Mooring on a buoy in Soufrière Bay pushed us to undertake the challenge of conquering one of the peaks of the Pitons. These two mountains, named Gros Piton (798m) and Petit Piton (743m), are among the highest volcanic plugs in the world and are included in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. We chose Petit Piton because it was not only closer to us but also more difficult to climb, with some vertical ascents in places. Therefore, the ascent requires a guide, who turned out to be a local 28-year-old named John.
Climbing a mountain in the tropics is a big challenge, considering the high temperature and humidity. It is better to start as early as possible in the morning, so we hit the trail at 7 am. The first hour was relatively easy, but after 3/4 of the way, the climb became almost vertical, demanding quite a bit of physical fitness. Here, you start to remember that you’re not 28 years old anymore and recall the old advice of guides on the climb to Kilimanjaro: “Pole, pole, slowly, slowly.”
We finally made it to the top, and the view was breathtaking! After descending, we visited the Pitons waterfall with a hot spring pool, where we fully recovered our strength.
