Tet Paul Nature Trail tour: Private guide, pitons view

Hike to the Stairway to Heaven and swim in a rainforest waterfall

A private tour of St Lucia departing from Marigot Bay takes you through island villages, banana plantations and the Edmund rainforest to Tet Paul Nature Trail, where a 30-minute hike leads to the Stairway to Heaven: a 360-degree viewpoint of the pitons and the entire island. You swim in Toraille Waterfall, a natural cascade fed by the rainforest, and stop for local food tastings and lunch with views of the twin peaks.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Morne Fortune15m
2. Marigot Bay20m
3. Toraille Waterfall20m

Explore St Lucia and Tet Paul Trail

• Meet driver/tour guide
• Drive through market area
• Drive through square area
• Stop at Morne area viewpoint
• Stop at Marigot Bay and banana plantation
• Drive through Anse La Raye village
• Sample local alcohols and products
• Visit La Place Kassav and Canaries village
• Drive through Edmund rainforest outskirts
• View Soufriere town and Pitons
• Hike Tet Paul nature trail
• Enjoy bath at Toraille Waterfall
• Have optional local buffet lunch

The experience

If you have a free afternoon in port or a few hours between hotel checkout and departure, this tour picks you up from your cruise ship or hotel and moves through the island in a single arc. Your driver and guide narrate the route: you pass through the market near the cruise port, the cathedral and central library in the square, then climb to Morne Fortune for an elevated view of the harbor and the northern coastline. On clear days, Martinique sits visible 22 miles across the water to the north.

The route descends to Marigot Bay, where the 1967 film Dr Doolittle was shot and where the British defeated the French in a naval battle. You stop at one of the island's largest banana plantations to watch the processing and hear the history. Driving through Anse La Raye, a typical Caribbean village, you get both ground-level and elevated views of how the settlement sits in the landscape. A stop at a local producer lets you sample about 20 different island-made alcohols and products (banana ketchup with a honey taste, mustard, barbecue sauce), and you can buy items to take home. At La Place Kassav, you taste gluten-free cassava bread in different flavors, then drive through Canaries with another elevated village view before entering the Edmund rainforest and catching your first sight of the twin-peak pitons.

At Tet Paul Nature Trail, a guide takes you on a 30-minute hike through the area to reach the Stairway to Heaven, a viewpoint where you stand 360 degrees above the island: the pitons, the coastline, the towns below all visible at once. Afterward, you walk to Toraille Waterfall, a natural cascade flowing down from the rainforest and the mountain, cold and fresh. You swim in the pool beneath it. Lunch follows at a local restaurant with views of the pitons and beach, served as a local buffet. This is optional and priced separately. Your guide then returns you to your ship or hotel.

What’s included

• Your driver and tour guide in an air-conditioned minivan.
• pickup and drop-off at your cruise port or hotel.
• stops at Morne Fortune, Marigot Bay, the banana plantation, Anse La Raye, the local producer, La Place Kassav and Canaries.
• the 30-minute guided hike at Tet Paul Nature Trail.
• entry to Tet Paul and Toraille Waterfall (entrance fees separate, approximately US$10 and US$6 per person).

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day7 departure times: the first at 03:30, the last at 11:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (12 to 75 years) · Child (3 to 11 years) · Under 3: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 31 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Paid on siteUS$ 17

Prices and times updated 8 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by St. Lu Taxi And Tours

Is this one for you?Book this as a private tour when you want the island to yourself and your travel companions without sharing a guide or vehicle with other passengers. The 5- to 6-hour span fits a port day or a hotel afternoon, and the fixed route through villages, plantations and the rainforest to the pitons works whether you're a first-time visitor or returning to a different part of the island.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 11 years). Children under 3 can't be included in the booking.

What is the Stairway to Heaven at Tet Paul?

The Stairway to Heaven is a viewpoint reached by a 30-minute hike at Tet Paul Nature Trail where you stand at an elevated point with a 360-degree view of the entire island, including the twin-peak pitons, the coastline and the towns below.

Can I swim during this tour?

Yes, you swim in Toraille Waterfall, a natural cascade that flows down from the rainforest and mountain. The water is cold and fresh, fed by the river running through the rainforest.

What happens at the banana plantation stop?

At one of St Lucia's largest banana plantations, you watch the processing of bananas and learn the history of the crop and its role on the island from your guide.

Does the tour include food and drink tastings?

Yes, you sample about 20 different local alcohols made on the island and local products like banana ketchup, mustard and barbecue sauce, with the option to purchase items. You also taste gluten-free cassava bread in different flavors at La Place Kassav. Lunch at a local restaurant with piton views is optional and costs extra.

How long is the hike at Tet Paul?

The hike to the Stairway to Heaven takes 30 minutes and is described as suitable for all physical fitness levels.