Google review
Logo Bark Europa diapositive HomeBark EUROPA

Cook Islands to Auckland

26 days voyage

Next voyage: Sep 13 - Oct 9, 2026

Starting from €6.240,- pp

Map Key Rarotonga (Cook Islands) - Auckland

Ocean voyage

A voyage across the Pacific to Aotearoa, New Zealand

New voyage

Dates & prices

A 26-day sailing adventure from the Cook Islands to Auckland, New Zealand leads you deep into the South Pacific. Carried by steady trade winds, Bark EUROPA sails westward to the Kingdom of Tonga before turning south toward Aotearoa, New Zealand, weaving together coral atolls and volcanic islands, open-ocean swells, and star-bright nights into one unforgettable passage.

Bark EUROPA in Tonga
Happy people on board sailing into the sunset

From the Cook Islands via the island kingdom of Tonga to Auckland, New Zealand, this voyage follows ancient navigation routes across open ocean. As part of a small voyage crew, you will take an active role in sail handling, watch keeping, and traditional offshore navigation, experiencing the Pacific as sailors always have.

Cook Islands

Destination

Embarkation in Rarotonga

Your voyage begins in the port of Rarotonga, on the main island of the Cook Islands, where steep green mountains rise sharply from the reef. When you arrive at the quay, look for Bark EUROPA’s three masts and a European flag on top. Once on board, the crew will welcome you and introduce you to the ship, the safety routines, and the rhythm of the watch. The open ocean awaits as we leave the Cook Islands behind us, ready for a week of sailing before we reach our next destination: Tonga.

Disembarkation in Auckland

After weeks of sailing the Pacific blue and exploring the kingdom of Tonga, the wind shifts, the air cools, and coastal traffic begins to appear on the watch. As we approach Aotearoa, the outline of Auckland rises from the sea. We make ourselves ready for arrival: ropes are made fast, the watches stand down, and after more than 2000 nautical miles of open ocean, the voyage comes to an end, earned by wind, weather, and seamanship. It is time to say goodbye to the ship and your new-found friends. On to new adventures.

Route

Leaving Rarotonga behind us, we set a west–southwesterly course across the open Pacific, carried at first by steady trade winds over long, regular swells. As we sail out of the tropics, wind and sea become more variable, and the starry night skies slowly shift as we approach the waters of Tonga.

After 3 days of exploring the island of Vavaʻu, the course turns south toward Aotearoa. Here we leave the trade wind belt behind and enter the realm of passing fronts and strengthening westerlies. The swell grows more complex, the air cools, and after almost two weeks of ocean sailing, the first outlines of New Zealand rise on the horizon, our final approach to Auckland.

Map Route Rarotonga (Cook Islands) - Auckland.png

Itinerary

Itinerary

Welcome on board

From nearly all corners of the world, our guests will arrive in Rarotonga, Cook Islands. Your Pacific voyage will finally start. Embarking via our gangway, you will be welcomed by our crew members. You will be asked to sign in on board and take the luggage to your assigned cabin, followed by a first meeting to introduce the captain and crew to the voyage crew before enjoying your first meal on board. These will be the first exciting moments of your time on board. A first glance of who you will be sharing your experience with. They will be solo travellers, friends or couples, young and old, from various countries and with different backgrounds, all united in their dream of sailing the Pacific on a tallship.

Bark Europa open sails on the Pacific

Itinerary

Life on board

For some people on board it will be their first time on a tall ship, while others will have done similar journeys. This mix of beginners and more experienced tall ship lovers creates a learning atmosphere on board, where each person can contribute in their own way to keep the ship sailing. Soon after we have cast of our mooring lines, the watch schedule will begin. You will be placed in the Red - White or Blue watch. Each watch will take turns in being 4 hours on watch, to stand on lookout, steer the ship and help with sail handling.

Setting sailing in the Pacific

Itinerary

Cook Islands

In the Cook Islands, Polynesian roots run deep, yet each island reveals a spirit uniquely its own. Our voyage will start on the island of Rarotonga, and although we will not be visiting any other Cook Islands on this voyage, they're definitely worth visiting. 

Make sure to visit some of the islands before you step on board Bark EUROPA to set sail towards the Kingdom of Tonga.

French Polynesia by Jan Stevens

Itinerary

Sail training

This ocean voyage offers you a chance to get a first glance of the theory and practice of tall ship sailing and all that it entails - sail handling, rigging, maintenance, navigation and much more. From day one, our experience permanent crew will start to teach you all there is to know about square rig sailing. We'll have time to dive a little deeper into the first basics of sailing a square rigger.

celestial navigation

Itinerary

Vava'u, Tonga

The Vavaʻu archipelago of northern Tonga welcomes us with ruggedcliffs, hidden coves, and turquoise bays. September brings warm, dry weather and steady southeasterly trade winds, ideal for sailing through the sheltered channels and exploring the scattered islets of the archipelago, perfect for snorkeling.

We plan to anchor off the main island of Vavaʻu, where calm waters and reef-fringed bays offer us safe harbour. The green hills and coconut palms frame small villages, giving a glimpse of traditional Tongan life. We look forward to meeting members of the local community, learning about their customs, and experiencing the warmth of Tongan hospitality firsthand.

