Table of Contents
- Intro to the Waitukubuli National Trail
- WNT Segment 1: Scotts Head to Soufriere.
- WNT Segment 2: Soufriere to Bellevue Chopin
- WNT Segment 3: Bellevue Chopin to Wotton Waven
- WNT Segment 4
- WNT Segment 5
- WNT Segment 6 Castle Bruce to Hatten Garden
- WNT Segment 7 & 8 (part 1)
- WNT Segment 8 (part 2)
- Intro to the Waitukubuli National Trail
- WNT Segment 1: Scotts Head → Soufrière
- WNT Segment 2: Soufrière → Bellevue Chopin
- WNT Segment 3: Bellevue Chopin → Wotten Waven
- WNT Segment 4: Wotten Waven → Pont Cassé
- WNT Segment 5: Pont Cassé → Castle Bruce
- WNT Segment 6: Castle Bruce → Hatton Garden
- WNT Segment 7 & 8 (Part 1): Hatton Garden → Melville Hall River
- WNT Segment 8 (Part 2): Melville Hall River → Petite Macoucherie (over Mosquito Mountain)
- WNT Segment 9: Petite Macoucherie → Colihaut Heights
- WNT Segment 10: Colihaut Heights → Syndicate
- WNT Segment 11: Syndicate → Borne
- WNT Segment 12: Borne → Penville
- WNT Segment 13: Penville → Capuchin
- WNT Segment 14: Capuchin → Cabrits / Portsmouth
- Watch the Full Documentary: 12 Days on Foot
- Waitukubuli National Trail FAQ
- Can you still hike the Waitukubuli National Trail after Hurricane Maria?
- How long does it take to thru-hike the WNT?
- When is the best time to hike the Waitukubuli National Trail?
- Is it safe to hike the WNT alone?
- Do you need a guide?
- How much does the trail pass cost?
- How do you get to Dominica to start the trail?
- Are there dangerous animals on the trail?
- Where do you sleep on the WNT?
- Resources for Planning Your Own Waitukubuli Hike
Intro to the Waitukubuli National Trail
WNT Segment 1: Scotts Head to Soufriere.
Day 1/12. Where the ocean meets this wild tropical island.
March 24.
🏝️ 15° 12’ 52” N, 61° 22’ 22” W
📍Scott’s Head
Distance: 6.5 km / 180 km
Time: 2–3 hrs
Weather: hot
Sleep: Soufriere guesthouse
💫 Highlights: starting this trail!
🤪 Challenges: not knowing if it was possible
💎Treasures found: the start, the first trail marker, guava fruit & hotsprings!
Spirit: Super excited and curious
It was an adventure just to reach the shores of Dominica by sailboat. With Ocean Nomads we sailed across. It was my 5th Atlantic crossing and 4th winter in the Caribbean. This time it was time to explore deeper! I was already in Dominica in 2016, writing my book. That's when I learned about the Waitukubuli National Trail. A jungle hike that goes all the way from the south of Dominica to the north. I remembered to bring a tent! Just in case…
We were not sure if it was possible to do the trail. Dominica got hit hard by Hurricane Maria in 2023 and we couldn't find any information about anyone who had completed the trail since. The locals told us it was not possible to hike it yet. But no one really knew… Jon from the Soufriere Guesthouse had been busy clearing sections. According to him it should be possible, except from segment 8. Which he set out one day to clear the final bits!
So here we are, exploring the first segment. Full of excitement about the unknown ahead of is.
Accommodation options on WNT Segment 1:
WNT Segment 2: Soufriere to Bellevue Chopin
A sailboat takes you to wild places. Your feet take you deeper into them.
Day 2/12 Hiking the WNT across Dominica
🏝️ 15° 15’ N, 61° 20’ W
Into the jungle, leaving the coast behind
📍Soufrière to Bellevue Chopin
Distance: 12 km
Total Distance hiked 18.5 km / 180 km
Time: 6 hrs
Weather: hot & humid
🏕️ We got invited to pitch our tent in someone's garden (& for breakfast next day :))
💫 Highlights: Wild fruit, finding water & picknicking under a palmtree
🤪 Challenges: Big climb, getting lost, finding veggie food
🍌Treasures found: Starfruit, waterappel rain, rasberries, a man selling veggies, a flat spot
Spirit: So excited to be treasure hunting!
