Gros Piton Hike
Castries, St Lucia
Gros Piton Hike
Castries, St Lucia
- 7 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Overview
Hiking the Pitons is a great way to see more of St. Lucia off the beach. With a guide, you'll pass by villages and a 200-year-old town before starting the trek up the mountain. This is a moderate to strenuous hike that takes about four hours. You'll be rewarded with views of the island and Caribbean Sea.
- Discover the natural environment of St. Lucia with a guide
- Get some exercise on a hike up the Pitons
- Refuel after the hike with provided lunch
- Hotel transport included
What's Included
Meeting and Pickup
What To Expect
Additional Info
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.5
based on 44 reviews
Kathleen_H, May 2025
I am so glad I did this hike but it was very hot and difficult. Wear shoes with ankle support and make sure you bring gatorade to help with losing electrolytes. Our driver was great and got us through some tough traffic. I didnt really like the lunch but it was very authentic.
Response from Host, Jun 2025
thanks for the review
Tamara_H, Feb 2025
The excursion overall was excellent. Harris/Swiss, our driver, was entertaining along the way. The roads in St Lucia are a little rough, so it was a wild ride.
Our tour guides up the mountain were great. The trek up the mountain was very steep & rocky. It was a challenge. I decided to stop halfway, not wanting to take any chances or slow down the group. My partner continued to the top.
The view & experience was well worth it.
My only complaint, I had to contact the company to find out what time hotel pickup was scheduled for.
Dorcas_O, Aug 2024
At a certain point, the hiking becomes rock climbing and is no longer really hiking. I thought that the tour overall was fine and it was organized well. However, I felt that the tour guides jokes were not appropriate at times and he said something that wasn’t appropriate to me towards the end of the tour when he was trying to collect tips from everyone. While this particular part isn’t that much of a big deal, I did notice that he sat down to eat the meal with us. However, on another tour I went on the tour guide directly stated that he wasn’t going to eat with us because he was working and trying to separate professionalism from being personal. This made sense to me because you should always try to be professional when working.
Response from Host, Oct 2024
Thank you for your review
Ross_F, Apr 2024
Started with Harris and the drive out from Rodney Bay. He was great and made the 2 hour journey there entertaining. If you happen to get Harris, watch out for Stanley. 😊. The guides at the trail were great as well. The hike was something we were looking forward to and it surely didn’t disappoint. Can be tricky to navigate and having shoes with great traction is a must. The climb up is a cardio dream, coming down is an ankle breaker if you’re not careful.
MarkAH, Feb 2024
The hike included transportation from the hotel to the hike. A guide is required and the guides are great. The hike is very difficult on the second half. Three of the seven members in my group did not make it to the top. Lunch was provided in Soufriere which was very good St Lucian food. Make sure to have money for a tip for the guides and the van driver.
Response from Host, Feb 2024
thanks for the review
Michael_Y, Feb 2024
My wife is a fitness trainer and I’m a regular class attendee. We both also weight train consistently but this was still a tough hike. There are very few flat spots on even ground. The hike is mostly over rocks and boulders. One of the guides told us it was about a 50% completion rate and we understand why now.
It took our group about 5 hrs round trip including the 20 mins or so at the top. The way up is difficult and it takes your body a little while to adjust but overall not too bad. However, you follow the same path down and this is where it gets really tough. The fatigue hits you and you just want to be done but you have to be very careful with every step. I was wearing good trail shoes but still slipped a few times. Others in the group went down hard a few times but survived. In our way down we passed someone who was not so fortunate. Let’s just say this isn’t the place you want to have a broken leg bone.
Two more things to mention that are not so positive: it was crowded at the top and there were only rocks to sit on. This would have been a nice spot for some benches but it is the top of a mountain so I get it. Also, traveling on this island is the worst. The roads are narrow, full of potholes and incredibly winding. If you get car sick easily you will want to stay near the airport or near the excursion areas. The lunch provided was good, but not a buffet as it says.
Overall, a good experience and we felt accomplished making it to the top but I would not do again.
Nathan_P, Sep 2023
The hike to the top was difficult, but very rewarding. I can say I hiked Gros Piton and survived now.
Chanel_S, Mar 2020
This is a strenuous hike, not moderate. Lots of climbing over boulders and a steep incline/decline.
The same route up and down.
Guides are functional and don't really add anything additional or even tell us which direction we're facing for the views.
Groups are not sub-divided into ability and we were with a group of 6 others, 3 of which didn't make it halfway up, and we were slowed considerably by the remaining 3, to the detriment of our own climb.
View is very nice, but again, there's no detail on what we're looking at or even in which direction.
