Des Cartiers Rainforest
Des Cartiers Rainforest
4.5
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Top ways to experience Des Cartiers Rainforest and nearby attractions
The area
Reach out directly
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
18 reviews
Excellent
11
Very good
6
Average
0
Poor
0
Terrible
1
ansbnks2016
Gloucester, UK169 contributions
Feb 2023
Well worth doing but difficult when wet. Large uneven stones are very slippery and result in looking at ones feet rather than the beautiful forest. Steep steps in need of repair add to the problems. Good walking shoes recommended, preferably ankle boots. Moderate fitness needed but we two 70+ year olds managed. We walked alone as there was no one at the trail head. A good guide would probable have enhanced the experience.
Written February 21, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nicola G
1 contribution
Feb 2022 • Couples
Beautiful rainforest hike, moderate difficulty
Easy trail, guide not needed. Trailhead is along stunning 3km tarmac track, passable with care in small hire car, keep look out for signs. Or walk from road, where track on right is signed Quiless Forest Reserve and is 6km from jct of main Vieux Fort road, 1km South of Micoud, through Ti Rocher village, where G. Maps shows road almost doing a hairpin. A bus may go along this small road.
The whole trip is well worth the expedition!
Easy trail, guide not needed. Trailhead is along stunning 3km tarmac track, passable with care in small hire car, keep look out for signs. Or walk from road, where track on right is signed Quiless Forest Reserve and is 6km from jct of main Vieux Fort road, 1km South of Micoud, through Ti Rocher village, where G. Maps shows road almost doing a hairpin. A bus may go along this small road.
The whole trip is well worth the expedition!
Written February 11, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stella F
Barcelona, Spain7 contributions
Jan 2014 • Solo
Excellent forest hike, make your way to the trail head start point which is ~ 10km inland from micoud, use the ti rocher junction. Trail to the fonds st jacques trail head is 6 km long, easy walking trail, except 1 section where there was a landslide and is still passable if willing to get muddy, and hang onto the slope for 15 meters. From theer walked to en bas sault,checked out the falls, did a bit of exploration around mt gimmie, then walked to fonds st jacques and onto soufriere. Total distance ~ 21 km. All without a guide. if you need the gps track shoot me an email.
Written January 4, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BBnugget
Newark, DE895 contributions
Nov 2012 • Couples
Getting to the trailhead is half the adventure. There is a big sign off of the high way telling you which road to take and it says “6 miles”. From there you are on your own. I did not keep track but it certainly seemed like more than 6 miles and we had to ask several times which way to go. It gets steep in places and a little rough, but mostly paved and in good condition. The most difficult part is how narrow the roads can be when one of the many banana worker vehicles comes in the other direction. A few times, there was no room on either side and it was quite difficult to pass. I recommend folding in your side mirrors. You climb quite a bit and the views from the road are often wonderful. We kept thinking we were about to come to it, only the have another turn and another climb. We finally got there and there was a taxi driver cleaning his vehicle. We had not called ahead because we had planned on doing the Maria Island tour but it was postponed. The driver told us to just go ahead and hike it by ourselves. He also described the Figure 8 trail that it does which was useful. I suggest doing the right trail up the steps to start and at the intersection, which is not far, staying straight (or the left trail) and then looping around that way. One of my guide books described this trail as “One of the gentlest rainforest trails, this relatively flat 4km circular route…”. The author clearly did not do this hike. I would not call it strenuous, but the majority of the hike is stairs. We are in great shape and did many other hikes including Gros Piton, so it did not bother us, but pretty much the whole hike; you are going up or down. The reason I suggested the direction that I did, especially going left at the middle of the figure-8, is that it is a much more gradual climb with alternating sections of stairs and flat. The other side, you cover the same elevation in a much shorter distance and is nearly constant steps. It took us maybe 1.5 hours tops. When we got back to the parking area, no one was there so we couldn't pay, but it would be a minimal fee.
The rainforest was very quiet and peaceful with a couple good views, including one of a narrow valley and nearby mountain near a mudslide area. We could not here a sound of human activity. We saw some interesting plant life and some birds, but there is not much wildlife. It is not a spectacular hike, but we enjoyed it and it was very private and peaceful. There are flushing washrooms at the trailhead with sinks and a covered picnic pavilion.
The rainforest was very quiet and peaceful with a couple good views, including one of a narrow valley and nearby mountain near a mudslide area. We could not here a sound of human activity. We saw some interesting plant life and some birds, but there is not much wildlife. It is not a spectacular hike, but we enjoyed it and it was very private and peaceful. There are flushing washrooms at the trailhead with sinks and a covered picnic pavilion.
Written December 10, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Doug368
Toronto18 contributions
Jan 2012 • Friends
The Des Cartiers rainforest is a beautiful hike through the mountains west of Micoud. It will take a couple of hours and there is a $10 US charge, which includes the guide. There should be a guide at the ranger station every weekday but he may be on the trail leading a hike so you may have to be patient if you don’t call ahead. Weekends you may also need to phone ahead (758/450-2231/2078) to get a guide. A guide is certainly recommended to spot the many St Lucian parrots and warn you against touching the various dangerous plants. The trial is wide and well maintained, though their are a couple of stretches that have been rerouted because of landslides caused by Hurricane Tomas.
