Away To Rarotonga

Best Local Rarotonga Tour With Ariimoana Walkabouts Inland Discoveries Walk.

Sarah Steiner

We think that for any visitor to the Cook Islands connecting with nature and culture are perhaps the two most important aspects to factor in to planning your holiday.  Well, that and trying as much local food and fruit as possible! Which is where this Rarotonga tour with Ariimoana Walkabouts fits in perfectly…

We love island adventures and feel very lucky to be living here in the Cook Islands.  But did you know this was one of the very first tours that we first did when we moved to Rarotonga? 

Since then we’ve done a whole lot more.  There are a lot of tours in Rarotonga to choose from!  But in all seriousness, this inland tour with Ariimoana is one of the coolest days out we’ve ever had here in the Cook Islands! 

Hey! We are Away With The Steiners. Wondering about living in Rarotonga, Cook Islands?

Choosing Ariimoana Walkabouts Rarotonga Tour

The Inland Discoveries Walk with Ariimoana Walkabouts is hosted by local guides, Kura and Jacopo.  

Exploring the island with local guides gave us a totally different insight to Rarotonga.  

And spoiler alert: we tried so many new island fruits I’ve officially lost count! 

The Inland Discoveries Walk with Ariimoana Walkabouts is a personable and memorable adventure on foot.  The tour takes you into the lush interior of Rarotonga, across streams and riverbeds, through private fruit and vegetable plantations, and up to the ridgeline lookout.  From there you can take in the breath-taking views of the Southern coast of the island and Rua Manga, ‘The Needle’. 

You will also have the opportunity to see a variety of Cook Islands birds such as the Kakerori, I’oi, Rupe and the colorful Kukupa. 

Learn about rural life in Rarotonga and try in-season fruits like pawpaw, tamarind, passionfruit, jackfruit, mangosteen, rambutan, hibiscus and coconut at different stages (new, dry and sprouted!).

A first stop at a Pawpaw plantation.
The pawpaw Jacopo picked had a unique second fruit inside!

Local Guides – Ariimoana Walkabouts Tour Rarotonga 

Our hosts for the walk are Kura and Jack who live in the village of Vaimaanga.  Together they perfectly depict island life; in keeping with traditions and a way of living with the reef and enua (land) that they proudly share. 

Kura Happ is an iconic figure of Rarotonga, well-known by the locals as a talented guitarist and singer/songwriter.  Kura now leads the way as an eco-warrior with a very deep passion for caring for the moana (sea) and enua (land).  

Her partner Jacopo complements this with a wealth of island knowledge, energy and a passion for the inland jungles and mountains of the Cook Islands.  Originally from Milan, Italy, he has settled comfortably and now calls the southern shores of Rarotonga, home too. 

Having grown up in the village of Vaimaanga, Kura gives a real insight into how important the ocean and land is to the people of the Cook Islands. She tells stories of learning how to care for the enua from her grandparents as they told stories passed down to them by their ancestors too. 

Together, they guide the Inland Discoveries Walk with an uplifting and contagious energy for the magnificent Cook Islands!

We picked a beautifully ripe Custard Apple.
Trying a first Custard Apple amidst EIGHT other fruits at this one orchard stop!

About the walk – Ariimoana Walkabouts Rarotonga Tour

This inland Rarotonga tour with Ariimoana Walkabouts is called the Inland Discoveries Walk.

It starts from the southern village of Vaimaanga. From there, the first part of the walk is along the southern beach. 

The lagoon in Vaimaanga is one of the most well renowned swimming beaches on the island. The sand is white and the shoreline is dotted with coconut trees. It’s truly beautiful! 

This is the village where Kura grew up and has lived her life in and out of the water.  

Kura will tell you stories of the changing coastline and lagoon.  She shares about life growing up in Rarotonga and about the reef passages where she hunted for octopus with her grandfather. 

Learning about the many uses of banana leaves including the companion planting of ginger.

Heading Inland from Vaimaanga 

Heading inland next, this first part of the walk follows the back road towards an inland trail. We stop in a banana plantation and learn about intercrop planting on the island.

