Whilst I love nothing more than experiencing 5* hotels, the ultimate getaway for me could be described as Adventurous Luxury. I love the service, food, surroundings and amenities that 5* hotels offer, but I also want to get out of the resort and see a real part of the country / Island that I am visiting. This week I have been on a press trip to the Four Seasons in St Nevis in the Caribbean, and my goal was to work on an itinerary that combined luxury with adventure. Queue the rainforest hike!
At the centre of St Nevis is lies a a dormant volcano, creating a breathtaking and mountainous green backdrop from wherever you are on the island. The volcano and valleys surrounding it are covered in lush rainforest, which are alive with nature. So seeking an Adventurous Luxury experience, I requested to do a hike as part of my itinerary.
The hike was called Russell’s Rest Nature Tour, which took about 3 and a half hours for the round trip. Once we arrived at the start of the trail, we were met by our guide Reggie from Nevis Adventure Tours. Reggie was local to the Island and actually discovered the Russell’s Rest trail himself! He knew the rainforest inside out and showed us all the plants and foliage that locals have used for natural remedies and ailments for hundreds of years. Reggie had us crushing up leaves, smelling them and even showed us a flammable sap that came out of the trees. When burnt, it smelt amazing and he told us that locals burn the sap as a natural scented candle. I couldn’t believe how amazing it smelt and it was 100% natural.
As Reggie trekked the trail frequently, he brought a macheti along to maintain the trail and was also keen to replant things back into the trail. He brought some yam (Sweet Potato) seeds with him on the trek and we replanted these half way up the trail. He let me help him plant them, so now I can say I’ve planted a seed in the Nevisian rainforest!
The motivation on the hike was to reach all 6 waterfalls on route. As we reached the summit of our hike, I could hear running water in the distance and I knew the first waterfall must be close. The humidity of the rainforest was something I have never experienced before and being rainy season in the Caribbean, the humidity was at its most extreme. I was sweating buckets so couldn’t wait to cool off in the waterfalls.
As the hike progressed, the terrain got steeper and the waterfalls got larger (each one more beautiful than the last). The recent rainfall made the path pretty muddy, but thanks to ropes tied along the trail, we were able to pull ourselves along without slipping. By this point my lime green trainers had turned into a rather dark shade of mud-brown, but I didn’t care, I was in the zone!
By the time we reached the final waterfall, I was wet with sweat and desperately in need of a cool down. The climb was physically challenging but it was so incredibly rewarding to reach the top and the final waterfall. I took off my (now brown) trainers and dived right underneath the waterfall. The cold water was so invigorating and I was more than happy to get drenched fully clothed. It was an amazing moment I’ll never forget!
To celebrate reaching the top, Reggie surprised us by pulling out a whole bottle of authentic local rum punch. He poured us all a drink and we sat there under the waterfall slowly sipping the sugary cocktail. It was so strong, but tasted damn good! We sat there for a few minutes absorbing the moment and drinking in such unique and beautiful surroundings. It was a travel moment I wanted to bottle up and keep with me forever.
My hike through the Nevisian Rainforest was an authentic, awe-inspiring and unforgettable experience. It was in a natural Caribbean environment a far cry from the Four Seasons 5* resort I was staying in, but that’s what I loved about it. The hike made going back to the luxury of the hotel even more rewarding, which demonstrates the way I pursue adventurous luxury travel experiences.
What did you think of my Nevisian rainforest hike? Would you like to do something similar? What do you think about my take on Adventurous Luxury Travel? Comment in the box below and let me know your thoughts! I reply to every comment. Thanks x
My hike was provided courtesy of www.nevsiadventuretours.com and is available to book through the Four Seasons St Nevis
Thank you for sharing your experience! I love the combination of adventurous luxury. Sounds like my perfect vacation too! I am hoping to get to Nevis soon!!
I was so excited to read this post after seeing your photos on Instagram – what an incredible trip! Just stunning, the jungle looks amazing – you are so lucky to get such an amazing opportunity 🙂 Reggie sounds like a fantastic tour guide, I love when you visit a place and have someone on hand who knows every inch of it like the back of their hand! Really changes the way you view a place and you learn so much more.. I would absolutely love to do a hike like this – I’m all for travelling and staying in nice places, but it’s great to really get out and do some amazing activities as well, I would get so bored otherwise. But I bet it was lovely to go back to a 5* hotel and have a nice shower after all this walking and climbing 🙂