Day 1: Australia-Port Moresby-Lae

Fly to Port Moresby from Australia. Transfer to Domestic and board flight with PNG Air to Lae departing 425pm and arriving 530pm. Vehicle transfer from Nadzab to Huon Gulf Hotel. Tonight we do a final equipment check and brief for the next day. We will then have dinner and meet our local guide Lawrence.

 (D) (Sleep-Huon Gulf Hotel-Lae)

Day 2: Lae to Kaisenik Village  

Early breakfast (don’t forget to take your lunch from the hotel) before we drive through some magnificent scenery in the direction of Bulolo on our way to Wau.

Arriving at Wau, we will stop and view the Wau War Memorial. Wau was a major gold town during the late 1920’s and 1930’s and Wau’s airstrip was the busiest airport in the world in the early 1930’s. Trucks and even the gold dredges were cut up with oxy’ torches in Lae, loaded onto aircraft and then welded back together on arrival in Wau. Nowadays “Hidden Valley” goldmine operates at Edie Creek, on Mt Kaindi, above Wau. We will have lunch here before continuing on to Kaisenik Village where we will make camp for the night.

(B, L, D) (Sleep Kaisenik Village) 

Day 3: Kaisenik Village to Charlie’s Camp

Early breakfast and transfer by vehicle to the start point of the Wau-Salamaua Track near Kaisenik, indicating the location of the “True” Black Cat mine and also where Capt Sherlock’s Rifle Company fought at Wandumi to delay the Imperial Japanese Army’s surprise appearance from the secret “Jap Track”.

We will then will cross Crystal Creek walking through rising kunai, gullies and scrub to the Grey Ghost B-17 Bomber, then continue climbing to the rainforest canopy and Bannis Donkey, (Donkey Fence; i.e. corral for mules or ponies) for lunch. We are now on the WWII Buisaval or Ballam’s Track, now referred to as the “Black Cat”. After lunch we continue walking to Charlie's Camp where we set up camp for the night.

(B, L, D) (Sleep Charlie’s Camp)

Day 4: Charlie’s Camp to Skindewai

After breakfast we will continue on along the t he Buisaval track, or Ballam’s track which was originally cut for ponies carrying “cargo“ from Salamaua to the gold fields; expect it to be rough and partly overgrown! Along the way we will stop for lunch before heading on to the little hamlet of Skindewai Village (meaning bark of tree; i.e. bark-roof huts). This is a beautiful trek today and should see lots of interesting flora and fauna. We will then set up camp for the night.

(B, L, D) (Sleep Skindewai)

Day 5: Skindewai to Banana Camp Up early for breakfast and if time permits we will go and look at the American cargo plane wreck that crashed after dropping off supplies to the camp. This area had been a supply HQ during the war. The track is a lot harder than yesterday. It is up and down with many exposed roots and logs across the track. We follow the contour of the hills all day. This is extremely hard as again walking on the angle. There are no flat areas to get any relief. Trekkers have to take extreme care in places, as there are sharp drops off the track. Extremely dangerous if one was to slip. It is normal for us to use ropes to cross a number of narrow river gorges. Apart from it being a hard day physically the scenery today is spectacular. We will then continue on for our nights stay at Banana Camp

(B, L, D) (Sleep Banana Camp)

Day 5: Banana Camp to Makoop

Today we will negotiate five large creek beds and one older landslip. The track is a lot harder than yesterday. We follow the contour of the hills all day. This is extremely hard as again walking on the angle. There are no flat areas to get any relief. Apart from it being a hard day physically the scenery today is spectacular.

There is a steep climb up in Gaudagasul Village where we will have lunch, this is a lovely little village where the people are extremely hospitable. After lunch we leave Guadagasal and walk down to a narrow saddle with the Bitoi River to our wet and the Buisaval River to our east. We continue past Saddle to Makoop hamlet for our night stop.

