The Carbet Falls and Rainforest

The volcanic wing of Guadeloupe, Basse-Terre, is cloaked in the lush, dense rainforest of the Guadeloupe National Park, a verdant world in dramatic contrast to the beaches of Grande-Terre. Its jewels are the Carbet Falls, or Chutes du Carbet, a series of three towering waterfalls fed by the rains of La Soufrière, one of them plunging some 110 metres to rank among the tallest cascades in the Caribbean, reached on jungle trails. The park is threaded with hiking routes, most famously the scenic Route de la Traversée crossing the rainforest, and dotted with more waterfalls, rivers, natural pools and hot springs, a paradise for lovers of lush tropical nature.

What you actually see

• The Carbet Falls - the towering triple waterfalls in the jungle.
• The rainforest - the dense national park and its trails.
• The Route de la Traversée - the scenic rainforest crossing.
• The rivers and hot springs - the natural pools and volcanic springs.

When to go

December to April, the drier season, for the best hiking and access, though as a rainforest fed by the volcano's rains, it can be wet and muddy any time, part of its lush character; the falls are powerful year-round. Trails can be slippery, and higher falls may close after heavy rain or landslides, so check access.

Honest expectations

This is genuine rainforest, so rain, mud and cloud are common, and trails to the falls can be steep, slippery or occasionally closed by landslides or high water, so sturdy footwear and flexibility help; access to the highest falls varies. As the lush, wild green heart of Basse-Terre, though, with its towering Carbet Falls among the tallest in the Caribbean, dense national-park rainforest, hot springs and jungle trails, it is a verdant highlight and a superb contrast to Guadeloupe's beaches.

Nearby

La Soufrière volcano, the town of Basse-Terre and the beaches are within reach.