This is also the perfect time to hear stories about the area and to get a feel for the ‘rural’ (aka non-city) sides to the island. 

We quite literally had taken only a few steps from the beach before we tried our first island surprise…

The sweet nectar from the inside of the curled hibiscus flower.  Plus some bright – and seriously tasty – yellow starfruit!

Trying the sweet nectar from the inside of the curled hibiscus flower with Jacopo.
A slice of vibrant yellow Starfruit.

Up To The Ridge – Ariimoana Walkabouts Rarotonga Tour

Before long the path heads even further inland.  We follow a hidden trail to the base of the mountains above the Vaimaanga area. 

The trail heads up to the top of the ridgeline.  Where from up there, we can see panoramic and truly epic views of the Vaimaaanga and Rutaki beaches and reef passages.

From the base of the mountains the walk to the top of the ridgeline lookout takes around one hour. 

The path is clear and not technically challenging.  Plus there is plenty to look at and discover along the way.  That is, including a couple of small riverbed crossings and lots of fruit to eat! 

After a rest at the top of the ridges it’s time to head back down.  Though at the base of the mountain the track returns via a different path to lead you through some private plantations and orchards. 

Spectacular views above Vaimaanga from the ridgeline.

Exploring Inland Rarotonga with Local Guides

The next part of this Rarotonga tour is an island adventure with epic tastes. 

The plantations in Rarotonga are all privately owned by local families in the area. So these sites can’t be visited without a local guide. But it doesn’t get much more local than these two!

It will depend on the season and time of year, but here are some of the fruits we tried along the way:

It’s truly spectacular to get an insight into all that grows here on the island!

Cracking into a fresh-off-the-vine passionfruit…
Fresh turmeric in the taro plantation.
The incredible purple star apple is a tropical fruit from the Caimito tree.

How Far Is The Walk Distance-Wise? 

From Vaimaanga and back to the starting point the Ariimoana Walkabouts Inland Discoveries Tour is approximately 5 – 7km walking. There is the option to add more or tailor make it to suit.

We love the tour up to the ridgeline and the views are incredible. But we have also done a shorter fruit and orchard tour with Jack and Kura when we had Nana visiting – which was equally incredible!

Oscar on the ridgeline with a glimpse of Rarotonga’s famous mountain, ‘The Needle’ to the right.

How Long Does It Take? 

It is suggested to allow 3 to 4 hours for the Ariimoana Walkabouts Inland Discoveries Tour.

With the kids, the entire tour took us around four hours. 

Is This Ariimoana Walkabouts Rarotonga Tour Suitable With Kids? 

Yes. This is a fantastic Rarotonga tour to do with kids!

The walk is interesting all the way along.  There is plenty to look at and discover for the kids.  Plus a whole lot of new and favourite fruits to taste as you adventure. 

The walk up the to the ridgeline lookout is not technically difficult and is well cleared and safe for children. 

At a child-friendly walking pace it takes around one hour from the backroad to reach the lookout. 

Then at the end, if you feel like a swim on returning back down from the ridge there is the option to jump in at the Papua Waterfall. It’s well worth the additional 2km walk to cool down!

Atop of the ridgeline lookout – with berry-smeared smiles included!

What To Bring – Ariimoana Walkabouts Rarotonga Tour

You do need to bring a few items with you – including a camera – for this inland tour in Rarotonga.

Rarotonga Tours with Ariimoana Walkabouts

This amazing enua (land) adventure is a truly fantastic local Rarotonga tour. Albeit we also loved the Reef Walk Tour with Ariimoana Walkabouts too! 

Jacopo on the Reef Explorer Tour with guests plus canine companions Mahi and Tama.

How Can I Book? 

More information about both of these Rarotonga tours is available on the Ariimoana Walkabouts Facebook and Instagram.

Or, just give Kura a call on +682 70 070 and find out when the next best time is to explore this magical island. 

Ariimoana Walkabout Tours operates daily departing at 8:00am, except Sundays which are reserved for private group bookings.

Please note that tours are weather and tide dependent.

Returning through swamp taro plantations at varying stages of growth.

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