BootsnAll Travel Community

i'm graduating next spring and i'm thinking about treating myself a bit.
i've tossed around a few ideas, but the one that seems to be sticking is hiking and camping st. kitts-from basseterre to saint paul's. that will be the interior. once i reach saint paul's, i was thinking of catching a bus or taxi and then hanging out in old road town or half way tree-somewhere on the beach just to relax.
has anyone done this? does anyone know what the conditions for camping and hiking are?
thanks.

I did some hiking when I was in St Kitts in the summer of 2005 - but just up and down Mount Liamuiga, not from Basseterre to St Paul and back! The island itself is really small, should be easy enough to get from point A to point B.

I can suggest emailing Greg from Greg's Safaris and asking him about it. When I went it was a part of a Thesis Research Trip and we did our hike through him...He might be able to pffer some advice!

Good luck! You'll love St Kitts!

I have a friend who's been living in st. kitts for the past 2 years... if I can get a hold of her, she'd be a great resource. I'll let you know what i find out.

that would be amazing!

I have been on Greg's Rainforest Tour and highly recommend it. Below is a posting my friend wrote of our tour a few years ago.

"The half-day excursion that Liz and I went on also stopped at Romney Manor ... Greg and one of his staff picked us up in a "convoy" of two 4 x 4 vehicles, where we rode with about 15 other people. We got a splendid opportunity to view some stunningly beautiful coastline, as well as a few villages and hamlets. Romney Manor, located on the site of a former plantation, near the base-line of the rain-forest is the home of the Caribelle Batik factory. It is also known for its beautiful gardens, tropical setting and for the large and ancient saman tree in the front gardens, with its branches outstretched in a perpetual welcome. Great place to take pictures, and many people do. Indoors, we got to make some purchases (if we wished) or watch the screen printing in process and/or take some pictures of the surrounding lush scenery.

There was also a stop along the way, at a roadside stand where a family sells refreshments and locally crafted souvenirs and trinkets. Here we had time to drink in the view of the cliffside and ocean along with our refreshments.

At the start of the Rainforest trek, we were served refreshments (I believe we had mango or papaya, and guava juices as well as water) and were treated to some local fresh fruit, locally made pastries and sugar cane.

Each of us was then given a walking stick and we were on our way out of the sunlight and into a dense and shaded world that defies description. The hike itself is not too strenous, but dress accordingly as you can work up quite a sweat. Also, please wear appropriate footwear. One lady in our group was sporting strappy flat sandals - not enough protection when your are stepping over roots and shoots. There are also some narrow "passages" where you really have to watch your footwork.

At one point we stopped at a stream where we were invited by Greg to dip our feet. In my case, I was in up to my knees and almost fell in! I'm a bit clumsy and there are some nice smooth, large boulders in the stream, just begging you to slip on them! The water was cool and very refreshing, though after about a 40 minute trek into the jungle.

We got to see so many different species of plants, trees, birds, butterflies, etc., that I won't even elaborate here. Greg is very knowledgeble and seems to really love sharing island history and folklore. Plus, he seems to have a real passion for and kinship with the natural surroundings that he guided us through. He is able to answer pretty much any question put to him, and can tell you what species are indigenous to the island and what species were introduced and by whom and how.

I had been on one or two of these treks many years before, but I certainly learned a lot that day. Greg also gives you some time to be still, meditate, listen, feel and absorb the sights sounds and scents of the forest. Half a day did not seem like enough. I would definitely recommend any of these tours."

www.gregssafaris.com

Correction:

Greg's website is www.gregsafaris.com