The Perfect One-Week Dominica Itinerary

Fully updated in November 2024

If I had to pick a must-see place among all the Caribbean destinations I’ve visited so far, it would be Dominica. Beautiful black sand beaches, impressive waterfalls, great hiking opportunities, unusual natural attractions and a fascinating traditional culture all combined to make this my favourite island in the Lesser Antilles.

The island is pretty small, but there’s a lot to see, so you should spend at least one week here, to check out all the highlights, do some hiking and settle into the laid-back vibe that all the locals exude. Read on for my one-week itinerary to the country.

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The Perfect One-Week Dominica Itinerary

Day 1: Roseau

Given the number of impressive natural attractions on Dominica, the capital might not be on the top of most people’s to-do-list for the island, but in my opinion it’s worth spending at least a couple of hours here, if only to see a different side of the Dominica.

For one, there are plenty of pretty historical wooden buildings, especially on King-George-V.-Street and in the French Quarter. Apart from that, we liked Roseau’s beautiful Botanical Gardens, plus if you hike up Morne Bruce, you’ll be treated to an awesome view of the town and the surrounding bay.

Day 2: Soufrière

To me, Soufrière on Dominica’s south-western coast is one of the prettiest villages on the island, with loads of cute brightly-painted houses and a great location near the famous snorkelling destination Champagne Reef.

We came to this part of the island to hike part of the spectacular Waitukubuli National Trail, which starts in nearby Scott’s Head and leads through some pretty patches of forest on its first section. Soufrière’s warm sulphur springs were a great way to relax our aching bones after the hike.

Day 3 and 4: Trafalgar and Morne Trois Pitons National Park

In my opinion, Dominica’s green, rugged centre is the best thing about the island, and Morne Trois Pitons National Park is without a doubt the most attractive region of the country. We based ourselves in small Trafalgar village, from where we explored the surrounding area.

I suggest staying there for at least two nights and using the village as a base for hikes to the surrounding natural attractions, like the unique Boiling Lake and the Valley of Desolation, the cute Titou Gorge, or the atmospheric Freshwater and Boeri Lakes.

Trafalgar itself is also home to a set of impressive waterfalls and is located close to the village of Wotten Waven, which is a great place to recover from a day of strenuous hiking by soaking in some of the many warm springs. Hiking and Hot Springs – are you starting to see a theme here?

Day 5: Rosalie and the Southeast

Next, you should make your way to the more undeveloped East Coast of the island, maybe stopping at the pretty Emerald Pool near Pont Cassé on the way. We found the tiny village of Rosalie on the southeastern coast to be the perfect base for exploring the surrounding area.

Stuff not to miss in the area are the impressive Victoria Falls, the cute Secret Beach near Riviere Cyrique, as well as Wavine Cyrique, a beautiful waterfall going straight into the ocean, which can only be reached by a very adventurous hike.

During our time here, we stayed at the awesome 3 Rivers Eco Lodge, which is run by British expat Jem and his amazing staff. It’s a super friendly place and Jem is very knowledgeable about the surrounding area. Highly recommended!

Day 6: Calibishie

From Rosalie, you can make your way up the eastern coast of the island. I suggest stopping at the Kalinago Barana Aute Open Air Museum in Crayfish River, to learn some facts about the fascinating culture of the native Kalinago People.

Afterwards, continue to pretty Calibishie Village, to check out the impressive Red Rocks and the beautiful Hampstead Beach, which wasn’t just our favourite beach on the island, but one of the most amazing black sand beaches I’ve ever visited anywhere in the world.

Day 7: Portsmouth

Dominica’s second city is the perfect place to end a tour of the island. At the historic Fort Shirley, we were able to get a glimpse into the country’s colonial past while exploring the restored main complex and atmospherically overgrown ruins of the officer’s quarters.

Another cool thing to do in Portsmouth is to take a boat tour of the Indian River, which is surrounded by dense vegetation and populated by countless birds, crabs and lizards. It was also used as a filming location for the second Pirates of the Caribbean Movie, and there’s even a small reconstruction of the hut of Tia Dalma from the film.

From Portsmouth, it’s just a short drive down the coast to Roseau, where you can hop a ferry to the nearby islands of Martinique or Guadeloupe to continue exploring the Small Antilles.

One-Week Dominica Itinerary Map

All of the stops on my itinerary can be found in this map of Dominica.

If You Have More Time

Ten days or two weeks on Dominica allows for a slower approach. It’s definitely worth spending more time in some of the places mentioned above. Trafalgar and Rosalie both make good bases for exploring their respective surroundings and deserve an extra day or two.

Otherwise, you could add some additional destinations. Pont Cassé in the centre of the island is a great base for some more adventurous hikes, for example to the top of Morne Trois Pitons and to Jacko Steps, location of a former camp of escaped slaves.

You could also spend a night in Crayfish River instead of just stopping by on your way to Calibishie, giving you more time to explore the Kalinago Region. Most importantly, a couple of additional days will give you more opportunity to align yourself with the unique, relaxed atmosphere of the island.

A Two-Week Itinerary for Dominica

If you indeed have two weeks to explore the island, I’d suggest the following itinerary:

• Day 1: Roseau
• Day 2: Hike Section 1 of the Waitukubuli Trail from Scott’s Head to Soufrière
• Day 3: Travel to Trafalgar, Visit Trafalgar Falls and Papillon Gardens
• Day 4: Trafalgar (Hike to Freshwater Lake and Boeri Lake)
• Day 5: Trafalgar (Hike to Boiling Lake and Titou Gorge)
• Day 6: Trafalgar (Middleham Falls and Warm Springs in Wotten Waven)
• Day 7: Travel to Pont Cassé, Visit the Emerald Pool and Spanny Falls
• Day 8: Pont Cassé (Hike to Jacko Steps or Morne Trois Pitons)
• Day 9: Travel to Rosalie and visit Wavine Cyrique Falls
• Day 10: Rosalie (Visit Victoria Falls)
• Day 11: Travel to Crayfish River and visit the Kalinago Barana Auté
• Day 12: Travel to Calibishie, visit the Red Rocks and Hampstead Beach
• Day 13: Travel to Portsmouth and do the Indian River Boat Tour
• Day 14: Explore Fort Shirley National Park and return to Roseau

This is almost exactly how we spend our time on Dominica, and we were very happy with what we managed to see of the island in our two weeks.

If You Have Less Time

If you’re island-hopping and can really only afford a couple of days on Dominica, you can still see some of the essential sights the island has to offer.

For example, if you have three days, I would suggest that you move straight to Trafalgar and spend 2 days exploring the most important natural attractions of Morne Trois Pitons National Park (Boiling Lake, Freshwater and Boeri Lake, Titou Gorge, Middleham and Trafalgar Falls).

On the third day, move up to Portsmouth to take a boat trip on the Indian River and explore the historic Fort Shirley.

Accommodation on Dominica

If you want to base yourself in a certain part of the island for your explorations, check out my guide on Where to Stay on Dominica. You can browse for more than the suggested hotels and cottages in the map below:

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