Walking with Ghosts in Papua New Guinea: Crossing the Kokoda Trail in the Last Wild Place on Earth

by Rick Antonson

Acclaimed travel writer Rick Antonson ( Full Moon Over Noah’s Ark ) tackles his most challenging adventure a formidable trail through the remote jungles of Papua New Guinea.
 
Rick Antonson has traveled to parts of the world that are not simply exotic but sometimes damned near inaccessible. He has climbed to the summit of Mount Ararat in eastern Turkey, traveling beyond to Iraq and Iran and Armenia. He has undertaken an improbable overland journey to the ancient city of Timbuktu, an enlightening look into efforts to preserve the city’s priceless manuscripts. Now he has traversed the notorious Kokoda Trail in Papua New Guinea, a country some call “the last wild place on earth.”

The trail is a narrow, 60-mile footpath featuring rough jungle, 6,000 feet in elevation change, and punishing weather extremes. In a country unfairly locked in Western misperceptions, the track is inhospitable terrain yet home to hospitable indigenous peoples, who live among the rusting reminders of the Japanese, Australian, and American armies that clashed in some of the deadliest protracted combat of World War II.

In Walking With Ghosts in Papua New Guinea , Antonson shares a journey of physical and mental endurance in his inimitable way, in the company of a mixed band of resolute adventurers, blending fascinating historical context with the tribulations of unexpected discoveries in faraway lands.
 

Genres: Travel, History, Adventure, Nonfiction

288 pages, Hardcover

Published September 10, 2019

About the author

Rick Antonson's latest book is Slumach's Gold: In Search of a Legend - and a Curse (Heritage House Publishers, 2024). Rick is author of 5 acclaimed travel books including Train Beyond the Mountains: Journeys on the Rocky Mountaineer (Greystone, 2023) and Route 66 Still Kicks: Driving America's Main Street which The New York Times called "One of the best books of the bunch" in their Christmas travel book roundup, and To Timbuktu for a Haircut: A Journey Through West Africa (2013) which the Chicago Tribune noted as a "travel classic." Full Moon Over Noah's Ark: An Odyssey to Mount Ararat, also, Walking With Ghosts in Papua New Guinea: Crossing the Kokoda Trail in the Last Wild Place on Earth (Skyhorse, NY). Rick is the former CEO of Tourism Vancouver, an Ambassador for the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, chair of Destination Marketing Association International (based in Washington, DC), former deputy chair of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (based in Bangkok, Thailand), and president of Pacific Coast Public Television, Antonson now enjoys a career as a full time author,

Reviews

[Chris Steeden]

I had seen Bruce Parry’s ‘Cannibals and Crampons’ documentary years ago where he and an ex-British army pal set off through the jungle of New Guinea to get to and scale Mandala mountain. I highly recommend this doc if you have not seen it. They are in the Indonesian part. New Guinea is split in two. Here is what the blurb in Britannica.com states: ‘New Guinea is administratively divided into two parts: its western half comprises the Indonesian propinsi (or provinsi; provinces) of Papua and West Papua (collectively, formerly called Irian Jaya); and its eastern half comprises the major part of Papua New Guinea, an independent country since 1975’.

I had not read a travel writing book for a while, so I was really looking forward to this. I had also seen a few other docs that took in New Guinea and specifically PNG as it is called. Port Moresby was home to the dreaded ‘Raskols’. Not a headhunter tribe. Maybe a modern version though. Inner-city gangs. Ruthless and deadly. Just as I started reading this I remembered another book I had read, ‘The Lost Tribe: A Search Through the Jungles of Papua New Guinea’ by Edward Marriott. I was hoping that this would be a little better than Marriott’s one. I had to go back and find my notes on that. It was not a book that lived in the memory.

The author is from Canada but moves with his wife to Cairns, Australia as she is working out there in airport management. Instantly, his neighbour, Glen, known as the Monk, asks him if he wants to come along on the Kokoda (place of skulls) Trail which starts in, none other than, Port Moresby. A nice 60-mile, two-week trek. I love travel writing where a lot of history is thrown in and Antonson does that specifically about PNG’s position during the Second World War and the invasion of the island by the Japanese in 1942. This was called the Papuan Campaign. The Australian fight the Japanese on the track as it was called at that time. The Papuans were assisting the Australians.