We contracted with our excellent guide Marvin to come back and do the connecting Edmund Forest loop (officially closed for the time being because of landslides caused by hurricane Tomas). This is a strenuous but exciting hike, taking six or seven hours.
The often recommended access road leaving the main road north of Micoud and going past the Latille Falls was washed out by a huge landslide. Instead leave the main road at either of the two west-leading roads south of Micoud. These are shown on the large scale Paradise map of St. Lucia. There are no signs but several villages where you can ask directions. Apart from a few rough spots, the road is good, trailing off into a dirt track for the last kilometre.
We contracted with our excellent guide Marvin to come back and do the connecting Edmund Forest loop (officially closed for the time being because of landslides caused by hurricane Tomas). This is a strenuous but exciting hike, taking six or seven hours.
The often recommended access road leaving the main road north of Micoud and going past the Latille Falls was washed out by a huge landslide. Instead leave the main road at either of the two west-leading roads south of Micoud. These are shown on the large scale Paradise map of St. Lucia. There are no signs but several villages where you can ask directions. Apart from a few rough spots, the road is good, trailing off into a dirt track for the last kilometre.
Written February 16, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dave Bourne
Sarnia, Canada14 contributions
Jan 2017 • Couples
We visited the Des Cartiers Rainforest as part of our day birding with a guide. We arranged our guide, Vision, through Adams Toussaint and were not disappointed. Vision was a calm, patient, passionate, enjoyable guide.
We are avid hikers and found the trail to be very easy. At the rain forest we seen St Lucia parrots, St Lucia orioles, St Lucia pewees, rufous-throated solitaire, pearly-eyed thrashers and a huge tarantula! If you are looking for a guide give them a call. We seen 46 species, 24 lifers and 5 endemics that day alone.
Hope this is helpful to someone.
Dave
We are avid hikers and found the trail to be very easy. At the rain forest we seen St Lucia parrots, St Lucia orioles, St Lucia pewees, rufous-throated solitaire, pearly-eyed thrashers and a huge tarantula! If you are looking for a guide give them a call. We seen 46 species, 24 lifers and 5 endemics that day alone.
Hope this is helpful to someone.
Dave
Written January 27, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MrAJPage
Reading, UK103 contributions
Mar 2017 • Couples
If you like nature then this is a worthwhile trip. The Des Cartiers route is a guided walk around 2.5m around St Lucia's rainforest. Its not an easy trail so please wear sensible footwear and listen to the guides! However if you can climb stairs you will be fine!
Forest is interesting and the guide knew quite a bit about the history and much of the flora.
There is not much in the way of birds, we glimpsed a parrot and saw one or two hummingbirds but that was about it,
Forest is interesting and the guide knew quite a bit about the history and much of the flora.
There is not much in the way of birds, we glimpsed a parrot and saw one or two hummingbirds but that was about it,
Written March 26, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Clive E
7 contributions
Nov 2016 • Couples
Moderately easy 4km trail partly along 18c cobbled track. Highly knowledgeable and helpful local guide who helped us see St Lucian Parrots in flight, St Lucian Pewees and humming birds and we heard the distinctive Rufus Throated Solitaire. The trees, vines and tree ferns in this rainforest were really beautiful and our guide, John, explained their historic uses in local medicines, boat-building, construction etc. And no leeches! Take camera and walking shoes, and change of tee shirt in case of rain. Contact John at Paradise Excursions at tel number and website below or john@stluciasguidedtours.com.
Written November 23, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Philip B
Toronto, Canada8 contributions
Nov 2015 • Couples
The trail is Ok, but there are very few signs and no interpretation. It is easy to get lost.
Finding the trailhead is made harder by the lack of signage on the road.
But the worst aspect was the aggressive unfriendly forestry employee, who demanded $50 EC to cover the entry for the two of us and was angry that we were there without requesting permission beforehand.
There was an Island Adventures tour group there at the same time we arrived. It seems that they are only interested in pre-arranged tour groups who pay through the nose.
This could be an interesting trail but it is messed up by the forestry commission and the poor training of their staff.
Finding the trailhead is made harder by the lack of signage on the road.
But the worst aspect was the aggressive unfriendly forestry employee, who demanded $50 EC to cover the entry for the two of us and was angry that we were there without requesting permission beforehand.
There was an Island Adventures tour group there at the same time we arrived. It seems that they are only interested in pre-arranged tour groups who pay through the nose.
This could be an interesting trail but it is messed up by the forestry commission and the poor training of their staff.
Written November 29, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stephen G
3 contributions
Jan 2020 • Couples
Had a great time, transport was nice and simple, saw lots of birds and the guide was knowledgeable!!
Written January 24, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
No questions have been asked about this experience
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing