On Safari in Jamaica

While the beaches and resorts in Jamaica are beautiful and luxurious, they can be crowded. You may find that you want to get away from the crowds, and there is no better way to do this in Jamaica than by going on Safari!

There are numerous places in Jamaica to Safari, and there are also numerous Safari companies and guides that will take you there. There are Swamp Safaris, offered by Swaby’s, where you can see more than 50 crocodiles. There are short Safaris and longer Safaris. There are Safaris where you walk, Jeep Safaris, and boat Safaris. The choices are unlimited.

The Jeep Jamaican Safari is quite popular, and costs approximately $77 per person. It lasts for five hours, and allows you to see rugged parts of Jamaica, as well as amazing views that you would otherwise never see. The tour serves to bring you to the beauty of Jamaica, while including information and experiences with the culture and the history. This tour includes a fifteen minute walk to hidden waterfalls, and you can learn more about this tour at any hotel or resort in Negril.

If you are really feeling adventurous, consider the Negril Canopy Tour Safari. This Safari lasts approximately four hours, and takes place in the Jungles of Jamaica, where you will move from one platform to the next by way of a cord and harness. This is an exhilarating experience, and costs about $70 per person.

For about $60, you can Safari under the water – with ease. No need for diving equipment, you will be fitted with a space age helmet that allows you to see everything while breathing easily. The helmet is weighted enough to allow you to walk around on the ocean floor, and your guide will be with you. This tour takes about three hours, but you are only under the water for 25 minutes at a time. This tour is offered by Sea Trek.

In Ocho Rios, you can go on ATV Safari for about $85. You can get information about these tours at any Ocho Rios hotel, which is where you will be picked up, and the tour takes three to four hours. You will be able to ride through an old sugar plantation, local villages, and Cranbook Flower Forest, where you can visit the Great House. The trip ends with a swim.

If the noise and speed of ATV’s don’t suit you, consider a bicycle Safari with the Blue Mountain Bicycle Tour, from Ocho Rios. This tour lasts for a whopping nine hours. It is, however, all downhill, so you won’t have to even pedal most of the time. The tour starts on the way up the mountain (by motorized vehicle) with brunch at the Papillion Café.

From there, the group travels (motorized) to the very top of the Blue Mountains, where you will be able to view the entire Caribbean at 7402 feet above sea level. You are then issued protective gear and a bicycle, and you are ready to make your way down the mountain. On your descent, you will see magnificent flora, landscaping, streams, waterfalls, misty slopes, birds, and various other wildlife and plant life. You will also be served lunch during the ride, which is followed by the world’s most rare and expensive coffee – Blue Mountain Coffee. This Safari ends with a swim at a secluded waterfall.