They have to use a professional trekking company so will have two guides. ‘Anyone headed for the Kokoda Trail needs to be accompanied by professional leaders and is expected to retain local packers.’ There are 17 trekkers in the group. Once packers and porters are added it brings that number up to 60. Not really Paul Theroux territory and his one-man band.

The trekkers in this group are trekking the trail to learn about the Japanese invasion as some of their ancestors fought at that time. You will learn a lot as well. There is a lot of detail given about the invasion and fighting. It actually seems that 60% of the book is the history of the fighting and 40% the actual journey they are on. If you are going to read this book then you do need to bear in mind this little statistic.

I enjoyed the book but it does not make me want to pack my bags and trek the Kokoda trail. Not because it is dangerous or difficult but the book lacked a little in the travel writing descriptive sense of scenery and place. That has not stopped me adding Antonson’s other books to my wishlist.

[Bandit]

Seriously? I’m the first person reviewing this? Read this book. It’s great. It deserves an audience. Some walks are not like the others. This one, the two week trek to traverse the Kokoda trail that bisects Papua New Guinea, is obviously of the more extraordinary nature, due to its exotic setting and a surprisingly diverse and complex past. In my (and possibly yours too) imagination the location is indelibly infused with headhunting adventures and cannibalism. Turns out Papua New Guinea had a crucial role in WWII, where it was a much sought after advantageous military zone, sort of like a gateway to Australia and the expansionist ambitions of imperial Japan. I’m throwing all this in to demonstrate that this isn’t just a travelogue account from an unusual far away location. That alone would have worked too, the place fascinates me the way places I would definitely never want to set a foot in, let alone both feet and make them walk around, do. But this is also a terrific historical account of Papua New Guinea’s past from early settlers to modern day. Although the concentration seems to be given to WWII era. Which was great, actually, because in North America and some Europe, the war is being thought of mainly as something more or less contained in the continent (with some Northern African involvement) and Japan’s role is fairly limited to two major events. This book does a great job of presenting the way WWII way playing out in the other (huge) section of the world and it’s really interesting to learn about. Personally, my interests lay more along the lines of cultural anthropology and more of an ancient past, but this was terrific too, all learning is, really. So, not so much in the way of headhunting adventures and cannibals after all. A lot of dense and wild jungle, definitely. But the author did complete the trek (pretty impressive in itself for a man his age), wrote very engagingly about it, took some photos and also did an awesome and thorough and thoroughly awesome job of enlightening and educating the readers about the strange and distant land of Papua New Guinea. Very enjoyable read. Terrific for any armchair traveler out there. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.

[Carla (Carla's Book Bits)]

You don't need to tell me twice for me to know that this is an important book.

My rating is largely based on how important of a read I think it is. However, my overall enjoyment factor is a different story. Let me explain.

In Walking with Ghosts in Papua New Guinea, Rick Antonson recounts his time walking the Kokoda trail in Papua New Guinea. Along the way, he talks about the history of the country, and provides interesting facts about its capital city. I love this book for the sole fact that I went into it knowing nothing about Papua New Guinea and I've come out feeling like at least I know a little bit.

An important thing to note before you go into this book, though: it's not just a travelogue. It's also an extended recounting of the events that took place during WW2 on the Kokoda trail. It never gets lost on me how many stories have been told about WW2, and how many still have yet to be told. Personally, monologues about army movements have never been my favorite. I just find it hard to grasp military nonfiction, which lessens my enjoyment of this. If I were to rate this based on enjoyment factor alone, I'd probably only give it a 3. But the knowledge I gained from this book (and the wonderful immediacy in the writing style) makes this an easy 4 stars.

However, if you enjoy (or don't mind) military nonfiction, you're going to enjoy this a lot. This is a beautifully written book, and such a tender acknowledgement of the soldiers who fought in the mysterious and beautiful land of PNG.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Skyhorse Publishing for this free copy in exchange for a review!

