Destination: Mt Wilhelm
Closest town: Kundiawa
Accommodation: Betty’s Lodge
Cost: K150per/night (BYO food)
K10 each track fee
K150/guide
Porter K60
Difficulty: The climb isn’t too challenging. There is some rock scrambling and walking along edges. The guides will hold your hand. It is a long walk home and beware your legs may not work for next few days.
Equipment: You need to take food (enough to share with guides). A warm sleeping bag, snacks, warm clothes (scarf, gloves, beenie), rainproof jacket, good walking shoes and if you have them walking sticks wouldn’t go astray. Water purifying tablets or similar recommended.
Contact: Betty +675 71005432
On my first attempt to climb Mt Wilhelm I failed. I made it to Christopher's Corner but by then I was freezing, wet and sick. We decided to turn back.
This time I was determined to reach the summit. I was fitter and healthy. I had got plenty of sleep prior to trip, took altitude sickness tablets and was thankful for the drought. I'm sure nobody else was thankful for the drought but the track was so much easier without the mud!
I was thankful to Siobhain for inviting me to climb with 4 of her MAF colleagues - 1 PNG and 3 young Swiss boys doing their compulsory service. Siobhain only planned to go as far as base camp. I was a little fearful of keeping up with the 'mountain goats'.
On day 1 we drove to Betty's Lodge. No 4WD needed unlike last trip. Had a great sleep, rose and walked to base camp. It was a leisurely walk with newly added picnic tables at the rest stops.
Base camp was not as cold as before and the boys braved a swim/wash in the lake. A little crazy! We girls put our feet in the water and that was cold enough for us.
We rose at 12:30am, ate, prepared and sorted out multiple dramas with torches. At 1:45am we set off up the mountain.
Our guide (Raphael) was great and we reached Christopher's Corner right on 6am, sunrise.
We continued to the summit and has wonderful views over Jiwaka but clouds were to the east so we couldn't see towards the coast.
At the summit we sang the PNG National Anthem with gusto and pride.
We then trekked down the mountain to base camp where Siobhain had some hot soup waiting for us. After a short nap we returned to Betty's jumped in the car and headed back to Hagen.
As we travelled in the dark I marvelled at how Michael (whose family lives along the highway) knew every pothole, obstacle, bridge width, along the way even though he doesn't drive himself! He guided us safely back to Hagen where I collected some Hagen Pineapples from my friend Gillianne.
For the next few days my legs hurt something chronic. Stairs and hills were awkward and painful. I felt (and I'm sure looked) like a crippled old lady walking! A week later my legs were pretty much back to normal.
So thankful for the opportunity to reach the top of PNG.
Recommendations: Try and go when it is dry.
On my first attempt to climb Mt Wilhelm I failed. I made it to Christopher's Corner but by then I was freezing, wet and sick. We decided to turn back.
This time I was determined to reach the summit. I was fitter and healthy. I had got plenty of sleep prior to trip, took altitude sickness tablets and was thankful for the drought. I'm sure nobody else was thankful for the drought but the track was so much easier without the mud!
I was thankful to Siobhain for inviting me to climb with 4 of her MAF colleagues - 1 PNG and 3 young Swiss boys doing their compulsory service. Siobhain only planned to go as far as base camp. I was a little fearful of keeping up with the 'mountain goats'.
On day 1 we drove to Betty's Lodge. No 4WD needed unlike last trip. Had a great sleep, rose and walked to base camp. It was a leisurely walk with newly added picnic tables at the rest stops.
Base camp was not as cold as before and the boys braved a swim/wash in the lake. A little crazy! We girls put our feet in the water and that was cold enough for us.
We rose at 12:30am, ate, prepared and sorted out multiple dramas with torches. At 1:45am we set off up the mountain.
Our guide (Raphael) was great and we reached Christopher's Corner right on 6am, sunrise.
We continued to the summit and has wonderful views over Jiwaka but clouds were to the east so we couldn't see towards the coast.
At the summit we sang the PNG National Anthem with gusto and pride.
We then trekked down the mountain to base camp where Siobhain had some hot soup waiting for us. After a short nap we returned to Betty's jumped in the car and headed back to Hagen.
As we travelled in the dark I marvelled at how Michael (whose family lives along the highway) knew every pothole, obstacle, bridge width, along the way even though he doesn't drive himself! He guided us safely back to Hagen where I collected some Hagen Pineapples from my friend Gillianne.
For the next few days my legs hurt something chronic. Stairs and hills were awkward and painful. I felt (and I'm sure looked) like a crippled old lady walking! A week later my legs were pretty much back to normal.
So thankful for the opportunity to reach the top of PNG.
Recommendations: Try and go when it is dry.
