La Soufrière
Guadeloupe · Basse-Terre · 1467 m
Description
La Soufrière rises to 1467 metres and is the highest point in the French Antilles, an active volcano the islanders call the old lady. The climb from the Savane à Mulets car park takes about two hours each way, easy woodland at first and then a rockier scramble over lava blocks to a summit dome cracked by steaming fissures. Cloud closes in most afternoons, so it is walked early. The Bains Jaunes below are a stone pool of warm sulphur water, and the Chutes du Carbet fall on the eastern flank. The road ends at a car park a thousand metres up.
Length of stay
Recommended length of stay: 1 to 3 days (optimal 2 days)
Travel season
Best time to visit: December – April
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Highlights
- Climb to the summit dome
- Steaming fissures on the crater rim
- Bains Jaunes sulphur pool
- Rainforest trails of the national park
- Views to Les Saintes and Dominica from the top
- Chute du Galion waterfall
- Tree ferns and mountain palms on the lower slopes
- Savane à Mulets and the old crater path
- Endemic birds of the cloud forest