Mount Tomanivi

Tomanivi, sometimes called Mount Victoria, rises to 1,324 metres in the middle of Viti Levu and is the highest point in Fiji. The climb starts from Navai village on the cross-island road and goes up through farmland into cloud forest, steep and muddy, with roots and rock scrambling in the upper section. It takes three to four hours up. The summit is small and more often than not sits inside cloud, which is what keeps the forest on it wet.

What you actually see

• The summit - 1,324 metres, the highest ground in Fiji.
• The cloud forest - wet mossy forest through the upper slopes.
• The scramble - roots and rock on the steep final section.
• Navai village - the starting point, where permission and a guide are arranged.

When to go

May to October is the drier season and the only sensible window. The mountain is wet in any month and the summit is usually in cloud. Starting early gives the best chance of a view.

Honest expectations

The climb is steep, muddy and slippery, and it is harder than the modest altitude suggests. A guide from Navai is required, both for the route and because the land is owned. Views from the top are the exception rather than the rule.

Nearby

Navai is on the cross-island road, and Nadarivatu is a short way north.