DAY 6 - KAGI TO MENARI

Thursday 10 September

Day Five: From Kagi to Menari

The trekkers were immersed in the local culture last night as they listened to the beautiful voices of the village children singing during the traditional performance. There were clear skies.

After another 5:00 am start, the group made the short walk past the church and out of Kagi village towards the airfield. From there, they began the steepest descent of the trek, making their way down to a creek crossing where they refilled their water bottles. The track was dry and the weather was hot.

A demanding 10-minute climb followed, providing an early-morning calf burner. The track then eased for around 30 minutes before the trekkers emerged into the sunshine for a short rest. Another 30 minutes brought them to Efogi, where they stopped for morning tea and enjoyed views across the valley towards Efogi village.

After descending into the village, the group visited the museum before beginning the difficult ascent towards Brigade Hill via Mission Ridge. They paused at Mission Ridge to learn more about the Kokoda campaign before continuing to Brigade Hill.

At the summit, the trekkers held an emotional ceremony to honour the soldiers who fought there and remember their courage and sacrifice. Following lunch, they began the long, 2½-hour descent into Menari where they arrived at 4pm.

Menari is significant in the history of the Kokoda campaign as the place where the exhausted 39th Battalion was withdrawn before the Battle of Brigade Hill. The remaining “Ragged Bloody Heroes” struggled back towards Port Moresby before later returning to fight at Buna and Gona.

It was another challenging day, and several trekkers found the conditions difficult. They have now earned a well-deserved rest while waiting for dinner.