The cross island trek on Rarotonga is the most popular hiking trail in the Cook Islands. The trail literally crosses from the north side of Rarotonga to the south side passing Te Rua Manga needle at 413 metres. It's a fairly challenging trek through tropical rainforest but one that can quite easily be done on your own if you are a confident hiker and the rains haven't been heavy. For those less certain, Pa's mountain treks offers guided treks twice a week. The walk is best approached from the north coast from Avarua Town. The trek takes about 3 hours and finishes at Papua Waterfall where you can take a refreshing swim in season (waterfall usually dries out from July to October). If you want to visit the waterfall without doing the strenuous trek over the mountains, approach from the south side along a dirt trail for about half an hour.
