Saint Ignatius College Geelong trekked with Mick O’Malley and the Australian Kokoda Tours team in June 2019. This was the first time Saint Ignatius College has trekked Kokoda, and the students, parents and teachers alike had a fantastic, once in a lifetime experience trekking in Papua New Guinea with Australian Kokoda Tours.

Saint Ignatius College reflected on their Kokoda experience with a Q&A, leaving some great testimonials. Read these below: 

How would you describe your Kokoda experience?

“My Kokoda experience was the best thing I have ever experienced, and the fact that I did not want to come home truly represented this! The history told along the track, made the experience very surreal. It is unimaginable to think what our soldiers had to go through.”

“It was challenging but very rewarding once accomplished. I just want to experience it all again, and forever grateful to have this experience in the first place.”

“I would describe my experience of the Kokoda track as being once in a lifetime experience that is like nothing else that I have or will ever experience again. I am very grateful for this experience and I am very appreciative that this opportunity has arisen.”

Describe the benefits of completing the Kokoda Trek with your son/daughter or father/mother.

“It was lovely to see my daughter, come out of her shell and blossom, she proved to others and most importantly herself that she is strong, resilient and courageous. She loved every minute of Kokoda. I actually wasn't sure if I was going to get her on the plane to come home. It is an experience that was awesome to share. Since being home, we are constantly reminiscing and sharing stories from the trek.”

“Doing the trek with my mum meant that we were able to bond more and through the tough, fun and rewarding times we were able to support each other. It is a memory that we will always hold together. I am truly grateful to have experienced this with her.”

“I believe that by completing this experience with my father is the best way to build a relationship with your parent and that this experience puts both sides under pressure and this is a great place to develop and grow from these hard times and push through to benefit both your health as well as your relationship with your parent.”

 What are your thoughts on the overall organisation/ communication from Australian Kokoda Tours?

“Overall excellent through the training and trip. Mick was able to impose the significant moments of the track on the younger trekkers at the right times and allowed time to take a minute and reflect. His passion, experience and knowledge add an additional 10% to the trip. His personal support to individual trekkers over the various days was great, he knew who to talk to and at what time to get them up again.”

“The trek was organised well, with always a plan b is something was to go wrong. Communication with everyone was great. If a question was asked AKT were able to answer. A great company!

“… You couldn't have had a better man in charge than Mick.”

How appropriate was the training that was provided by Australian Kokoda Tours?

“Each training session was different and related to the trek in every aspect. At the time, going up the Bells Beach stairs may have been a nightmare, but whilst trekking Kokoda, I could not thank the training enough. Each practice hike was well planned out and suited the needs of everyone. If someone was injured or feeling not up to it at the time, Mick was there for help. He had the great sense to tell if anyone was not feeling well or needed some help.”

“After completing the Trek, you realise the importance of the training.”

“I thought that the training provided by AKT was good for someone like myself, as most of the training was directed at building strength in your legs rather than cardio. This benefited myself greatly as I don’t think that I could have made it without the appropriate leg strength that was built in these sessions.”

List some of your highlights/ struggles.

“Overall, every experience on the Kokoda trek was a highlight. The rest day at Menari was incredible. Getting to play with the locals and spend a day with them gardening, playing sports and having a sing-sing. Spending each night in the local villages, sleeping in a hut and the awesome group of people we were with spending each day with. I have made some lifelong friends and we met awesome people, who I am so thankful to have met!”

“Village time. One of my main highlights was our day in Menari. To be able to spend two nights in a Village and have the locals share their school and surroundings with us, as well as interacting with them and the children was amazing.”

“To see a little five-year-old boy climb up that pole will be something I’ll never forget.”

As an overall experience, could you suggest any improvements?

“The immersion trip was outstanding, don’t change anything!!! It was amazing and I would love to do it again. I didn’t want it to end and I miss it so much!”

“No, I thought that the entire trip was run very well from both ends the school as well as AKT.”

“One very satisfied client!”

Is there any advice you would give future trekkers?

“Train hard. You may think the training is a little over the top, but the more you train the more you will enjoy the up and down hills. Expect some falls, expect mud and expect to get wet, it's part of the fun and totally worth every second.”

“Don’t go in expecting anything. Make the most of every experience and make sure you train, because the fitter you are the more you will enjoy it.”

“Go to all of the training sessions and if you think that the training is hard then you will be in a world of hurt when you start walking the track. Before going make sure that you have good cardio and endurance, and then AKT can build your leg strength to be able to complete the entire trek.”

 Would you recommend this trip for future families and why?

“I would recommend this trip to everyone. It was the best experience and to experience it with my mum was so precious. We will always have the memory together and now we have an unbreakable bond.”

“Yes, definitely, one of the most engaging and enlightening 10 days I have had in my life. You learn a lot about Australian history (that was understated through my schooling) but more importantly about your child and yourself as individuals and the strength of your relationship. I would do it again with one our other children without even having to think about it.”

“I would recommend the trip to people as it is a great experience as well as it being a great way to build relationships with people as you are spending eight straight days with them and you are putting everybody through their paces. This is also a great trip to go on if you enjoy learning about Australian campaigns. This would also be a great trip I you would like to see the struggles that Australian soldiers went through to defend to only battle on Australian territory.”

Anything else you would like to say?

“… A huge thanks to Mick O'Malley and his boys and the 13 people that made this trip such a great success. We shared many laughs, adventures and stories on the trek that personally I will never forget.”

“Thank you so much for the experience, it was the best life changing opportunity and I am very grateful for the chance to complete Kokoda. I certainly want to do it again!”

“Thank you for the opportunity to complete the trek and particularly to Mick, SICG (Saint Ignatius College Geelong), the other SICG parents, students and teachers who made the trip what it was for us both. This will be something we both reflect on and appreciate for the rest of our lives.”

Australian Kokoda Tours would like to thank Saint Ignatius College once again for choosing to trek with us for their first Kokoda experience. It was a pleasure trekking with each of students, parents and teachers.

Would your school or group be interested in trekking Kokoda with Australian Kokoda Tours in 2020 and beyond? We offer private tours! Contact us today to enquire.