Dunn's River Falls- Ocho Rios, Jamaica
Dunn's River Falls is one of Jamaica's national treasures. At about 180 feet high and 600 feet long, the waterfalls are structured like giant rock stairs. The stairs are broken up with into sections giving you plenty of waterfall and pool photo ops. You start at the bottom of the Caribbean sea on a beautiful beach and traverse your way to the top stepping from rock to rock. The trek takes about an hour and a half with all the stops for photos. .
I was staying a Couples Tower Isle so a trip to Dunn’s River Falls was included with my stay. I just needed to make a reservation at the tour desk to secure my spot. If you are staying elsewhere, arrangements can be made to visit the falls.
When we arrived at the falls we were put into a group of 10-12 people. We were given a guide and a videographer. They explained that we would stick together and they would instruct us on the best path to the top. This meant stepping on small and large rocks, into large pools, around waterfalls, and through rushing water.
We started out the trek at the beach by forming a chain and holding hands. We all quickly realized it was much easier to maintain your balance on your own and watch where the person in front of you were stepping. At first glance this waterfall was intimidating. But once you figured out to plan each step, it wasn’t so intimidating and well worth the experience.
With the falls broken up into section, we were able to stop in many spots to walk under the falls, swim in pools, slide down rocks, and even fall backwards into a pool. All of these spots make for excellent photos and memories.
Item’s to pack in your day bag:
Towel
Swim shoes
Sunscreen
Waterproof camera
Tips for guides
Money to purchase a video of your experience (ours was $40)
Sense of adventure
Most importantly, don’t bring anything into the falls area with you that you don’t want to get wet.
A must have for this trip are swim shoes of some sort. Flip flops will not work as they won’t stay put and bare feet will not have the traction need to keep you from slipping. . But have no worries if you didn’t pack any as most tour bus will stop at a local vendor for you to purchase a pair for about $10. They were worth every penny.
Kristen and I were both glad we went on this excursion. There aren’t many places you can hike up a waterfall.
Note this is an active adventure and it not accessible. If you have stability issues this activity is not for you.
