Hike, Snorkel and Whale Watch in Dominica

In 2017, Dominica was hit by the devastating Category 5 Hurricane Maria. Over 90 percent of the island’s structures were devastated, 65 people lost their lives, the tropical rainforests were ripped apart and the country's economy was crippled. Slowly, Dominica has rebuilt itself from the ruins of this natural disaster – including a climate resilience bill introduced in 2018 to help the country adapt to its status and position on the front line of climate change, as hurricanes become more frequent and intense due to global heating. Today, homes and businesses have been rebuilt, the forests have regrown and the lush canopies are alive again with animals – including the national bird, the sisserou; an endangered species found only on Dominica and feared to be extinct after the hurricane. The bird is now routinely spotted again. That said, Dominica still bears considerable scars – the trees at the edge of the rainforest still show signs of the destruction, and on the Atlantic Coast bare branches face the ocean, still struggling to regrow what was torn off by the 160mph winds. A slower recovery is ongoing for The Waitukubuli National Trail which pre-Maria, spanned 115 miles from the top to bottom of Dominica. Currently of the 14 segments of the trail, over half are still out of action. This trip hikes along some of the reopened segments of the trail. Your host originally founded the trail, and it is central to the community's gradual efforts to rebuild the full trail to its former glory. Tourism was a big part of the economy before Hurricane Maria, and the island's continued recovery and future resilience is hugely dependent on visitors – your visit here puts money directly into the local communities to aid the island's full recovery.

Tips are not included in the trip cost. These are entirely at your discretion but there is an expectation to tip for good service. Your guide will help with advice, however we suggest the below as a guideline per person:

$5-10 per day

Of course, you are free to tip more or less, and the amount should be reflective of your perception of service and quality - a tip is not compulsory and should only be given when you receive excellent service.

Tap water is safe to drink in Dominica, so you can fill up at your guesthouse each day. There will also be chances at certain points of the trip to fill up with fresh Caribbean water from mountain streams.

This trip is based from three guesthouses spread across the island - each one you can leave your main luggage at while taking a daypack out with you each day.

Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.

Our team of Adventure Hunters co-create exclusive adventures which are run by highly vetted, specialist hosts. The trip is run by our trusted host partner in the destination. We only work with independent, local, in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. Read more information about the local teams we partner with. You’ll be introduced to the host straight after making a booking via the Much Better Adventures platform.

Much Better Adventures refer to the UK Government’s official travel advice when designing trips and monitoring trip operations. We recommend that all customers review the practical information available on the UK Government’s FCDO website, where you can find up-to-date advice by searching for your destination(s).

If you are based in the United States, you can also check the latest travel advisories from the U.S. Department of State.

For customers joining from other international locations, we recommend checking the official travel advice issued by your country of residence, as guidance may vary.

We recommend checking out the country-specific information and also talking to a travel nurse.

We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates daily, so prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.

If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.

All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. You must be over 18 to join one of our trips.

You're always in good company on one of our adventures.

Our trips typically consist of a mix of solo travelers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.

Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves, and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way.

It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.

Don't just take our word for it:

• 95% of people rate the group dynamics on our trips 5/5
• 90% of people recommend joining a trip to make new friends
• 75% of people have met people on our trips that they would now consider friends

See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.

Dominica’s position in the middle of the Caribbean’s Lesser Antilles island chain gives it a year-round tropical climate, ranging from about 26–32°C (79-90°F) on average. December to May is considered the 'best' time to go as this is the dry season. Rainy season is from June to November, bringing higher chances of rainfall, however there are far fewer people on the island and the rain storms are short and make the tropical forests feel even more alive than usual. September is the month when the hurricanes are most likely to hit. There have been fewer and fewer over the last few years, but the ones that have hit have been devastating, including 2017’s Hurricane Maria. Traditionally, many businesses shut down during September. The sea temperature stays at a delightful 26-28°C (79-82°F) year round.