[Calzean]

I've walked the Kokoda Track both ways. I walked the first 200m down the track and back again. I was stuffed. Anyone who can spend 7 - 10 days walking in PNG's humidity across steep terrain, rivers, mud, dirt and remoteness is special. An awesome Australian Kurt Fearnley has crawled the track. In this book the author turned 66 of age while on the trek.
The track is infamous for the fighting that occurred during WWII as the Japanese advance towards Australia. So the book covers a lot of the details of the fighting. Importantly, the author and his fellow trekkers all become inspired by the beauty of the PNG landscape and the warmth of its people. The author shows a lot of empathy towards the people and passes no judgements just praise for the way the majority live.
A good book for those planning to do the trek. The definitive text of the track remains Field Guide To The Kokoda Track: An Historical Guide To The Lost Battlefields

[Mary]

I went into this book thinking I was going to be reading a travel guide to Papua New Guinea,, It did start out with that feel as a group of hikers would be bisecting the island by the kokoda trail. I thought the trail was to be like a road on other islands, a way for the islanders to travel for trade, visits etc. I knew going in that it would detail the rugged trek through the jungles, up steep mountains, down steeper trails and many river crossings. Those things were part of the book, in fact a big part of the trek. The oppressive heat, humidity and rains set part of the background.

But more important were the "ghosts" in the title. I was surprised when the book became more of a history of a part of WW!! than a normal travel guide. The descriptions of battles, killing, trenches and other places to hide and the diseases in the midst that added to the death count. The author mostly describes the horrors that the young Australian men , boys really, faced. This is where the "ghosts" came in. Antonson helps you to feel the past almost in personal ways. When he stood somewhere that had been an important stand in the war it was possible to feel the horror and bravery these men had shown. While the hikers were there for adventure and to test their will and strength I quickly understood that the soldiers had a very different view of the island. They had no one to carry the heavy gear, no camps set up for them at the end of the day and no bridges and ropes for crossing rivers.

In a small part of the book some sympathy was for the Japanese soldiers who were also really boys as well. They were fighting under the same conditions Both sides were fighting under the same untenable conditions.

All in all, this book was a great read but the horror and good writing combined to make it so very real that it became a difficult book for me. I put it down for a break several times.
Developed characters,many great stories and exotic settings, vivid history, these all combine to make this a book I would definitely recommend.
Thanks I just reviewed Walking with Ghosts in Papua New Guinea by Rick Antonson. #NetGalley


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[Annarella]

When I requested this book I was thinking about Chatwin's The Songlines.
There's just some tenous link between the two books but I can say that this one, even less poetic, is a fantastic read that will make you travel in Papua New Guinea and discover new places, traditions and people.
I read it like a novel and found it engrossing and very interesting.
I look forward to reading other books by this author, highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

[George1st]

This was the first book that I have read by travel writer Rick Antonson and after finishing it my immediate reaction was that I must try to obtain some of his other travel titles. His writing is clear and concise and contains an agreeable mixture of humour, information and analysis which in the book includes an examination and an attempt at understanding the complexity of how Papua New Guinea and its diverse peoples are trying to come to terms with the fast changing modern world. The story begins in Australia where Rick has newly arrived and after a chance conversation with his new neighbour decides to join him on a trek along the 60-mile footpath through rough jungle and high elevations that constitutes the harsh and inhospitable Kokoda Trail in Papua New Guinea.

This is a book that not only tells the trials and tribulations, highs and lows experienced by the group of trekkers as they make their way through the hazardous route but more importantly it has an accompanying narration that looks back to that time when Japanese, Australian, and American soldiers engaged in some of the most bloodiest combat of World World II. The reminders of this conflict can still be witnessed on the trail and the title Walking with Ghosts aptly sums up the experience of going through terrain seeped with so much horror and inhumanity. Indeed one of the running themes of the book is the attempt of Monk (Ricks's neighbour) to try to make sense of why his father who went through the campaign later abandoned his family.

This is a book of insight and adventure, comedy and pathos that certainly gripped me and belongs to a superior level of the rather now crowded travel writing genre. I would certainly recommended this.

[Soozee]

This is a very interesting book, quite different from the standard trek manual.

The author, an American living in Australia, decides with his neighbour to walk the Kokoda Trail in Papua New Guinea. This is a physically demanding walk, and I had great admiration for the group who attempted the walk itself.

