai, the tour will include a visit to Tol Plantation to visit the memorial plaque that commemorates the 160 soldiers from Lark Force who were bayoneted to death by Japanese troops, later becoming known as the “Tol Massacre.”
Tour Itinerary:
Day(s) | McCarthy's - Vunga to Mondrabet5 Day/5 Night | Time Walked(Hours) |
| 1 | Arrive into 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 Baram 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 the last river crossing along the Kerevat river. This is a beautiful fast flowing river and a perfect place to jump in for a relaxing icy cold swim. 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 waery bodies after a strenuous day of trekking. | 6 1/2 Hours |
| 4 | Trek 2 - Baram to Sren Falls This morning we set off from Baram after an early morning breakfast. Our first break will be at Renagi Village (581m above sea level). This should take approximately 2 hours from Baram village. Renagi Village is a much more densely populated village with an approximate population of 40 villagers. Here at Renagi we will have a quick stopover rest with an opportunity to meet with the village councilor who will make a brief introduction to his village and update on the track development project. After our stopover at Renagi village we continue our trek down a long and steep descent. Taking approximately 45 minutes to trek from the village to the base of what will be our most challenging climb on the track. The ascent is a 600 meter climb, taking approximately 3 hours to reach the summit. There are no rivers or creeks along the 600m stretch so it is important to make sure that water bottles or bladders are filled up prior to the climb. It is also important to conserve your water throughout the entire climb. At Sren Falls, we setup camp alongside Sren’s fast flowing river. Sren’s majestic setting provides one of the treks more serene backdrops that encompasses the natural beauty of the Bainings Mountains. We bath to replenish our weary bodies in the icy cold river and camp overnight to the bewildering sound of the falls breaking over the large river stones. | 6 Hours |
| 5 | Trek 3 - Sren Falls to Suneng Falls Today we continue our trek from Sren but with a more relaxed approach. We commence our trek this morning after a more leisurely wake up and set off after breakfast and an optional morning swim at Sren. To get to Suneng Falls we climb approximately 150meters and this should take no more then 1 ½ hours of walking to reach Suneng Falls. Our campsite for tonight will be at Suneng where we are treated to exceptional panaoramic views over the Bainings mountain range towards Open Bay and overlooking a 120 meter waterfall drop. At the top of the waterfall is a quaintly sized rock pool and with its icy cold water, the rock pool is a perfect location to have a bath in while admiring the view across the mountain range. We intend on spending the day relaxing by the rock pool and to investigate any worthwhile adventure opportunities around Suneng Falls. Today provides a day to allow our bodies to recover before tomorrow final leg which is a long and arduous stretch. | 3 hours |
| 6 | Trek 4 - Suneng Falls to Mondrabet Today we start our day with an early morning rise and breakfast. We set off from Suneng Falls, anticipating a long day of trekking with a lot of rugged mountainous terrain – steep descents, dense jungle and numerous river crossings. In total the day’s trek will take approximately 8 hours with the final climb to Mondrabet taking a brisk 45 minute walk. Upon arrival to logging road, two 4 Wheel Drive vehicles will be awaiting our arrival and will transport us to Mondrabet village where we will spend our last official night on the track. Here at Mondrabet village we will be entertained by the infamous Bainings Fire Dancers. For those departing to Rabaul from Open Bay, the following day, tonight is chance for the group to enjoy our final night together, look back and digress on the trekking expedition and enjoy a night with our porters and guides. | 8 Hours |
| 7 | Mondrabet to - Optional extension See 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 McCarthy's Trail Map |
| Download McCarthy's Trail Menu | |
 | 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:
Track 1 - McCarthy's Trail 1 (5 Day/5 Night)
Note: For agent enquiries and or local PNG residents' rates please contact>> enquiries@southseahorizons.com
| Cost | 1-6 Trekkers | 7-11 Trekkers | 12-16 Trekkers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult (18+) | $2175.00 | $2145.00 | $2115.00 |
| Student (12-17) | $2135.00 | $2105.00 | $2075.00 |
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