We started in Soufriere, one of my favourite basecamps in the tropics. Out of here was a big uphill through the tropical bushes with 1000 shades of green.
The trail zigzags its way up into the island. Crossing forest, farmland and small villages. Those jungle sounds are amazing. We got lucky finding some wild fruits. Have you ever tried waterapples? Delicious!
It was wraps with almond butter and some random things under the palm tree for lunch. And a little siesta :)
We reached town just before sunset. Explore the food options and walked out of town hoping to find a flat spot, one of the main things to be grateful for living a life nomadically! It was hard to find one. Then we met someone on trail and he offered us to pitch in his backyard. So nice!
Trail tip: Go slooow. So many plants, fruits, life & sounds to be noticed!
Accommodation options on WNT Segment 2:
Soufriere guesthouse (Beginning of Segment 2)
Bellevue Chopin ( End of Segment 2)
Now the treasure hunting really starts.
WNT Segment 3: Bellevue Chopin to Wotton Waven
Day 3 Hiking the WNT across Dominica
🏝️ 15° 18’ N, 61° 21’ W
📍Bellevue Chopin to Wotten Waven
Distance hiked 15 km / 180 km
Time: 6 hrs
Weather: warm, humid, and some rain
🏕️ Rolled out our mat under a rood
🤪 Challenges: Finding the trail, food and shelter. The usual ;)
🍌Treasures found: First river dip!, Coconuts, finding a cable to charge to camera & a warm meal and hot spring at the end of the day.
Spirit: Super excited!
We started the day with a superpower breakfast offered by Kevin, who let us sleep in his garden. I was very excited about today because we will reach the first river (it's time for a dip!) and end the day with hotsprings!
The trail passed through farms and small villages. Before turning into forest again. At the river Claire we got our first river dips! That felt SO good. How amazing after 2,5 days of tropical sweating.
It was a bit of a treasure hunt to find our way out but we did! A steep climb back into the jungle forest brought us to the next village where we hoped to find a cable to charge our camera & Garmin, which we forgot. No stores but we met the policeman who happened to have a spare for us. And he offered us a drink.
We end the day in Wotten waven, which is hot spring haven. I also found a home cooked veggie meal! Something surprisingly hard to find in the villages.
Now we're really arriving in hot, humid, lush jungle!
Trailtip: Navigation gets trickier. Don’t rely on one source only and keep an eye out for the blue & yellow markers.
WNT Segment 3 Tips & Resources
Segment 3 visualized on All Trails
WNT Segment 4
How little we need to feel so rich. Just a tin roof
items for the pick nick and legs that bring us here
& not in a rush to be anywhere. It’s everything to me
Day 4 & Segment 4 on the Waitukubuli National Trail across the nature island is wet, wild and very lush and jungle vibes. It's a fairly easy segment
Worth the little detour for your picknick or swim: Middleham falls!
WNT Segment 4 Tips & Resources
Segment 4 visualized on All Trails
WNT Segment 5
Day 5 of removing AI from your feed & replacing it with mud, jungle hiking and coconuts 😉
🏝️ 15° 23’ N, 61° 20’ W
📍Segment 5 Waitukubuli National Trail
Day 5
Distance hiked: No idea
Weather: Hot, humid & rainy
🏕️ pitched the tent at the school
🤪 Challenges: Landslides, collapsed bridges, river crossings, razorgrass, leaking mat.
🥥 Treasures found: Biggest coconut ever, lots of river dips & a connection from years ago
Mood: 💯
Today was muddy, slippery and so green and pretty 😊 Pretty wild
Some collapsed / debatable bridges and river crossings. Landslides. Slippery sections and So much cool flora and fauna!
When I was in Dominica in 2016/2017 I stayed in this area and it was when I discovered about this trail! We met a local farmer who offered us the biggest coconut ever. He knew my friends where I stayed, who’s place sadly got wiped out by the hurricane. This farmers man house got taken by a recent landslide. It’s not just a wild place to hike. It’s a wild place to live. But the kindness, mentality and overall health of the people here with active and outside lifestyle make them resilient and strong.
We walked into Castel Bruce just before sunset. We found some food in the village and very happy the school let us pitch our tent there. Villages are not the best places to pitch a tent.
