Hike Guadeloupe's mountain tops: La Découverte, L'Échelle & La citerne

Intro

Hike high above Guadeloupe's rain forest to the highest mountain of the island: La Découverte. It's a summit every hiker should check of it's bucket list while visiting Guadeloupe. This hike will take you to the top of this mountain and then continues to the summit of L'Échelle and La citerne. You will have rainforest, a hot water spring and -weather permitting- gorgeous views along the way.

I was walking in the mist most the time, so I don't have much pictures to show. Keep in mind that the weather during this route can differ a lot compared to the weather on the rest of the island. Bring some warm clothes and be prepared for some wind and rain.

About the trail

You will start you hike at the Parking des Bains-Jaunes. Bains-Jaunes translates to "yellow baths", which refers to the hot spring at the start of the trail. You can relax here at the end of your hike, just don't put your head under water as a sign warns for dangerous bacterial flora. The parking fills up quickly during the day, so it is recommended to come early.

The hike to La Découverte is quite popular, so expect to meet other people along the trail. There is a height difference of around 400m between the parking and the top of La Découverte, so it isn't the longest climb. At the top you can choose to turn back the same way you came or go on to the top of two smaller mountains in the area: L'Échelle and La citerne. Note that if you decide to go on, you'll have to do some more climbing along the way.

After all three mountain summits you can take a smaller detour to check out a waterfall called Galion falls. From there, you make your way back to the parking.