Northern Woodlands

Northern Woodlands Offers a Rainforest Tour

Join Virginia Barlow, Chris Doyle, and other guides for an 8-day trip to Dominica April 4-11, 2009.

We'll hike on lovely trails through beautiful rainforest, trek to a boiling lake, and go swimming, snorkeling, sailing, and whale watching on the Caribbean's "Nature Island."

For details and reservations, call (802) 439-5652 or send email to .

DOMINICA ITINERARY

DAY	DATE	SCHEDULE
1	April 04 (Sat)	Flight to Dominica Arrival at Melville Hall Airport. Transfer by mini-van to Roseau, the capital and main town of Dominica. Check in to rooms at historic Fort Young Hotel. Welcome dinner with Virginia Barlow, co-founder and co-editor of Northern Woodlands magazine, and preview of days to come.
2	April 05 (Sun)	Roseau | Botanical Garden | Trafalgar Falls Breakfast at hotel. Explore Roseau with Virginia Barlow. Visit Botanical Garden, then moderate hike to Trafalgar Falls. Lunch together at a nearby restaurant, then visit Sulphur Springs. Dinner at hotel. Over dessert, an overview of Dominica’s natural history with Virginia Barlow and Chris Doyle.
3	April 06 (Mon)	Rainforest Tramway | Freshwater Lake | Boeri Lake Breakfast at hotel. All-day excursion to Morne Trois Pitons National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The highlight of the morning will be a ride on the Rain Forest Aerial Tram. Picnic lunch at nearby Freshwater Lake, followed by hike to Boeri Lake, located on the slopes of Morne Micotrin. At 2,850 ft it is the highest in elevation of Dominica's lakes and often shrouded in mist. On return trip to Roseau, will visit Emerald Pool, an enchanting grotto on the northern reaches of Morne Trois Pitons National Park. The evening is free for your own explorations in and around Roseau.
4	April 07 (Tue)	Syndicate Forest | Portsmouth | Indian River | Cabrits National Park Picnic breakfast. Early departure by bus to the northern part of the island, to Syndicate Forest, the best place on the island to see the Sisserou, Dominica’s unique parrot. Travel to Portsmouth for lunch, then divide into rowboats to travel up the mangrove-lined Indian River. In the late afternoon, we return to land and make a short visit to Cabrits National Park before returning to Roseau. Dinner at a beachside restaurant before returning to hotel.
5	April 08 (Wed)	Victoria Falls Breakfast at hotel. Hike to Victoria Falls, the highest waterfalls in Dominica. The water comes from Boiling Lake; its high sulphur content makes it whitish in appearance and therapeutic for a range of ailments. Dinner at hotel.
6	April 09 (Thu)	Hike to Boiling Lake OR Whalewatching Breakfast at the hotel. Hike to Boiling Lake. The path leads through rain forest and over mountain peaks into the Valley of Desolation, where steam rises from muddy rocks. The Boiling Lake is the second largest such lake in the world; its steaming water fills a 50-yard crater. The alternative whalewatching excursion offers excellent opportunities to see sperm whales, humpback whales, pilot whales, and several species of dolphins. Dominica's topography, characterized by steep, tall mountains whose contours continue underwater, afford ideal feeding conditions for sperm whales close to the shore.
7	April 10 (Fri)	Tete Morne | Soufriere Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer by mini-bus to Tete Morne, for a moderate hike across Morne Vert to Soufriere on the western shore, past sulphur springs and the remains of an old plantation. Lunch at Forest Bistro. In the afternoon, transfer to Scotts Head, a colorful fishing village with inviting bakeries and spectacular views over the rest of Dominica. The waters off Scotts Head offer excellent snorkeling possibilities. Return to Roseau and gather in the hotel restaurant for a festive farewell dinner.
8	April 11 (Sat)	Return to U.S. After breakfast, check out of the hotel and enjoy a leisurely visit to the market (pending flight schedule) before boarding mini-buses for the transfer to Melville Hall Airport and return flight to the U.S.