The videos of this segment are so good (and a little bit hilarious 😊 – Jonte got stuck in the bamboo 😂 The big vlog lives on YouTube with some deeper storytelling.
WNT Segment 5 Tips & Resources
Segment 5 visualized on All Trails
WNT Segment 6 Castle Bruce to Hatten Garden
The last day in civilization before a long jungle stretch
📍Segment 6 Day 6 Waitukubuli National Trail
🏝️ 15° 22’ 52” N, 61° 20’ 33” W
☀️ Hot & Sunny That umbrella comes out useful!
🏕️ Woke up at the school yard & ended up pitching tent in Kevins garden in the Kalinago Territory
🤪 Challenges: heat & finding non fried food
🌿 Treasures found: home cooked meal, supercool hat, lots of coconuts & kindness of strangers 🙃
Today is a hot day where we hike through the Kalinago Territory. Up and down near the ocean. We got invited for coconuts here and there. How cool is that!
After today we will head into the jungle for a few days, a part no one has hiked completely in many years. We better find some good food and snackies today.
We pitched our tent in Kevins garden. He made us a delicious hike cooked meal. Ohh how much I was looking forward to that! So far the food we’ve found was either wild fruit (amaaaazing but not enough) and fried stuff and snackies.
Got myself an original fern hand made Kalinago hat 😊
WNT Segment 6 Tips & Resources
Segment 6 visualized on All Trails
WNT Segment 7 & 8 (part 1)
so we slightly underestimated this bit
Day 7/12
Probably the most advanced hiking I’ve ever done.
Segment 8 Part 1
Weather: hot, humid, rainy & dark…
🏕️ Found a flat spot in the dark
🤪 Challenges: 100 trees to climb over, dense jungle, and a little bit of night hiking
🌿 Treasures: a flat spot! Yeah & a coconut :) And water!
Just a few more kilometres…. Yeah right. In most cases, it's better to talk in time than distance. Segment 8 is where the trail turns very wild. Very few people hike here and we were actually the first ones to hike the full thing since hurricane Maria. Thank to clearing of Jon from the Sourfriere guesthouse. The afternoon adventure turned into a little night adventure. It was tough!
And probably the most advanced hiking I’ve ever done. Just another afternoon in my life ;)
We reached the promised land: Melville Hall river where Johnny Mango popped up a million star hotel.
These are the memories that stick with me forever. This segment is not to be underestimated. We're only just getting started. Not to be done alone, or without a guide or without @johnny__mango. It’s wild, dense and very technical!
Would you be up for it?
Stay tuned to see what this wildcamp spot looks in daylight and a more challenging day tomorrow!
WNT Segment 8 (part 2)
We woke up at Melvin Hall River in the middle of the Dominica jungle. It's the last place where we can source water until a while. After a 5 hour brutal uphill hike we made it to the top of Mosquito Mountain. Time to eat that delicious banana wrapped cassava threat. The best hiking food ever! 100 more scratches ‘aka' Dominica tatoos further and lots of mud canyoning later we made it to Segment 9 just before sunset, a segment that is said to be even more brutal.
Comfort is overrated ;) This is what makes us grow and shine. I'm posting this 3 years later as the memories are just too good to stay in pictures in an archive somewhere.
Coming soon: Segment 9 of the Waitukubuli National Trail. The most brutal one of all.
Can't wait? Watch the full docu on youtube
Table of Contents
- Intro to the Waitukubuli National Trail
- WNT Segment 1: Scotts Head to Soufriere.
- WNT Segment 2: Soufriere to Bellevue Chopin
- WNT Segment 3: Bellevue Chopin to Wotton Waven
- WNT Segment 4
- WNT Segment 5
- WNT Segment 6 Castle Bruce to Hatten Garden
- WNT Segment 7 & 8 (part 1)
- WNT Segment 8 (part 2)
- Intro to the Waitukubuli National Trail
- WNT Segment 1: Scotts Head → Soufrière
- WNT Segment 2: Soufrière → Bellevue Chopin
- WNT Segment 3: Bellevue Chopin → Wotten Waven
- WNT Segment 4: Wotten Waven → Pont Cassé
- WNT Segment 5: Pont Cassé → Castle Bruce
- WNT Segment 6: Castle Bruce → Hatton Garden
- WNT Segment 7 & 8 (Part 1): Hatton Garden → Melville Hall River
- WNT Segment 8 (Part 2): Melville Hall River → Petite Macoucherie (over Mosquito Mountain)
- WNT Segment 9: Petite Macoucherie → Colihaut Heights
- WNT Segment 10: Colihaut Heights → Syndicate
- WNT Segment 11: Syndicate → Borne
- WNT Segment 12: Borne → Penville
- WNT Segment 13: Penville → Capuchin
- WNT Segment 14: Capuchin → Cabrits / Portsmouth
- Watch the Full Documentary: 12 Days on Foot
- Waitukubuli National Trail FAQ
- Can you still hike the Waitukubuli National Trail after Hurricane Maria?
