Mount Aorai

Mount Aorai reaches 2066 metres and is the third highest point on Tahiti, and unlike Orohena it can be climbed without technical equipment on a ridge trail that runs from Le Belvédère above Papeete. The route follows a narrow arête with drops on both sides, passing two basic huts, and takes most people two days. From the top the island's interior opens up with Orohena and the old caldera visible when the cloud lifts.

The landscape

• The ridge trail - a narrow arete with drops on both sides for much of the route.
• The two huts - the basic shelters at Fare Mato and Fare Ata.
• The summit - Tahiti's third highest point at 2066 metres.
• The interior view - Orohena and the caldera from the top when clear.

When to go

May to October is the dry season and the only sensible window. Cloud closes the summit most afternoons. The ridge is dangerous in wind and rain.

Practical notes

The ridge has exposed sections with long drops and is genuinely dangerous in wet or windy weather. The huts are very basic with no water. Cloud usually closes the view.

Nearby

Papeete is north, and the Papenoo caldera is east.