Hikes both St. Lucia and St. Kitts?

[5MNtravelbugs]

We are a group of 4. We enjoy hiking and have hiked many places in the caribbean. My question is .. Is it a good idea to have hikes like the gros piton climb in St. Lucia on thursday and the Mt. liamuga volcano hike in St. Kitts on Friday? Has anyone done this? These are 2 places we really want to see the interior! Any other suggestions? We are pretty fit and adventurous.Thanks!

[reedprincess]

Can't answer to the St. kitt's hike, but can to the St. Lucia Gros Piton Hike. It is a fairly strenuous hike - the guides say allow 3 hours, 4 hours is more realisitc for most fit people. It is also a solid 1 hour each way ride from the port - actually more like 1.15 easily from the port. So, allow 3 hours for travel and 4 hours for hike - I am not even sure you would realistically have time to do the hike, let alone how you would feel the next day.

It is a beautiful hike and the views from the top are amazing, but considering the time constraints, it is not highly advisable. Doable though, definitely doable if you are off the ship first thing and in a taxi right away - most every driver know the way and guides are available at the trailhead - $30US pp. Cab ride will be around $100US or so one way though for up to 4 people - keep that in mind also.

There are other hikes closer to the port - the Barre des Isle rainforest hike, which gives some great rainforest hiking along with some amazing views of the interior - less strenuous than Gros Piton and about a 2.5 or so hour hike. Check out the St. Lucia Forestry department for more info on various hikes around the island.

Another, much less strenuous hike that has amazing views of the Pitons and rainforest and surrounding area is the Tet Paul trail in Soufriere. It is a walk/hike along the ridge above/between the Pitons and affords some very dramatic views of both peaks, the surrounding countryside and ocean. Still an hour from the port, but the hike is only about 45 minutes, is $10USpp or so and can be combined with ziplining in Soufriere or a beach/snorkel stop at Jalousie beach or plantation tour of Fond Doux Plantation, a working cocoa plantation that supplies cocoa for Hershey.

Hope this helps - enjoy your visit!!!

 

ps: Gros Piton is not considered the interior as it rises directly from the ocean! I do know what you meant though!!!

[5MNtravelbugs]

Thank you for the info. I will run this by the group. Thinking more strenuous hike at 1 port would be a better idea! Will book a tour guide so won't get lost! Always another year! Now to decide which rainforest hike? Thank you for the info!

[Corby]

My husband and I will be aboard Carnival's Victory and plan to hike Gros Piton on Dec. 1 and Mt. Liaguma (sp?) in St. Kitts on Fri., Dec. 2. I am still trying to arrange these, as transportation in St. Lucia is a lot to the mountain for two.....

[5MNtravelbugs]

Wow! Let me know if that goes well. We are doing the Gros piton hike in St. Lucia and the rainforest hike at St. Kitts. Hope we aren't totally wore out!!

[AntiHamstr]

I have hiked Gros Piton, and the Mt. Liamuga volcano hike, but not one after the other. What I did do is hike Mt. Liamuga, followed by the Boiling Lake Hike on Dominica, followed by a rough hike on Grenada.

 

 

If you guys are semi-serious hikers, and have done hiking on two consecutive days before, you probably will not have a problem. While Gros Piton is a fairly serious climb, and can be brutally hot, the trail is well maintained and it really isn't THAT much of an elevation change for an experienced hiker. Mt. Liamuga volcano hike has a much smaller elevation change, but the trail is MUCH more technical because of the rocks, mud, and slippery roots.

 

 

Not knowing you, I would say you could probably do the back to back hikes, but you might feel it on the third day. A guide is required at Gros Piton (they will give you one when you show up), and it's highly recommend for Mt. Liamuga.

 

 

If you get carsick, or are worried about time, you can arrange for a water taxi to pick you up at the dock and drop you off near the Pitons.

 

 

If climbing one of the Pitons is something you really want to do, I say go for it. It's only money.

 

 

Dennis

[Corby]

We're back from our trip and the hikes went great! In St. Lucia,we went with Spencer Ambrose Tours via water taxi, picked up our guide and started the Gros Piton hike from the beach (even farther to climb than from the interpretive center). It was awesome! We made it to the top in 1 hr. 30 min. The next day we hiked up Mt. Liamuiga in St. Kitts with David from Poinciana Tours. Great, once again! I was sore, but it is do-able!! I should have trained more on stairs, instead of the flats of Houston!! Enjoyed every minute of both of these! In fact, we even saw monkeys while on the Mt. Liamuiga hike. Go for it!!! :)