- How long does it take to thru-hike the WNT?
- When is the best time to hike the Waitukubuli National Trail?
- Is it safe to hike the WNT alone?
- Do you need a guide?
- How much does the trail pass cost?
- How do you get to Dominica to start the trail?
- Are there dangerous animals on the trail?
- Where do you sleep on the WNT?
- Resources for Planning Your Own Waitukubuli Hike
Waitukubuli National Trail — Quick Stats
- Location: Dominica, Eastern Caribbean
- Distance: 180 km / 112 miles
- Segments: 14 (hike individually or as a thru-hike)
- Duration: 12 days average thru-hike
- Best season: December – April (I hiked late March / early April 2023)
- Difficulty: Moderate to very challenging (Segments 7, 8, 9 are brutal)
- Direction: South (Scotts Head) to North (Cabrits / Portsmouth)
- Trail pass: ~US$40 full trail / $12 per segment (Roseau Forestry office)
📖 This is my day-by-day diary. For gear lists, food strategy, trail pass, safety and accommodation, read my full Waitukubuli National Trail planning guide first.
Intro to the Waitukubuli National Trail
In March 2023, Johnny Mango and I set out to thru-hike the full Waitukubuli National Trail across Dominica — 180 km of jungle, rivers, hot springs, villages and some of the wildest hiking either of us has ever done. We were told it wasn't possible. Hurricane Maria had wiped out sections, bridges were collapsed, and no one we met had completed the full trail since. We were apparently the first to hike the whole thing in one go post-Maria. This is the day-by-day diary from that trail.
All 14 Segments at a Glance
| # | From → To | Distance | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scotts Head → Soufrière | ~6.5 km | Easy |
| 2 | Soufrière → Bellevue Chopin | ~12 km | Moderate |
| 3 | Bellevue Chopin → Wotten Waven | ~15 km | Moderate |
| 4 | Wotten Waven → Pont Cassé | ~12 km | Moderate |
| 5 | Pont Cassé → Castle Bruce | ~15 km | Moderate–Hard |
| 6 | Castle Bruce → Hatton Garden | ~13 km | Moderate |
| 7 | Hatton Garden → First Camp | ~14 km | Hard |
| 8 | First Camp → Petite Macoucherie | ~12 km | Very Hard |
| 9 | Petite Macoucherie → Colihaut Heights | ~8 km | Very Hard |
| 10 | Colihaut Heights → Syndicate | ~11 km | Hard |
| 11 | Syndicate → Borne | ~7 km | Moderate |
| 12 | Borne → Penville | ~8 km | Moderate |
| 13 | Penville → Capuchin | ~7 km | Moderate |
| 14 | Capuchin → Cabrits / Portsmouth | ~9 km | Easy–Moderate |
WNT Segment 1: Scotts Head → Soufrière
Distance: 6.5 km · Time: 2–3 hrs · Difficulty: Easy · Sleep: Soufrière Guesthouse · Highlight: Starting the trail, first marker, hot springs
Day 1/12. Where the ocean meets this wild tropical island.
March 24, 2023.
🏝️ 15° 12′ 52″ N, 61° 22′ 22″ W
📍Scott's Head
Distance: 6.5 km / 180 km
Time: 2–3 hrs
Weather: hot
Sleep: Soufriere guesthouse
💫 Highlights: starting this trail!
🤪 Challenges: not knowing if it was possible
💎 Treasures found: the start, the first trail marker, guava fruit & hotsprings!
