Discover eco adventure tours on Tobago
Tobago has to be one of the most bio-diverse nations in the Caribbean. It boasts an unbelievable variety of natural wonders combined with lush green rainforests, a great variety of fauna and flora which has managed to maintain a sustainable environment. Its South American heritage - like its neighbouring island, Trinidad, Tobago was once joined to the mainland which has left a legacy of plants, birds, insects, fish and mammals both on land and in the ocean.
Usually on Tobago you slow down to "island liming time" and visitors can choose to do as little or as much as they wish. Here are some suggestions for eco adventure tours which will guarantee to leave visitors immersed with a Tobagonian twist to nature!
Leatherback Turtle Watching
Between March and September the largest of all living sea turtles return to Tobago to lay their eggs. These incredible creatures usually nest at night, heaving themselves up onto the beach and then digging a nest before laying. Often they cry tears - a way for the females to release excess salt from their systems after being so long at sea. Many authorized guides will arrange to ring visitors when a female comes ashore so they can witness this magical feat of nature. If visitors come later in the season there is every chance they will witness the palm-sized hatchling leatherbacks making their way to the sea. It is a mass of tiny flippers and sand as these babies make a dash for the ocean, trying to avoid predators. An experience to treasure forever!
Birdwatching
Tobago is a paradise for birdwatchers, the island has more than 250 species of tropical birds and can see them everywhere - from bananaquits pecking leftovers from breakfast plates and hummingbirds on feeders and the incredible jewelled mot mot, to magnificent frigates, sea hawks and brown pelicans catching the thermoclines over the ocean and nesting red billed tropic birds in the cliffs. Experienced local guides will take visitors to the best spots such as Little Tobago, Tobago Plantations, Bon Accord and Buccoo wetlands the Main Ridge and Forest Reserve, the Grafton Caledonia Wildlife Sanctuary and Cuffie River.
Stand up Paddle boarding
One of the best ways to see Tobago's diverse mangrove swampsis by stand up paddle board. The swamps are a vital part of Tobago's eco-system and act as nurseries for all kinds of species. Visitors can glide around the lagoons, glancing down to catch the tips of a stingray's wings breaking the water or glimpsing a turtle coming up for air. On land, egret chicks, cocricos, herons and other nesting birds will provide the perfect soundtrack to the experience. Tours are available of the Petit Trou Lagoon and the Bon Accord Lagoon. The basics can be learnt in just one lesson making it an ideal, easy way to get up, close and personal with nature. For those who are more experienced there is the chance to surf the waves at the end of the tour.
Bottom Boat Tour of Buccoo Reef
French undersea explorer Jacques Cousteau named Tobago's largest reef as the third most spectacular reef in the world. It was declared a marine protected area in 1973 and is home to 40 species of coral and a variety of aquatic life. A trip on a glass bottom boat is the only way to see it. Boats leave twice daily from Store Bay where it is a short ride out to the reef. Here visitors will have the chance to snorkel the clear blue waters of the Caribbean Sea. There's is every chance they will have an encounter with a ray, turtle or one of the hundreds of species of colourful, tropical fish which live on the reef.
Horse riding
Whether it's an exhilarating canter on the beach or a slow hack through an historic plantation, horse riding in Tobago is suitable for all levels of riders. Horse riding offers the unique chance to really immerse in the local surroundings. There are two stables in the south of the island which offer a range of experiences. One of the most popular is the swim and trail. After a hack down to the beach, rider and horse enter the ocean where the horses swim along the bay, often at shoulder height. Many describe this experience as being the highlight of their holiday as it allows them to feel completely "at one" with nature.
To find out more about these and many more exciting eco adventures on Tobago visit tobago.gov.tt.
