Published on Mar, 2024
I was a little bit nervous about this trip - the only one we did while visiting Jamaica. It seemed incredibly good value for three such great and varied experiences and excellent in comparison to other similar offerings. I had a small issue confirming dates after booking - but FYI messages sent to their direct email get a prompt response when maybe the ones through TA might get missed. When I got the waivers I was a tad terrified at the wording and went back to look at more reviews of the company elsewhere...eek. Suddenly regretted the booking! But the reviews here and on Facebook were great, and from a quick scan a lot of the poor reviews were from people who hadn't managed to find the right place to be collected from as opposed to having a terrible trip. So we went...
...and had the BEST time. The bus was air-conditioned and clean. The pick-up was perfectly on time and where we were told. The guide, Elliot, was very informative and funny, even stopping the bus to grab a branch of pimento and pass it around so we could all grab a leaf and guess the spices. He gave us a great historical tour just on our way between the activities and always made sure the group was together and accounted for without making you feel like a school trip. The driver was excellent and made us feel safe even on the 'exciting' roads!
- BLACK RIVER CRUISE - brilliant. You get so close (safely) to the huge crocs and the mangrove-lined banks are stunning. Bring water, you'll be hot by then and though there's a water and snack stop after the YS falls you'll be gasping if you're sitting in the sun!
- YS FALLS - beautiful. The ziplining is a MUST DO - it's actually 5 lines in turn starting with horizontally passing over the falls, then upriver towards the big zip directly following the cascading falls downwards to the pools, then two more to get you down to the ground. The guides are hilarious and skilled, the equipment is sturdy and it's not scary at all - you're very safe. The views as you pass on the big zip are utterly spectacular - can't stress enough that we thought this was going to be a fun little view but will be remembered for a lifetime!
- APPLETON RUM ESTATE - Probably the best brewery/distillery/factory tour we've ever done. Every step is talked and tasted through with real energy by the friendly guide, with practical demos and tastings of sugar cane, juice, molasses, and 3 rums at the end too! There was a fab meal in the cafe beforehand with jerk chicken, rice and beans and various veg and salad which was all included and really tasty (plus a rum punch and soft drinks). I had a bad headache from the sun (yes, the sun not the rum!) and they were so concerned and caring to get me feeling better.
Then a great drive home - with a bonus taste of rum punch from Elliot and some great relaxing tunes on the way back! They stop by a little gift shop with a restroom that many were glad of, just watch the prices in the shop as they definitely have a captive audience. It's not a scam or anything bad, but you're not always getting the amazing deal the 'offers' might suggest so be sensible.
This is an excellent tour and conducted with a relaxed and professional attitude. Highly recommend. Chukka is one of the biggest tour operators in Jamaica so don't know about in other countries but there they absolutely know what they're doing, don't be scared off by the negative TP reviews - just make sure you know where and when you're being collected!
Only point for Chukka, minor but worth noting - for all guides maybe cool it on the baby/fertility jokes re molasses giving virility to men? As a childless by choice couple we laughed the attention off, but if all those jokes fell on people who were struggling to conceive or had tragedy in that area, it could have been quite difficult. Other than that, just excellent.
