Dunns River Falls

[kenandlaura06]

Jonty - You should wear some sort of water shoe. Old sneakers will also work. Some bring a real old pair, wear them, then throw them out at the top. There are also water shoes for rent. It will probably take you about 30-45 minutes depending on the pace of the group you are with.

 

K&L - Yes, I posted to your thread as well.

 

Tarheel - You will love the falls. There are many pools to sit in along the way. At the bottom is a beach and the ocean. There are several areas along the way to exit the falls and use the stairs to climb if it becomes too much for you. You can then go up alongside and reenter if you wish. There are entrances where some of the pools are also. I am not sure about a private guide, but I bet for a price they will do anything. If you are at the front of your group the guide will help you and your DH behind can give you the scenario you are looking for as well. Each group has at least two guides, one guiding, the other filming.

 

Thanks.

[wrp96]

Dunn's River Falls is beautiful but it definitely isn't for everybody, especially people with balance problems. I fell face first into the rocks while climbing it and still can see the scar on my face. The same day I climbed, somebody else dislocated her shoulder when she fell because the child that was holding her hand in the chain did not let go. Somebody else from our ship fell and badly injured his hip.

 

You definitely need a well fitting pair of water shoes to be able to climb. It's worth it to go buy a pair and bring them with you instead of renting them when you get there. I know you can frequently buy them at Wal-Mart around here for about $4.

[RachelD]

I am climbing the Dunns Falls in November. Can anyone tell me what would be the best type of shoes to wear whilst climbing.

 

 

Also from when the first person starts the climb until the last person finishes how long does it take?

 

 

Your best bet for shoes is a cheap watershoe that encloses your foot. I think WalMart has them dirt cheap. A lot of people wear these. I had bought a pair of those cheap ones, but never wore them as I forgot them on the ship. Oops! I wore my Tevas walking up the Falls, which actually worked fine for me.

 

The problem with the Falls is that there are these little pebbles that can get caught in your sandal and can be more of an annoyance. DH had bought a pair of Keens and they did not work well for him at all. His shoe kept filling up with rocks and he could not shake them out like I could with my Tevas. This really bothered him.

 

As for the time it takes to climb the falls, it all depends on how many people are there at that time. When we got there, it was packed and wspent more time waiting for the lines to go. It took us more than an hour, and I know that we could have done it faster if there were less people. It was still fun, just expect lines.

[RachelD]

My DH & I have booked the Falls & Tubing tour with Phil Lafayette. I too have arthritis in my back & knees, along with a deterioating spine. I really want to do this though, & don't hesitate to push myself to experience new things. What DH & I want to do most, is sit in the pools under the falls. We're going for the romance factor. ;) Anyway, if I can't climb all of the falls, will we have plenty of opportunities to sit together under the falls. Another question: How many guides are available to escort guests? Would it be possible to offer a guide a sum equivalent to what they would receive from a group, but have them only help the 2 of us? I'm thinking with a guide in front & DH in the back, I should be fine. If so, how much should we offer them? Thanks for your help. :)

 

We also took this tour with Phil. He is great! Before you get to the Falls, Phil tells you and your group to stick together like family so that no one gets lost. Phil will escort you into the entrance and set you up with a guide. (Phil will wait for you until you are done) There are 2 guides for about 50 people. You are ushered down to the falls and instructed to hold hands as you climb up.

The guides usher you up the falls and if you are in a group, there is not a whole lot of time to sit under the falls. There are moments that you can sit there, but as far as romance... well, there are lots and lots of people around you.

 

You can talk to Phil about the chances of getting a private guide and he will let you know if it is possible. One thing that you will find in Phil's tour is that you look out for each other in the group. You may find that there is another couple in your group who could help you as you go up the falls. In our group DH helped the lady and her daughter who was behind him, and there was another woman who helped me at times climbing up.

 

I know that we gave the guides a $5 tip for DH and I in our group of about 50, so I don't know what they would expect from you alone. Either way, have fun and don't worry...it is pretty slow paced and there are lots of people who will help you out. Just remember that there are stairs on the side if it does get too hard.

