Most ATV trips in St. Kitts are guided tours on farm tracks and hill trails. A scooter is how you get along the island’s roads on your own time. The right one depends on the day you want.
The short answer
Book an ATV tour if you have never ridden, if you want dirt tracks and hills, or if you want a guide to lead the way. Rent a scooter if you are an experienced rider who wants to choose the route, stop where you like and stay out longer.
Three kinds of ATV trip
“ATV in St. Kitts” can mean three different things. Check which one you are booking.
Trail tours. A guide leads a group of up to about 15 machines along old sugar cane tracks on the northwest side of the island, with views of Mount Liamuiga and Brimstone Hill. Tours run about 2.5 hours, with pickup from the cruise port or your hotel. Drivers must be 16 or over, and children can ride as passengers from about 5, depending on the operator.
On and off-road tours. Some tours mix trails with public roads and stop at places like Black Rocks. Because you drive on the road, drivers must be 18 or over, bring their licence from home and buy a local temporary licence.
Self-drive ATV rental. At least one operator in Basseterre rents street-legal ATVs to drive yourself. The same rules apply as on the road tours: 18 or over, your home licence, and a temporary licence.
Side by side
| Guided ATV tour | Scooter | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A group ride behind a guide | Your own ride |
| Where you go | Trails, hills and old cane tracks, some roads | Wherever the roads go |
| Time | About 2.5 hours, set departure times | A cruise day, a full day or several days |
| Price | About US$110 to US$150 per person on booking sites | US$65 per scooter per day |
| Who can drive | 16 or over on trail tours, 18 or over where the tour uses public roads | 21 or over, a year of riding experience, ridden in the last two years |
| Licence | Depends on the tour. Road sections need the temporary licence | Temporary licence before handover |
| Weight | About 300 to 325 lb per machine, by operator | 350 lb rider and passenger combined |
| Passengers | Children from about 5 on some tours | One passenger aged 12 or over |
What it costs two people
ATV tours are priced per person, and some operators don’t let two adults share a machine. Two adults on a guided tour pay from about US$215 between them for a few hours, plus the temporary licence if the tour uses public roads.
Two people on one scooter pay US$65 for the day, plus fuel and one temporary licence for the rider.
The licence
Anyone driving on a public road in St. Kitts needs a local temporary licence, whether that’s a scooter, an ATV or a car. Inland Revenue sells it for EC$62.50 for three months or EC$125 for a year. You need your licence from home and your passport. For a scooter, ask for Class M, the motorcycle class. Class P covers cars only. It is sold at the Inland Revenue Department and at authorised rental agencies. The police also take applications online, where you upload your passport, your licence and a photo. You must be 18 or over, and anyone 73 or older must get the licence in person. The temporary licence guide has the details.
What to wear
On an ATV: closed-toe shoes, sunglasses or goggles, and a bandana or buff for your face. The trails are dusty in dry weather and muddy after rain, and tour operators warn you may go through puddles. Wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty.
On a scooter: sunscreen on your arms and neck, and sunglasses. Rain on the road is usually brief, but the first few minutes are the most slippery, so pull over and wait it out.
When an ATV makes more sense
- Nobody in your group has ridden a scooter or motorcycle in the last two years. Guided tours take riders without that experience.
- You want the trails. That’s what an ATV tour is built around.
- You’re under 21, or travelling with a child younger than 12.
- You’d rather someone else plans the route and watches the clock.
- You want pickup and drop-off at the ship arranged for you.
When a scooter makes more sense
- You’re an experienced rider and want to ride, not follow.
- You want to stop at Timothy Hill, swim at Cockleshell Bay and leave when you’re ready. The guide to riding the Southeast Peninsula covers that ride.
- You have a full day or more. A tour gives you a few hours.
- There are two of you and one of you rides.
- You want to see more than one side of the island. The island loop takes in Brimstone Hill and Black Rocks at your own pace.
Off a ship, you collect at Port Zante between 8am and 12pm and have the scooter back by 4:30pm. The cruise passenger guide covers how that day runs.
Good to know
Can I rent an ATV and drive it myself?
Yes, from at least one operator in Basseterre. You must be 18 or over, bring your licence from home, and have the local temporary licence for the road.
Do I need a licence for an ATV tour?
It depends on the tour. Tours that stay on private trails often don’t ask for one. Tours that use public roads do, and some add the temporary licence fee on the day, paid in cash.
Can children come?
On many ATV tours, yes. Children from about 5 can ride as passengers with an adult. On a scooter, a passenger must be 12 or over.
Is either suitable if I’m pregnant or have a back injury?
ATV tour operators advise against it because the trails are rough. Ask your doctor before booking either.
Either way
Both mean riding on the left, on roads with potholes and blind corners. If a scooter fits your trip, see how scooter rental in St. Kitts works, check the rider requirements, then check availability for your dates.