25 Day Caribbean Island Explorer Tour

• Day 1: 

  St Kitts & Nevis Arrival
  Welcome to the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, the smallest sovereign state in the Americas — and the birthplace of Caribbean colonization. It was here, in the early 17th century, that the English and French first established permanent footholds in the region, using these compact, fertile islands as the template for the plantation economy that would reshape the entire Caribbean. That history is still written into the landscape: in the ruins of sugar estates climbing the lower slopes of Mount Liamuiga, in the restored plantation inns that now serve as boutique hotels, and in the formidable stonework of Brimstone Hill, the fortress that once earned St. Kitts the nickname "the Gibraltar of the Caribbean."
  
  The island's dominant feature is Mount Liamuiga itself — a dormant volcano whose cloud-fringed summit rises sharply from the coastal plain, its upper slopes blanketed in dense tropical forest. The majority of the population lives close to the shore, where the terrain flattens and the pace of life slows considerably. St. Kitts has largely avoided the mass tourism that has overtaken other Caribbean destinations, and wears that distinction with quiet pride.
  
  This evening we settle in and get our bearings. The journey ahead will take us through eight island nations over 25 days — each one a distinct variation on themes we begin to encounter here: volcanic landscapes, colonial fortifications, plantation history, and cultures shaped by centuries of African, European and indigenous influence.
  
  Overnight in St. Kitts.

   

  Included Meal(s): Dinner, if required
• Day 2: 

  St. Kitts Island Exploration & Brimstone Hill Fortress
  Basseterre reflects its unusual history as the first Caribbean island permanently settled by both the English and the French. Their competing influences survive in the architecture: Georgian civic buildings, a French colonial great house, Catholic and Anglican churches within a short walk of each other. We explore the Clock Tower, the Berkeley Memorial, and Independence Square — where slaves were once sold at auction, and where the nation's independence was proclaimed in 1983. The Old Treasury Building, dating from 1894, now houses the National Museum.
  
  At Romney Manor — a former sugar estate once owned by a relative of Thomas Jefferson — we learn about the sugar and rum production process that drove this island's economy for two centuries. The dramatic Black Rocks on the northeast coast, formed by ancient lava flows reaching the sea, offer a vivid reminder of the island's volcanic origins.
  
  The afternoon is given over to Brimstone Hill Fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built largely by enslaved Africans over more than a century, this mighty fortification rises 240 metres (790 ft) above the surrounding cane fields. Its cannon emplacements command sweeping views across the Caribbean to neighbouring islands — a panorama that once served the British Empire, and today serves the imagination.
  
  Overnight in St. Kitts.

   

  Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
• Day 3: 

  Nevis Island Excursion
  A short speedboat crossing brings us to Nevis — once so wealthy from sugar production it was known as the "Queen of the Caribbees." That wealth is long gone, but the island retains an unhurried grace, its landscape dominated by the cloud-wrapped cone of Nevis Peak rising to 985 metres (3,232 ft) from the sea.
  
  Charlestown is one of the better-preserved Georgian towns in the Caribbean, its 18th and 19th century streetscape largely intact. The Museum of Nevis History documents 4,000 years of human settlement — and notes, almost in passing, that Alexander Hamilton was born here in 1755. At Montpelier Plantation we visit the site where a young Captain Horatio Nelson married Frances Nisbet in 1787 — the first of several appearances Nelson makes on this journey, a measure of just how central the Royal Navy was to Caribbean colonial life. The Botanical Gardens of Nevis, whose rainforest conservatory is modelled on Kew's Palm House, close out a day that moves comfortably between natural beauty and layered history.
  
  Overnight in St. Kitts.

   

  Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
• Day 4: 

  St Kitts & Nevis - Fly to Antigua: St Johns Touring & Nelsons Dockyard
  We fly this morning to Antigua, where Nelson returns. In 1784 the young captain established one of Britain's most important Caribbean naval bases here — and spent three largely miserable years enforcing trade laws that made him deeply unpopular with local merchants. Today his dockyard is one of the Caribbean's great heritage sites.
  
  We begin in St. John's, the capital — a lively, colourful town whose Museum of Antigua and Barbuda occupies the old Court House dating from 1750. The twin-towered Cathedral of St. John, rebuilt three times after hurricane damage, looms over the town with considerable authority. We visit a local market before heading south to English Harbour.
  