Spirit: Super excited and curious
It was an adventure just to reach the shores of Dominica by sailboat. With Ocean Nomads we sailed across. It was my 5th Atlantic crossing and 4th winter in the Caribbean. This time it was time to explore deeper! I was already in Dominica in 2016, writing my book. That's when I learned about the Waitukubuli National Trail. A jungle hike that goes all the way from the south of Dominica to the north. I remembered to bring a tent! Just in case…
We were not sure if it was possible to do the trail. Dominica got hit hard by Hurricane Maria in 2017 and we couldn't find any information about anyone who had completed the trail since. The locals told us it was not possible to hike it yet. But no one really knew… Jon from the Soufriere Guesthouse had been busy clearing sections. According to him it should be possible, except for segment 8 — which he set out one day to clear the final bits!
So here we are, exploring the first segment. Full of excitement about the unknown ahead of us.
WNT Segment 1 Tips & Resources
- Segment 1 on AllTrails
- Segment 1 on the official WNT website
- Sleep: Soufrière Guesthouse (end of segment)
WNT Segment 2: Soufrière → Bellevue Chopin
Distance: 12 km · Time: ~6 hrs · Difficulty: Moderate · Sleep: Tent in a local's garden · Highlight: Wild waterapples & palm-tree picnics
A sailboat takes you to wild places. Your feet take you deeper into them.
Day 2/12 Hiking the WNT across Dominica
🏝️ 15° 15′ N, 61° 20′ W
Into the jungle, leaving the coast behind
📍Soufrière to Bellevue Chopin
Distance: 12 km
Total Distance hiked: 18.5 km / 180 km
Time: 6 hrs
Weather: hot & humid
🏕️ We got invited to pitch our tent in someone's garden (& for breakfast next day :))
💫 Highlights: Wild fruit, finding water & picknicking under a palmtree
🤪 Challenges: Big climb, getting lost, finding veggie food
🍌 Treasures found: Starfruit, waterappel rain, rasberries, a man selling veggies, a flat spot
Spirit: So excited to be treasure hunting!
We started in Soufrière, one of my favourite basecamps in the tropics. Out of here was a big uphill through the tropical bushes with 1000 shades of green.
The trail zigzags its way up into the island. Crossing forest, farmland and small villages. Those jungle sounds are amazing. We got lucky finding some wild fruits. Have you ever tried waterapples? Delicious!
It was wraps with almond butter and some random things under the palm tree for lunch. And a little siesta :)
We reached town just before sunset. Explored the food options and walked out of town hoping to find a flat spot — one of the main things to be grateful for living a life nomadically! It was hard to find one. Then we met someone on trail and he offered us to pitch in his backyard. So nice!
Trail tip: Go slooow. So many plants, fruits, life & sounds to be noticed!
WNT Segment 2 Tips & Resources
- Segment 2 on AllTrails
- Segment 2 on the official WNT website
- Sleep options: Soufrière Guesthouse (beginning), Bellevue Chopin (end — limited accommodation)
WNT Segment 3: Bellevue Chopin → Wotten Waven
Distance: 15 km · Time: ~6 hrs · Difficulty: Moderate · Sleep: Under a roof in Wotten Waven · Highlight: First river dip & hot springs
Day 3 — Hiking the WNT across Dominica.
🏝️ 15° 18′ N, 61° 21′ W
📍Bellevue Chopin to Wotten Waven
Distance hiked: 15 km / 180 km
Time: 6 hrs
Weather: warm, humid, and some rain
🏕️ Rolled out our mat under a roof
🤪 Challenges: Finding the trail, food and shelter. The usual ;)
🍌 Treasures found: First river dip!, Coconuts, finding a cable to charge the camera & a warm meal and hot spring at the end of the day.
Spirit: Super excited!
We started the day with a superpower breakfast offered by Kevin, who let us sleep in his garden. I was very excited about today because we would reach the first river (time for a dip!) and end the day with hot springs!
The trail passed through farms and small villages before turning into forest again. At the River Claire we got our first river dips! That felt SO good. How amazing after 2.5 days of tropical sweating.
It was a bit of a treasure hunt to find our way out but we did! A steep climb back into the jungle forest brought us to the next village where we hoped to find a cable to charge our camera & Garmin, which we forgot. No stores — but we met the policeman who happened to have a spare for us. And he offered us a drink.
We ended the day in Wotten Waven, which is hot spring haven. I also found a home cooked veggie meal! Something surprisingly hard to find in the villages.
Now we're really arriving in hot, humid, lush jungle!
