Dark View Falls tour: waterfall hike and beach swim in Kingstown

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

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Duration5h

GroupUp to 26

LanguagesEN

PickupAt your hotel

Hike to two cascading waterfalls and swim in the natural pools below

A guided tour from Kingstown cruise ship terminal or hotel that drives through the capital's historical sites, follows the leeward coast through fishing villages and colonial landmarks, then hikes to Dark View Falls—two waterfalls stacked one above the other plunging into natural pools—before finishing with an hour to swim or snorkel at Buccament Beach. The tour runs five hours with a professional local guide speaking English, air-conditioned transport, and complimentary water, rum punch and natural juice; entrance fees at Wallilabou Anchorage and Dark View Falls are separate.

Step-by-step itinerary

Tour Kingstown and visit waterfalls and beach

Start at Kingstown cruise terminal
Drive through Kingstown city sights
Pass bustling market square
Drive past local churches
Drive on Nelson Mandela Highway
Photo stop at Buccament Bay
Photo stop at Layou settlement
Visit fishing village Barrouallie
Stop at Wallilabou Bay movie site
Pass Cumberland Power Development
Photo stop near Troumaca Primary School
Pass through Chateaubelair village
Hike to Dark View Falls
Return to Buccament Beach for swim/snorkel

The Experience

The tour departs from Kingstown cruise ship terminal or your hotel and moves through the capital's historical core—the Central Police Station, Financial Complex, Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court and Cenotaph—before passing through the bustling market square where vendors sell local produce. You'll drive the church street (locally called "back street") to see the Methodist, Anglican and Roman Catholic churches, then head north on Nelson Mandela Highway past the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital, Victoria Park, the Botanical Gardens (the oldest of its kind in the western hemisphere), and the industrial area at Campden Park.

The route follows the leeward coast through settlements with deep colonial and indigenous roots. Layou was one of the first French settlements in the early eighteenth century and shows Carib petroglyphs; Barrouallie, established in 1719, was once the island's capital and remains known for fishing and "blackfish." Wallilabou Bay is where the opening scenes of Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl were filmed. A photo stop near Troumaca Primary School frames La Soufrière Volcano at 4,049 feet above sea level, and on clear days you can see St. Lucia across the water. Chateaubelair, a large fishing village at the foot of the volcano, sits at the edge of the North Leeward region.

Dark View Falls is a short, easy hike through rainforest and across the Richmond River via bamboo or conventional bridge. The first waterfall is tall and accessible; a second, more difficult walk leads to the upper falls directly above it. Both cascade year-round into natural pools where you can swim. After time at the falls, the tour returns to Buccament Beach for one hour to swim or snorkel before heading back to your ship or hotel.

What’s included

Cruise ship or hotel pickup and drop-off (with possible extra charge for locations outside Kingstown).
professional local guide speaking English.
air-conditioned vehicle.
bottled water.
rum punch.
natural juice.
one hour at Buccament Beach to swim or snorkel.

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Topdawg Taxi and Tours

Is this one for you?The guide speaks English throughout, so the commentary on Kingstown's history, the leeward coast settlements and the volcano is accessible to anyone who understands the language. The hike to Dark View Falls is short and easy to the first waterfall, with a more difficult optional walk to the second, so you can choose how far to go based on your comfort level.