  Nelson's Dockyard, dating from 1745, is the only working Georgian dockyard remaining in the world. Its beautifully restored buildings — now housing a museum, marina and hotel — sit within the natural amphitheatre of English Harbour, one of the Caribbean's finest anchorages. Walking its grounds, it is easy to understand why the British Navy prized Antigua above all its Leeward Island possessions.
  
  Overnight in Antigua.

   

  Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
• Day 5: 

  Antigua: Full Day Island Tour & Shirley Heights
  Antigua's varied landscapes reward a full day of exploration. We begin at Half Moon Bay on the Atlantic coast, then continue to Devil's Bridge — a natural limestone arch where Atlantic swells drive through boreholes in the rock with considerable force. The contrast with the calm Caribbean side of the island is immediate and dramatic.
  
  Betty's Hope, Antigua's first large sugar plantation, tells the island's colonial story plainly. Two restored windmill towers stand amid the ruins of the stillhouse — roughly a hundred such towers once dotted this landscape, their sails turning to crush cane that was shipped to Britain as raw sugar and returned as finished goods and profit. Fig Tree Drive winds through the lush interior — "fig" being the local name for banana — before descending to the coast at Falmouth Harbour.
  
  We end the day at Shirley Heights, the hilltop fortification built to protect Nelson's Dockyard below. The views across English Harbour to the neighbouring islands of Montserrat and Guadeloupe are among the finest in the Caribbean — a fitting close to two days on an island that repays close attention.
  
  Overnight in Antigua.

   

  Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
• Day 6: 

  Antigua - Fly to to Dominica: Central Forest Reserve
  Dominica is unlike anything else in the Caribbean. Where other islands were cleared for sugar, this one resisted — its sheer volcanic mountains and dense rainforest made large-scale plantation agriculture nearly impossible, and the island was left relatively intact. Today it is the youngest and most geologically active island in the Lesser Antilles, still being shaped by the same forces that created it. The highest point, Morne Diablotins, rises to 1,447 metres (4,747 ft); much of the interior remains blanketed in primary rainforest.
  
  That resistance was not only geological. Dominica is the only Eastern Caribbean island where a population of Kalinago — the indigenous people the Europeans called Caribs — survived colonization. On every other island in this chain they were killed, displaced or absorbed; here, in the mountains, they endured. We will meet their descendants later in our time on the island.
  
  This afternoon we drive the transinsular road through the Central Forest Reserve, established in 1952 — the first of its kind in Dominica. The reserve is home to vast stands of gommier trees, whose timber the Kalinago have used for canoe-building for centuries. We stop at the dramatic Spanny Falls before continuing to Jacko Falls in the shadow of Morne Trois Pitons.
  
  Overnight in Dominica.

   

  Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
• Day 7: 

  Roseau City Sightseeing, Cabrits National Park & Kalinago Barana Aute
  Roseau, Dominica's compact capital, contains one of the finest collections of 18th century Creole architecture in the Caribbean — wooden buildings with deep verandahs and intricate fretwork that reflect the island's French colonial period. We tour Fort Young, the old market, Parliament and State House before climbing to Morne Bruce for panoramic views over the town and coastline.
  
  The afternoon takes us north to Cabrits National Park, where the ruins of Fort Shirley occupy a dramatic peninsula jutting into the Caribbean. The British built this garrison in the 18th century to protect Prince Rupert Bay; today jungle has reclaimed much of the stonework, lending the ruins a melancholy grandeur. A small museum documents the fort's history and the archaeological finds uncovered here.
  
  We then visit Kalinago Barana Aute, the traditional village of the Kalinago people in the island's northeast — the only indigenous Caribbean community still living on their ancestral lands. For more than two centuries they resisted European control; their survival here, when their kin were being exterminated across the rest of the island chain, is a remarkable and sobering fact. We learn about their dugout canoe traditions, herbal medicine, and the language and customs they have worked to preserve.
  
  Overnight in Dominica.

   

  Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
• Day 8: 

  Dominica sightseeing: Morne Trois Pitons NP Exploration
  Dominica's volcanic interior reaches its most spectacular in Morne Trois Pitons National Park — a UNESCO World Heritage Site encompassing 6,880 hectares (17,000 acres) of mountainous rainforest, waterfalls, crater lakes and geothermal features. Six distinct vegetation zones range from seasonal coastal formations at lower elevations to elfin woodland near the summit, almost perpetually shrouded in mist.
  
