DOMNICA ISLAND

On arrival in Dominica you will be met and transferred to a small boutique hotel, located in the North-West of Dominica, over-looking the Caribbean Sea, where you will stay for the next five nights. The hotel offers a stunning view over Prince Rupert Bay, the hills of Cabrits, Portsmouth and its surroundings, and on a clear day you can see the island of Guadeloupe. Because all the rooms and the bar are facing West, on most days you can enjoy a beautiful sunset. A tasteful rum-punch or a Kubuli (the local beer) make this a great moment to relax at the end of the day. This is not only a great location to discover the North of the island, but it is also a great starting point for trips all over Dominica.

Tour to Cabrits, Fort Shirley and Indian River - Accompanied by your very knowledgeable guide, this will be a first easy day to acclimatize and explore the scenic and historic area and the north. The first stop will be Morne Aux Diables Crater, a drive through volcano where you can do a 10 minute easy hike to a cloud sulphur spring. You can also get a wonderful view of the nearby French islands from this vantage point. Then Cabrits National Park, which occupies 1,313 acres and protects tropical forests, coral reefs and wetlands. It is located on a peninsula on the north of the island, just beyond the town of Portsmouth. There will also be a chance to visit nearby Fort Shirley, the former British garrison which once housed 600 soldiers. The day will finish with a trip on Indian River, when you will be transported in a hand-rowed river boat up the slow-moving river at a leisurely pace, so that you can appreciate the many types of wild life and plants along the mangrove-lined river bank. See for yourself where scenes from Pirates of the Caribbean were filmed. You can also visit the renowned 'Bush Bar' and try the signature rum drink, smoked fish and a variety of other drinks, juices and tasty local cuisine.

Guided Birdwatching at Syndicate Forest - Nestled on the foothills of Dominica’s tallest mountain, Morne Diablotin, and close to the Picard River Gorge, is the Syndicate Nature Trail. Today you will visit this National Park, with your specialist birding guide, Dr Birdy, who is the very best on the island. Syndicate is home to Dominica’s two indigenous birds, the Sisserou or Imperial Parrot which is the national bird of the island, and the Jaco or Red Necked Parrot. Thanks to their protected status, and the efforts of The Parrot Research in Roseau, the population is recovering and spreading further south. The Syndicate area is popular for bird watching, as it is a sanctuary for some of the 170 other bird species in Dominica.

Whale and Dolphin Watching - Depart from the nearby jetty at Portsmouth for an exciting boat trip to see whales and dolphins, which are sighted so frequently that Dominica is widely considered to be one of the best areas in the Caribbean for encounters with these fascinating creatures. All year round, an abundance of resident and visiting cetaceans, pods of Spinner and Spotted Dolphins, Pilot Whales, Sperm Whales, False Orcas and at least a dozen other species can be found in these waters

Roseau Valley, Freshwater Lake and Trafalgar Falls - Venturing up the Roseau Valley to the Freshwater Lake, where you can do a fairly easy hike around the serene and tranquil lake. Due to the weather and location, the area around the lake is a combination of upper montane and cloud forest. The vegetation is fairly low growing, consisting of ferns, mosses and mountain palms. Bromeliads, colourful gingers, heliconias and orchids can also be found growing around the lake trail. It is also possible to kayak on the lake. After this, you could visit Trafalgar Falls, which are located nearby and are stunning with a deep pool and small hot water springs nearby. The source for the Falls is a river that runs from the Freshwater Lake via Titou Gorge in the Morne Trois Pitons National Park. It will be possible to swim at Trafalgar falls, then have lunch in the valley, and in the after-noon stop for a hot sulphur bath at Wotten Waven. If you are feeling adventurous, you might prefer to attempt the trek to Middleham Falls, which leads you into the heart of the primary rainforest. You can then go on to Titou Gorge, which means “Little Throat” in the Kalinago language, where you can swim from the base of a waterfall and through a series of natural rooms and ponds formed by high cliff walls, canopied by interlaced trees. Or the very fit, could even choose to attempt the challenging hike to Boiling Lake.

