Pa’s Mountain Walk Eco Tourism at it’s best with Rarotonga’s most experienced guide.
The Cross Island Trek
Cross the island of Rarotonga and explore the rugged interior. The hike leads up the valley and across the island under a canopy of native trees to a steep 400 meter ascent of the Needle.
Your guide will explain how our different plants have been used through time for medicinal purposes. The crossing of a narrow ridge at the top is neither for the faint hearted nor for those with any physical challenges. As you descend the mountain, you’ll cross refreshing mountain streams where you can refill your water bottle. Your trek concludes at Wigmore’s Waterfall, where you can cool off with a swim before your transfer home.
Discovery Nature Walk
A gentle walk through the noni plantation and taro fields to the edge of the mountain where you will then enter pristine rain forest, see magnificent Chestnut trees, shampoo plants, ferns and a variety of other flora and fauna. You will then visit the sacred Marae and hear stories of Pa’s ancestors where the knowledge of herbal medicines will amaze you. Swim in the warriors’ pool where they rejuvenated their energy.
The Discovery Nature Walk is not suitable for those with knee problems.
A water bottle and insect repellant is highly recommended for both the Cross Island Walk and the Nature Walk.
Direct bookings can be made to telephone: 21 079 or through Sea Change Villas’ reception.
Takitumu Nature Walk
Join your guide for a gentle walk through the lush tropical forest of of Takitumu Conservation area.
This forest walk has been established to enable visitors interested in nature and conservation to get a first hand look at the operations of the Takitumu Conservation area. This is a unique eco tourism venture, with land set aside by the landowners in 1996 as a community based protected area to save endangered native birds, including the Rarotongan flycatcher (Kakerori)and their habitat. Profits assist not only with the conservation of the Rarotongan flyercatch and its habitat on Rarotonga, but also on the island of Atiu.
The Takitumu Conservation area also provides birdwatchers with a chance to see and hear other native birdlife including the unique Rarotonga Starling (i’oi) and fuit dove (kukupa) along with the introduced myna and long-tailed cuckoo (karavia). The area also contains 70% of all plant species found in inland Rarotonga, including the fitchia (neinei) the Rarotongan orchid and the rare ground orchid.
Bookings are essential for the Nature Walk and can be made through the Sea Change Villas’ office.
Whales
Humpback whales, famous for their mysterious singing and amazing acrobatics migrate through the Cook Islands every year between July and October, passing very close to the outside reef of Rarotonga.
The whales are now protected within the two million square kilometre whale sanctuary established in the Cook Islands in 2001 as they travel from the Southern Ocean to the warm tropical waters of the Pacific to breed before returning to the south.
Last century the whaling industry exploited the whales for their blubber to extract oil for export. The whaling era is remembered by the relics on display at the Whale Research and Education Centre on the inland road close to the main township of Avarua.
As the whales come very close to Rarotonga, the best viewing is from the shore and reef from July through to October. The locals say, ‘In the Cook Islands we don’t go to the whales, the whales come to us’.