Hike St. Lucia – Enbas Saut Falls Trail Description & Local Hiking Guides
Overview of hiking St. Lucia’s Enbas Saut Falls trail:
- Time required: 3 – 4 hours round trip
- Degree of Difficulty: 6 out of 10
- Elevation: Approximately 1,300 feet (400 meters)
- Distance: Just over 5 miles (9km) round trip
- Guide Required: YES – You may be able to find the trail yourself, however it is St. Lucian law for visitors to the island to be accompanied by an official guide from the Forestry Department. The Lucia Forestry guide charge of $25usd per person is well worth it, as he/she can inform you of local flora / fauna that you would otherwise likely miss out on.
Similar to the Mount Gimie hike, you can start in the town of Migny or drive part way up the secondary road and park where the trail splits between the Mount Gimie hike and the path to the Edmund Forest Reserve (and Enbas Saut Falls). The first 45 mins or so of the drive / hike to the Edmund Forest Reserve (also referred to as the Central Rainforest) is a steady/gradual up-hill incline, with some minor ups and downs, along a rough dirt road.
Eventually, the road transitions into a natural trail that takes you to a little gazebo and hut with a sign stating “Welcome to Enbas Saut Falls”… While this may be the official trail-head, it will take a while to hike to this point. From here you head down a long man-made staircase of “hollow” wooden stairs. There is a mix of stairs and natural trails, that gradually takes you down into a valley where Morne Gimie looms large in the background. The “hollow stairs” were perhaps once solid, however the rock /dirt filling for the stairs has been pretty much washed away, making the stairs somewhat awkward to walk on. Apparently there are >1,200 of these stairs down to the waterfalls!
The Enbas Saut Falls trail takes you through rain-forest, cloud forest and elfin woodlands and your guide should be informing you about the local flora and birdlife that you can encounter along the way. You will likely see land crabs along with more greenery than you’ve ever seen before!
As you will be in the thick of the rain-forest, don’t be surprised if it rains a little from time to time. You’ll enjoy this beautiful St. Lucia hike, however be careful with your footing as the ground and trail can be wet and slippery…
Eventually, you’ll cross a small river somewhere in the valley, which has a vine “rope” hanging over it. Take turns swinging on it, channeling your inner tarzan! When you get to the actual falls and pool areas, you’ll come across 10-15 cement stairs in the middle of nowhere leading down to the upper pool…
There are actually 2 small cascading waterfalls with pools. The top falls are about 15-20 (5.5m) feet tall with a fairly large/deep pool, while the bottom falls are slightly higher at 20-25 feet (7m) tall with a small shallow pool that spills into a rocky river. The upper pool is large and deep enough to swim in. When you’re done splashing around, you head back up the way you came. This time, you have to go ‘up’ the 1,200 or so steps. While there are a few steep sections, it’s not really too strenuous a hike (although that’s a matter of perspective).
In summary, St. Lucia’s Enbas Saut Falls trail is an easy-intermediate difficulty Saint Lucia hike, with lots of steps, and mixed-level sections making it a gradual decline/incline. This is a great rain-forest experience with heavy jungle, lots of birds and hummingbirds along with a huge variety of vegetation. A local guide will make the experience all that much better. A very educational and fun 3-4 hour hike.
For a more colourful review of the Enbas Saut Falls Trail, check out our personal experience with our Stairway to Adventure blog post
For a guide / tour to hike Saint Lucia’s Enbas Saut Falls Trail, these local Tour Operators will take good care of you (Click on a Tour Operator name below for more details):
- Tropic Trails Island Adventures
- Real St. Lucia Tours /enbassaut (Short route)
- Treasure Tours Ltd
- Paradise Excursions
- Christopher Taxi Service
- Fabian’s Tours
If you have your own transportation and are comfortable driving on the island, you could also contact the St. Lucia Forestry Department directly to arrange for a hiking guide to meet you near the Enbas Saut Falls Trailhead.
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