Tuesday, October 13

We made our decision: We're heading through the Valley of Desolation to the Boiling Lake (a 7-hour hike covering 18 km without breaks — only recommended with a guide. You can book a guide at the starting point for $50).

The trail to the valley leads through gorges and streams like the well-known Breakfast River. It goes over mountain ridges, past waterfalls, and through the rainforest. At higher elevations, you pass through cloud forest until you reach a valley on the slopes of Morne Watt — the Valley of Desolation.

The valley stretches out like a vast, colorfully stained amphitheater — probably not a crater, but formed by erosion. The ground is dotted with mud pots, hot water pools, and fumaroles.

Beyond a ridge lies a crater that drops roughly 30 meters. It is filled with boiling water — the Boiling Lake. It is heated by underground hot lava. The lake is one of the natural wonders of the world and the second largest of its kind. The only other boiling lake on the entire planet is in New Zealand, and it is slightly larger than this one here on Dominica.

After a 3-hour return hike, we reward ourselves with a swim in a river that flows deep within a rocky gorge. The wonderfully clear and fresh water brings our bodies back to normal temperature. Part of the river is channeled through a wooden pipeline to a power plant for energy generation. Dominica generates about 60% of its energy from hydropower.

The drive back to Roseau takes us through a large construction site for the new road — it is being widened to accommodate future traffic.