Matelot Waterfall Hike – Moderate Difficulty

????DESCRIPTION:
Join Outdoor Explorers TT as we journey to a hidden waterfall within the rain forest of Matelot. Matelot is located 46 miles from Port of Spain and the last village on the Paria Main Road. Due to its location many refer to it as: Behind God’s Back and Down in the Hole. The name Matelot means “Sailor” which was officially given to us by the British in 1868.
This hike begins with a trek downhill to the base of the river, then we gingerly walk along a stony river bed heading upstream to the astounding beauty, Matelot Falls. Please note that the drive for this event is very long. Carpooling is encouraged and we ask that everyone be prompt for this event.

???? HIKE RATING: ( 5/ 10 )
Rating – Moderately Challenging
????Duration – 40 mins to 1 hour one way
????Hiking start time(this is the time we arrive at the start of the hike, park our vehicles and are about to begin walking on the trail) – 10:00am -10:30am
????Time spent at destination- 1.5 – 2 hours
????Return time at vehicles(the time we are expected to return to our vehicles) – 1 – 2 pm

⛰Terrain – Feet will get wet in ankle high water. River walk involved for about 10 minutes. There is a hill at the start of the trail where we park our vehicles for about 5 minutes. There is a hill that we must descend to get to the river and ascend on our way back up(approximately 20 minutes).

❗PLEASE NOTE: The above times are proposed times and are not a strict schedule. The times may changed based on various factors for example based on the fitness/speed of the hikers on that day/if the weather is rainy, the time spent at the destination may be cut short based on a collective decision/if the weather is sunny we may stay longer based on a collective decision. For a more accurate description please contact us.

???? COST:
TT$80.00 per person.
TT$50.00 for children 12 and under (no children under the age of 5/children who cannot walk on their own are allowed nor elderly persons who are not physically active)
Please note that our hikes do NOT include transportation.

???? ASSEMBLY INFO:
• Meeting Time: 7:00am. (We meet at 7:30 and depart from the meeting point at 7:30am SHARP so we ask that everyone be PROMPT for this event, the drive is extensive. Persons running late on the morning of the hike are asked to notify one of the hike leaders via PHONE CALL).

• Meeting Location:
We meet at the Sherwin Williams Carpark by Omera Road, Arima(turnoff by the UTT sign on the highway, or opposite Food Basket on the highway).
Google Map Location – https://goo.gl/maps/Gb2BML8ho5okkAdU9

• When you get to the meeting point, our group leaders will be wearing orange Outdoor Explorers jerseys and we will have an orange Outdoor Explorers flag present)

•When we depart from the meeting point, everyone will drive with there vehicle for approximately 2-2.5 hours to the start of the hike in the forest of Matelot.

????VEHICLE SECURITY:
• Someone will oversee all vehicles once we are hiking. We will not leave vehicles unattended. There is no additional cost for this vehicle security fee unless stated in the cost section above.

???? CONTACT INFO/PRE-REGISTRATION:
• Call/Text/Whatsapp –
Christopher (chiney)365-0771/
Fishie 325-3439/
registration is mandatory.

✔SAFETY INFORMATION:
Our hike team has the following for your safety:
Life Jackets
-First Aid Kits
-Rope
-Machetes
-Security for parked vehicles
-First Aid Certified hike leaders

✍CHECKLIST:
Are you a first time hiker? Here is checklist to prepare for our hikes:
-Bottled water
-Food/Snacks
-A change of clothing for when you return that will be left in you vehicles
-Plastic bags for wet clothes
-Walk with a backpack that ensures all items you bring can fit. Your hands should be free throughout the hike to help you navigate the terrain
-wearing of long socks above ankle height to protect against bush scrapes/bugs is encouraged, but not mandatory
-Shoes are required, no slippers or sandals
-Insect repellent
-Walk with any necessary medication.
– Avoid wearing of jewelry that may become entangled in bushes