In the summer of 2023, Matt and I celebrated our 15-year wedding anniversary and decided to go somewhere tropical! My parents are experts at Sandals Resorts (they have now been 10 times) so we took their advice and joined them on a 7-day trip to Sandals Regency La Toc in Saint Lucia. While we were there, we ventured off of the resort for two excursions, in this blog, I will give you all the details about the Soufriere Volcano Jeep Safari operated by Island Routes.

Booking Your Excursion

You can book this excursion several different ways:

• Anytime during your stay at either of the three Sandals resorts at the Island Routes desk. You can book as close as the day before, and while we were there they seemed to have pretty good availability for every day of the week.

• On the Sandals App.

• On the Sandals website.

• On the Island Routes website.

I am a big planner, so I wanted to make sure I got the day and time I wanted based on the other things my family had planned throughout the week, so I booked about two months in advance on the Sandals app. It was super easy, I got confirmation right away, and when I got to the resort, I just checked in at the Island Routes desk and they gave me my paperwork telling me more about the excursion, what to bring, and where to meet for pickup.

Excursion Details

Here are some of the key things to know about this excursion before you book:

• The cost starts at around $126 per person.

• It takes about 5.5 hours (excluding transfer time) and you spend a lot of time in the keep on winding, twisting mountain roads.

• Lunch is included in the cost.

• Available to book Monday through Saturday.

  Tour Highlights

  • Travel through the villages of Anse La Raye and Canaries.

  • Hike to a beautiful waterfall.

  • Pass scenic banana plantations, fishing villages and spectacular views.

  • Visit the Sulphur Springs "drive in volcano" & take a dip in the mud baths.

  • Enjoy some delicious creole food.

    What to Bring

  • Camera/ Water Camera (I just used my phone)

  • Sneakers/ Water Shoes

  • Sunscreen

  • Sunglasses

  • Towel

  • Swimsuit-dark colored recommended for mud bath

  • Change of Clothes

  • No Jewelry

  • Cash (for tips for guide/driver/servers)

  • Bug Repellent

  • Water Bottle (our guide provided water, but we brought some just in case)

  • DRAMAMINE-if you get even remotely car sick stock up! We had the pills, the gum, and the wrist bands!

Not Recommended For

• Pregnant Women

• Wheelchair Users-the tour is unfortunately not accessible

• Back/Neck Problems

• Motion Sickness

• Heart/Respiratory Problems

Flexible Cancellation

• 24 hours or less: no refund

• 48 hours or less: 50% cancellation fee

• 96 hours or less: 25% cancellation fee

• 96+ hours: full refund

Let the Adventure Begin

We were scheduled to meet the driver for pickup at 8:40am at the Ampitheater at La Toc on the day of our excursion. When I originally checked in at the resort and confirmed our excursion, I was given a packet to bring along the day of. The packet reviewed what to expect and bring, as well as what time to meet and where. It also included safety and liability disclosures and everyone attending was required to sign it. This document acted as our boarding pass and was what we provided to the driver as proof of our reservation.

The driver and tour guide arrived at 8:45am and came in to collect us and our paperwork. They had already picked up the other passengers from the other two Sandals Resorts, The Grande and Halcyon. There were 12 people (6 couples) plus the driver and the guide. The guide had us sign one more form per couple and then started with quick introductions before jumping into an overview of what to expect from our time together.

Our guide’s name was Judy, and she was extremely kind and personable. She did a great job of setting expectations of the day and of logistics. She was really knowledgeable about the island, plants and wildlife, landmarks, and really could answer any question anyone threw her way. She also acted as the group photographer throughout the entire day.

If you get motion sick, she suggested sitting closest to the driver (up against the cab of the Jeep).

Below are some photos from our drive.

Driving Through the Roseau Valley

Saint Lucia’s Largest Banana Plantation

We were told to expect about a 45-minute ride to our first destination (the waterfall) but along the way, we passed through the largest producing banana plantation on the island. Judy shared facts about bananas and the industry with us and I snapped a few photos. This was also the longest stretch of straight road on the entire journey, and we all enjoyed that (especially those who were prone to motion sickness). In the middle of the plantation (on the opposite side of the rode) we could also see the St. Lucia Rum Distillery. You can book individual tours of the Distillery or the banana plantation if that is something that you are interested in.

