St. Kitts Hiking – To the Top of a Caribbean Volcano
The Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis Islands commonly referred to as “SKN”, is a two-island nation, part of the Caribbean’s Lesser Antilles’ Leeward Islands. St Kitts, as it’s typically referred to, and Nevis are the tops of a submerged volcanic mountain range, covered with rolling green folds of volcanic peaks and lush valleys. With more than a quarter of the islands protected as National Parks and with half a dozen mountains reaching above 1,500 feet (500m), I was excited to hike there. We decided to take on the highest peak on St Kitts, Mount Liamuiga (formerly known as Mount Misery). This dormant stratovolcano stands 3,792 feet (1,156 m) above sea level, making it the highest point of all the Leeward Islands – A bucket-list adventure hike for sure!
We were picked up by a local tour operator at Basseterre’s Port Zante, where our Cruise Ship was docked for the day and headed through town then up the west coast. Before leaving the outskirts of town, we stopped at a local supermarket and waited while our guide picked up some snacks. I thought that was kind of strange, but when on the islands you just have to roll with it… It was an interesting drive along the west coast of St. Kitts. We enjoyed some great views of the Caribbean Sea along with getting to see what life is like on the island when we went through a number of modest villages. It was a fairly slow drive, as the small road was full of twists and turns and we encountered several bog downs in each village. While my gaze was usually out to sea, I also glanced inland whenever we were directed to do so as we passed major St. Kitts attractions, such as the Fairview Greathouse, Romney Manor and the imposing Brimstone Fortress.
About a little more than half an hour after leaving the Island’s capital, we were in the village of Newton Ground. At this point, we headed inland up a series of narrow and rough roads. There were beautiful flowering plants on the sides of the road which made the bumpy ride more enjoyable. As we approached the base of the volcano, my excitement grew with anticipation of the pending climb. We parked near the trailhead located at the south/east end of town. With the majestic volcano towering in front of us and the glistening blue Caribbean Sea with the island of St. Eustatius in view behind us, we headed off into the woods.
The hike started on a mild but gradual incline with the trail twisting and turning like we were on a large rounded switchback. Early in the hike the trail suddenly plunged into a large trench, probably caused by some ancient volcanic activity and/or torrential rains over the years. Along the trail, the jungle was fairly dense, filled with amazing gommier and banyan trees as well as curtains of vines everywhere. What really stood out to me on this hike was the crazy exposed tree roots – I’ve never seen so many, large tree root systems before in my entire life. While these roots actually helped in some areas by giving traction to climb steep parts of the trail, they also made it a bit dangerous as we had to watch that we didn’t trip over them – I could easily picture someone taking a header and face-planting into the ground.
Our local hiking guide clearly knew the flora well as he pointed out a number of plants and trees along the way, explaining their uses in traditional medicines – Cures for everything from nasal congestion and indigestion, to arthritis – I loved the familiar scent of the eucalyptus for sure! He also explained how we were travelling from a woodland area, through a rainforest jungle, to a dwarfed cloud forest at the top of the volcano. Although we did not see any of St. Kitts and Nevis’ famous monkeys, we could hear them chattering from time to time, so we knew they were around us. The trail was well worn, composed mostly of dry dirt and rocks, although I understand that it can be dangerously muddy and slick when it rains.
After hiking at a leisurely but steady pace for about an hour and a half we stopped for a break. Our guide gave us some sort of sweet bread that he had picked up earlier. Now I was happy that he had stopped – It was delicious! He also threw some bread onto the ground, which I thought was kind of inappropriate, but lo and behold, it wasn’t long before a mongoose appeared to snack on the crumbs. While I’m not a fan of feeding wild animals, I had never seen a mongoose before, so I felt a mix of guilty pleasure as I watched the creature darting around! Well, it was time to get back to our enjoyable ‘up-hill’ hike.
From here on, the hike got much steeper and challenging, with a few really cool near-vertical sections that tested our cardio and leg strength as well as our coordination. After about 45 minutes or so we eventually reached the ridge of the volcano. Wow – We could actually see down inside the natural structure. The insides of the volcano were a lush blanket of greenery, made up mostly of small shrubs and plants. We could also see a large patch of sulfur vents at the bottom of the crater, along with a small pool of (rain) water. I was wondering – how many people are fortunate enough to see inside a Volcano while vacationing in the Caribbean? It was a uniquely spectacular view, and with a cool cloud-filled breeze constantly blowing around us, it was a surreal experience! Fortunately, we had enough breaks in the cloud cover to get a good view of the crater. Our guide told us that some really adventurous people, with more time, the proper equipment as well as mountain climbing experience, have descended the thousand feet (300m) into the crater to walk the bottom. That would be intense.
Mist from the clouds rolled in pretty heavy at this stage. I should mention that we did not actually go to the highest point, as the volcano peak was, as usual, shrouded in cloud cover. Our guide informed us that we wouldn’t be able to see anything. That said, I suspect it would have only taken another 20 minutes or so to get to and from the top. I can imagine that on a clear day, the panoramic views of the island from there would be absolutely sensational.
It is the same trail down, although we traversed it much quicker than the hike up. Feeling giddy from our accomplishment of making it to the top, we were kind-of playful and decided to race down a short section of the trail… until that is, my momentum was taking me out of control. Glad I got that out of my system without rolling an ankle or tumbling down the side of the volcano! That said, for the most part we were extra careful on the descent, being very mindful of all those roots and rocks sticking out of the ground. The trail sure looks different on the way down! There were a couple of near-vertical sections where we literally slid down on our butts, in order to avoid tumbling uncontrollably down the hill. While this is a pretty popular activity on the island, we only came across one other group the day we were there. As part of a group with varied physical conditions and hiking experience, it took us just under 5 hours for a leisurely-paced hike up and down the volcano.
Well, I have to say that I really enjoyed this excellent ‘up-hill’ hike – It is probably one of my all-time favourites! This is what I had imagined a hike up a volcano on a Caribbean island would be like. Winding our way through a tropical forest up a mountainside, reaching the top and peering down into an open crater. This thrilling hike did not disappoint. I found the hiking quite comfortable in some sections, strenuous in others, and I was constantly fascinated by the varying environment.
Want to see more? Check out our Hiking Mount Liamuiga Volcano Trail video on YouTube!
ACT Staff
For a more ‘technical’ Trail Report as well as much more information on hiking in St. Kitts & Nevis, please reference the following links (to pages on our website):
For an overview of the beautiful “Sister islands”, take a look at our St. Kitts & Nevis Vacations page
If you’re looking for more active things to do while vacationing on the islands, click on our St. Kitts & Nevis Adventures blog for more great ideas!
For a more relaxed vacation itinerary, you can find great Tourist Attractions on the islands, by checking out our Things to Do in St. Kitts & Nevis blog
For more information on the Caribbean’s Tallest Mountains, check out our Caribbean Peaks blog post
