Sogeri Plateau

The Sogeri plateau rises to around six hundred metres behind Port Moresby, reached by a road that climbs the escarpment past Varirata, and it is markedly cooler and greener than the dry coastal plain below. Rubber was planted here from the colonial period and the estates remain. The Laloki river drops over the Rouna falls in a series of stages on the way up, and swimming holes and smaller falls are scattered through the plateau; the Crystal Rapids are the best known. Sogeri village is the road head for the Kokoda Track, which starts at Owers' Corner nearby. Roadside markets sell plateau produce, and the area is the standard day trip from the capital.

What you actually see

• Rouna falls - the Laloki dropping over the escarpment stages.
• River pools - the swimming holes and Crystal Rapids on the plateau.
• Rubber estates - the plantations from the colonial period.
• Owers' Corner - the road head where the Kokoda Track begins.

When to go

May to October in the drier season for the roads and the river; the wet season raises the rivers and makes the tracks difficult. Weekends bring visitors from the capital.

Honest expectations

Stopping points are informal and worth asking about locally. Facilities at the swimming spots are informal with local charges. River levels rise fast after rain upstream. The road up is winding and busy.

Nearby

Varirata national park is on the way up; the Kokoda Track starts at Owers' Corner.