Anse La Raye

As we came close to the waterfall, we passed through Anse La Raye known as “bay of the Rays” because of all the rays that are found in the bay. It is located on the island’s western side and was founded in the 18th century. There were beautiful murals lining the streets and the town was thriving with activity. From here we got off the Castries-Soufriere Highway and took a smaller road up into the rainforest (I believe it was Venus Road).

Hike to the Waterfall

After riding up through the rainforest for several minutes, the jeep pulled over and our guide announced that we would begin our 10–15-minute hike to the Anse La Raye Falls. We left our bags and towels and everything in the Jeep (there was room to stuff them up under our seats and the driver stayed with our belongings) and set off into the rainforest! About 30 feet in, Judy offered anyone who was interested a walking stick to utilize for the duration of the hike. We were also then joined by a local man who would help accompany us during the hike to make sure everyone crossed the river safely etc. He was patient and kind, and carried a machete with him and wore no shoes on his feet. The hike was pretty easy, but the rainforest was damp, so the rocks and terrain were slippery in places. We also had to cross a small creek and walk over some rocks so take your time and proceed with caution.

I could have spent hours on the hike to the waterfall to take everything in. The flowers and vegetation along the way were absolutely incredible. Every few steps we took, Judy would stop us to show us something new. We saw plantains, bananas, avocados, cashews, breadfruit, wax apples, mangos, mahogany, birds of paradise, and so much more! She showed us a plant they use for “toilet paper”, one they use for medicine, and we even got to taste one they use for teas and nausea that tastes like citrus! She grabbed one for each of us to take back to the Jeep to put into our water bottles and after smelling it, everyone tried it, and it was super refreshing.

• Proper footwear is a must! We were all in water shoes, but some were in flip flops and had a few falls.

• It’s a rainforest-it did rain. Just expect it and enjoy it. It was only for a few minutes and our sweet guide with the machete cut a huge leaf from a tree that one of the ladies could use as a sort of umbrella.

• Again, it’s a rainforest. We wore bug spray that we had applied before leaving our resort and also wore those little wrist bands that are supposed to prevent bug bites. Because of this, we did not get bit.

• Tip your guides. We kept some cash on us so that we could tip our temporary guide who helped us cross the river and provided us extra assistance at the waterfall. He was so appreciative.

Anse La Raye Waterfall

Once we got through the creek, and deeper into the rainforest, and over a rock formation we came into a clearing and were rewarded with the stunning Anse La Raye Waterfall. Judy invited each couple and our group to take turns getting their photo taken while the rest of us marveled at the fall’s beauty. There is a shallow pool at the base of the falls, but they do not allow swimming because the water flows to the local villages and they use it for drinking water.

After we all got our photos and spent some time taking in the splendor of the falls, we started our hike back to the jeep.

Drive to Sulfur Springs

View of the Piton Mountains

We settled back into the jeep, put our citrus flavored leaves in our water bottles, and began the 45ish minute ride to the Sulfur Springs via the Castries-Soufriere Highway. We passed through the fishing village of Canaries, and then through Soufriere before reaching our final destination. In between the two, we got our first view of the Piton Mountains. Judy could definitely sense our excitement over the sighting of the mountains, so she had the driver pull over beside a roadside shack. While we took some photos, she got out and told us she was going to pick us up some road snacks.

A gentleman approached the Jeep with some of his handmade wooden carvings. He passed them around for us to look at and offered to sell them to us if we were interested and told us he also had jewelry or other items if we were interested. He was not pushy or invasive at all and went back to the stand once we all had a look at his carvings.

Judy came back to the Jeep with a treasure trove of fresh local fruit that she had washed and cut herself right there at the roadside stand. She proceeded to make little cups of the fruit for each couple to share and explained what each piece of fruit was as she passed them around.

We tried wax apple, guava, the best mango I have ever eaten in my life, coconut, raw cacao, and tamarind.

The Pitons are two mountainous volcanic plugs. Gros Piton and Petite Piton are UNESCO World Heritage Sites and people flock to the area to hike the mountains and to dive in the vast coral reefs surrounding the mountains in the sea below them. They even have Saint Lucia’s local beer named after them!

Below are the photos from the Jeep of the fruit, the photos of the Pitons from the roadside stand, and some shots going through and over Soufriere including the Church of the Assumption in Soufriere.