Their guides were very good - ecologically sound, they paid the villages for the facilities they used and encouraged projects to improve their lives while maintaining the native lifestyle as far as possible. The guides were also very knowledgeable about this area's role in the Second World War. The Trail was the scene of serious fighting between Japanese and Australian (and eventually American) troops, who had to cope with the unforgiving terrain as well as transporting kit and risking attack from the enemy.

The book explores the history in detail, and its effects on the group of travellers. Most knew little about the area before they arrived, but learned as they walked.

A very interesting book, both from an historical and walking perspective. It was great to be able to put the history into context along the Trail. The writing style was very good and drew the reader in, so it did not feel too much like being in school! I will look out for more from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Skyhorse Publishing for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Patty Simpson]

The military history was interesting and new to me, and well presented, but the rest of the writing was not very good. Several times I'd read a sentence and realize that it made no sense at all - he was trying to use an unusual word or syntax to sound elegant, but got it really wrong. Some were so bad I couldn't believe an editor had left them in.

I was really hoping for a great book as I love trekking and travel and I am sure the Kokoda is a very memorable trail. I've been on lots of long, challenging treks in many parts of the world, and hoped that it would bring back all those amazing experiences, but it just didn't. He didn't make his fellow trekkers or the porters and guides memorable; he didn't get across the exhilaration that comes with accomplishment on the trail, and his discussion of indigenous issues was almost childishly amateur.

It's not a BAD book and I'm not sorry I read it, but I really wish it had been better. If I could give it 2.5 stars I guess I would, but I just can't give it 3.

[Alison]

I have always wanted to read a story of people who have walked the kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea.
This was a very interesting story of the author and his fellow walkers, and the challenges they encountered in this harsh terrain, but also of the history of the trail which became a battle field between Japanese, Australian and American troops during WWII, causing many casualties as well to the people on Papua New Guinea.
As the hikers ended each day, we would hear about what happened along the trail during the war, or history of the people who live there.
It was fun to see the reason each of these individuals decided to do this walk
Well researched and It was interesting to see what was going on during the war in areas we barely heard of.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Skyhorse Publishing for the ARC of this book.

[Kit]

Great Book For Military History Buffs

This book contains a great number of well researched, carefully documented facts about the war between the Japanese and the Allied Forces in World War Two. There are several chapters outlining the author's motivation and preparation for the hike. Once they finally hit the trail, pages and pages were still devoted to the war. I gave up long before the book ended, but as noted, those who are interested in the war may find this fascinating.

[Liesl Back]

DNF
While the writer does a nice job of mixing PNG history with the interesting description of preparing for his trek through the island, the repeated references to drinking, drunkenness, and crude language made it not worth it to me to continue more than a chapter in.

[Joe Spoto]

I. heard an interview with the author on Rick Steve's podcast. The book had more of an introspective tone than an adventurous tone so it was a little disappointing to me.

[Melanie Cornelius]

This book tells the story of a 60 mile hike through some of the densest jungle in the world, in Papua New Guinea. It is the Account of a hike through the history of World War II, were the echoes of the battles that were fought between the Japanese and the Allied forces took place. The book is not about the path it is about the history of this place. What is very good is it place the reader in a position to walk the trail and remember the thousands who died here in a very short period of time. For those that don’t know, Papa New Guinea is just to the north of the Australian continent. It has unique Fana and animals that cannot fully be explained, historically. As a beachhead, it was critical for Japanese forces to win control of the island, but they never did have they failed. They might have controlled even more islands during World War II. The fighting was impossibly difficult for both sides, and Japanese supply lines were stretched to the max. That ultimately proved their undoing. Many more soldiers died from disease than even bullets. Thousands of souls remain on the island if you’ve never heard of the history, this is it fascinating book. It is well written and well not a quick read is interesting enough to keep your attention even if you know nothing about this area. The author will describe in vivid detail what this area was like geographically and how it appears today this is well worth your time assuming you’re interested in this kind of history.

[Sarah Whitlam]

An interesting recollection of an arduous trek and a brutal battle. Wish I had read this before I went to PNG, seeing the remnants of war would have meant so much more.