[tarheelmjfan]

Thanks for all the info. & suggestions. :) DH & I talked about it, after reading the posts & both agree that we really just want to see & experience the falls. If we make it all the way to the top, fine. If not, it's not like it's a big goal of ours. We'll just play it by ear. Will we have a problem leaving the chain at some point in the tour, if necessary? How would we meet back up with the group? Also, would it be possible for DH & I to follow along behind the group, but not be in the chain? I think the concept of the chain is a great idea, but I know DH would be strong enough to help me make it up the falls safely. I also know that if someone next to me in the chain falls, I too would & that could be disastrous for me. Just exploring our options. :o Thanks again :)

[RachelD]

Will we have a problem leaving the chain at some point in the tour, if necessary? How would we meet back up with the group? Also, would it be possible for DH & I to follow along behind the group, but not be in the chain? :o Thanks again :)

 

tarheelmjfan~

 

No, you can leave the chain when you want, but the guides do try to keep everyone together (they really want that tip!).

 

As for meeting up with the group, you could just tell the others in your group (Phil's group) that you will meet up with them at the van at the designated time. (Phil does give you a time frame to get back to the van so that you move on to the next destination.) Our group did split up after the falls, as one family wanted to get ice cream, one couple went to the bathroom and we wanted to purchase a couple of souvenirs. We all met up at the van, no problem.

 

My suggestion is to not hold hands with others... it is very difficult to climb the falls without your hands. We actually let go after a few minutes when we realized how difficult it was. It was much easier using our hands and railings when necessary. Don't worry too much about it... Phil will not leave you if you trail behind.

 

Honestly though, we enjoyed the rivertubing more as it was less rushed and more relaxed. When you rivertube, it is just your tour and it is more personal. At the Falls, we felt like we were ushered through like cattle and did not get the chance to just hang out there as there were sooo many people there. It was still an experience to remember and it was fun, we just liked the tubing better.

 

You will love the tour with Phil... he is so nice and will answer any questions that you have. If you have concerns, tell him... even send him an email about the questions that you have. Maybe he will let you know about this. Who knows?

[trs]

I was ready to book the Dunns river Falls, but now I am a little concerned after reading the mixed reviews. I will have my 8 and 11 year old with me, they are both fairly active. How difficult will it be for them to climb.

[tarheelmjfan]

Rachel,

Thanks again for the info. :) We booked this tour mostly for the tubing. The falls are just an added bonus. We went tubing in Texas & had a blast. The funny thing is, I was raised very close to a river in NC, but had never been before. I have one more question about Phil's tour. I have read that the place he takes you to for lunch isn't very good. Is this true? What was it like? It's not that big of a deal, because we plan to stop by Margaritaville afterwards, & I love the conch fritters. :D

[Capt_BJ]

4 u

 

but not for all

 

I've visited the falls many times in the last 30 years ... here's my comments.

 

If ya DON'T what 'em, click away now....

 

There are at least 3 ways to do the falls:

 

1. Group (ship) excusion: a minimal number of guides will lead a maximum number of guests - holding hands - up a very well worn and relatively 'safe' path from bottom to top of the falls. For the most part you will walk up the side of the falls, between the falls and the boarded walkway. Very safe, very group, and u can say u did it.

 

2. Private guide: You can get to the park on your own and hire a guide. Based on thier perception of your ability, as a group, they will choose a path up the falls. They will also do the standard ISLAND THING OF BEING A 'PRIVATE TOUR OPERATOR' .... how well they rate your goup' skills is directly related to your fun level....how much $ they think you have is a factor in how many 'vendors' you will see.

 

3. Buy admission at the front gate: no guide..... you can climb right up the middle of the falls. Done it several times and had a blast...and don't recommend it for most. I was there on a naval vessel and with a group of sailors. We climbed right up the middle and were drunk enough to absorb falling on our a... many times. Folks at the park did not have a problem with that,,,,they saw us come in. Some of us bounced off our heads a few times...no big deal. We did DUMB things .... no one worried about us... If u saw your kids trying, or my wife saw me doing it ....OH MY GOD,

 

Just imagine an amusement part...or a simple city park, 40 years ago.... & note that almost every city has removed all the playground equipment a 40 year old remembers from their youth.

 

Dunns River = tons of fun.....but how much adult supervision do you want to buy????