Trail tip: Navigation gets trickier. Don't rely on one source only and keep an eye out for the blue & yellow markers.
WNT Segment 3 Tips & Resources
- Segment 3 on AllTrails
- Segment 3 on the official WNT website
- Sleep: Le Petit Paradis in Wotten Waven — home-cooked meal + hot springs
WNT Segment 4: Wotten Waven → Pont Cassé
Distance: ~12 km · Difficulty: Moderate (fairly easy) · Highlight: Middleham Falls detour
How little we need to feel so rich. Just a tin roof, items for the picnic, and legs that bring us here — & not in a rush to be anywhere. It's everything to me.
Day 4 & Segment 4 on the Waitukubuli National Trail across the nature island is wet, wild and very lush with serious jungle vibes. It's a fairly easy segment.
Worth the little detour for a picnic or swim: Middleham Falls!
WNT Segment 4 Tips & Resources
- Segment 4 on AllTrails
- Segment 4 on the official WNT website
- Don't miss: Middleham Falls detour
WNT Segment 5: Pont Cassé → Castle Bruce
Difficulty: Moderate–Hard · Weather: Hot, humid, rainy · Sleep: Tent at the Castle Bruce schoolyard · Highlight: Biggest coconut ever, lots of river dips
Day 5 of removing AI from your feed & replacing it with mud, jungle hiking and coconuts 😉
🏝️ 15° 23′ N, 61° 20′ W
📍Segment 5 Waitukubuli National Trail
Distance hiked: No idea
Weather: Hot, humid & rainy
🏕️ Pitched the tent at the school
🤪 Challenges: Landslides, collapsed bridges, river crossings, razorgrass, leaking mat.
🥥 Treasures found: Biggest coconut ever, lots of river dips & a connection from years ago
Mood: 💯
Today was muddy, slippery, so green and pretty 😊 Pretty wild.
Some collapsed / debatable bridges and river crossings. Landslides. Slippery sections. And so much cool flora and fauna!
When I was in Dominica in 2016/2017 I stayed in this area and it was when I discovered this trail! We met a local farmer who offered us the biggest coconut ever. He knew my friends where I'd stayed, whose place sadly got wiped out by the hurricane. This farmer's own house got taken by a recent landslide. It's not just a wild place to hike. It's a wild place to live. But the kindness, mentality and overall health of the people here — with their active, outside lifestyle — make them resilient and strong.
We walked into Castle Bruce just before sunset. Found some food in the village and were very happy the school let us pitch our tent there. Villages are not the best places to pitch a tent.
The videos of this segment are so good (and a little bit hilarious — Jonte got stuck in the bamboo 😂). The full vlog lives on YouTube with deeper storytelling.
WNT Segment 5 Tips & Resources
WNT Segment 6: Castle Bruce → Hatton Garden
Day: 6 · Weather: Hot & sunny · Sleep: Tent in Kevin's garden (Kalinago Territory) · Highlight: Hand-made fern hat & home-cooked meal
The last day in civilization before a long jungle stretch.
📍Segment 6 — Day 6 Waitukubuli National Trail
🏝️ 15° 22′ 52″ N, 61° 20′ 33″ W
☀️ Hot & sunny — that umbrella comes out useful!
🏕️ Woke up at the schoolyard & ended up pitching tent in Kevin's garden in the Kalinago Territory
🤪 Challenges: heat & finding non-fried food
🌿 Treasures found: home-cooked meal, supercool hat, lots of coconuts & kindness of strangers 🙃
Today is a hot day where we hike through the Kalinago Territory. Up and down near the ocean. We got invited for coconuts here and there. How cool is that!
After today we head into the jungle for a few days — a part no one has hiked completely in many years. We better find some good food and snackies today.
We pitched our tent in Kevin's garden. He made us a delicious home-cooked meal. Ohh how much I was looking forward to that! So far the food we'd found was either wild fruit (amaaaazing but not enough) or fried stuff and snackies.
Got myself an original hand-made Kalinago fern hat 😊
WNT Segment 6 Tips & Resources
- Segment 6 on AllTrails
- Segment 6 on the official WNT website
- Sleep: Danglez Bed & Breakfast — homestay in the Kalinago Territory, home-cooked meals
- Stock up well here — the next segments have no shops
WNT Segment 7 & 8 (Part 1): Hatton Garden → Melville Hall River
Day: 7 · Difficulty: Very hard · Weather: Hot, humid, rainy, dark · Sleep: Wild camp at Melville Hall River · Highlight: Reaching the river after night-hiking the jungle
So we slightly underestimated this bit.