  We hike to Freshwater Lake, one of two crater lakes within the park, before continuing to Trafalgar Falls — twin cascades dropping through a lush gorge of tree ferns and tropical vegetation. At least half of Dominica's 175 bird species can be found within the park, including the endangered Sisserou parrot, found nowhere else on earth.
  
  Dominica rewards the traveller willing to look beyond a beach. This island is the Caribbean as it existed before the plantation economy arrived — dense, dramatic, alive. After three days here, every other island will look just slightly tamed by comparison.
  
  Overnight in Dominica.

   

  Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
• Day 9: 

  Dominica - Fly to St Lucia
  This morning we fly to St. Lucia! This island stands apart from the rest of the Caribbean islands thanks to its varied landscape and diverse culture, which is distinguished by African, Indian, Caribbean, British, Spanish and French influences.
  
  The French, who were the island's first European settlers, named this Windward Isle after Saint Lucy of Syracuse. The French signed a treaty with the native Carib Indians in 1660, and later England took control of the island from 1663 to 1667. Rule of the island changed frequently (it was ruled seven times by both the French and British), and in 1814 the British took definitive control of the island. With a lush interior featuring towering mountains, dense rain forest, fertile valleys, and acres of banana plantations, St. Lucia is mostly distinguished by the UNESCO heritage site of the Pitons. These twin volcanic peaks soar high above the ocean floor on the southwest coast. Dominating the mountainous landscape of St Lucia, the steep-sided Pitons rise side by side from the sea. Gros Piton - 2,619 ft (770 m) is 3 km in diameter at its base, and Petit Piton - 2,461ft (743 m) is 1 km in diameter and linked to the former by the Piton Mitan ridge.
  
  Later today we will marvel at the Diamond Waterfalls in the Diamond Botanical Gardens before heading to the extinct St. Lucia Volcano called the Sulphur Springs. Here there are more than 20 belching pools of muddy water, multicolour sulfur deposits, and other assorted minerals boiling and steaming on the surface. Next we will spend some time in Soufrière, St. Lucia's first capital and the most scenic town on the island. This deep-water port, with its brightly colored boats, stands at the foot of the two extinct volcanoes known as the Pitons - St Lucia's most famous landmarks. Soufrière is typically 'West Indian', with a cluster of brightly painted arcaded buildings set against the jungle vista.
  
  Overnight on St Lucia.

   

  Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
• Day 10: 

  St Lucia Sightseeing: Soufriere, the Pitons & Morne Coubaril Estate
  This morning we will start with some magnificent views of the Pitons as we walk along the Tet Paul Nature Trail. The Pitons are a most spectacular sight and a respected symbol of St. Lucia. Gros Piton and the Petit Piton are old volcanic forest covered plugs rising high out of the sea. The Pitons were considered sacred to the island's first inhabitants, and today they are not only treasured by St. Lucian's, but are also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
  
  The views from the Tet Paul Scenic Trail have been described as absolutely heavenly. From the majestic Pitons to the far-away islands of Martinique and St. Vincent, you can see it all from points along the trail. The gorgeous southern side of St. Lucia including Jalousie Bay is easily visible along the way. On a clear day you can even see Fond Gens Libre, Choiseul, and Maria Island. From here we head to the outskirts of town where we will find the breathtaking Toraille waterfall set amidst a botanical garden.
  
  Our last visit today will be to Morne Coubaril Estate, St Lucia's oldest French Creole Estate. This lush working estate grow cocoa, coconuts and manioc. Whilst here we will see a small village of reconstructed huts, similar to those used by the locals over 200 years ago. Not to be missed is the breathtaking view from the Estate’s highest point.
  
  Overnight on St Lucia.

   

  Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
• Day 11: 

  St Lucia: Adventure by Land and Sea
  Today we will start by visiting the picturesque little villages of Choiseul and Laborie, both of which are surrounded by splendid vegetation. We will reach the most southern point of the island at Vieux Fort, with its long stretch of white sand beaches. This is one of the island's oldest settlements, and here we find some examples of French colonial architecture. The nearby lighthouse at Moule à Chique is 730 ft above sea level and looks across the water to St.Vincent, just 21 miles away. From this vantage point we may be able to see where the Caribbean's distinct blue-green waters mix with the darker-hued currents of the Atlantic.
  
