ATV Paradise Farm & Eco Tours at Fond Estate – forest bathing!

UPDATE Sept 2019: Sadly, this lovely place is now closed 🙁 

The simple sign at the entrance does not prepare you for the wonderful experience you are about to have on this historic estate. Owner, Eco & Farm Tour Guide and Farmer-Foodie Anja Fernand, exudes a deep passion about her family’s working farm, surrounded by a thousand acres of natural hills and valleys on the historic Fond Estate.

Whether Anja or one of the trained ATV Paradise Farm & Eco Tours guides takes you on your adventure, you are in for a treat!

ATV Paradise Farm & Eco Tours offers a variety of immersive eco-tours on a beautiful working fruit farm surrounded by forests. Small tour groups are the norm here, so you get a wonderful personal experience and can escape the crowds and unwind.

Walking tours for those who prefer to indulge in some slow-paced, healing forest bathing, and ATV tours for a faster pace and added excitement. Whichever option you choose, you will be immersed in nature, trees, birds, fruits and flowers all the way through.

As you make your way along the 1940s cobblestone roads, through the ‘dry’ forest in the lower hills, lush rainforest higher up, or through the farm down to the river, your guide will give you lots of insights – serious as well as amusing – into traditional and modern uses of the plants you see and on the fascinating story of the farm and agricultural history.

Along the trail, the scenes are gorgeous! Among many things, you’ll see the local incense tree, Kwéyòl (Creole) name Lansan, beautiful wild ground orchids that peek up between grasses and ferns, and the many varieties of West Indian Bayleaf whose scents surround you as you meander along to viewing points with breath-taking vistas of rolling hills and the Atlantic coast. Keep your eyes and ears open for the many birds that you’ll encounter along the trail and in the treetops.

The tours – what you’ll see

If you chose the half-day tour you will experience being immersed in the true rainforest where the trees are taller, the shade is deeper and the air cooler. There’s Gwi-gwi palms that the local parrots love to eat from, and you’ll very likely hear and see at least one Amazona Versicolor Parrot flying over. I saw three on my visit!

Look out for hummingbirds – Purple – throated Carib (Kilibwi wouj; Madye), Green- throated Carib (Kilibwi ve), Scaly-naped Ramier Pigeons (Wanmye), Black Witch moths the size of your hand, broad winged hawks and many other birds  Mangrove Cuckoo (Koukou Manyok), St Lucia Oriole, Grey Kingbird (Pipirit), St Lucia Pewee (Gobe Mouch, Ping). Gray Trembler, Lesser Antillean Bullfinch (Mwason and Pe Nwe) Bananaquit (Sikwiyé) Zenaida Dove (Toutwel), Bridled Quail Dove (Pedi Kwasan),

Working Farm – Taste of Paradise

All tours except the 1-hour walk, visit the beautiful fruit farm which stretches from the heights of the hills down to the valley. Photo opportunities abound, with rows of stunning fruit trees creating shady avenues alongside the trail. You’ll be offered the chance to sample whatever fruits are ripe, such as some of the 18 varieties of mango, huge grafted guavas and local wild ones too, refreshing coconuts, pawpaw, amazing jack-fruit and other local delights.

In the lower farm, the scenery transforms to elegant fields of gorgeous dashene plants, banana and plantain trees, pineapples, tamarind, citrus, majestic Royal palms and as you’ll discover, many more dramatic photogenic exotics.

Historical Working Estate

All trails end at a truly serene spot by the Fond River where the ruins of an 1800’s huge water mill rise up flanked by an old stone aqueduct; a remnant from the days when the estate was a sugar plantation.

And as though that’s not enough, you are treated to a selection of locally made sweets and cakes – all ethically sourced from the surrounding community.

More photo opportunities here as you relax on rustic benches or on the swing hung from a big mango tree, surrounded by exotic bird-of-paradise and indigenous dramatic balisier heliconias and ginger lilies.