Day 7/12. Probably the most advanced hiking I've ever done.
Segment 8 Part 1
Weather: hot, humid, rainy & dark…
🏕️ Found a flat spot in the dark
🤪 Challenges: 100 trees to climb over, dense jungle, and a little bit of night hiking
🌿 Treasures: a flat spot! Yeah & a coconut :) And water!
Just a few more kilometres…. yeah right. In most cases, it's better to talk in time than distance. Segment 8 is where the trail turns very wild. Very few people hike here and we were actually the first ones to hike the full thing since Hurricane Maria — thanks to clearing by Jon from the Soufrière Guesthouse. The afternoon adventure turned into a little night adventure. It was tough!
Probably the most advanced hiking I've ever done. Just another afternoon in my life ;)
We reached the promised land: Melville Hall River, where Johnny Mango set up a million-star hotel.
These are the memories that stick with me forever. This segment is not to be underestimated. Not to be done alone, or without a guide, or without someone like @johnny__mango. It's wild, dense and very technical!
Would you be up for it?
Stay tuned to see what this wildcamp spot looks like in daylight and a more challenging day tomorrow!
WNT Segment 7 Tips & Resources
- Segment 7 on the official WNT website
- Warning: Not to be hiked alone — very few people pass through here, dense jungle, minimal markings
- Stock up on water before leaving the Kalinago Territory
WNT Segment 8 (Part 2): Melville Hall River → Petite Macoucherie (over Mosquito Mountain)
Day: 8 · Difficulty: Very hard · Highlight: Summiting Mosquito Mountain · Challenge: 5-hour brutal uphill, mud canyoning, scratches (Dominica tattoos)
We woke up at Melville Hall River in the middle of the Dominica jungle. It's the last place where we could source water for a while. After a 5-hour brutal uphill hike we made it to the top of Mosquito Mountain. Time to eat that delicious banana-wrapped cassava treat — the best hiking food ever! 100 more scratches (“aka” Dominica tattoos) and lots of mud canyoning later we made it to Segment 9 just before sunset — a segment that is said to be even more brutal.
Comfort is overrated ;) This is what makes us grow and shine. I'm posting this 3 years later as the memories are just too good to stay in pictures in an archive somewhere.
WNT Segment 8 Tips & Resources
- Segment 8 on the official WNT website
- Water: Stock up heavily at Melville Hall River — no reliable source until well past Mosquito Mountain
- Camp weather: Check the forecast before camping riverside — flash floods are real
- Do not attempt solo. Take a guide.
WNT Segment 9: Petite Macoucherie → Colihaut Heights
Day: 9 · Difficulty: Very hard — said to be the most brutal of all
📝 Diary entry coming soon. Subscribe below or follow along on Instagram — or watch it now in the full 12 Days on Foot documentary.
WNT Segment 9 Tips & Resources
WNT Segment 10: Colihaut Heights → Syndicate
Day: 10 · Difficulty: Hard
📝 Diary entry coming soon.
WNT Segment 10 Tips & Resources
- Segment 10 on the official WNT website
- Sleep: Picard (end of segment)
WNT Segment 11: Syndicate → Borne
Day: 11 · Difficulty: Moderate
📝 Diary entry coming soon.
WNT Segment 11 Tips & Resources
WNT Segment 12: Borne → Penville
Day: 12 · Difficulty: Moderate
📝 Diary entry coming soon.
WNT Segment 12 Tips & Resources
WNT Segment 13: Penville → Capuchin
Difficulty: Moderate
📝 Diary entry coming soon.
WNT Segment 13 Tips & Resources
WNT Segment 14: Capuchin → Cabrits / Portsmouth
Difficulty: Easy–Moderate · Highlight: Finishing the trail — secret beach & campfire
📝 Diary entry coming soon. Our last night we found a secret beach, made a campfire, and camped there.
WNT Segment 14 Tips & Resources
- Segment 14 on the official WNT website
- Sleep: Portsmouth accommodation (end of trail)
Watch the Full Documentary: 12 Days on Foot
Can't wait for Segment 9? Watch the full film of our thru-hike across Dominica:
Waitukubuli National Trail FAQ
Can you still hike the Waitukubuli National Trail after Hurricane Maria?