Tfoslund, Jul 2019
This is a very steep and rocky climb. The pace is very fast. If you do not hike difficult hikes once a week DO NOT do this hike. Virginia our guide stayed with us while the rest of the group continued. We made it to first bench and we decided to go back down. There was no way we could finish. One other couple left hike at the half way point. We were told this not unusual. Franklin our driver to hike was wonderful. He pointed out landmarks. He had a lot of information about St Lucia like the food and life in general on the island.
Helen_W, Apr 2019
This is an intense climb. Going up is hard to breathe and coming down imo is even harder. My legs were jello. I am 52 and in good physical condition but found the heat getting to me. We were the first ones to finish and the oldest in the group but it kicked our butts. The guides were fantastic . EAT BREAKFAST, BRING WATER!!!
Fearless60739819469, Mar 2019
The guides were very helpful,attentive and fun! It was an awesome experience and the food was delicious. We would reccomend this attraction to others.
Safari54987836133, Jan 2019
This was my first time ever climbing a mountain, and let me be the one to tell you it was strenuous and exhausting, but I made it to the top! I don’t remember our guides name but he was very patient. I wish I had prepared better though. If you’re gonna climb the Piton, make sure to purchase a walking stick. Trust me, it will come in handy.
Stephen H, Jul 2018
I have asthma, so this was a hard one for me. We were with another family, and we were given 3 tour guides. It's super easy for them, and they even do it twice a day sometimes. That being said, it was HARD. The first quarter is some strenuous hiking. The second quarter is somewhere between difficult hiking and rock climbing. You are traversing over large rocks while still standing upright. The second half of the climb is mostly tough rock climbing. I made it halfway before I had to head back down, but my husband made it all the way. They are smart and send you with multiple guides, so one can come back with someone if necessary. I ended up going slower than everyone else, so my guide, Alvin, stayed with me and was very patient. Another member of our group sprained her ankle and had to come back. Everyone else made it to the top, including a 50 year old father who had recently had knee surgery. I absolutely do not regret doing this hike. The views at every point were gorgeous, and it was well worth our time, money, and energy. You'll never know whether or not you can unless you try. This is a great memory we will always have, and my husband is always able to look at the pictures of the pitons with pride. :
Jonathan_P, Apr 2018
This was a great excursion and a once in a life time experience but the intensity of the hike needs to be more apparent when booking.
The van ride, lunch, and after lunch swim were all great and there are no complaints on that part. However, given how strenuous the Pitons climb is, I think there needs to be an option to complete a half vs. full climb as well as inform people that there is no path and this excursion involves climbing over rocks and a very steep incline.
Graham N, Mar 2018
Fantastic experience but would defiantly recommend wearing walking boots/shoes.
Elena S, Mar 2018
There is definitely a sense of accomplishment to arrive to the Summit of Gros Piton. Although a lot more accessible than his steeper brother, Petit Piton, this 2100 feet mountain is basically a rock climb which is steep, somewhat slippery, and definitely a good work out. There are rails made up of branches and overall an do-able hike. We took our kids aged almost 5, 7 and almost 10. The older kids had no issues, the 5 yo needed help and turned the he hike up and down the same route into a 5.5 hour trip. The group wasn't otherwise formed of young adults, so while myself and my husband stayed back with our ynougest, the 2 kids and the rest of the group took off with 2 guides, while Simone, a very patient and clam individual, stayed back woth us. She was basically the highlight of the trip, offering to carry the water, or even our 5 yo especially on the down climb. She was amazing. The lunchin Soufriere, overlooking the Petite Piton, and. A natural beach, was breath taking: the grapefruit/orange cold juice and the papaya pie were amazing!!!
Tips: if you're arranging this excursion while staying at the northern tip of the island cap estate, Rodney bay, Castries area, be aware the drive south to Soufriere is long: from Royalton, with 2 other pick ups, it literally took 3 hours to get to the base of the mountain. Since our pick up was first, at 6:30, none of the resorts restaurants were open, so we basically did not have anything to eat until 3 PM, when we had lunch. Highly recommend packing food the night before. Also bring some plastic bag sand towels as kid should throw up on the windy roads, especially past Castries.
Downside: I felt bad the rest of the group had to wait for us as we helped our 5 yo down the rocks. The organizers should have split the group to allow the faster ones to have their lunch and return perhaps with a separate car. Or at least set an age limit that won't affect other climbers time.
Kelly D, Jan 2017
This was an incredible hike! Our guides were fantastic and so patient with us when we had to stop and take a breather. I recommend to anyone!
shannon_w, Sep 2016
A once in a lifetime experience! Our driver Larry was incredible and knowledgeable about the island. He went the extra mile, pointed out plants, spices and let us taste a raw cocoa seeds. The actual hike was strenuous but amazing. Could be dangerous if u are not in shape/have medical conditions.
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