BLUE MOUNTAINS PEAK

You will have to go first to Mavis Bank to climb the peak of the Blue Mountains. In general, the trip is done by 4x4 from Kingston in an organized tour, during the day for the sunset and at midnight for the sunrise. An unforgettable experience, quite sportive but feasible for many people. If you prefer to improvise, you can take a minibus to Mavis Bank and negotiate with specialized 4x4 guides to do a part of the trail and then the guided ascent to the top. Also, the Blue Ridge Cottage, which organizes the excursion.

The ascent. Only after a slow 3-hour climb through the rainforest will you see the unforgettable spectacle of a sunrise over the Blue Mountains, or after a 3-hour climb under the sun to see the sunset! Summer, from June to September, is the best time to climb the peak: the nights are not too cool and the mornings are usually clear. With a little luck, you can even see Cuba! This excursion must be done with one of the specialized guides authorized to do it, indispensable if you climb at night for your safety. If you climb for the sunset, you come back down at night in Kingston or in a refuge, if you arrive at night from Kingston or sleep in a refuge, you leave to make the ascent from 3 am. The second option is the most spectacular and the sky is more likely to be clear in the morning. A sacred walk, and a memorable moment which is deserved! We progress slowly by the light of torches, in a silence punctuated by rustling insects and night bird calls, to end 10 km and 3 or 4 hours later, at the top of the peak. The hike, while not reserved for experienced hikers, is not always easy - don't be discouraged by Jacob's Ladder, one of the steepest passages, and don't stop at Lazy Man's Peak - and can seem long.

Bivouac or stopover. A checkpoint at Portland Gap allows you to camp or refill your water bottles. Very rustic bungalows are also available for rent. A beautiful experience in the middle of nature but also in the cold!
Then, we cross a dense vegetation of gigantic trees, bamboos, banana trees and coconut palms, lianas and giant ferns. But what happiness, at the end of the uncertain way, to sit triumphantly on an eminence which dominates all the island. The breathtaking panorama that unfolds at the foot of the mountain is really worth the effort. You can see the sunrise over the sea and the change in color of the mountains, from deep blue to intense green. Wherever you look, the landscapes are extraordinary, wild and unexplored, with the outline of a village or the reflections of a river. With a little luck and if the weather is particularly clear, we have the privilege to see the island of Cuba on the Caribbean horizon. On the way back, the sumptuous tropical forest offers itself to the walkers in a concert of bird songs.

Advice. Be careful, the nights can be very cool for these latitudes (5 to 13°C on average), and humid. Take clothes and shoes accordingly. The balance of the ecosystem of the Blue Mountains is fragile, so it is important to respect the common rules (not to pick plants, etc.).