Yes. When we hiked it in March 2023 we appear to have been the first to complete the full 180 km since Hurricane Maria struck in 2017. Most segments are hikeable. Some bridges, shelters and information signs are still collapsed or missing, and Segments 7, 8 and 9 remain overgrown and technical — but the trail itself is open.
How long does it take to thru-hike the WNT?
12 days is a realistic average with a full pack and no lay days. Faster hikers without packs can do it in less, but the official segment times on the signs run optimistic. Give yourself time to swim in rivers, forage for fruit, and talk to locals — that's the trail's magic.
When is the best time to hike the Waitukubuli National Trail?
The dry season: December to April. I hiked late March into early April, which was perfect — and a bonus: mango season starts at the end of April.
Is it safe to hike the WNT alone?
Segments 1, 2 and 3 are reasonable to do solo as day hikes. The full thru-hike — especially Segments 7, 8 and 9 — should not be done alone. The jungle is dense, markings are faded, there's no phone signal, and the terrain is technical. Go with a partner or a local guide, carry a satellite communicator, and make sure someone knows which segment you're on each day.
Do you need a guide?
You don't need one for most segments, but for Segments 7, 8 and 9 a local guide is strongly recommended. Talk to Jon at the Soufrière Guesthouse for the latest trail conditions before you start.
How much does the trail pass cost?
Roughly US$40 for the full trail or $12 for a single segment, sold by the Dominica Forestry, Wildlife and Parks Division in Roseau. You can't buy it on the trail — pick it up before you start.
How do you get to Dominica to start the trail?
Dominica is remote. Options: fly into Douglas-Charles Airport (currently one long-haul connection from Miami, otherwise via neighbouring islands), take the ferry from Guadeloupe or Martinique, or — my favourite — arrive by sailboat. If you want to sail here as crew, join the Ocean Nomads community.
Are there dangerous animals on the trail?
No. Dominica has no poisonous snakes, spiders or large predators. We saw a few snakes — none dangerous — and surprisingly few mosquitoes. The main wildlife highlights are parrots, hummingbirds, lizards and iguanas.
Where do you sleep on the WNT?
A mix: guesthouses in the villages at the start and end of segments (Soufrière, Wotten Waven, Castle Bruce, Picard, Penville, Portsmouth), and a tent or mat under a roof for the remote sections. Segments 7, 8 and 9 have no facilities — you'll be wild-camping. See my full accommodation guide here.
Resources for Planning Your Own Waitukubuli Hike
Planning & Route
- My complete WNT planning guide — gear, food, trail pass, safety, accommodation
- Official Waitukubuli National Trail website
- All WNT segments on AllTrails (try AllTrails free)
- Download Maps.me offline — most accurate offline map of the trail
Watch & Go Deeper
Gear & Safety
- My tested hiking gear
- Garmin inReach Mini — satellite communicator for remote segments
- My full thru-hike gear list (under 7 kg)
Accommodation on the WNT
- Segment 1 end: Soufrière Guesthouse
- Segment 3 end: Le Petit Paradis, Wotten Waven
- Segment 6: Hibiscus Valley Inn & Danglez B&B
- Segment 10 end: Picard
- Segment 12: Sunrise Inn, Penville
- Segment 14 end: Portsmouth
How to Reach Dominica
- Travel to Dominica by sailboat (crew tips)
- Ocean Nomads community — find sailing buddies & logistics
- Ocean Nomads course on travelling by sailboat
- My book: Ocean Nomad — Sailing Across the Atlantic as Crew
About this diary
I'm Suzanne — author of Ocean Nomad, founder of Ocean Nomads, and a long-distance hiker with six thru-hikes behind me (Waitukubuli, GR11 across the Pyrenees, Apu Ausangate in Peru, and more). I hiked the full 180 km Waitukubuli National Trail across Dominica with Johnny Mango in March 2023 — apparently the first complete end-to-end hike since Hurricane Maria. This diary is the day-by-day story; my full planning guide is here.
Have you hiked the Waitukubuli National Trail — or are you planning to? Drop a comment below (or under the film) with your questions or waypoints. I love hearing who's out there.