[Brenda Greene]

Rick undertakes a 2 week pilgrimage across the Kokoda Trail of Papua New Guinea with his newfound neighbour. Their 17 trekkers and 60 porters trace the steps of Australian soldiers defending Port Moresby from the Japanese during WWII. The party fortunately experience good weather and keep a respectful distance from local tribes, even as they camp on their land. Near the end of their journey, Rick's neighbour, nicknamed Monk, reveals his motivation for his journey. The journey to and from Cairns is described along with a detailed history of the war as it played out across the trail. Well written, mixing the plight of Papua New Guinea, war tourism, personal reflections and day to day trek travails, it sometimes feels a little like a lecture, with the trek as a modern day delivery mechanism to make it more current. However this is a trek in honour of fallen soldiers, along with the wider context of the War. Some of the photos are poorly produced, which is unfortunate. The group even meet one of the last surviving "fuzzy wuzzy" angels, proudly wearing his medals (I had no idea that's where a childhood song originated). Having survived the trail (people have died doing it), the return trip has more challenges for both Monk and Rick. Inner conflicts and the demonisation of the enemy soften over time and allow trekkers to separate abominable events from the individuals that carried them out. A heart wrending tale.

[Justin Goldman]

I was fortunate to stumble across this work in a small bookshop and this is the first I've learned of Mr. Antonson who I found to be a remarkable travel writer. In an auspicious set of circumstances, he and his wife relocate to Queensland where he soon meets his neighbor "Monk" who tells him he is "going to do the Kokoda" and asks if Mr. Antonson would like to join. Mr. Antonson, a Canadian, was not familiar with "the Kokoda" and its significance in Australia history. Soon they are training for the 60-mile journey on the formidable Kokoda Trail across Papua New Guinea, whose rugged jungle terrain is marked by cliffs, unforgiving and rigorous ascents, along with just as challenging descents. They are part of a mixed group who embark on this challenging two-week journey who carried unique stories as to what brought them to Papua New Guinea to experience the Kokoda Trail. I appreciate that Mr. Antonson did his homework in studying the Kokoda Trail Campaign that was fought between July and November 1942. I enjoyed the discussion of his interactions with his porter, Bowrie, and their conversations along the trail as a window into current challenges faced by Papua New Guinea. The group had many moving times for reflection, including stopping at one Memorial that consisted of four tablets which read COURAGE - ENDURANCE - MATESHIP - SACRIFICE. I recommend this work as a wonderful gateway to learning more about the Kokoda Trail Campaign.

[Kathy]

Rick Antonson is one of my favorite travel adventure authors. In this book, he recounts his trekking trip along the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea. Mind you, I have read a LOT about WWII but absolutely nothing about it's battles and challenges in New Guinea. To be honest, most of what I recall concerns Europe, Japan and the more famous battles in the South Pacific.

Rick and his fellow hikers attempt to traverse one of the most rugged trails ever--it's even listed as one of the top ten trails in difficulty in the world. Persons who attempt the trail must first have a doctor's note verifying their cardiac fitness. Seriously. It is just short of 60 miles long and includes muddy, treacherous climbs as high as 7000 feet and muddy treacherous slides descending to 3000 feet. Add slippery log bridges, 90% humidity, 90 % chance of rain and poisonous snakes to the mix. Most importantly, add the historical significance of Australian soldiers battling Japanese soldiers the entire length of the track in WWII along with the help of the Papuan people in the Battle of Kokoda Track.

Rick's group had two guides and several porters to carry the camping gear necessary for the trail. The guides not only led the way on the trail but every day they were able to tell the story of the battles that took place there and even find the remainders of wartime artifacts.

Whether you prefer WWII history or incredibly difficult hiking endeavors, this book will satisfy both interests!

[Dave Butler]

Rick Antonson's 'Walking with Ghosts in Papua New Guinea' joins an august club of compelling travel memoirs in the style of Paul Theroux, Peter Matthiessen, Bill Bryson and Pico Iyer.

In 'Walking with Ghosts ...,' Antonson tells the story of his multi-day trek across the Kokoda Trail, a rough and remote route across the south-eastern end of the island of New Guinea, from Port Moresby to Gona Buna. After Antonson and his wife moved to Australia, he met a neighbour across his fence, a man named Monk, who asked if he wanted to come on the Kokoda. Antonson agreed then asked: "whats the Kokoda?" "It's a walk across the country," Monk replied. "Which country?" "Papua New Guinea." And so the adventure began.

