I always find challenging hikes a bit daunting. Perhaps it’s not fear exactly, but more like performance anxiety, so I end up feeling nervous about them. Even though I know I can handle it, I also know I need to go at my own pace. I’m not the fastest hiker, but what I lack in speed, I make up for with patience and determination. I like to sneak in some photo stops to catch my breath along the way! 😆
On the morning of our hike to Mount Liamuiga, an extinct volcano in St Kitts, I woke up feeling that familiar combination of nervousness and excitement. This hike is definitely doable if you’re used to scaling rocks, but it is honestly the hardest hike I’ve ever tackled. Looking back, it might have been easier without all my heavy camera gear. Carrying that, along with plenty of water while going uphill, was a challenge.
Luckily, the trail is mostly shaded, so the heat isn’t too intense, though it’s still pretty hot. If you’re not sweating, you’re not doing it right! Our guide, O’Neill, was truly amazing. Even at over 60 years old, he’s one of the fittest people I’ve ever met. He handled the hike with the ease of a kid enjoying candy, while I was puffing and panting. O’Neill is kind and generous, often sharing his own supplies if you’re running short. He knows a ton about the area too!
Reaching the top of the mountain is the real reward. At the summit, you can see where the mountains meet the clouds and look down on the lake nestled in the volcano, which is breathtaking!
Long ago, Europeans brought mongooses to the island to control the rat population, but it didn’t work out as planned. Rats are active at night, while mongooses roam during the day, so they rarely meet. Instead, the mongooses raided local bird nests, leading to a decline in native birds. Now, both mongooses and rats inhabit the island. Up at the top, curious mongooses might show up to check out leftover crumbs from your picnic, and they’ll vanish before you can grab your camera.
When we headed back down, I was finally able to keep up with O’Neill. Amazingly, I even got ahead of him at times, as he slowed down for another hiker, Lloyd, who’s not as fast on the descent as he is going uphill.
With trembling knees and aching calves but feeling accomplished, we returned to Ocean Terrace for a much-needed shower and a dip in the pool, followed by another shower. That evening, we set off for a sunset cruise around St Kitts, ready for a more relaxed pace. The sky was incredible, with vibrant orange on one side and dark rain clouds approaching on the other.
The rain came and went, but it didn’t dampen the mood, especially with a rum punch in hand throughout the cruise. Once the sun reappeared, it was glowing even more brilliantly as it set.
After a few more rum punches, we reached land and headed to Fisherman’s Wharf for dinner—lobster for me and chicken for Lloyd. That night, I had one of the deepest sleeps of my trip. My muscles were sore from the hike, but the sense of achievement and new bragging rights made it all worthwhile. It was one of the most memorable experiences I’ve had, not just in St Kitts but in the Caribbean as a whole.