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Jamaica Island Tours
Popular attractions, like Dunn’s River Falls, can be crowded in season but are still worth the look. From the north shore resorts day trips to some of Jamaica’s notable sights are readily available.
Several companies offer excursions into the island’s lush interior, and extreme sports are available through Jamaica Sports Vacations.
Car rental is a good option for people who like to travel without an itinerary. Rental companies are located in Montego Bay, Kingston and the airports.
Good maps are available through the Tourism Department and driving is an adventure. Livestock and pedestrians abound on Jamaica’s roads, many of which are blind curves. Drivers honk whenever they round a curve, keeping everybody alert, and Jamaicans drive on the left, just like the U.K. Scooters are fun for zipping around the beach towns in the heavy traffic and motorcycles can take travelers up into the Blue Mountains and down the other side to the beautiful south coast.
South Coast Safaris in Mandeville takes travelers six miles up the Black River lower Morass, the Caribbean’s largest wetland of its kind. Guests learn about the ecology and history of the region while riding in an open, shaded boat. After a traditional Jamaican lunch, buffet style, The ride continues to the Y.S. Falls, the island’s largest waterfall. The falls are beautiful and relatively isolated from the crowds.
Blue Mountain Bicycle Tours offers group rides every day from Ocho Rios and Kingston. All downhill rides, the Jamaican island tours are relaxed bicycling with photo and restroom stops along the way. Caliche specializes in river rafting and has top quality equipment. Two tours on the Great River take rafters through rainforest; one ride is suitable for beginners and children. The canyon ride for experienced rafters negotiates huge boulders, drops and grade IV rapids. Trips generally run four to five hours and depart from Ocho Rios, Montego Bay and Port Antonio. A favorite of Jamaica island tours is bamboo rafting on the Rio Grande or the Martha Brae rivers. An experience not unlike the gondoliers of Venice, bamboo rafting involves sitting back comfortably, sipping Red Stripe (the local brew!) while the raftsman negotiates the smooth water. Green Grotto Caves, a labyrinth of limestone tunnels and rooms leading 12 meters down to the Grotto Lake, brings Jamaica’s history to light. The grotto caves have been used as shelter by the island’s first known inhabitants, as a hideout for Spaniards, for rum barrel storage, and for gun running to Cuba. Green Grotto Caves is located on the north coast at Discovery Bay and tours run daily. The 29-acre site is being developed into a nature preserve and education center. The most hauntingly beautiful and mysterious region on the island is Cockpit Country. Long storied to be the hideout for runaway slaves, the region is dense wilderness of dripping limestone forest, steep cliffs and crevasses, caves and boulders. Visitors do not wander into the region alone simply because of the natural dangers. The natural springs and rainfall of cockpit country provide the water for some of Jamaica’s largest rivers. Cockpit Country Adventure Tours is a reputable guide company dedicated to guiding people through the cockpit region.
Tours of the many 18th century manor homes and great houses can be arranged by most hotel staff and popular stops include Rose Hall and Appleton Estate and rum tour.
Rum connoisseurs will enjoy seeing the process by which the fine island rum is made, and tasting samples of a variety of rums.
Catamaran cruises along the coral reef protected north coast of Jamaica are a wonderful way to see the island from the water. Dinner and champagne cruises sail guests seemingly into the Caribbean sunset. Jamaica island tours generally either include refreshments or will deliver guests to a suitable restaurant along the way. Transportation from your accommodations is often included and Jamaica island tours guides are experienced, knowledgeable and friendly.
Isn't it about time you experienced one of these exciting and sometimes unusual Jamaican Island Tours?
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Hooves Jamaica offers unique Jamaica island tours by horseback. Riders will experience rainforest trails, beaches and mountains on the multiple ride packages with accommodations at High Hope Estate near Ocho Rios. Hooves will assess each rider’s abilities and provide safety helmets. Picnic lunches, riding lessons and detailed extras are all available. "The horses at Hooves are happy and guests enjoy riding into the sea in swimsuits". (www.hoovesjamaica.com)
Caving, spelunking, bouldering, hiking, climbing and repelling are all part of the extreme adventures CCAT can provide experienced outdoor enthusiasts. Safety gear, helmets, lights and other necessary gear are all provided and a chef is on standby to prepare robust meals for athletes. One of cockpit country’s Jamaica island tours is the Quashie River Sink Cave, which involves waterfall descents, huge caves with spelunking and swimming. This outfit arranges homestays with welcoming Jamaican families, from its base in Albert Town.