  We will explore the rugged and beautiful east coast with its breathtaking scenery. The Atlantic Ocean pounds against rocky cliffs, and acres and acres of bananas and coconut palms blanket the hillsides. On the east coast of St. Lucia is Dennery, set in a sheltered bay with Dennery Island guarding its entrance and dominated by the Roman Catholic Church. Here we can see the distinctive St. Lucia fishing boats pulled up onto the beach. Between Dennery and Praslin, just off the coast, lie the Fregate Islands. These small islands, hardly larger than protruding rocks, are the nesting spots of the majestic frigate bird. Praslin is where local boat builders still create fishing canoes from gommier trees. The Gommier tree grows in the forests of Dominica and St. Lucia, and it secretes a resin that protects it from the seawater. We travel through plantations and unspoiled villages to reach the Barre de L'Isle, the mountain barrier that divides the island. This is the central mountain road that is fringed with rainforest vegetation.
  
  The bustling city of Castries is located in one of the most beautiful spots in the Caribbean. Surrounded by hills, the large Castries harbour at the head of a wide bay is a constant hive of activity. The spacious Derek Walcott Square features a 19th-century Catholic Cathedral, which stands in the shade of a large 400-year-old Saman tree (locally known as "Massav"). Nearby is the colourful and busy central market. We will see the Central Library and the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. The St. Lucian Government House is one of the most important pieces of historical architecture in St. Lucia, dating from 1865. The aged walls with white trimmings of this old Victorian based architecture, presents a lovely view even from a distance. This is also the official residence of St. Lucia’s Governor General.
  
  We next move on wards to Greenwood Terrace where we explore the mini-museum as well as the grounds of this lovely setting, which boasts over 260 varieties of tropical plants. The indigenous fruit trees include several varieties of mangoes, as well as guava, bananas, avocados, and cassava. The area is also a natural habitat for more than 20 species of tropical birds, a number of which can only be found on St. Lucia
  
  A true highlight at the end of our day will be a boat cruise along the west coast of the island. Here we will marvel at the beauty of the coastline, and cruise through Marigot Bay, which was once a haven to pirates. Upon our return to Soufriere we will drive the short distance back to our hotel.
  
  Overnight on St Lucia.

   

  Included Meal(s): Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Day 12: 

  St Lucia - Fly to Barbados: Bridgetown Touring
  This morning we fly to Barbados, the easternmost island in the Lesser Antilles.
  
  During our time here we will explore Barbados's interior and discover crumbling sugar mills, historic plantation houses, traditional churches, and colonial Bridgetown -- the nations capital. Amerindian settlement of Barbados dates to about the 4th to 7th centuries AD. Barbados was visited by Spanish navigators in the late 15th century and then was claimed for the Spanish Crown. The island first appears on a Spanish map from 1511, and the Portuguese visited the island in 1536, but left it unclaimed. An English ship, the Olive Blossom, arrived in Barbados in 1625; its men took possession of it in the name of King James I. In 1627 the first permanent settlers arrived from England, and it became an English and later British colony. Apart from possibly displacing the Caribs, the Spanish and Portuguese made little impact and left the island uninhabited.
  
  This afternoon we will tour UNESCO protected Bridgetown and its Garrison. As one of the earliest established towns with a fortified port in the Caribbean network of military and maritime-mercantile outposts of the British Atlantic, historic Bridgetown and its Garrison was the focus of trade-based English expansion in the Americas. By the 17th century, the fortified port town was able to establish its importance in the British Atlantic trade and became an entrepôt for goods, especially sugar, and enslaved persons destined for Barbados and the rest of the Americas.
  
  In town we will visit the National Heroes Square, which boasts a statue of Lord Nelson, which was erected in 1813, well before Nelson's Column was put up in London. Nearby are the Parliament Buildings.
  
  Overnight Barbados.

   

  Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
• Day 13: 

  Barbados Sightseeing: Central Island Exploration
  Today's touring begins with a drive towards the St. George Valley. Nestled in lush vegetation, and built in 1818, Gun Hill Signal Station is one of a chain of signal stations established across the country for the security of Barbados, and for dissemination of information mainly relating to shipping. Today it is fully restored and landscaped. At 700 feet above sea level, this spot affords one of the most characteristic views of the Island.
  
  We then drive to the heart of the island a visit Anthony Hunte's masterpiece garden. The placement of these gardens is really most unusual, as they are located in a sinkhole in the centre. of Barbados' rain forest. Thanks to such an interesting location, the gardens offers a 'multidimensional' experience, with vigorous plants densely growing on many levels -- from sunny and open spaces, down to a mysterious, dark heart of real Caribbean jungle. This is one of the most beautiful spots on the island.
  