[RachelD]

Rachel,

Thanks again for the info. :) We booked this tour mostly for the tubing. The falls are just an added bonus. We went tubing in Texas & had a blast. The funny thing is, I was raised very close to a river in NC, but had never been before. I have one more question about Phil's tour. I have read that the place he takes you to for lunch isn't very good. Is this true? What was it like? It's not that big of a deal, because we plan to stop by Margaritaville afterwards, & I love the conch fritters. :D

 

tarheelmjfan~

 

We did not have time to eat at the restaurant ( I forget the name of it). He did bring us there earlier in the morning to get to a private beach area behind the restaurant, but we did not eat there. Because there was a cruise ship that arrived in Ocho Rios before us, Phil had to change our schedule to accomodate the amount of people at the falls, so he brought us here to cool off and just relax before heading off to the falls. He did a really great job of keeping us away from crowds. When we arrived at this beach we were the first ones there and when it was time to leave, it was just starting to fill up.

 

Just let Phil know what you want to do for lunch and he will accomodate you. Enjoy your conch fritters!!!!:)

[cruzinrph]

I was ready to book the Dunns river Falls, but now I am a little concerned after reading the mixed reviews. I will have my 8 and 11 year old with me, they are both fairly active. How difficult will it be for them to climb.

We were just there last week and my 8 year old loved it!! We made sure to place him between us in the chain. The key is to tell them to take their time in getting their footing, and buy good,well fitting water socks.. The market at the end of the falls was far scarrier than the falls by the way.

[TheWog]

I was ready to book the Dunns river Falls, but now I am a little concerned after reading the mixed reviews. I will have my 8 and 11 year old with me, they are both fairly active. How difficult will it be for them to climb.

 

I would take my now 8 year old son with us and climb. I think he would be capable of it. I of course would be right with him and helping at any point. But I wouldn't worry. You could always exit along the way.

 

I do know he would love the tubing as well.

[cruznagain]

We took our 8 and 11 year old, and they had no problem as long as we were pulling them up and holding on to them. Some of the steps up are hard to do alone without a helping hand. As far as the market leaving the falls, Phil's assistant told us to just walk out the way we came. They try to usher you out towards the market, but just ignore them and keep walking back the way you came in. The guard at the entrance will open up the gate to let you walk out. We never came across one person trying to sell us anything.

[kendon]

We did the excursion through Princess and exited the falls without seeing one vendor. I was thinking about how to handle the agressive vendors while climbing the falls (all of my energy should have been on the climb) but it turned out to be not an issue.

[OTRlady]

I'm probably late to the party, but thought I would add our experience to the pool. Just for the record, though, we did this excursion in 1997, and some things may have changed since then.

 

DH is totally blind, and we had his mother and one of her friends--both also blind--with us. DH's mother and her friend (age 69) only did the stairs. DH and I did the climb.

 

Someone posted earlier that the chain thing is not a good idea. It looks cute in the pictures they take to sell you later back on the ship (we did the tour as a shore excursion from Carnival Destiny), but has no purpose other than that. Most experienced climbers will tell you that a lot of climbing is in your hands. No one walks up the side of a mountain holding hands with other people, and it makes even less sense walking up a waterfall. We broke the chain almost immediately, because DH needs his hands to feel out where to put his feet. You can't just say "right there", you have to be more specific, and with the water rushing, it's often easier to just feel out your own spots than to try and take someone else's directions.

 

One thing about the water shoes. At the time, we rented shoes from the vendors at the parking lot, and mine felt like a proper fit going in. But the water is so cold that my feet shrunk up a bit, and the first time I put my foot in a hole, the shoe came right off! After that, it was somewhat of a struggle to keep them on. Make sure your water shoes or socks are a pretty tight fit to your feet.

 

As to the help you get, your other climbers are great--even if you're not holding hands. Most of the time, I didn't need too much assistance except time. I was 35 when I did the tour, and balance has never been a strong point of mine. Plus, I'm short and --shall we say, plump? At one point, I was having a little trouble climbing up a rather tall step for me. One of the guides who was monitoring from the side and had about 20 cameras around his neck (safekeeping for us climbers) grabbed me by the arm, literally lifted me up and over the step and set me back down again at the next flat spot. I was surprised because I didn't ask for help, and certainly that he was able to carry me that way. If you are within reach and they see you in trouble, the guides will help you.

