Mount St Benedict Abbey

Mount St Benedict was founded in 1912 by Benedictine monks who had left Brazil, which makes it the oldest Benedictine monastery in the Caribbean, and it sits on the slope of the Northern Range above Tunapuna with the Caroni plain spread out below. The complex includes a church, a guesthouse that has taken visitors for decades, and a tea house on the terrace known for its afternoon tea and its birdwatching, with hummingbirds and raptors over the valley.

What you actually see

• The hillside setting - the monastery on the Northern Range slope above the plain.
• The tea house - the terrace known for afternoon tea and birdwatching.
• The church - the abbey church open to visitors outside services.
• The forest trails - walks up the hill behind the monastery.

When to go

January to May is driest. Mornings and late afternoons are best for birds from the terrace. Services and retreats can limit access to parts of the complex.

Honest expectations

It is a working monastery and quiet is expected. The road up is steep and narrow. The tea house has limited hours and is often full at weekends.

Nearby

Tunapuna is below, and Lopinot is east.