Parc naturel Te Faa Iti is situated nearby
to the peak Tevaiohiro and the waterfall Puraha.
My story as published in "4x4 Mondial", a French magazine.
Most people think of Tahiti in terms of its beaches and languid climate, but I had the chance to go on a 4x4 outing - a real change of scenery and a lot of fun! It was Teiva from Tahiti Discovery who was the man of the hour: driver, but above all a native of the island who loves his country and who was going to explain many facets of its history, customs, and tell us about the geology and flora of the valleys and volcanic peaks that form the centre of Tahiti.
Teiva picked me up at my hostel in Papeete in his trusty Defender TDI (with 250,000 kilometres on the clock), which had been prepared to carry tourists. In the company of Monique, Alain, Jade and Hugo, we first drove around the north coast of the island before entering the Papenoo valley. The sky was grey, it was raining and for the first hour we wondered if the whole day was going to be rained out. The Defender's pickup is equipped with 2 side benches and a roll cage covered by a removable tarpaulin - we're going to fold it in and out several times during the day, depending on the showers that alternated with a few rays of sunshine.
After a few kilometres at the bottom of the valley, things start to get serious. Teiva engages the low range of the Defender and we're off for the whole day, climbing up and down slopes that are almost constantly at 20% for the 47 kilometres or so of the crossing. The track we're using was built mainly to build dams and hydro-electric power stations. As this mostly gravel track is important for the maintenance of these plants, it is regularly maintained and remains passable all year round. Some very steep sections (mud-grip tyres compulsory) are tarmacked or concreted, because in the rainy season the run-off would dig huge crevasses in no time at all.
We made many stops to observe nature, waterfalls, rivers and breathtaking landscapes of raw beauty. Near a rock that is the stuff of legend, we stop to take a few steps under the trees and, for the more intrepid, bathe in a hollow in the river. At midday, we stopped for a snack that each of us had brought with us; the place where we stopped is mythical because it was here that Teiva's grandfather used to hunt and where he had built a shelter.
As we climb, we leave the tropical forest behind and enter an area of high-altitude shrubs and mosses. At an altitude of 800 metres, a tunnel has been excavated between 2 valleys, as the rocky walls of the crater's remnants are extremely steep and impressive. We descend on the other side of the ridge and reach a small reservoir (Vaihiria) before continuing towards the plain and the coastal road. It was already late afternoon, with heavy traffic, a few traffic jams on the main road and nightfall as we reached Papeete.
have to say that this excursion was exceptional, both for the quality of Teiva's comments and anecdotes and for the beauty of the mountains and the remains of the gigantic volcano and crater that existed 3 million years ago: unfortunately, it's very difficult to do justice to the majesty of these landscapes with photos, when the sky is overcast and cloudy.
Teiva Alphonse TIAIPOI, 55, is a mythical Polynesian, and very proud of it, who will be our guide for the day. A colourful character, he sports his tattoos and traditional costume even when he's not out and about with tourists. A man of the land, his grandfather lived in the Papenoo valley and knew every nook and cranny of these mountains. Teiva wants to take us back to the time when the valley was populated in the past to discover the soul of the Maohi people.
Tahiti Discovery is Teiva's small, family-run company, which doesn't seek fame through its size or market share, but through its authentic approach to share with visitors. In 2022 Tahiti Discovery celebrated its 10th anniversary.
For more informaton => https://tahitidiscovery.com/