  We will make our way to the aged and charming Morgan Lewis Mill, one of only two of the Caribbean's intact sugar mills. Although the old plantation house has seen better days, its crumbling exteriors are very evocative and an important legacy of the island’s history. Near the northern tip of the island we will see the Jacobean St Nicholas Abbey, graced with ornate Persian arches. This Plantation House is likely the last remaining authentic house of the 17th Century existing anywhere in the "New World". When this residence was built of brick and limestone, many of the structures in North America were constructed of timber. The British built the residence only 30 years after Barbados’ settlement in 1627. Today the Plantation produces award-winning rum.
  
  Our journey continues to the northern tip of the island stopping at North Point where the landscape differs drastically from the rest of Barbados, as here you will find waves crashing into limestone cliffs.
  
  Overnight Barbados.

   

  Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
• Day 14: 

  Barbados Touring: Codrington College & Andromeda Botanic Gardens
  Our tour today takes us to many of the places that make Barbados a 'gem of the Caribbean'. As we travel along the south coast we pass through the popular fishing village of Oistins before stopping at the beautiful Miami Beach, a favourite with visitors and locals alike. From here we continue to Foul Bay. Nothing can truly prepare you for the turquoise waters that wash this long and wide beach. Here the lush white sands are a perfect place for a stroll, and this idyllic spot is one of the most beautiful beaches on the island.
  
  The unique Andromeda Botanic Gardens are located in the parish of St Joseph. Here we will walk through the winding pathways and journey through this horticultural delight. You will be amazed at the variety of unique trees and six acres of tropical gardens. On the southeast side of the island is Codrington College, built in 1715. This is the oldest Theological College in the western hemisphere. Just up the hill from Codrington College is St John's Church, one of the oldest churches on the island. Set on a cliff, this location captures spectacular views of the east coast of Barbados. This historic church is an excellent example of a classic Gothic Church with all the essentials of "the true church architecture".
  
  We continue through the rolling countryside, accented by the rugged Atlantic Coast, to Bathsheba. This location used to hold the old railroad that took people from Bridgetown to the East Coast. Now it is the home of world-class surfing and holiday homes. Barbados's East Coast Road, hemmed by crashing Atlantic waves, is one of the island's most exciting drives. Our rugged coastal route overlooks treacherous reefs while an inland road weaves through rolling sugarcane to quaint plantation towns topped by church steeples. Bathsheba is one of the most popular destinations on the east coast, where giant coral boulders, which have broken away from ancient coral reefs over thousands of years, offer striking photograph opportunities.
  
  We later return back to Bridgetown where we visit the George Washington House and Museum, a beautifully restored plantation house. We then continue to our final destination for the day - the Mount Gay Rum tour and tasting. Mount Gay Rum can trace its heritage back to 1703, making it the world’s oldest rum producer.
  
  Overnight Barbados.

   

  Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
• Day 15: 

  Barbados - Fly to St Vincent & the Grenadines
  Today we fly from Barbados to St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Scattered across the Caribbean, the 32 islands and cays St Vincent & the Grenadines make for a glorious-looking archipelago. There is something truly timeless about this destination, with it’s lush mountain peaks, secluded coves, and volcanic landscapes. Just the name St Vincent and the Grenadines evokes visions of exotic, idyllic island life.
  
  While the English were the first to lay claim to Saint Vincent, the French would be the first European settlers on the island when they established their colony at Barrouallie shortly before 1700. Carib Indians aggressively prevented European settlement on St. Vincent until the 18th century. African slaves, whether shipwrecked or escaped from Saint Lucia or Grenada and seeking refuge in St. Vincent, intermarried with the Caribs. Saint Vincent was ceded to Britain by the Treaty of Paris in 1763, restored to French rule in 1779 and regained by the British under the Treaty of Versailles in 1783.
  
  Overnight St Vincent.

   

  Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
• Day 16: 

  St. Vincent Island Touring
  Today we head up the west coast and explore the villages of Questelles, Layou, Barrouallie and Châteaubelair, all of which have charming pastel-coloured cottages and excellent black-sand beaches from which fishermen set out daily in small brightly painted boats. Carving along the clifftops, the scenic Leeward Highway runs from Kingstown to Richmond Beach along St Vincent's sheltered west coast. The road passes by local villages, beaches and coconut plantations. When we stop at the black sands near Richmond Beach we will see La Soufrière in the distance… an active volcano and the island's highest peak.
  
