Cook Islands Paradise: Rarotonga, Mangaia, Atiu and Aitutaki

Welcome to the Cook Islands! You will be greeted upon arrival with fresh flowers and bottled water. You'll spend the following 5 nights in Rarotonga in your selected hotel.

First you'll enjoy an island discovery tour, exploring Rarotonga travelling by air-conditioned coach. Your local guide will take you on a fascinating 3 hour sightseeing tour, the perfect introduction to the island’s rich culture, legends and history.  Pick up from your accommodation and overview of the island in English. You will travel along the ancient Ara Metua or “Road of Toi” built in 1050 AD as an all-weather paved road and visit ancient maraes (ceremonial sites).   

Enjoy a refreshment stop where you will have the opportunity to purchase locally crafted gifts and souvenirs. Your sightseeing tour continues on to a number of historical sites including one of the first limestone churches built on the island, the Garden of the Seven Canoes at Avana Passage and Black Rock, a volcanic boulder on the edge of the lagoon. Along the way you'll get a glimpse of the Needle Lookout, a volcanic outcrop marking the center of the island.

In the following days, enjoy a trip to the Highland Paradise Cultural Centre, sometimes known as “the lost village”, a real cultural feast of Cook Islands entertainment and spiritual experiences. Take the Tapu’ae day tour on the authentic historical site in this mountain village refuge that lay forgotten for 150 years.  Watch re-enactments of the ancestors way of life, and visit the restored marae and the faithfully rebuilt traditional buildings.

This 200 acre site was a fortified tribal village which has recently been rediscovered after 150 years under jungle growth. Your guides are experts in tribal lore. End this incredible day with a spectacular island night show and dinner.

Fly from Rarotonga to Mangaia, which is the oldest island in the Pacific. Over these two days your local guide will take you on an informative tour of the island stopping at places of interest, historic sights and at the lake.

You'll have the chance to admire the panoramic scenery as you travel to taro plantations and other plantations through roads and forests between cliffs and raised coral. Visit a marae (an ancient and sacred meeting place of  the ancient populations) and enjoy a relaxing stop at a fresh water swimming hole.

Fly from Mangaia to Atiu. Over these two days go on an excursion to Anatakitaki Kopeka Cave, a unique opportunity to visit the only habitat of the indigenous Kopeka bird. The trek to the cave entrance is an exhilarating and sometimes challenging 30 minutes of walking over rugged coral and limestone terrain.   
The path is flanked by interesting coral formations and many fossilised shells embedded in the limestone structures. 

Along the trek, your professional guide will explain the various coral formations and their significance. At the entrance of the cave, you will have to climb down a 3 meter ladder to get to the first level of the cave. From there on you will enter a series of small chambers where you will gradually lose the natural light. From there on, you will  enter the dark world of the Kopeka by torchlight.  

As an alternative, you can choose to go on an island discovery tour around Atiu.
 

Fly to Aitutaki. Over these final days you will enjoy a marvellous cruise and lunch in Aitutaki lagoon, surely one of the best ways to experience this beautiful paradise! Bishops Lagoon Cruises offer all day cruises and private lagoon excursions with snorkelling, fish feeding, lunch and endless opportunities to explore deserted beaches on your own.   

Visit world famous Honeymoon Island, a long stretch of white sand, and join your captain as he hand-feeds banded damsels and butterfly fish. See giant clams in their natural habitat and learn of the clam propagation program that the Marine Department is implementing  in the lagoon. 

Finally head off to One Foot Island, where you will be served a picnic lunch of fresh BBQ fish with local salads. At the end of your tour, fly back to Rarotonga for you flight home or your onward destination.