Morne Bleu

Drive east to Arima, and then turn northwards into the scenic Arima Valley. As the drive continues your elevation rises, the views increase in beauty and the air becomes cool.

Stop at the main mountain ridge of the Northern Range. Our hike commences in secondary forest and continues into virgin Lower Montane Rain Forest. As the elevation increases you enter virgin Montane Rain Forest. In these undisturbed habitats the sheer variety and number of species of flora and fauna is stunning. In fact this is one of the most biodiverse areas of the Caribbean.

At the summit of Morne Bleu (an elevation of 2781 feet) the air is clean and much cooler than in Arima. At this height the trees are laden with mosses and ferns, also many species of flora and fauna that do not inhabit in the valley floor, such as the Bois Gris tree (which has a red bark), and the fascinating Speckled and Blue capped Tanagers, are found. At this elevation, as it is virgin rainforest, the forest is very lush and usually wet. Many times one is hiking in clouds; an experience Walt Disney could not match.

The hike is on undulating terrain and the final approach to the summit is quite steep and slippery when wet. The hike is five hours long in one direction and is difficult in some sections. However, one may opt to do just part of the trail rather than tackle the summit. Departure is at 7:00 am and return at about 6:00 p.m. This hike is also recommended for birders who may want to do some hiking.