La Soufriere

La Soufriere has erupted twice in this century. In 1902 the present crater was formed during a violent disastrous eruption. In 1979, once again, La Soufriere shook the ground and St. Vincent was covered in ash.

To begin your trip to La Soufriere you head out early morning for the two hour motor trip up the windward coast of St. Vincent.  The road carries you through Mesopotamia, a richly fertile land planted with crops of banana, cocoa, eddoe, tannia and dasheen. Joining with the windswept windward coast, the highway leads you north through Georgetown and up to the expansive Rabbaca Dry River and Rabbaca Farms. This is at the base of La Soufriere and one of the largest coconut estates in the world. The road ends in banana plantations and you come to the start of La Soufriere's hiking trail.

The hike begins in lowland jungle surrounded by bamboo stands, the path bordered in wild begonia. Further on you enter into thicker rain forest and wild bananas or heliconia as the level steepens. It is a lush and beautiful trek that leads you up and up to grasses and scrub and canyons from old lava flows. Finally, onto the slippery cinder paths where desperate lichens grasp the moonscape of the volcano's summit.

You have hiked approximately three miles up to the crater from a steamy tropical climate to the chill of a windswept highland. The crater's lip at 4,049 feet is an incredible mile across with a sheer 1500 foot drop to the grass floor below on the eastern side..

A trail follows the southern edge of La Soufriere leading you across the rough ridges. Looking south to Mt. Richmond you can see both coastlines, Georgetown and the Atlantic on the one side and the sparkling Caribbean Sea down to Chateaubelair Island on the leeward side. If your energy is in abundance it is possible to venture into the crater to check out the immense rock pile where wisps of smoke scented with sulfur escape on the south side.

Wind or calm, rain or shine, this is an experience you will remember. We send you off with a guide, lunch and water and you bring your comfortable walking shoes, hat and sunblock.