  Before returning to our hotel we will visit the St. Vincent Botanical Gardens, the oldest in the West Indies and the western hemisphere. These gardens are home to a wealth of tropical plants, flowers, trees and birds. The gardens were created in 1765 by the governor of the British Caribbean islands The plan was to develop a plant breeding centre., provide medicinal plants for the military, and improve the life and economy of the colony. Famous for being the destination of Captain Bligh’s second visit to the Caribbean in 1798 (his first ended in the infamous mutiny on the Bounty) when he introduced breadfruit to the island, the gardens celebrated their 250th anniversary in 2015.
  
  Overnight in St Vincent.

   

  Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
• Day 17: 

  St Vincent island Touring - Fly to Grenada
  Today we head east from Kingston and enjoy a scenic drive into the countryside. We will pass through the village of Mesopotamia Valley, commonly known as the 'bread basket' or 'food basket' of the island because of its rich and fertile soil. Root crops and fruit trees are grown here, including bananas, which are part of the mainstay of St. Vincent's economy. The panoramic view offered by the Mesopotamia Valley is probably unsurpassed in the Caribbean. This richly fertile valley is also thickly planted with nutmeg, cocoa, coconut, breadfruit, and many root crops.
  
  The scenic coastal drive takes us away from the lush interior of the Mesopotamia Valley. Our route south along the rugged Atlantic coast provides magnificent views across ridges and valleys and to the Rabacca Dry River, Black Point Tunnel, and Rawacou Recreational Park. Here we see evidence of the eruption of the Soufriere volcano.
  
  St. Vincent has a long history of arrowroot production. Arrowroot cultivation is now concentrated on farms located north of the Rabacca River, particularly in the area. This is also the area where the population of Carib descent is concentrated.
  
  This evening we fly to Grenada.
  
  This stunning island offers a mountainous and volcanic landscape where we find crater lakes, rainforests and coastal mangrove plantations giving way to white sand beaches. Grenada is known as the 'Spice Island', and with good reason. Nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, ginger and vanilla are just a few of the scented gems found here. This is a true island country, consisting of Grenada itself and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea. Grenada's physical beauty is complemented by its rich history and vibrant, living cultural heritage. The centuries-old spice plantations and rum distilleries still use traditional methods, emphasizing quality rather than quantity.
  
  Overnight Grenada.

   

  Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
• Day 18: 

  Grenada Touring
  Christopher Columbus "discovered" Grenada in 1498, which was already inhabited by the Carib Indians who had migrated from the South American mainland, killing or enslaving the peaceful Arawaks who were already inhabitants there. The Amerindians called their island Camerhogue, but Columbus renamed it Concepción. However, passing Spanish sailors found its lush green hills so evocative of Andalusia that they rejected this name in favour of Granada. Over the centuries, although control of the island passed from France to Britain (and briefly back to France again), the name endured with just the slightest of alterations, changing from 'Granada' to 'La Grenade' to 'Grenada'. Today this is a rolling, mountainous island that is bordered by stunning beaches, and dotted with picturesque towns. In the interior of this volcanic island are cascading rivers and waterfalls, lush rainforests, and one of the most breathtakingly beautiful mountain lakes imaginable.
  
  We begin our touring with a drive to Quarantine Point for the great views of Grand Anse & Morne Rouge Bay. Just a short distance south from St. George, and fringed by sea grapes and coconut palms, Grand Anse is undoubtedly Grenada's most famous beach. One bay south of Grand Anse, near the southern tip of Grenada, we find Morne Rouge Bay. Here the calm jade-green seas slosh upon the crescent of white sand. The lush foliage fringing the beach provides plenty of shady areas to sit and relax.
  
  We then continue to one of the prettiest port towns in the Caribbean, the colourful capital city of St George. The popular market in the heart of Grenada’s commercial centre. was once used as a place for public executions, trading slaves, and political speeches! Today it is a place for farmers and spice vendors to sell their produce! This location is widely held to be the loveliest city in the Caribbean. Grenada's National Museum is one of the oldest structures in town, and houses artifacts from Carib times up until today, and presents a rich collection of Grenada's history. Built by the French in 1704, the museum was originally part of the foundations of Fort George complex, and for a while served as a women’s prison. Today the collections include, but are not limited to slavery, the regions first inhabitants, plantation economics, whaling, fishing and archaeology. On Church Street stands the Roman Catholic Cathedral, dating back to 1884. On the opposite side are the remains of the Parliament Buildings standing together with the Law Courts. Lower down are the Anglican Church and the remains of the Presbyterian Church – battered by Hurricane Ivan in 2004.
  
