Just beyond your doorstep at Fort Young Hotel, the Nature Island’s lush and wild landscape offers adventure at every turn. Home to 365 rivers, deep canyons beneath overflowing rainforest, high-altitude lakes and a volcanic National Park, Dominica draws outdoor enthusiasts from far and wide to explore the island’s varied terrain—and particularly alluring to visitors is the Nature Island’s world-renowned hiking trails.

The Trek: As Featured in Brit.Co

Among the island’s most famed routes is the 8-mile trek to Boiling Lake. In Brit.co’s recent story, “I Survived the Most Exhilarating Hike in the Caribbean,” writer Katherine Parker-Magyar recounts her experience taking on the arduous trail during her stay at Fort Young Hotel. Reporting the many wonders that the trail offers, the write-up spotlights the hike’s breathtaking, changing landscape as well as the great sense of awe found in walking Dominica’s natural splendor.

The article details the unbelievable adventure beginning to end, from walking the depths of Titou Gorge’s rainforest, where Pirates of the Caribbean was filmed, to climbing to the 2,950-foot summit, the highest point of the route. While descending to the Valley of Desolation, Katherine Parker-Magyer and her guide, Marvin, boil an egg in the ground water and apply natural face masks sourced from the land’s bubbling mud pools. While the entirety of the route is abundant with delightful surprises, there is an excitement about reaching the adventure’s pinnacle: Boiling Lake, the second largest of its kind in the world.

“I felt truly immersed in nature, completely removed from my surroundings. Even my attempts to take a picture on my phone were futile. There is truly no way of capturing Dominica’s beauty, anyway; you must experience it to understand. I felt overwhelmed by the wildness, the steam rising off the water. The whole landscape felt untouched by time. I didn’t want to leave.”

Fort Young Hotel: The Ultimate Boiling Lake Basecamp

Upon completing the route and returning back to Fort Young Hotel, there is nothing quite like easing into an evening of relaxation while letting the day’s adventure soak in. Sit down to seaside views and a divine meal at The Palisades, or book a rejuvenating massage treatment. Regardless of how you choose to unwind, there’s one thing for certain—the magic of the trail will be on your mind for days to come.

“Exhausted later that evening, I returned to my enchanting hotel, Fort Young Hotel (an oceanfront resort that reminded me of properties off the coast of Italy). Yet, though Dominica reminded me of so many different places in the world, it is distinctly its own: Irreplaceable.”