St. Kitts & Nevis Hiking – Explore Nature while Enjoying Spectacular Views
The Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis Islands, commonly referred to as “St. Kitts & Nevis” or “SKN”, is a two island nation in the Caribbean Lesser Antilles’ Leeward Islands. SKN are only a few miles from its closest neighbours: Sint Eustatius to the north-west; Barbuda and Antigua to the East; and Montserrat to the south. Regular ferry service connects the islands of St. Kitts and Nevis, which are approximately 2 miles (3 km) apart.
The islands of St. Kitts & Nevis are actually the tops of a submerged volcanic mountain range, making it a great place to hike! Combined, the islands have half a dozen mountainous peaks above 1,500 feet (500m), the tallest being Mount Liamuiga on St. Kitts, towering 3,792 feet (1,156 m) above sea level. Covered with rolling green folds of volcanic peaks and lush valleys, more than a quarter of the islands are protected National Park lands. St. Kitts and Nevis offer a variety of easy relaxing nature walks as well as some very challenging hikes, offering something for everyone – If you know where to look. Our favourites include…
The best St. Kitts hiking trails include:
Mount Liamuiga (formerly Mount Misery) – No adventurous trip to St. Kitts is complete without hiking the island’s highest peak. You’ll need 4 to 6 hours for this 5 mile (8km) round trip hike up and down the volcano. The absolute vertical hiked on this trail is just over 2,380 feet (725m), which is a decent challenge for most. This St. Kitts hike is what you think of when you imagine hiking a volcano on a Caribbean island – Trekking through a rain-forest with the trail getting progressively steeper along the way, then reaching the top and being able to peer down into an open crater. This is an enjoyable hike with a constantly varying environment to take-in, including seeing more exposed tree roots than you’ve probably ever seen before in one spot. For a more detailed account of this hike, click on our Mount Liamuiga Trail page
Dos D’ane Pond / Verchilds Mountain Trail – The second highest peak on St. Kitts offers a fairly challenging hike as well, with > 2000 feet (600m) vertical elevation gain, and great views of the island.
“Valley of Giants” Rain-forest Trail – A fairly easy 2 hour loop hike along a River in an amazing rain-forest Valley. There’s also an optional ridge climb for the more adventurous – Enjoyable St. Kitts hiking for sure.
Challengers Village – Bat Cave and Waterfall Trail – The main attractions of this hike are self explanatory 🙂 It takes about about 4 to 5 hours to complete this easy – intermediate level hike.
Southern Peninsula Trail – This unique St. Kitts hike takes place at the south end of the island, providing ‘dry scrub-brush’ terrain with access to empty beaches and spectacular ocean views. A must-do experience for sure!
There’s also a couple of excellent hiking trails on the east side of St. Kitts, including the Phillips Rainforest Trail, the Christ Church Ghaut Loop and the Cayon Ghaut River Trail.
If you’re looking for a longer hike, the Old Military Trail crosses the Island from Romney Manor to Phillip’s Village.
For more information, including hiking guides and tour operators who will get you on the trail, check out our St. Kitts Hiking page
The Best Nevis Hiking Trails include:
Nevis Peak – The feature hike is to the top of the island’s highest peak. The summit of the volcano is 3,200 feet (950m) above sea level. This is a fairly difficult / steep trail taking about 4-5 hours round trip. This iconic hike rewards you with breath-taking views of the islands, the surrounding Caribbean Sea as well as the island of Montserrat!
There is a variety of Nevis hiking trails on the island as well.
There are some intermediate level hiking trails that will give you a decent work-out while rewarding you with great views. They include the Golden Rock Nature Trail; the Devil’s Copper Trail; the Water Source / Waterfall Trail; and Jessup’s Rainforest Trail.
There’s also plenty of more relaxing nature trails on Nevis. They include the Sulphur Springs Trail and Saddle Hill Trail. Other Nevis hiking trails take you through rural villages, to Amerindian sites or plantation ruins. You can bird-watch and you may even get a glimse of a Vervet or “green” monkey along the way!
For more details, as well as tour operators who will get you on the trail, check out our Nevis Hiking page
Now, get out there & have some fun!
ACT Staff
If you’re looking for other exciting activities to experience, take a look at our St. Kitts & Nevis Adventures blog
When you’re not hiking or snorkeling around St. Kitts & Nevis, there’s plenty of other things to do on the Sister Islands, including a Scenic Railway Tour and a visit to Brimstone Hill Fortress. For more ideas for a fun and relaxing vacation, check out our St. Kitts & Nevis Attractions blog
For an overview of these beautiful islands, click on our St. Kitts & Nevis Vacations page