  Atop Richmond Hill we discover Fort Frederick with its stunning views. The French began construction of the fort in 1779 and the British then completed it in 1791. It is nicknamed the "backwards facing fort" because its cannons face inland instead of out to sea thanks to the French who feared a surprise land attack after they used this successful strategy with the British. In 1850, the fort was abandoned completely until it was later occupied by the Grenadian military. On a promontory to the west of the harbor we find Fort George, Grenada's oldest fort.
  
  Overnight on Grenada.

   

  Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
• Day 19: 

  Grenada: South Island Touring
  This morning we will start with a visit to De La Grenade Industries where we will sample nutmeg jams and jellies as well as other products made with Grenada’s fruits and spices. The Nutmeg Garden is located adjacent to De La Grenade Industries, in the lush, verdant hills of St. Paul's at the eastern edge of the parish of St. George’s.
  
  Our route then continues towards the east coast via Corinth and St Davids, and we will travel up the east coast to the Grenville Nutmeg processing station where we will enjoy a tour. From Grenville, the second largest town in Grenada we cross the island and come to the Grand Etang National Park and Forest Reserve. Here we will enjoy a walk to explore this park, which is home to a rich diversity of plants, and beautiful rainforest scenery. One of the focal points of the park is the beautiful crater-formed Grand Etang Lake. From the Grand Etang visitor centre. we can walk along one of the self-guided trails beneath the towering rainforest trees.
  
  We then continue to Annandale falls. These 15m (50ft) waterfalls are one of the most spectacular in Grenada's - enclosed in a garden of green and a wall of rocks covered in soft ferns and other vegetation. We return to St George in the late afternoon.
  
  Overnight on Grenada.

   

  Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
• Day 20: 

  Grenada: North Island Touring
  This morning we travel up the west coast of the island, heading towards the Diamond Chocolate Estate home of Jouvay Chocolate. Take a tour of the building, learn how cocoa is processed and of course end with a tasting. Nearby are the fishing villages of Victoria and Gouyave.
  
  We will stop at Carib’s Leap in Sauteurs in order to view the beginning of the Grenadine chain. It was at this location that the last remaining Carib Natives in Grenada jumped to their deaths from a 40-meter high cliff 1651 rather than face domination by the conquering French. Thus the town was named Sauteurs, which is French for "jumpers". We then visit Levera National Park situated on the northeastern shore of the island. This 450-acre park holds a strong reputation as Grenada's most scenic and spectacular coastal area, and offers some dramatic scenery where the Caribbean Sea meets the Atlantic. Within the park we find Levera Pond where we make a short stop. Here we find a water-filled ancient volcanic crater, and a bird-watch bridge that extends into a mangrove area. The lagoon is one of the most important wildlife habitats on the island and a haven for an abundance of bird species, including many herons, black-necked stilts, common snipes, and other waterfowl. Backed by cliff walls, Bathway Beach boasts views of Sugar Loaf (Levera Island) and other islands in the distance.
  
  Set in 400 acres of lush rolling hills in the north of Grenada we find the Belmont Estate. Here we gain a real 'eco-friendly' taste of Grenada, its history, culture, flavours and traditions. This 300-year-old working estate is home to a plantation, museum and beautiful gardens. In the museum we will see displays that document Grenada's ancestry, traditions, lifestyle, social history and plantation history. We will also learn about the history of the estate. Belmont Estate makes the perfect stop for lunch on our journey today!
  
  We will make a photo stop at the River Antoine Rum Distillery, a privately owned distillery and the oldest functioning water-propelled distillery in the Caribbean. Here the processes have changed little since 1875.
  
  At the end of our day we return to St George's via Grand Etang.
  
  Overnight on Grenada.

   

  Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
• Day 21: 

  Grenada - Fly to Port of Spain, Trinidad: City Tour & Northern Beaches
  This morning we fly from Grenada to Port-of-Spain, Trinidad.
  
  After lunch, we will have an orientation tour of Port of Spain, where gingerbread-style houses are found side-by-side with a variety of modern structures. The seven grandest examples of colonial Victorian houses lie in a row along St Clair's border with the Savannah. Known as the 'Magnificent Seven', the houses are each in a different style but vie to out-do each other in form and decoration.
  