Transfer to your second hotel in Dominica, which is situated on the wilder East coast. On the way, stop at Emerald Pool, where you can hike to the lovely Falls and perhaps have a swim. Then continue to Jaco Falls, an easily accessible waterfall that you can walk down to. Afterwards you will visit Spanny Falls, which has 2 waterfalls. Here you can view the first waterfall after a 20-25 minute walk, however the second one is a little more challenging. You have to climb up the mountain by holding a rope and the roots of the surrounding trees – but it is easier than it sounds! Then you will visit the Hidden Falls, a very private location containing 4 waterfalls. Your hotel is part of a plantation, which is completely organic, and runs alongside the Taberi River, facing Bout Sable beach, where turtles come to nest in season. This peaceful heaven in a protected valley lies just beneath the Trois Pitons National Park and is surrounded by hundreds of acres of prime tropical forest. The cottages and villas are individually designed and built of local stone and wood, following traditional local building techniques. They are all simple, spacious, efficient and harmonious with the environment, nestled in the large landscaped tropical gardens. Every cottage has a kitchen, where complimentary breakfasts are prepared and served. There is an excellent restaurant on site, the Riverside Café, serving local produce cooked with a French touch, on a veranda facing the river.

Batibou Beach - Calibishie - Pagua Bay - Kalinago Territory - This is a Complete North East Coast tour. A discovery drive along the North coast to the famous Batibou Beach, where Pirates of the Caribbean was filmed, then on to the village of Calibishie and its red rocks. Continuing along the East coast and Pagua Bay, you will then travel through the scenic Kalinago territory. Before the Europeans, the island was inhabited by various peoples who came over from the American continent, of whom the best known were the Kalinago, whom the Europeans referred to as Caribs. With rather more appreciation of our island’s uniqueness than Columbus, they called it Waitukubuli – “tall is her body” – an elegant image of this mountainous and fertile land. Dominica is home to the last remaining community of Kalinago in the West Indies, a population of a little over 2,000 living in a 3,700 acre territory on the north-western side of the island. set aside for them at the beginning of the last century. There will be a stop to visit the Kalinago Barana Aute and to enjoy their arts and craft and maybe some cassava bread, returning in the after-noon, after an exciting and informative day.

Snorkel Champagne Reef, Soufriere and Scott’s Head - Head south of Roseau, where there is a spectacular undersea crater with a unique underwater hot spring at Champagne. This is where you can snorkel amongst the bubbles formed from volcanic gases just offshore. Your snorkelling experience begins directly from the shore, when your guide will walk with you down the beach and assist you with your gear and then lead you into the water. You will see how the underwater geothermal springs vent gasses in the form of thousands of warm bubbles, creating a feeling of swimming through a giant glass of Caribbean Sea champagne. This phenomenon was created after molten lava solidified on entering the sea and gases were trapped, during the volcanic era when this island was formed. The reef provides vibrantly coloured corals and sponges as well as tropical fish, lobster and is a permanent habitat for Hawksbill turtles, you may even spot seahorses. After snorkelling, travel a short 15-minutes to discover another example of Dominica's rich volcanic history at the Soufriere Sulphur Springs. There is a network of trails you can explore or simply soak in the relaxing, warm and rejuvenating Sulphur water in one of the pools fed from the volcanic activity in the Soufriere hills. The springs are renowned for their reported ability to reduce stress, cure rheumatism, and other ailments. More importantly, they just feel good! The pretty town of Soufriere is worth a visit and you will also make a stop at Bubble Beach, where you can have a drink or snack and splash about in the rudimentary hot pools that have been fashioned out of rocks where the river meets the sea. Then continue on to Scott’s Head peninsula, a narrow isthmus that separates the Atlantic Ocean from the Caribbean Sea, where you can hike up to take advantage of the most incredible views.

Depart Dominica and fly back to the India via Antigua - A last day to enjoy Dominica, when you can choose to be as active or as relaxed as you wish, before leaving for the airport in the early after-noon.

Arrive home and you could extend your holiday with a few days in Antigua, St Lucia or Barbados.