(B, L, D) (Sleep-Makoop) 

Day 5: Makoop to Nui Camp

Checking for flood waters, we wade across the Bitoi River, crossing it several times and follow it to Mubi. WWII places will be pointed out, including Observation Hill, Mat Mat Hill, Vickers Ridge (not to be confused with Old Vickers battlefield by the Francisco River), the long-gone Mubo airstrip and the Glassim Place (i.e. Spyglass position or OP) on Lababia Ridge. We leave Mubo and follow the Bitoi River to its junction with WWII Kitchen Creek and Buigap Creek, where we continue climbing north following the Buigap creek line to WWII Goodview Junction and Tambu Saddle. We will make camp at New Camp (formerly "Old" komiatum).

(B, L, D) (Sleep-Nui Camp)

Day 7: Mt Tambu Circuit

Mt Tambu, “The Forbidden Mountain”, was the scene of heavy fighting in 1943. Today we will climb Mt Tambu looking for Japanese bunkers along the way. This is the battle in which Australian stretcher-bearer Les “Bull” Allen was awarded a Silver Star for carrying out 12 wounded Americans while under fire. Today is a bit of rest day as after we visit Mt Tambu we will then return to Nui Camp (formerly "Old" komiatum) for a second night.

(B, L, D) (Sleep-Nui Camp)

Day 8: Nui Camp to Kamiatum

We walk south along Buirali Creek, then climb Sugarcane spur to an old garden house. We view Ambush Knoll and take a shortcut northwest down into creek line and along pre-war bench-cut track, then up onto Timbered Knoll. Classic battles were fought in both places by 2/3rd Independent Company, commanded by George Warfe; the Timbered Knoll battle was filmed by Damien Parer. We will see the post war plaque and have our lunch. We will then return via Orodubi to Kamiatum Guesthouse where we will make camp.

Day 9: Kamiatum to Lae via Salamaua

We should be up and walking by 6am. It takes approximately three hours to walk down to Buiayau Creek. Most of the time we are walking through Kunai grass, so very exposed to the sun. Also very steep in places, walking across razor back ridges. We zig zag through numerous bomb craters, which are now filled up with water. Arriving at Buiayau Creek where we trek for about an hour before it joins up to the Francisco River.

We will then travel down the Francisco River on bamboo rafts. This is approximately a 2 hour rafting trip. We arrive to the mouth of the Fransciso River at Salamaua. When we arrive our boat will be waiting for us and we will walk up the Isthmus where we are able to view the Japanese anti-aircraft guns. We then take our boat back to Lae. Then transfer back to the Huon Gulf Hotel to relax and have hot showers.

(B, L, D) (Sleep Huon Gulf Hotel-Lae) 

Day 10: Lae to Port Moresby

Today we will check out of the Huon Gulf Hotel and then drive to Nadzab airport. We depart PNG Air at 11am arriving Port Moresby at 12.05. We will then transfer to the Grand Papua Hotel for lunch and free time in the afternoon.  

(B, L, D)  (Sleep Port Moresby)

Day 11: Return to Australia

Sadly our tour comes to end. After Breakfast we will take the hotel courtesy bus to the airport and fly back to Australia. (B)     

• Experienced Australian Guide
• Return airfare Port Moresby to Nadzab (Lae)
• Transfer from Nadzab to Wau
• Overnight accommodation and meals at Wau Guesthouse
• Black Cat Track trekking permit (issued by the Black Cat Track Association)
• Vehicle transfer from Wau to Kaisenik (the starting point of the track)
• Food while trekking
• Group porters for 8 day trek from Wau to Salamaua
• Trekking accommodation costs
• 2 nights accommodation at Salamaua Guesthouse
• 2 nights hotel accommodation at Lae
• Bamboo rafting down the Francisco River
• Boat transfer from Salamaua to Lae
• Vehicle for day trip to 7 Mile
• Tour of Lae War Cemetery and Imperial Japanese Army caves
• Communications and safety equipment including Satellite phone
• Public liability insurance

• Australian domestic & international airfare to Papua New Guinea (PNG)
• Personal travel insurance
• Single Supplement ($230 per night)