 

DH had no problems at all, except needing a little extra time. I am the one who has no balance, can't swim, and is not athletic. Both of us made it, and are proud of it, though I don't think we will do it again. It was very hard. But don't let your doubts stop you from trying. If you want to do it, give it a shot. Our climb took about 90 minutes, mostly because the river was so crowded. We spent a lot of time waiting to move through certain bottlenecks.

 

Do not dismiss the warnings of others about injuries either. One lady from our ship put her foot in a hole, it got stuck, and she broke her leg trying to get unstuck. She spent the rest of the week in a hot pink cast and a wheelchair.

 

Re: the vendors. When we came out, I lost orientation in the parking lot, since it was not the same way we came in, and the lot was completely filled. I was surprised at how once the parking spaces are filled up, the vans and tour buses just park in the aisles or any other empty space, so it really is a sea of vehicles, surrounded by vendors. I went to the water shoe vendor to return my shoes and get my street shoes back--only he didn't have my shoes! That's when I realized there were several water shoe vendors around the perimeter of the lot and we didn't have the right one. Eventually, we found ourselves, but it was a little scary being lost in the parking lot.

 

Once we found our group again, we walked around the souvenir vendors' tents, but we didn't buy anything. They weren't overly aggressive. If we told them no thank you, they didn't bother us again. There was some nice artwork available, but we were poorer then, and didn't bring any money, as we planned to climb.

 

All things considered, we have loved the tours in Jamaica better than almost anyplace we've visited. Just remember, you are not in the US, and it's up to you to make sure you stay safe. Insurance is not like you're used to back home. I.e. the tour companies in Jamaica don't have any. Everything is at your own risk. So, if you don't feel comfortable doing something, don't do it.

 

Have a wonderful time at Dunn's River Falls. Even if you don't climb, you can walk in the water at the bottom end of the falls and get the views. It's awesome.

[kenandlaura06]

One thing about the water shoes. At the time, we rented shoes from the vendors at the parking lot, and mine felt like a proper fit going in. But the water is so cold that my feet shrunk up a bit, and the first time I put my foot in a hole, the shoe came right off! After that, it was somewhat of a struggle to keep them on. Make sure your water shoes or socks are a pretty tight fit to your feet.

 

We go whitewater rafting every year and have seen many a person lose water shoes. The shoes should be a tight fit when they are on your dry feet.

[vmom]

I was ready to book the Dunns river Falls, but now I am a little concerned after reading the mixed reviews. I will have my 8 and 11 year old with me, they are both fairly active. How difficult will it be for them to climb.

 

I think you'll be fine with an 8 and 11 year old and they will love it.

 

When we were there we saw one family with a little girl who looked to be about 4 years old and petite and without water shoes...just regular street type sandals...I thought she seemed a bit small for it and should have had water shoes since the regular street type sandals won't give the traction needed.

 

and...we say one man with a backback carrier with an infant doing the falls...that I thought was a bit much. A baby on his back could really offset his balance and I would hate to think if he fell backward and the baby hit his head.

[Carnival2012]

I did The Dunn River Falls on an excursion with Cool Runnings. It was pouring rain in Jamaica when we started our tour. It didn't bother us because we knew we would get wet on the falls. Let me start by saying that I am the least athletic person you would know. I do hit the gym a couple times a week though. The photos I saw for the falls showed that there were railings on the side to help you. Very decieving though. The railing was about four feet long, and the rest was free climbing up the falls with the help of your guide. I made it up to the first part, which you have an opportunity to get off. I won't lie, I was tempted to quit, but I pushed through my fear. There were some hard spots to figure out where to put your footing to get to the next rock, but with the help of my husband and other guests, I was able to continue.

We came to another area that you could get off again. I was tempted to quit, but I pushed through my fear again. Just when I thought that were almost done, I found out that we were only half way there. (ugh)

I continued on, and before I knew it I MADE IT! The tour guide told me afterword that he didn't think I would finish. I was proud of myself to conquer my fear, and so was my husband.

If I was asked to do it again, I could honestly say no. It was hard for me. But, if you have the opportunity to do it, you should.

If you get a good guide, they will make your experience enjoyable. I think that is the reason I was able to finish. :D