Wigmore's Waterfall

Wigmore's Waterfall, properly Papua Waterfall, drops into a pool at the head of a short valley on Rarotonga's southern side, and it is the island's only waterfall of any size. The drop is modest but the pool is deep and cold and the setting is thick with tree ferns and hibiscus. The cross-island track over the Needle comes down the valley behind it, so walkers finish here and swim before getting back on the road.

What you actually see

• The fall and pool - the drop into deep cold water at the valley head.
• The valley vegetation - tree ferns and hibiscus thick along the stream.
• The cross-island finish - the point where the track over the Needle comes down.
• The short approach - a walk of minutes from where the road ends.

When to go

May to October is the drier season. The fall runs strongest after rain from November to April. It can drop to a trickle in a dry spell.

Honest expectations

The fall is small and can be a trickle late in the dry season. It gets crowded when tour groups arrive. Facilities are a car park and nothing more.

Nearby

The cross-island track climbs behind it, and Avarua is north.