On Sunday, August 1st, 2004, the lush tropical island of Dominica in Caribbean will be hosting the National Neg Mawon Hike, introducing both visiting and local hikers alike to the Waitukubuli National Trail and showcasing the island`s distinctive and unspoiled natural beauty.

This exciting event will attract avid hikers from across Dominica and all corners of the globe. It begins at 7:00am at the Bois Cotelette trail next to the estate of the same name, passes through the Palmiste and Tete Morne villages and finishes at 2:00pm at the magnificent Soufriere Sulphur Spring. The hike is appropriate for hikers of all experience levels and forestry officers as well as members of the Waitukubuli Ecological Foundation will accompany participants.

Historian Dr. Lennox Honeychurch will narrate the excursion, highlighting points of interest along the way. All participants will be provided with water during the stop at Palmiste and food will be on sale at Soufriere Springs, however hikers are advised to bring light snacks for the journey.

This educational and visually rewarding hike takes place along the Maroon Trail section of the Neg Mawon trail network, which links Bois Cotelette Estate to the Palmiste Estate and then to Tete Morne. The Maroon Trail is part of the developing Waitukubuli National Trail, which, once completed, will traverse the island from North to South (Capuccin to Scott`s Head). The Trail will take approximately 13 days to hike, passing twenty villages and linking many of the main points of interest on the island, including the Maroons Estates, Morne Trois Pitons National Park, Carib Territory and the Northern Forest Reserve, always embracing the concept of ecotourism and sustainable development. The trail will also offer hikers the opportunity to stay overnight in various local communities along the way and mingle with the villagers in their native territory.

The Neg Mawon, or Maroons, were runaway slaves who had escaped from the plantations and from other islands who had settled all over Dominica by 1760. Some of the original trails that they used to travel about the island make up what is today the Neg Mawon trail network.

Well-known author Alec Waugh once said, There is only one way to understand Dominica; you have to walk across it and along it. This statement made in 1948 still holds true today; the best way to fully experience Dominica is to explore on foot. While visiting the island, hikers can also experience some of Dominica`s numerous other scenic wonders, including Trafalgar Falls, the Emerald Pool, Sari Sari Falls, Victoria Falls, Boiling Lake and even the challenging Morne Diablotin.

The independent nation of Dominica (pronounced Dom-in-eek-a) is located between the French islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique in the Eastern Caribbean. The largest and most mountainous of the Windward Islands, Dominica encompasses an area of nearly 290 square miles. Of volcanic origins with mountains reaching heights of nearly 5,000 feet, rainforests that are considered among the last true island-based rainforests in the world, more than 365 rivers, waterfalls, a boiling lakes, and pristine coral reefs, Dominica`s natural diversity is truly unique. Dominica is also home to the last remaining settlement of the Indigenous Peoples of the Caribbean - The Carib Indians. A place where man and nature live in harmony, adventurers and nature lovers alike will revel in the Island`s eco-tourism options which include scuba diving, snorkeling, mountain biking, kayaking, horseback riding, nature tours, hiking/trekking, whale, dolphin and bird watching, sailing, fishing, Rain forest tram rides and safari tours.