Talanoa Treks will be launching full day hikes of Mount Tomanivi, and at 1,323 meters (4,341′) is Fiji’s highest mountain, starting and finishing from the Suncoast
This new initiative will be in partnership with Pehicle Tours and kicking-off from Thursday May 16th.
This should be a great activity for all Suncoast Fiji visitors to and certainly a day to remember for all guests.
I’m sure the views from the top, and along the way, will be simply awe inspiring.
The high point of your holiday
For many visitors to Fiji a stroll from the poolside to the beach might be as much exercise as you want to get. But if you spend most of your work day at a desk, you might want to do something a bit more active when you get the chance.
Talanoa Treks was established in 2014 to target the growing number of adventure travellers keen to experience more of the country.
Their core-business remains multi-day itineraries through the interior of Viti Levu, providing hikes with stunning views and swimming spots and enabling visitors to Fiji to experience time in traditional iTaukei (indigenous Fijian) communities and get a unique insight into rural life.
If you are short on time, you’ll be glad to hear that from May 17th 2019, in partnership with Pehicle, they are offering visitors to the Suncoast (the coast around the north eastern tip of Viti Levu) the opportunity to climb to the highest point in the country in a (long!) day, every Tuesday and Thursday.
Tomaniivi is a not a walk in the park – (it is a hike in a forest reserve!) – and you’ll find yourself using your arms as much as your legs for large sections of the ascent. It does afford you, however, an incredible opportunity to spend time in a tropical cloud forest ecosystem that is home to a number of Fiji’s endemic birds and plants. Listen out for the giant forest honeyeater’s (Sovau) car-alarm like call or spot the difference in the pitch of the bark-like calls of the aptly-named barking pigeon (Soqe) and golden dove (Buneko).
A 6.30am pick up from your Suncoast accommodation and a rugged 2 hour drive to Navai village, standing at 750m, is half of the climb to Fiji’s highest point. As you gradually ascend the 4.5km track from the village you’ll pass through a changing landscape, with secondary forest and old logging tracks gradually giving way to tree ferns as you enter the reserve and head up into the cloud forest.
Being cloud-forest, views from the 1323m summit are not guaranteed, but on a clear day you can see Ovalau island to the east, down to the Suncoast and Ra to the north, Koroyanitu Park to the West and the Monasavu Lake, which is the source of around half of Viti Levu’s electricity supply. It’s a pretty cool spot for a pack lunch views or not.
The ascent takes about 2.5 – 3 hours and the descent is no quicker as you’ll find yourself deciding to spend a fair proportion of it on your behind as you work out how to lower yourself safely down! Guides from Navai village, along with a dedicated Talanoa Treks guide, are on hand to make sure there’s a firm hand ready whenever you need it.
Afternoon tea is waiting for you in Navai on your return and you’ll be back on the Suncoast in time for a very well-deserved post sunset cocktail!
Tomaniivi is a strenuous climb that should only be attempted by hikers with a good level of fitness with appropriate trail shoes or equivalent footwear. It is not suitable for children under 12. More information can be found at https://talanoa-treks-fiji.com/
Featured in EXPLORE Fiji
Enjoy the Tomaniivi feature across EXPLORE Fiji’s centre pages