  We visit the nearby Botanical Gardens. Later we see the impressive President's Residence; the leafy suburbs of St Ann's lie behind. We will view the Red House (Parliament), the Hall of Justice, and Woodford Square. The garden in the square is the setting for open-air political debate: the topic of the day is written on a blackboard each morning. The Woodbrook area is dotted with restaurants and bars, many of which are in small 'gingerbread' houses, fringed with fretwork and delicately painted.
  
  Then it's a short drive to Lady Young Lookout for an excellent panoramic view of Port of Spain. We'll head for Santa Cruz Valley with its endless cocoa and coffee plantations.
  
  Overnight in Port of Spain.

   

  Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
• Day 22: 

  Trinidad: Central Trinidad, Pitch Lake & Caroni Nature Sanctuary
  We continue our island touring through the plains of Central Trinidad, with vast mangrove swamps, and rice fields. Trinidad being a mixed society, of all different races, we will see many Hindu flags in front of private residences and Hindu temples and hear about their significance. We also visit the remarkable Sadhu Hindu Temple, built under great sacrifice out in the sea.
  
  We'll drive to the south of Trinidad to Pitch Lake, passing through rural villages and areas dotted with cocoa and coconut plantations. Located near the town of La Brea, Pitch Lake is the world's largest natural asphalt deposit, covering approximately 100 acres. Here we will carefully walk out onto the lake’s unusual surface, which feels warm, slightly flexible, and surprisingly stable beneath our feet. Our guide will point out fascinating geological features, including bubbling sulphur pools, and explains how this vast reservoir of natural asphalt has supplied road-paving materials globally for over a century.
  
  We then continue to the Caroni Nature Sanctuary, a mangrove swamp covering an area of 40 square miles at Trinidad's North West Coast. We board a large flat-bottomed boat and slowly travel along the beautiful peaceful waterways and lagoons admiring the bizarre beauty of the landscape and a variety of birds and other wildlife. The most astounding among these birds is the scarlet ibis, a large bright red bird feeding and nesting here. This tour is world renowned among ornithologists as it offers the observer an opportunity to see this rare protected bird with very little effort. After this relaxing boat ride we return to the main landing and make our way back to Port of Spain.
  
  Overnight in Port of Spain.

   

  Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
• Day 23: 

  Trinidad: Asa Wright Nature Centre - Tobago
  This morning we visit the Asa Wright Nature Centre, home to hundreds of species of birds, as well as other local flora and fauna. The AWNC is a "Not-for-Profit" Trust established in 1967 by a group of naturalists and bird-watchers to "protect part of the Arima Valley in a natural state and to create a conservation and study area for the protection of wildlife and for the enjoyment of all."
  
  Our guided walk will explore the Discovery Trail and conclude on the verandah. Colourful birds like the brilliant green shining Honeycreepers and the Jacob Hummingbirds visit the nearby feeders just below the verandah. This is one of the best places for birding in the tropics. The original estate house of the former coffee-cocoa-citrus plantation has been beautifully re-modelled over the years as a comfortable headquarters where guests gather to watch the incredible birdlife from the verandah.
  
  This afternoon/evening we fly to the nearby island of Tobago, the smaller of the two main islands that make up the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. This is also the quieter of the two, and the people of Tobago pride themselves on their distinct culture and history and the natural beauty of their island.
  
  Overnight on Tobago.

   

  Included Meal(s): Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Day 24: 

  Tobago: Island Tour
  Today we have a full-day Tobago adventure beginning with Fort King George, where we explore the historic ramparts and soaked in panoramic views of Scarborough and the coastline. We then delve into the heart of the capital, experiencing its vibrant atmosphere and local charm. Charlotteville, a tranquil fishing village, offers a glimpse into the peaceful rhythms of island life, with its colourful boats and friendly locals. We'll experience the diverse beauty of Tobago's beaches, from lively shores to secluded coves, each offering a unique slice of paradise. The island's lush interior, a tapestry of verdant landscapes, provides a scenic backdrop to our explorations.
  
  A highlight of the day is an included lunch at Jemma's Tree House Restaurant, where we'll savour authentic Tobagonian cuisine in a unique setting.
  
  Overnight on Tobago.

   

  Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Lunch
• Day 25: 

  Tobago - Fly to Port of Spain - Departure
  Today we fly to Port of Spain and connect with onward flights home (this flight is included in tour price).
  
  PLEASE NOTE: If you are booking your own air, please ensure that your departure time from Port of Spain is 11am or later.
  
  SAFE TRAVELS!

   

  Included Meal(s): Breakfast

*The red tour trail on the map does not represent the actual travel path.