Perhaps even fewer people are aware the island is also an ideal destination for nature lovers. Did you know, for example, St. Kitts was the first English colony to pass legislation protecting its interior forests? Or that the island is home to a very rare Oceanic Rainforest (which is actually expanding), and that unique plants and animals such as the St. Christopher Bull Finch and Malcolm Smith Procter fern can be found in the cloud forest of the island’s mountains?
These are just a few of the intriguing things I learned on a “Valley of the Giants Rainforest Hike,” with guide Gregory Pereira, owner of Greg’s Safaris. The hike begins near the beautiful manicured gardens at Romney Manor, home to a magnificent 350-year-old Saman tree, which dates back to the days when the great, great grandfather of the third U.S. president owned this property.
Walking on a dirt path that leads down to the valley floor, where birds chirp and tiny lizards rustle under leaves on our approach, Pereira points out many of the highlights.
There’s the trumpet tree, whose giant leaves are brewed in teas to help control high blood pressure and other conditions; a ficus tree called the “Strangler fig” (a popular backdrop for photographs), whose huge buttressed roots reach down to the bank of the Wingfield River; translucent Anole lizards and two different types of hummingbirds.
“Our local folklore says that you should never cut down a kapok tree or harm it in any way or it will bring bad luck,” explains Pereira, standing at the foot of this towering giant. Apparently in pre-colonial times, the indigenous people considered the bat, which is attracted to the tree’s flowers, to be the reincarnated spirit of their ancestors.
“While you’re walking, keep an eye out for the brown mongoose or the green monkeys,” Pereira tells the group. “You’ll often see them here.”
The pleasant looped trail, rated easy to moderate, is just one of several different ways to explore the island’s wild side.
For something more physically challenging, there’s a hike to a dormant volcano — Mount Liamuiga, which at 1,155 metres is the highest point in the Lesser Antilles island chain. From the trail head 335-metres above sea level, it’s a rugged two-hour climb to the crest of the massive crater, which measures 304-metres deep and about 1.6-km wide. At this height you can see neighbouring islands of St. Eustatius, Saba, Nevis and in the hazy distance St. Maarten/St. Martin and Antiqua.
Track plan
If hiking or driving don’t appeal to you, take the train. The St. Kitts Scenic Railway, originally built between 1912 and 1926 to transport sugar cane from the fields to the mill in Basseterre, now functions as a sightseeing train.
The two-hour tour by rail covering 28-km and 45 minutes by bus makes a complete circle around the island. Travelling on tall steel bridges over canyons and winding through sugar cane fields, small villages and farms, you’ll pass old sugar estates, abandoned windmills and chimneys, and glimpse the ocean surf.
Peninsula
One of the wildest and most picturesque places on the island is the south-east peninsula. To give you an idea of how untamed the area is, a road wasn’t built here until 1989.
Even with the multi-million dollar development of Christophe Harbour, which will include a luxury resort, golf course and marina, much of the peninsula remains in its natural state. On a drive along the 9.6-km long road, you’ll be tempted to pull over at the crest of every hill to photograph the rugged terrain, pounding surf and many secluded beaches.
Brimstone Hill
This 17th century fort may not be the first place you think to visit if you’re looking for nature, although it is located within a National Park and it’s a tranquil place to spend time exploring one of the island’s must-see attractions. Designed by British and built by African slave labour, the fort, says UNESCO, is the earliest surviving British example of the type of fortification known as the “polygonal system” and one of the finest examples anywhere in the world.
For more information, check stkittstourism.kn. For details on tours, visit gregsafaris.com. The Valley of the Giants Rainforest Hike is $50 US and includes a four-hour tour with a two-hour interpretive hike along rainforested trails. The Mount Liamuiga Volcano Hike is $85 US per person and lasts about nine hours.
writer@interlog.com
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