SYDNEY, March 16, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Until now, the only way to explore the battlefields of the Kokoda Campaign has been on a gruelling 10-day trek, a challenge that tests the fitness and spirit of all Australians who attempt it. But now, thanks to an innovative new tour designed by historian Mat McLachlan, travellers can visit key sites from this pivotal WWII campaign without the blisters and bruises of a Kokoda trek.
The Kokoda 75th Anniversary Tour -- Without Trekking, is a unique opportunity to visit the hallowed ground of the Kokoda Track with ease and in comfort -- without the need to pull on the hiking boots! This is the perfect opportunity to pay your respects to the 2000 Australians who were killed or wounded in this bloody campaign, and to walk in the footsteps of a relative who fought in one of the most famous Australian battles of all time.
Beginning in Port Moresby, the tour visits key WWII sites by air-conditioned vehicle, including Bomana War Cemetery, the largest Australian military cemetery in the world, and Ower's Corner, which marks the beginning of the Kokoda Track. From there the tour will fly by chartered plane to the village of Kokoda, enjoying magnificent views of the Kokoda Track en-route. At Kokoda the group will explore the scenes of some of the toughest fights of the Kokoda Campaign, and commemorate the 75th anniversary of the recapture of Kokoda by Australian troops with a flag-raising ceremony. The tour then visits the villages of Buna, Gona and Sanananda, scenes of heavy fighting during the Beachhead battles, which marked the end of the Kokoda Campaign.
"We are delighted to offer our clients the chance to visit the Kokoda battlefields without trekking, and to see these iconic sites which, until now, have been virtually inaccessible for most Australians," said Mat McLachlan, founder of Mat McLachlan Battlefield Tours.
The Kokoda 75th Anniversary Tour -- Without Trekking, begins in Port Moresby on Oct 31, 2017, and runs for 7 days. Cost is AU$4397 per person (twin share, land only), and includes all accommodation, transport, guiding services by expert war historian and most meals.
For more information or to arrange an interview with Mat McLachlan, visit www.battlefields.com.au, or contact the team at info@battlefields.com.au or phone 1300-880-340.
About Mat McLachlan Battlefield Tours:
Mat McLachlan Battlefield Tours has been operating battlefield tours since 2007 and has grown to become the leading specialist provider of battlefield tours all over the world. The company runs battlefield tours to Gallipoli, France, Belgium, the UK, Germany, the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vietnam, and many more destinations.
