Cerro del Aripo

Cerro del Aripo, part of the Aripo massif, is the highest point in Trinidad and Tobago at 940 metres, a few metres above El Tucuche, and the climb from Aripo village is a long one through rainforest with several false summits. The upper slopes carry the same elfin woodland and giant bromeliads as El Tucuche, and the golden tree frog, found only on Trinidad's highest peaks and Venezuela's Paria peninsula, lives here in water-holding bromeliads; rainfall on these heights may pass 3,500 millimetres a year. There is no view from the top, which is thickly forested and usually in cloud, and the walk is the point rather than the summit.

What's there

• The summit - the highest point in Trinidad at 940 metres.
• The elfin woodland - stunted mossy forest with bromeliads on the upper slopes.
• The golden tree frog - one of only two peaks where the species occurs.
• The rainforest climb - the long ascent through closed forest from the village.

When to go

January to May is the dry season and the only practical window. The wet season makes the trail dangerous. Very early starts are needed for the round trip.

Things to know

There is no view from the summit, which surprises people who expect one. The trail is unmarked in places and a guide is effectively necessary. It is a long, hot and muddy day.

Nearby

Aripo Caves are nearby, and Arima is south.

Key facts