Like all classic travelogues, this wonderful book is so much more than a story of one man's trip. Antonson skillfully weaves in the critical role that the island -- which General Douglas MacArthur called "the green hell" -- played in WW II. Australian and Japanese troops fought deadly battles back and forth across the island in the context of the broader theatre of war.

I highly recommend this to anyone who loves to travel, anyone interested in a relatively unknown story from WW II, and anyone who loves to read the best of travel writing.

[Eden]

2025 bk 65. What can I say - I ordered this because I'm walking a virtual challenge on the Kokoda Trail in Papua New Guinea (let's say, I'm walking at home but following an online map of the Kokoda). I knew next to nothing about Papua New Guinea and when I went looking, this book popped up as a suggestion. I went with it. This book drew me in like a sucker punch to the gut. The trail itself is intense, ups and downs, mud, water crossings, the high danger factor - this is not a walk in the park. But even more intensely, the author uses this book to tell the story of those brave, oh-so-young men, Aussies, Papuans, Japanese, and yes North Americans, who fought to survive WWII in this very intense place. He brings alive what it took to survive and does not hesitate to touch on what would have been taboo to talk about during and just after the war. I finished the book last night at 2 am - I could not stop reading. The book is about the war - and it isn't - it is as much about how people need each other to survive the basics, that self- reliance is not the basics for survival but that mateship - reliance on others is most important in life. Well done Rick Antonson.

[Maggie Shanley]

From an invitation by an Australian neighbor, Rick Antonson hikes the Kokoda Trail in Papua New Guinea. This book was more of a history book than a typical hiking book. There was very little text spent on the nature and bliss of hiking. Also, the trip ended up being a guided hike with 60 people or so. We never got a true visualization of Rick aside from his height until he got his haircut at the end of the book. If you are looking to read about the modern influences of World War II on Papua New Guinea then this book is for you, but don't pick it up if you are looking for a story of wilderness, exploration and growth.

[Anne Marie Carey]

The WWII history in this area was completely unknown to me and was an integral component of the trek. I hadn't looked up anything about the story so that was enlightening to discover what the "ghosts" were. With limited similar personal experiences my time climbing Kilimanjaro and meeting the locals of Tanzania kept popping to mind as I read this... particularly the stories about food, music and the porters. That added to my enjoyment.

[David]

Papua New Guinea (PNG) has been described as a million different journeys. This book was pretty much just one of them, focusing on the verticality of the Kokoda Trail’s terrain and its WWII history. Other than some trail banter, that’s about it. If PNG is “the last wild place on earth”, as the book’s subtitle claims, the nature of its wildness—and the nature in its wilderness—went largely undescribed in this book.

[Hal]

This is written in a way that gives personal meaning to a history lesson about the events of WWII as a group of tourists hike the historic Kododa Trail. The author talks of the history as the hikers make their way along the trail while also giving details of their adventure and some information about modern day Papua New Guinea. I found it well written and interesting all the way through.

[Thomas Ryan]

This is a bit of a maddening book because when the writer is good, he’s very good, but when he’s off, it’s a tough pull. Overall, it’s well worth reading if hiking the trail or visiting PNG is on your bucket list.

[Zach Schiff]

Good book and interesting story but extremely tiresome. Every page had the same routine - walk up a hard mountain, talk about a battle from 70 years before, eat noodles and Spam in camp while people play songs and talk about how sad they were that people died 70 years ago.

[Angela]

This is a tribute to the Australians, Papuans, and even the Japanese who fought so valiantly in this remote place. But there is too much telling of the military history for my personal enjoyment.

[Kay's Pallet]

This was way more interesting than I thought it was going to be. It had the perfect balance between history and the hike.

[Kristin]

A travel novel about the Komodo’s Track, weaved with historic WWII battles involving Australians, Japanese, and Papua New Guinea. Loved the history and enjoyed the walk.

[Sandra Alain]

While it was a great journey, I tired of the majority of this book being a historical dialogue of the war. Just not my kind of adventure fiction. Nonetheless well researched and well written.