Water & Rain Tips For Kokoda Treks

Unless the Gods smile on us I think it is very safe to say that we will get rained upon (possibly heavy every day) considering that it is late April and the rain is still usually hanging about. Some tips:

1. Consider bringing 2 extra pairs of socks.
2. Clean and water proof your boots again in Australia just before departure.
3. Consider placing your socks in individual sandwich bags.
4. Bring at least 2 spare large garbage bags (useful for sorting wet clothing)
5. Ensure you have items sorted into plastic bags inside your pack.
6. Many trekkers wear ponchos (recommended) as their preferred raincoat. A poncho has the added bonus of covering your day pack as well. If you are carrying your own large rucksack make sure you have a large enough pack cover. If you have hired a rucksack from us for your personal porter, this pack will come with a cover. Some trekkers prefer to walk in the rain without a poncho. If you have a day pack consider having a pack cover for it as well.
7. Ensure you have any necessary foot care items.  Wet feet eventually can cause problems.  If you are prone to tinea,( athletes foot)  ensure you have a tube of tinaderm, Lamasil or similar to treat the first signs of a breakout of tinea.

One last thing: As I suffer from tinea, I also use Vaseline (petroleum jelly) as a useful preventative. I have found that a light smear over my feet and around my toes before putting on my socks helps considerably to ‘waterproof” my feet. Vaseline is also used as a preventative against chaffing. When clothes become wet, chaffing can become a problem.