Apart from the impressive Hike to Boiling Lake, the Waitukubuli Trail is Dominica’s best-known hiking-trail. Divided into 14 sections, it crosses the entire island and takes two weeks to complete.
Judging by how beautiful Dominica’s landscapes are, I can only imagine that hiking the entire trail is an awesome experience. That said, if you don’t have the time to walk it from beginning to end, hiking only a section is a good alternative to get at least a little taste of what the trail has to offer.
As our time on the island was limited, we decided to do exactly that and to follow the very first segment of the trail from Scott’s Head to Soufrière. Here’s everything you need to know about the hike.
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What Segment of the Waitukubuli Trail Should You Hike?
We took some time figuring out which of the 14 segments we should do as a day-hike and decided on the first one mainly for two reasons: We found it to be one of the few segments that
a) had easy-to-reach trailheads at the beginning and end and
b) didn’t at least partly run through an area of the island that we had already seen or meant to visit at some other point anyway.
Especially section 4 to 7 of the trail get pretty close to some of the island’s more famous natural attractions like Freshwater Lake, Middleham Falls, the Emerald Pool and the Kalinago Territory.
Soufrière Hotel Tips
Budget: Soufriere Guesthouse (pictured) or Rodney’s Wellness Retreat (Camping)
Midrange: Rodney’s Wellness Retreat (Cabin) (Tel. +1 767-613-3417)
Luxury: Jungle Bay Dominica
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Section 1 on the other hand leads through an attractive part of the island, which we wouldn’t have seen otherwise. At least in the beginning, it affords nice views of the sea and Scott’s Head peninsula, is (mostly) easy to navigate and can be done in 4 or 5 hours.
Furthermore, the starting point is easy to reach by Minibus and the fact that the section ends in Soufrière means that you can reward yourself immediately with a soak in the warm springs.
How to Get to Scott’s Head
There are regular minibuses leaving from near the Old Market in Roseau. If you’re coming from any other part of the island, you’ll probably have to connect in Roseau.
What to See in Scott’s Head
Scott’s head is a pretty fishing village at the very southern tip of the island. Remains of an 18th century fortification can still be seen on the small peninsula jutting out to the west. The Caribantic Building at the trailhead serves as an information centre for the trail and sells snacks and drinks, so you can gather some energy before setting off.
That’s pretty much everything to see in the village, although it’s fun just to walk through the small alleyways in between the colourful houses and flowery front yards.
The Hike from Scott’s Head to Soufrière
The first section is reputedly one of the easier parts of the trail, and apart from some slightly challenging terrain in the beginning it’s actually pretty easy to navigate. You start from the Caribantic Building in Scott’s Head and slowly make your ascent through the village to the flanks of Morne Crabier.
You should turn around every once in a while to enjoy the views of the Atlantic and the Caribbean to either site of the Scott’s Head peninsula. Once you enter the woodland, there are a couple of tricky sections on the path climbing up to the plateau.
Recent tropical storms have caused some landslides and the remains have to be navigated with a bit of care. Take your time, and this shouldn’t be much of a problem. Once you reach the plateau, you’ll be rewarded with some fantastic views down to the sea and the peninsula at the start of the trail.
There’s a beautiful pasture you’ll have to cross before continuing almost to the top of Morne Crabier. There’s a small shelter, which is a good place to stop and catch your breath. Take care when descending on the other side, which is pretty steep and can be slippery.
Once you reach the bottom, you’ll have to turn left, and then it won’t take long until you’ll meet a paved road that you’ll have to follow northwards for a bit. After about 500m, turn right onto a signposted trail that connects with another paved road at the end.
Turn left and follow the road past some smaller farms and homes until you arrive in Soufrière, which, in my opinion, is one of the island’s prettiest villages.
What to See and Do in Soufrière
Soufrière is a pretty seaside village, offering nice views along the coast and back to your starting point at Scott’s Head. The small St. Mark’s Church is particularly pretty, and it’s worth having a look inside if it’s open.
Otherwise, Soufrière is a great place to eat some fish at one of the restaurants along the shore. If you’re a fan of the Pirates of the Caribbean Films: Some scenes from the Cannibal Village in the second movie were shot on the small grassy plateau near the road directly west of the village.
Finally, you could check out the nearby Marine Reserve, which is a famous snorkelling spot. We didn’t have enough time to go snorkelling there ourselves, though, so I can’t give you any first-hand information.
Relaxing in the Soufrière Sulphur Springs
Just east of town, at the start of trail section 2, are the village’s famous warm springs. It’s a beautiful place to soak for a bit under the tropical trees, surrounded by small birds and lizards.
The springs are included in Dominica’s Ecotourism site-pass, which is 5$ (13.25 ECD) per day or 12$ (32.04 ECD) per week and allows you to visit as many sites as you manage in that time, but we didn’t encounter anyone checking tickets when we were there.
Map of Waitukubuli Trail Segment 1
You can check out the route of the trail’s first segment in this map.
Where to Stay in Soufrière
We stayed at Rodney’s Wellness Retreat, where we could hang our camping hammock in the pretty garden area for about 40 ECD. If you prefer a roof over your head, the nearby Soufrière Guesthouse would be a good option. If you’re looking for something more luxurious, Jungle Bay Dominica is an Eco Lodge with a fantastic reputation.
Where to Go Next
Roseau, the island’s tiny capital
Trafalgar, Wotten Waven and Morne Trois Pitons National Park