| Guided Hiking Itinerary Level 2 |
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1st Day
2nd Day Itinerary overview with your guide- Discovery of Fonds Saint-Denis – Descent towards Canal des Esclaves (Canal of the slaves) through Creole gardens, walking near the valley of the canal, floral plantations, remarkable trees- from the damp forests to the dry coast, passing by the Beauregard habitation and its banana trees- picnic on the beach Raisiniers- the possibility of swimming- Transportation in minibus to the Depaz Rhumerie, visit of the distillery, then return to the lodging. 3rd Day Leave the lodging and ascend La Croix Hill We take advantage of magnificent viewpoints: to the left the Caribbean Sea, to the right the Atlantic Ocean and in front of us Mount Pelée, The flora is completely preserved. We traverse the Yang Ting Pass– Climb Fumée Hill -Descent towards Raibaud Pass, then Montauban Hill and Patate Hill until we reach the ruins of the old Saint-James distillery. Return to Fonds Saint-Denis, by way of the rivers, the plant gardens and Mahaut. 4th Day Transportation to Trinité-Tartane on the Atlantic coast Begin from the entryway to the natural reserve in the direction of Phare- Descent until the weather station facing la Table du diable (the devil’s table) the countryside has a lunar landscape and sometimes is reminiscent of the cliffs in Bretagne. The sun is hot and the vegetation is dry with a variety of cactus species. We take the long route and come to the Pointe (Headland) Caracoli, famous today for the difficulty of overtaking it during yole (a local kind of boat) races. We descend the cliff and arrive at the mangrove swamp at the Baie du Trésor (Treasure Bay), made famous by d’Esnambuc. You will appreciate the beach of the bay, and be curious to discover the mangrove- its trees and their tangled roots. 5th Day Hiking Mount Pelée (Depending on the weather conditions and the guide’s judgment of the conditions) Climb Mount Pelée on the side of dôme de l’Aileron, the plateau des Palmistes then the summit du Chinois –Your guide will explain the particulars of the volcano, and the eruption of 1902, and at different altitudes will explain the flora. If Madame Pelée permits, there will be beautiful viewpoints all along the way. Return by the Boucle de la Caldeira - Transportation back to Ekokay. 6th Day Transportation to Céron Cove After crossing Couleuvre river, we start in the direction of Couleuvre Cove (the ruins of a dwelling), we veer to the right towards Lévrier Cove to Voile Cove until we reach Galets River. Here, the forest alternates between humid zones and dry places, where there’s a steep slope on the coast. After crossing Trois Bras River, we find a more humid forest with many trees in the foothills- The vegetation becomes dryer as we come closer to Grand’ Rivière. Return to Ekokay in Minibus. 7th Day Transportation to Macabou in the south Here, don’t forget your cap, your sunglasses, your sunscreen and your water supply! The spectacle, always magnificent, is different than it those of the previous days : coastal forests, cliffs, coves, beaches and headlands follow one another all along the coast from Little cove Macabou until Pointe (Headland) Michel- Follow the path, look at the sea, the cemetery of conches, a little isolated chapel, the undergrowth of the mangroves…return in minibus to Ekokay. 8th Day
CLARIFICATION ON LEVEL 2 HIKING PROGRAM : This hiking itinerary is intended for experienced hikers only, with confirmed level 2 abilities. If during the program overview or during the first few hikes it becomes apparent that level 2 is too physically demanding, after a dialogue with the participants we can readjust the itinerary to better suit your ability level. |