The Caribbean is heralded for its white-sand beaches and sun-kissed turquoise seas. But did you know these aren’t the only natural attractions the islands have to offer? Hiking through lush rainforests, waterfalls, and scenic panoramas is one of the most underrated yet rewarding activities in the Caribbean. Join your Club Director for a morning hike to stretch your legs and get your day started, or sign up for one of our more robust YLAs that take you for a half-day excursion.
Saba, Leeward Islands
The island features robust opportunity to hike. Most of the islands hiking trails are the original footpaths used for hundreds of years before roads on the island were built, offering a variety of hiking and nature trails over diverse terrains from tide pools up to Mt, Scenery, Saba's cloud forest. Saba National Park alone offers five hiking trails, all of which are carefully maintained by the Saba Conservation Foundation. Join us as we hike the Crisppen Track.
St. Barths, French West Indies
Few think of St. Barths as a hiking destination, but there is plenty of access to rocky terrain and tropical flora on this island. The most popular hiking trail is Colombier Beach Trail, a 30-minute walk from Petite Anse to Colombier Beach as it winds its way from its high point down through a nature reserve to a secluded beach shoreline, which otherwise can only be accessed by sea.
Nevis, the Leeward Islands
The travel writer Mayra Carvajal perhaps said it best: “A stratovolcano resembling a giant ballerina tutu skirt crowned with thick clouds defines the landscape of this corner of the Caribbean, making grounds for several hiking trails on Nevis Island.” Indeed, with lush vegetation and thriving wildlife, Nevis offers hikes with different levels of difficulty, including a three- to four-hour trek up to Nevis Peak, with a trailhead 1,000 feet above sea level. Join us on an invigorating Montravers Hike.
Norman Island, British Virgin Islands
Interestingly, Norman Island is one of the only privately owned islands in the British Virgin Islands that allows visitors access to its 8 miles of hiking trails. You can choose to hike northeast approximately 2.5 miles out and back to the top of Spyglass Hill, where legend says pirates maintained a lookout station. Hiking southwest takes you from the Bight about 3.5 miles out and back to Benure’s Bay and onto Money Bay, considered by many to be a moderately challenging route.
Tortola, British Virgin Islands
A landscape defined by lush mountains, hidden harbors and sweeping plains the backdrop of your day on Tortola. Hiking trails can be spied all over the island—its Mount Sage National Park is home to 7 alone. The Trellis Bay Beach Walk, a 4-mile out-and-back trail near Tortola, is also great for running and walking and it’s unlikely you’ll find many others out and about on your serene meandering. Join us on an exhilarating open-air jeep adventure and hike, from the hills of Mount Healthy through bamboo fields and a pineapple farm to a refreshing stop and returning to Cane Garden Beach.
Antigua, Antigua & Barbuda
The island offers abundant easy and intermediate-level trails, and even hiking in some remote areas. Many provide scenic views of the island and the Caribbean Sea from coastal trails or hilltop fortresses. Most of Antigua’s hiking trails can be found near Nelson’s Dockyard National Park and Shirley Heights, although there are a handful of gems amid the rolling hills and volcanic formations of the rainforested Green Corridor. Located in the southwest of the island, this wild area includes the Wallings Nature Reserve and Mt. Obama, the island’s highest peak at 1,330 feet above sea level. Join us as we hike to Darby’s Cave.
St. Lucia, Windward Islands
The gem of the Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles, St. Lucia shines for hiking opportunities. For hilly rainforest hiking, St. Lucia delivers a mix of both relaxing walks and strenuous treks. Of course, no St. Lucia outing is complete without climbing the majestic Piton, one of the most iconic destinations in the Caribbean. Although the island boasts half a dozen mountains above 1,500 feet—the tallest being Mt. Gimie at just over 3,000 feet—the Pitons are a UNESCO World Heritage site the icons of St. Lucia, accessible from the town of Soufrière.
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