Going ashore, we explore the local villages and cultures landmarks, meeting the Tongan community and the family of our local crew crewmember. This time of year is also prime for spotting humpback whales as they pass through Vavaʻu’s waters on their breeding migration. As the sun sets across the islands, the natural beauty, rich heritage, and welcoming spirit of Vavaʻu will stay with us as a vivid memory.

Humpback whales in Tonga

Itinerary

Disembarkation in Auckland

After sailing from Rarotonga and exploring the Tongan island of Vavaʻu, we conclude with disembarkation in Auckland. Time to say goodbye to your newfound friends and Bark EUROPA. After weeks at sea, having experienced life as a working crew, navigated open ocean passages, and visited remote island communities, this is a moment to reflect on your journey, the skills you’ve gained, and the memories you collected across the South Pacific.

Bark EUROPA in Auckland

Reviews

Mark Walker - OceanOcean voyage

My congratulations to the dedicated highly professional crew for imparting & allowing us to share their knowledge of seamanship & know how in sailing Europa in what for me must be the ultimate ocean experience. Don't hesitate to grab this amazing opportunity and feel what its like to be part of the crew and what an ocean voyage can offer on such a remarkable vessel as Europa & even if you have never sailed before don't worry: go for it! The crew's ability in teaching/demonstrating the many numerous skills needed in handling a 3 masted bark including safety drills were very well presented as were the many lectures given by Europa's crew. The magnificence of Europa is spellbinding. A piece of living maritime history! The food was superb as was the welcoming we received from the galley staff.

Patricia Plaza - PacificPacific voyage

A lifetime adventure. Best experience ever :-)

French Polynesia by Jan Stevens

Why choose us

  • Iconic Pacific route

    Navigate a true deep-water passage across the South Pacific and connect with diverse island cultures from the Cook Islands to Tonga and New Zealand.

    Tonga visit

  • Sail training

    You’re not a passenger, you’re part of the crew. Under the guidance of our professional sailors, you’ll learn traditional seamanship by hauling lines, steering the ship and standing lookout.

    Nadia sailhandling

  • Night watches 

    As we sail across the Pacific, clear skies reward the night watch with breathtaking starlight, the Milky Way mirrored on the sea’s surface.

    Milky Way from the deck while anchored at Raiatea by Andy Washington

Dates & prices

Sailing into the Pacific: Rarotonga - Vavau - Auckland

Embark on a south-west passage from the Cook Islands to Tonga and onwards to New Zealand, combining open-ocean sailing with island exploration. 

Departing Rarotonga, we navigate trade winds and long Pacific swells en route to Vavaʻu, where we may visit villages, meet local communities, and experience Tongan culture firsthand. 

From there, the voyage continues south through westerlies and open ocean swells before approaching Auckland, concluding this epic South Pacific adventure.

What's included

  • Small and personal sailing experience with a maximum of 42 voyage crew members
  • Sail training and interesting (research) lectures from our permanent crew
  • Delicious meals from our experienced cook, unlimited coffee & tea

What's excluded

  • Potential landing fees in the Kingdom of Tonga
From To Days Nautical miles Price pp 4/6p cabin Price pp 2p cabin
From
Rarotonga, Cook Islands
To
Auckland, New Zealand
Days
26
Nautical miles
1950
€6.240,-
€7.410,-
Book now

I'm interested but not sure yet. Block me a voyage for two weeks.

Make optional reservation

FAQ

Is sailing experience required?

When you decide to join us one of our voyages, you will be doing so as part of the voyage crew. This means that EUROPA’s permanent crew will train you to be a sailor. No experience is needed, our crew will learn you everything along the way. Everyone is welcome to take the helm, set sails, assist with maneuvers, navigation, weather observations, furling the sails on the yards and much more. The permanent crew will give lectures and instruct you during the voyage in steering, navigation and sail handling. This will be done in a ‘Dutch’ style, so without yelling, blowing whistles or uniforms.

What does an optional reservation entail?

If you are interested in a specific voyage and you cannot decide immediately or if you have to make any necessary arrangements we can block a bunk for you for two weeks. That way you will have some time to decide without the risk of losing your berth. Please let us know in which voyage you are interested and how many bunks (male or female) you would like to block and if you prefer a 2-person cabin (can only be booked by couples or duo’s) or a bunk in a 4/6-person cabin. We will contact you as soon as possible to confirm your optional reservation.

 

How can I make a booking?

You are welcome to send in your booking form via our website as soon as you are ready for the adventure! Choose your voyage in the sailing schedule, scroll down to the date you wish to sail with us and click the 'Book now' button. You adventure is just a view clicks away!

What can I expect regarding the food onboard?

When you're out at sea, our galley is always busy preparing delicious meals to keep everyone well-fed. Our experienced cook and cook’s assistant take care of all meals on board, surprising our voyage crew with a variety of dishes made with local ingredients from the ports we visit. We offer both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. When you book your voyage, you can choose your meal preference to ensure everything is arranged in advance. Read more about food allergies and preferences here.

In what sort of cabin will I sleep?

Bark EUROPA has 4/6 persons cabins and 2 persons cabins for the voyage crew. If you join us with a travel partner, you can choose for a 2 persons cabin or to be placed in a 4/6 persons shared cabin. As a solo traveler you will be placed in a 4/6 persons male or female cabin.
Every cabin has his own bathroom with shower and toilet.
To get a nice impression of the cabins, you can find our Virtual Tour here.