As an avid lover of all that is outdoors, the opportunity to discover places new to me is always welcome.  And as a blogger it is always my intent to use this forum to share my experiences as I explore my surroundings.  However, I am having great difficulty in describing the true beauty and sense of pride after having hiked the gorges of the Heights of Guanapo, a hill with an elevation of a mere 218 metres and located in the Northern Range on my island of Trinidad.  But I will try.

This adventure began with a long, winding drive through the foothills of the northern range on the Guanapo Road.  This area is home to the Guanapo quarry which has contributed significantly to the road damage and dust pollution as you make your way ever so slowly to your destination.  It’s worth the effort though and the banter in the bus of course almost helps you forget the passing of time.

You stop at the side of the Tumbason river and begin the hike with a short 40-minute walk through the forest until you reach the part of the river where you now continue through the waters to the gorges.  Some swimming through pools, some wading through the waters and mostly strolling through the riverbed, takes you to the beginning of the gorges. 

For the most part the beauty that surrounds is pretty similar to other rivers in the forest.  As you enter the gorges however, you are literally silenced by the imposing magnificence of the rock formation reaching towards the sky.  There is little sunlight, and the water begins to get a bit chilly, but you are impelled to move forward craving more and more of this splendour.

The river takes you up a few levels over minor waterfalls, until you suddenly, and without much fanfare, reach a small pool where you can go no further.

It’s not a challenging hike and very much worth your morning.