Sulfur Springs

Mud Bath

You will smell it before you see it, but the mud bath experience at the Sulfur Springs was a really unique experience. Judy went to the ticket desk to get our passes sorted for us while we used the restrooms that were available. You can change in the restrooms if you want, but they also have stalls for you to utilize right beside the baths. Everyone already had their suits on underneath their clothes, so we got our tickets and headed down the short road, then the stairs to the baths.

There were some stalls with refreshments for purchase as well as some local vendors with their crafts that were lined up along both sides of the street as you head down to the baths. The facility does all kinds of tours that also include looking at the top of the volcanic mountain, a waterfall, actual hot springs, and boiling mud. Our trip was just for the mud baths.

The mud baths are said to detoxify and help heal sun burn, eczema, arthritis, sore joints, and more. There is a large structure with wooden shelves for you to place your belongings, as well as some showers and stalls for you to utilize to change into dry clothes. There are also several benches and a table with an umbrella. There are four different baths and the higher up on the hill they are, the hotter the temperature of the bath. Matt, my mom, and I all utilized the lowest and “coolest” one, while my dad went straight for the hottest one. They range from around 100-105 degrees. Volcanic ash also does not harbor bacteria and is a “clean” environment, but the baths should still be avoided if you have any open wounds.

We thought it was SUPER warm but once you eased in, you got used to it. There were about 5 steps down into the bath and at the bottom, you were met with some muddy sludge. There were also ledges all around the baths for you to perch on which was relaxing and allowed you to keep your feet out of the mud. Just like a hot tub, you should only sit for around 10 minutes at a time to avoid overheating and you should make sure you are staying hydrated.

Once we had all enjoyed a soak, we got out to apply our mud for some photos. There was a bucket of light mud that we applied first and let dry a bit, and then a bucket of dark mud that you were to use for “decoration”. Judy was super helpful with decoration ideas and showed us how to do hearts, necklaces, etc. She even did some designs on us. Once we were all properly muddy, she took each couples turns taking photos. She knew just where to have us stand and gave us suggestions of how to pose.

After our photos, we went back into the baths to rinse off the mud, then got out to dry off and change before heading back up and loading into the Jeep.

Lunch at Villa Des Pitons

Once we finished up at the Sulfur Springs, Judy let us know that lunch was about a 15 minute drive away. We went back through the town of Soufriere and to what seemed to be a hotel or resort of some sort. Upon exploring, it seemed to be only open to us and for the buffet lunch, but the property was lovely and had a bar, the restaurant, a pool area, a spa area, and guest rooms as well (see Trip Advisor site below for the Villa).

We were greeted by the friendly staff and offered hand sanitizer and some delicious ginger juice while we found our seats. The view was absolutely spectacular. It was an open air covered patio situation with the most incredible view of the Pitons and Soufriere.

There was a buffet laid out for us to enjoy and it consisted of chicken, fish, rice, pasta salad, mashed potatoes, salad, and more. Our favorite thing was what we thought was going to be cornbread but ended up being yellow cake. It was honestly one of the best desserts we ate the entire time we were on vacation. We had a friendly cat weave around our feet as we enjoyed our meal and helped ourselves to more ginger juice or water from an available dispenser. No one said a thing about it, but there was a tip jar on the buffet table, and we made sure to give our verbal complements to the team and put some money in the tip jar as well.

We were given time to take photos, explore the open areas of the villa, and use the restroom before heading back to our resorts via the jeep, but before leaving we were given one final surprise. Judy met us all at the Jeep and poured us each a cup of her “Jungle Juice” (rum punch) to enjoy during the long drive back.

We were the first for drop off and were looking at about an hour drive. Judy did a great job of balancing the drive by offering us some more of the fruit she had purchased for us at the stand, asking each couple to share how we met, and letting us peacefully sit back and enjoy the scenery.

So, if you find yourself in Saint Lucia and looking for a way to spend a day, I highly recommend the Soufriere Volcano Jeep Safari operated by Island Routes. There are tons of tours that include these activities (the waterfalls and the sulfur springs), and some even get you to your destinations by boat. Remember to bring what they tell you to bring, and I cannot stress enough the importance of taking Dramamine even if you don’t necessarily suffer from motion sickness-it’s a brutal ride up and down those mountains. Have a great time!!

Here are some items I recommend you take with you: