Soufriere Volcano

Soufriere Volcano

Soufriere Volcano is one of the oldest volcanoes in the West Indies, located on the northern tip of the tropical island of St. Vincent, which lies in the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea. Since 1979, this picturesque territory belongs to the independent island nation of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. In French, the volcano’s name means “sulphurous.”

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Video: Soufriere Volcano

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Highlights

Scientists believe Soufriere appeared 60 million years ago, and it has erupted more than 160 times in that time. A major eruption in 1902 killed 1,565 people and destroyed the northern part of St. Vincent. The last natural disaster occurred in 1979, and Soufriere has been dormant ever since. As each eruption caused great material losses, it was decided to reorient the island’s economy from agriculture to tourism development.

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The Soufriere volcano is a typical stratovolcano with a regular cone-shape and rises to a height of 1,220 meters. Seismologists and volcanologists constantly monitor its activity, so Soufriere is one of the most well-studied volcanoes on the planet. The numerous eruptions are reminded by the fact that almost all beaches of the island, except for the southern ones, are covered with black volcanic sand.

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Climbs to Soufriere Volcano

Traveling to the summit of Soufriere Volcano is very popular with tourists. Some climbers ascend to the highest point of the volcanic cone on their own, while others do so accompanied by an experienced guide who can tell you a lot about the local plants and animals.

In the south of the crater is a picturesque lake about 180 meters in diameter. During the last eruption, a volcanic dome 150 meters high was formed in its center. On the slopes of the volcano are preserved incised valleys of dried up streams and rivers, the way to which was blocked by volcanic lava emissions. And in the northeastern part of the massif is the youngest crater, which has a diameter of 450 m and a depth of 60 m.

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From the top of the Soufriere volcano you can enjoy stunning views of a chain of long-extinct volcanoes, the expanse of the Caribbean Sea and green valleys. The slopes of the surrounding mountains are covered with tropical rainforest.

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How to get there

Soufriere Volcano is located in the north of the island. From the capital of St. Vincent, it is reached by a 44 km drive along a road along the eastern shore. It takes about three hours to hike to the top of the mountain.