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The Matty Johns Show walks the Kokoda with South Sea Horizons

South Sea Horizons was recently thrilled and humbled to host members of the Fox Sports league channel as our guests in PNG. The seven-person party was made up of an amazing production crew plus front-of-camera identities from the Matty Johns Show and League Life. The crew; James Rochford, Jess Yates and larakin duo Fletch and Hindy all tackled the Kokoda Trail head on.

It became a life-affirming and perspective-changing experience for all of them. The rewards were just as great as the challenges they all had to surmount. Individually and collectively. Both physical and emotional. Their Kokoda journey will be retold in a documentary to be screened on Fox Sports in 2018. It is a gripping tale of highs and lows – quite literally – so stay tuned!

The experience we had during our week walking Kokoda will never be forgotten.

– Bryan Fletcher

 

Why the Matty Johns Show chose South Sea Horizons for Kokoda

  1. We have a high Kokoda Trail completion rate

  2. All of our trips are guaranteed to run!
  3. We provide every single guest with a personal porter. That’s right. A ratio of 1:1! (See photo below)
  4. Many of our Kokoda staff are direct descendants of the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels!
  5. We use live GPS tracking devices to monitor our trekkers on all Kokoda Expeditions
  6. We always carry A satellite phone for emergencies
  7. All our lead men and lead guides are first aid certified by the St Johns Ambulance – Papua New Guinea.
  8. We are committed to providing jobs as an equal opportunity employer
  9. We operate low-impact tours that respect and are mindful of the environment we visit and champion responsible tourism within Papua New Guinea
  10. We are proudly 100% PNG locally-owned-and-operated and are dedicated to assisting local communities develop their own tourism products
  11. We have Public Liability Insurance – underwritten by Lloyds of London

LEARN MORE about the South Sea Horizons PNG difference.

 

In Their Own Words

"The Kokoda Track was something I always wanted to do and despite everyone telling me how hard it is I didn’t really believe them. Let me tell you, it’s tough. Its gruelling physically but even more than that its mentally draining. Thankfully we had the Porters and Historians from South Sea Horizons to steer us right, ensuring that we made it to the end, alive and full of appreciation for what our soldiers went through. Despite being completely cut off from civilisation we never felt threatened in any way. Our guides carried GPS trackers that could let our loved ones at home know we were safe. I would highly recommend visiting Papua New Guinea and using South Sea Horizons as your guides. If they offer you a porter, ask for Jimmy. An amazing man who managed to save my life around 60 times. The whole experience was once of the most rewarding ones I have ever had in my life."

- Professor on Fox - Kokoda

"I just wanted to say thank you to yourself and your amazing team at South Sea Horizons. The experience we had during our week walking Kokoda will never be forgotten. We got so much out of listening to you and the team re the History of the Kokoda campaign during WW2. Everything ran so well from the moment we landed in Port Morseby to us walking through the arches at Kokoda. It’s a credit to all of South sea Horizons company. Special mention to my “body guard” Ian ! Thanks again Alan for a truly awesome week."

- Bryan Fletcher

"For years I've wanted to do the Kokoda Track and I was able to achieve this in October 2017. It was certainly one of the hardest things I have done but with South Sea Horizons we managed to complete the track and film a documentary for Fox Sports along the way. The beauty of South Sea Horizons was the local interaction. The team is made up from people from the Track, that know every footstep, every pitfall, every slippery rock. More than once my porter, Nick, saved me from slipping into the abyss. From a filming perspective they also allowed us the freedom to operate in what can be a very slow and arduous process. Patience is key with crews, and they allowed for that. The whole time we were on the Track we felt 100% safe. The porters and leaders looked out for our every need. GPS Tracking for our loved ones back home and open communication with the team back in Port Moresby, gave us huge confidence. My porter and all the porters became like brothers over our time on the Track. We laughed and cried together - well our crew anyway. You quickly become reliant on the porters and they know exactly what to do and say when you may be struggling or exhausted. I would recommend South Sea Horizons to anyone thinking of doing the Track. The real special element for my crew and I is these guys are locals. They live on the Track. Their grandfathers fought alongside the diggers. Our history is intrinsically their history. I have many highlights from the Track, but it the villages we passed through that made it special. The Track is a living thing, it changes daily. And the people along the way make it a memorable place. I would definitely do the Track again, I would 100% return to PNG and I would always be happy to do it with South Sea Horizons. Thank you team. "

- Ben Hogarth - Fox Sports Director

Fox Sports in Kokoda - a gallery.

Conquering the Kokoda Trail is a bucket list item for many. It is a place of respect and reverence where you are stepping in the footsteps of the brave and the fallen from times past. It is often a personal challenge decades-in-the-making and an opportunity to integrate and engage with local culture and customs dating back centuries.

The gallery below gives a glimpse into the Matty Johns Show and Fox Sports crew’s very own Kokoda pilgrimage.

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