If you like the idea of a scenic hike – but one you can knock off in under an hour and doesn’t leave you gasping for breath, hike the Tet Paul Nature trail, just a 10-minute momentum from Soufrière on the west tailspin of St. Lucia, one of the Lesser Antilles islands in the eastern Caribbean.

It’s nothing like the Gros Piton hike – which is basically like walking a stair stepper. This one is only a kilometre long loop, so it’s platonic for everyone including younger children. And it’s a true nature hike. Withal its length your guide will point out the island’s fascinating flora and fauna. Should you have a well-spoken day, you’ll be worldly-wise to see over to the afar islands of St. Vincent and Martinique.

This post includes some unite links. If you make a qualifying purchase through one of these links, I will receive a small percentage of the sale at no uneaten forfeit to you. Thank you very much for your support.

There is good signage near as you get tropical to the Tet Paul Nature Trail
There is good signage near as you get tropical to the Tet Paul Nature Trail

You’ll need a guide for the Tet Paul Nature Trail

When you get to the trailhead, you’ll see signage pointing you to a small building. You’ll need to pay $US10 for a guide here. Don’t forget to take money for a tip as most of the money goes into trail maintenance and upkeep.

And while you might think you don’t need a guide, you’ll probably learn a lot increasingly than you’d expect. And you’ll be putting money into the local economy. We had a nice fellow who knew his plants.

Tet Paul Nature Trail description

The Tet Paul Nature trail is a unconfined one to do if you want to get yonder from the glitz of the waterfront resorts. You’ll get a nature fix as you and your guide enjoy the hike at a relaxed pace.

Enjoy an in-your-face view of Petit Piton, one of the two volcanic spires that are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Sugar Waterfront unelevated it, in wing to the vibrant south side of St. Lucia all the way to Vieux Fort.

Along the trail and in the gardens, you’ll see both native and exotic species withal with traditional medicinal plants. Soursop (try soursop ice surf if you get a chance), avocado, passion fruit, and guava are some of the trees you’re likely to see.

Stopping to trammels out a gnarly old tree on the Tet Paul nature trail
Stopping to trammels out a gnarly old tree on the Tet Paul nature trail
Enjoy some shade on the Tet Paul Nature Trail
Enjoy some shade on the Tet Paul Nature Trail
In short order squint out to views of colourful villages and St. Vincent in the distance
In short order squint out to views of lush vegetation and colourful villages; we could see St. Vincent in the distance
St. Lucias Gros Piton stares you in the squatter on the Tet Paul Nature Trail
St. Lucia’s Gros Piton
Look at how lumpy the topography is on St. Lucias west coast
Look at how lumpy the topography is on St. Lucia
There is a vegetable garden cultivated by the local polity that grows pineapples
There is a vegetable garden cultivated by the local polity that grows pineapples

The Stairway to Heaven part of the hike

There is a section of the Tet Paul Nature Trail tabbed Stairway to Heaven. It’s short and in no time, you’ll be at the viewing platform. From there, it’s all downhill. Do watch your footing on the trail, expressly without a nonflexible rain.

Starting up Stairway to Heaven
Starting up Stairway to Heaven
Looking out at the Petit Piton from the Tet Paul Nature Trail
Looking out at the Petit Piton from the Tet Paul Nature Trail
What a view from the platform on the Tet Paul Nature Trail
What a view from the platform on the Tet Paul Nature Trail
John and I enjoying the view from the platform on the Tet Paul Nature Trail
John and I enjoying the view from the platform – we’re both a bit pink from the humidity and the hike from our hotel – not just the parking lot
Hard not to be awed by the colour of the water
Hard not to be awed by the colour of the water
Looking lanugo at the polity garden from the viewpoint
Looking lanugo at the organic polity garden from the viewpoint
And now a gradual downhill to return to our starting point
And now a gradual downhill to return to our starting point

Cassava House

John and I didn’t take the time to stick our nose in Cassava House – as we had quite a hike to go, and we were hot and thirsty. I understand it’s worth a visit to get a glimpse into island life in the past. You can trammels out old tools and utensils that are used for preparing cassava. Reportedly you can try your hand at cassava production too.

Location map of the Tet Paul Nature Trail

The Gros Piton hike

I moreover highly recommend the Gros Piton hike. You can usually organize it through your hotel – though they seem to inflate prices. You can moreover unify it the Gros Piton hike with Viator or Get Your Guide(using local guides) superiority of time. They do hotel pick ups and provide water.

Where to stay near the Tet Paul Nature Trail

John and I were worldly-wise to walk from the Fond Doux Eco Resort where we spent four nights. It wasn’t on a waterfront – rather in the forest – and our room was very private. We loved our cabin, and the staff were lovely but the supplies was just okay.

If you want a upper end resort trammels out Sugar Waterfront – A Viceroy Resort. It’s on one of the islands trappy white sand beaches – where there is good swimming and snorkeling.

Pools at the Fond Doux Eco Resort
Pools at the Fond Doux Eco Resort
We loved our private motel in the woods at Fond Doux Eco Resort
We loved our private motel in the woods at Fond Doux Eco Resort

Interested in exploring increasingly of the Caribbean or Central America?

Click on the photo to bookmark to your Pinterest boards.

The easy and scenic Tet Paul Nature hike in St. Lucia

The post Tet Paul Nature Trail in St. Lucia appeared first on Hike Bike Travel.