HIKES
The mountains of Raiatea are little Steep and allow easy hikes, but there are few trails: also advise us to take a guide, especially since it can give you a lot of information about history, botany, legends…
We recommend Gérard (✆ +689 73 96 48), a greedy guide.
Let's start with the Three Cascades. We're starting from Km 5, east coast, for 4 to 6 hours of relatively easy walks, except a few slippery passages, amidst a rich tropical vegetation (giant ferns, mape, bamboo…). You can bathe at the end: supreme reward after effort! This trip is recommended for a short stay in Raiatea.
The second trip takes you to the Faaroa valley. Counting between 4 and 8 hours of walking according to your rhythm is rather easy. This is in fact a number of different loops, as you wish. There are several archaeological sites that once inhabited and lovers of botany will be happy. Closed for a while, this circuit is again possible.
The last hike wins Mount Temehani Nui. The advantage of passing through a guide is that one can start from one point (e. g. the PK 12 on the west coast) to arrive across the island, at KP 2 on the east coast. This thus prevents us from coming back. This hike is aimed at the good walkers. We cross pine forests (possibility of bivouac along the river). Magnificent show at the summit: You can admire Tahaa, Huahine, Bora Bora and even Maupiti in the distance. The hiking takes about 8 hours, with 820 m of difference. Possibility of swimming. Attention: It's not sure you'll have the chance to discover the famous Endémique tiara, don't count too much on it.
Le Mont Temehani : grande randonnée de 6-8h avec les pauses. Faisable sans guide si vous regardez sur le net les traces mises sur des blogs.
Nous sommes passés par là côte Est. Prendre la servitude qui longe la supérette Suptekua au PK 2,5. Puis la 1ere à droite. Juste après le petit pont, il y a un panneau indiquant la randonnée. Se garer par là.
La rando commence par une piste sous les pins. Par contre, toujours en montée. Rendu sur la crête, il y a à un moment une zone difficile a franchir avec des cordes, surtout pour les petites jambes ????. Mais c'est la seule ! Après de nombreuses piscines naturelles pour se baigner et pique nique à la fraîche avant d'atteindre le mont et de voir la fleur. Entre ces piscines et le haut du mont, prévoir encore 1h aller retour. Le retour se fait plus facilement vu que c'est que de la descente !
Très belle randonnée. Prévoir 2L d'eau par personne !