Or you may wander off down to the edge of the stream. This is a perfect spot to relax at the end of your stay, enjoy more fruit and deliciously refreshing natural coconut water straight from the nut.

Quick Facts

Credit cards accepted; EC dollars and US Cash (smaller, clean bills, no coins)

Opening hours 7:30 am – 6 pm; Tours available 8am – 5 pm Monday to Sunday (closed Christmas and Boxing Day)

Parking available

Photographic opportunities abound!

Light refreshment provided

Ages:

ATV Paradise Farm and Eco Tours are Kid Friendly but,

• Drivers must be 16 and older. Drivers under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian and must have either car or ATV driving experience.
• Passengers must be 6 and older.
• Participants on walking tours must be 6 and older.

When you arrive

• All ATV tour guests are required to sign a waiver and attend a safety briefing with equipment orientation
• Arrive 10-15 minutes before your scheduled tour

ATV Paradise Farm and Eco Tours Overview

ATV Tours	Driver	Passenger	Start Time	Approximate Length
Farm ATV Tour	US$100	US$30	8:00 – 15:00	2 hrs
½ day Farm and Forest ATV Tour	US$130	US$40	8:00 – 14:00	3.5 hrs
Walking Tours	Adult	Child	Start Time	Approximate Length
Farm Walk	US$25	US$20	8:00 – 16:30	1hr
Plantation Hike	US$50	US$30	8:00 – 13:00	3.5-4hrs

Memorable experiences no matter how you choose to explore!

Half Day Forest and Farm ATV Tour

See it all on this tour. Drive through the entire plantation. See the dry forest, rainforest and farm. Chances to see wild Saint Lucia Parrots, visit beautiful fruit orchards, the sugar mill ruins and the Fond River. Spectacular coastal views. Delicious fruit samples and local treats.

Farm ATV Tour

Drive through the dry forest and plantation fields on this working farm. Visit the old sugar mill ruins and relax next to the Fond River enjoying the tranquil setting with many birds and beautiful flowers. Enjoy delicious seasonal fruit samples and local treats.

Farm Walk

Get fascinating insights into tropical agriculture. This easy walk takes you through fields where you get up close and personal with pineapple patches, banana and coconut groves. Enjoy seasonal fruits as you relax next to the river in a rustic garden full of flowers & birds. Check out the sugar mill ruins before returning to base for tasty local treats.

Plantation Hike

Get immersed in nature. This half day tour takes you through the beautiful plantation. Experience wildlife in natural habitat with chances to see the St. Lucian Parrot. Sample fruits and relax at the river and visit the dramatic old sugar mill ruins.

Contacts:

Owner / Manager Anja Fernand
ATV Paradise Tours Ltd
Fond Estate
Micoud
St. Lucia, W.I.
+1 758 455 3245
+1 758 487 7069
email
website
Facebook
Instagram

How to Get There

Click on this What3Words address to be taken straight to the exact spot on the map: http://w3w.co/hazily.guaranteeing.bronze

Download the What3Words app to be able to accurately pinpoint places – to within 3 metre  Android & iOS Use with your favourite app to get driving directions

Lucian Directions:
From the North of the island – leaving Castries, head towards Bexon and on over the Barre de l’Isle. Continue on past Dennery and Mamiku Estate where the Road to Mon Repos goes off to the left. You’ll pass the Mon Repos Gas Station on the left, then round a hairpin bend. You’ll soon see an area on the right that looks like a farm…you’re almost there! The road curves right just after the junction to Magretute and you’ll see the Davie Estate Fruit Stall on your right, then about 100 yards further, the entrance is on your right with the ATV Paradise Tours sign – a 270° turn.

From the south – coming north out of Vieux Fort, go past Micoud and continue on past the signs on the right for Escap Residential Development, then immediately start to look out for the ATV Paradise Tours sign on your left – a couple of minutes away.