Trinidad & Tobago and St Lucia nature tour
Highlights
Four nights in St Lucia | Guided birding throughout | Soufriere Des Bott Trail in Central Rain Forest | Quilesse Reserve and the Vieux Fort wetlands | Tour of northeast coast | Six nights in Trinidad | Asa Wright Nature Centre | Dunston Cave | Full day excursion to north coast and Morne Bleu | Mt Plaisir Estate Hotel | Leatherback turtles nesting | Four nights Tobago | Blue Waters Inn | Guided full day tour of island | Tobago Forest Reserve | Glass-bottom boat to Little Tobago Bird Sanctuary | Snorkelling | Free daysDescription of Trinidad & Tobago and St Lucia nature tour
This Trinidad & Tobago and St Lucia nature holiday features excellent birding, wildlife watching and the chance to relax and enjoy three very special Caribbean islands. This is a tailor-made holiday, with an itinerary deliberately designed to include all that is best about the islands at a leisurely pace. However, we would be happy to adapt the itinerary especially to suit your interests, schedule and budget.The twin island state of Trinidad and Tobago is a celebrated birding destination, and on this tour it is combined with St Lucia, which is home to six endemic species and a dozen or so other Antillean specialities. With this wealth of birdlife comes the chance to see Leatherback turtles nesting, making this tour a fascinating and rounded wildlife experience. The well paced itinerary means there’s ample time to simply enjoy the natural beauty and warm welcome of this part of the southern Caribbean.
The tour begins in St Lucia, with four nights spent birdwatching, looking out for the six island endemics and other Antillean species, often found just a short walk from the hotel. You will also find lovely botanical gardens nearby.
Next, fly to Trinidad and spend three nights at Asa Wright Nature Centre. This is the island’s famous birding lodge, a former coffee, cocoa and citrus plantation in Trinidad’s Northern Mountain Range where over 180 species can be found.
From here, transfer to Mt Plaisir Estate Hotel, facing the beach at Grande Riviere on Trinidad’s remote northeast coast. This is a fantastic place for birding and the beach here is not only beautiful, it’s the largest nesting site in the western hemisphere for leatherback turtles.
Finally, spend four nights in Tobago, where your base is a beautiful resort on one of the island’s loveliest bays. It’s a relaxed place, with direct access to some of the best diving and birding on Tobago.
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about this holiday or need help finding one we're very happy to help. The Travel Team.
01273 823 700 Calling from outside the UK? rosy@responsibletravel.comDeparture information
Responsible tourism
As the pioneers of responsible tourism, we screen every trip so you can travel knowing your holiday will help support conservation and local people.
Most of the areas that you will visit on this holiday to look for birds and wildlife are maintained and protected and the park fees that are included in this tour, help towards this. The St Lucia Forest Reserve supports the entire breeding population of the St Lucia Parrot and a large percentage of the St Lucia Black Finch population. It also protects all but one of the restricted-range birds that occur on St Lucia. The excellent local guides that will take you out on field trips have been trained by the St Lucia Forestry Department in conservation.This is also true of all the guides who will accompany you in Trinidad and also in Tobago, where the Main Ridge Forest Reserve is the oldest protected rainforest in the western hemisphere, with plantation owners realising as early as 1776 that they should stop cutting down the forest. Since then 14,000 acres of central Tobago were designated a protected Crown Reserve. On this tour, you will have the opportunity to walk the 5km Gilpin Trace trail through the Reserve with an experienced and knowledgeable local guide, who will ensure that a responsible code of conduct is followed so that any impact on the environment is minimised.
The Impacts of this Trip
During this trip you will be based at three different properties, all of which are located in rural areas close to the local communities. These hotels are the main source of employment for the nearby villages and local people are trained in a wide range of skills. The hotels that we have recommended in these islands have responded to the demand of environmentally conscious travellers that subscribe to an eco-friendly ethos by examining the sources of energy they employ, sustainability of growth and conscientious waste management practices, and by forging relationships with the communities that host them.
The Asa Wright Nature Centre in Trinidad is committed to conservation education at all levels and approximately 4000 local school children visit the estate each year. The Lodge at the Asa Wright Centre is a comfortable non-profit making hotel, most of their funds come from their guest facilities and you can therefore help them develop their conservation efforts just by visiting the Centre. Furthermore, both the hotels in St Lucia and Tobago are locally owned and managed and employ all staff from the local communities.
Most of the areas that you will visit on this holiday to look for birds and wildlife are maintained and protected and the park fees that are included in this tour, help towards this. The St Lucia Forest Reserve supports the entire breeding population of the St Lucia Parrot and a large percentage of the St Lucia Black Finch population. It also protects all but one of the restricted-range birds that occur on St Lucia. The excellent local guides that will take you out on field trips have been trained by the St Lucia Forestry Department in conservation.This is also true of all the guides who will accompany you in Trinidad and also in Tobago, where the Main Ridge Forest Reserve is the oldest protected rainforest in the western hemisphere, with plantation owners realising as early as 1776 that they should stop cutting down the forest. Since then 14,000 acres of central Tobago were designated a protected Crown Reserve. On this tour, you will have the opportunity to walk the 5km Gilpin Trace trail through the Reserve with an experienced and knowledgeable local guide, who will ensure that a responsible code of conduct is followed so that any impact on the environment is minimised.
The Impacts of this Trip
During this trip you will be based at three different properties, all of which are located in rural areas close to the local communities. These hotels are the main source of employment for the nearby villages and local people are trained in a wide range of skills. The hotels that we have recommended in these islands have responded to the demand of environmentally conscious travellers that subscribe to an eco-friendly ethos by examining the sources of energy they employ, sustainability of growth and conscientious waste management practices, and by forging relationships with the communities that host them.
The Asa Wright Nature Centre in Trinidad is committed to conservation education at all levels and approximately 4000 local school children visit the estate each year. The Lodge at the Asa Wright Centre is a comfortable non-profit making hotel, most of their funds come from their guest facilities and you can therefore help them develop their conservation efforts just by visiting the Centre. Furthermore, both the hotels in St Lucia and Tobago are locally owned and managed and employ all staff from the local communities.
1 Reviews of Trinidad & Tobago and St Lucia nature tour
Reviewed on 24 Jun 2019 by Graham Meech
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Being the only 2 staying in Fox Grove, meeting Vision our ultra cool guide and our beautiful room at Anse Chastenet. I could go on and on, we loved it all!
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Basically, do your research so you know what you want from your holiday then be guided by the experts
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes we did. Both places we stayed were committed to using local products and labour and were very environmentally aware
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
We loved every minute and would happily go back and stay at both places again although next time we would like to spend a few more days at Anse Chastenet as there is so much to do there. 2 weeks next time split equally between Fox Grove and Anse Chastenet!!
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