The logistics involved in the purchase, storage, packing (by day and by meal lots), cooking, serving,and cleaning up are a major challenge as there are virtually no back-up facilities anywhere across the 138 km Kokoda Trail.
Our rationing system is therefore based on the purchase of all food from supermarkets in Port Moresby; the engagement of a specialist PNG catering crew; and a helicopter resupply half-way across the Trail.
We provide the three main meals each day for the trek. This includes cereal, baked beans and spaghetti, biscuits, tea, coffee and hot chocolate for breakfast; pasta/rice, dry biscuits, cheese, tuna, luncheon meat, corned meat, tea, coffee, hot chocolate and sweet biscuits for lunch; and soup, a variety of canned meat/chicken/fish and vegetables served with rice, pasta or mashed potato for dinner with tea, coffee and hot chocolate.
We also cater for special diets for our treks.
Tropical Fruit
During the trek local villagers often offer a delicious array of tropical fruits for our trekkers. We do not include this food in our ration plan as we cannot rely on them to do it every time. If you decide to accept the offering – and it is usually most welcome – then please be prepared to make a donation of PNGK10 – about $5. Your trek leader will take up a collection to present to the village in response to this hospitality when it happens.
“I was pleasantly surprised at the standard of meals provided. I thoroughly enjoyed everything that was served. The soup was always amazing. I was never left hungry. Norman was fantastic, I could tell that he generally cared about his role as cook and wanted us to eat and feel comfortable.”
Natalie Tanevski
“Standard of food was of very high quality, especially given the boys carried everything with them along the trail! I was very amazed at the quality and options at every meal (especially in comparison to what I was expecting). Everyone was catered for and no one got hungry that is for sure. I also chatted to people on other treks who were gob smacked by the quality of food in our trek compared to theirs!”:
Benjamin Barr
“Boss cook really is a boss! I have never enjoyed cheesy rice with tuna and lentils so much in my life. Throughout every meal break whether it be breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea or dinner, Boss cook and his helpers went above and beyond to ensure everyone had hot water, tea, coffee, or any other requests. The dinners were always the meals that everyone looked forward to and I was pleasantly surprised delicious all the food was.”
Pamela Liu
“Timely and substantial. Never skipped a meal and always felt re-energised after meals. Meals were always well-organised, there was always enough, and variety was provided. Snacks, hot drinks and treats (such as the scones) were a great boost to morale.”
Charlotte Prior
“I think the trek meals were delicious and there was plenty of food leftover. I loved the Kai Kai, Maggie noodles and pasta. It was always exciting when there was pasta.”
.Elise Thornwaite
“The standard of the trek meals was excellent. Great variety of nutritious foods, catering for my dietary requirement of vegetarian.“
Lavender Gardam
“Frankie helped to provide a hearty meal for all to enjoy! Food was to the best standards, in which I hope never changes!”
Tiana Rodarellis
“Bos Kuk Norman was our hero. The quality of food was way better than I ever expected. Not once was I looking around for something extra to eat. Meals were filling, and hot water was always on hand for that quick coffee pick-me-up.”
Daniel Blake
“Again, I wasn’t expecting much of the meals but they were just what we needed. Nobody ever went hungry and everybody was always up for seconds so I’d say it was pretty good.”
Emily Evans
“Much better than expected. Great fuel for our bodies and looked forward to every meal.”
Jack Burke
“I am easily pleased and there was plenty of food during the whole trek.”
Daniel Stubbings
“Bos Kuk knows how to make the simplest of meals delicious and not knowing how they make it or where it comes from makes it so easy to just eat it and try it.”
Alana Doyle