Exactly how strenuous IS Dunn's River Falls?

[lsane2]

I think I've read enough to know that I want to do DRF when we are in Ocho Rios, but I haven't decided HOW we are going to do it. DD will be turning 7 on the cruise and DH is not in the best shape, although he started exercising today.:rolleyes:

 

In looking at pictures, it looks like there are places where we could stop and rest in the "lagoons" while climbing up the falls. If we go with a guide, do they keep pushing you to go all the way up or do they stop and rest at times? Is it possible to alternate climbing the falls and climbing the stairs? Should we not go with a guide and just go up at our own pace?

 

Also, I know I would like to take a lot of pictures. Has anyone taken a DSLR up the falls? Would I be able to keep it dry?

 

Whoo, a lot of questions, but we may only get one chance at this so I want to do it right,:o

 

TIA!

[plunker]

Just got back tonight from the Ruby princess and we did the falls Monday. Anything you bring is going to get wet so we took a waterproof camera. It is pretty tough climbing in places. We have a 6 year old and i remember saying to my wife I would never let our 6 year old do this. But you are holding hands on the way up and there are places to get on and off. I saw a boy that looked 7 or 8 and he started climbing about half way up where it wasn't as bad as down at the bottom. I would say this was my favorite excursion of the whole trip. Just beautiful and you stop pretty often to take pictures and they are talking and filming you as you climb and sell dvd's of your climb at the end. My wife and I were with a group and alot of us bought the dvd for 25 bucks. It's 40 otherwise. Hope this helps.

[toras]

It's not strenuous but is slippery so you need good shoes and good balance. Don't think you can stay in the lagoons, but you can probably leave the falls and go on one of the platforms to take a rest then start again, of course by that time your group would have moved on. The guide would probably expect you to tip when you leave the falls. You would not be able to keep anything dry on you, except in a waterproof bag. I had my camera in a Ewa-marine bag.

[twooley2]

we did the falls about 2 yrs ago and it is steep and slippery in places. We had water shoes on. There are exits at a couple of places if you decide it is too much. I do recall looking upwards at the falls and thinking. How am I ever going to do that and than a guide came up and we made it halfway. Yes he encouraged us and I had madeit 3/4 of the way I think but after scraping my shins and the cold water hitting it I was pretty wore out. We did not have any children with us. I guess it depends how agile your child is. Sometimes kids are more agile than us. I did see a first aid station there too but never stopped in.

[J & G]

I think I've read enough to know that I want to do DRF when we are in Ocho Rios, but I haven't decided HOW we are going to do it. DD will be turning 7 on the cruise and DH is not in the best shape, although he started exercising today.:rolleyes:

 

In looking at pictures, it looks like there are places where we could stop and rest in the "lagoons" while climbing up the falls. If we go with a guide, do they keep pushing you to go all the way up or do they stop and rest at times? Is it possible to alternate climbing the falls and climbing the stairs? Should we not go with a guide and just go up at our own pace?

 

Also, I know I would like to take a lot of pictures. Has anyone taken a DSLR up the falls? Would I be able to keep it dry?

 

Whoo, a lot of questions, but we may only get one chance at this so I want to do it right,:o

 

TIA!

 

The climb can be strenuous in places.....not a place for weak legs or bad knees. The children that we saw climbing seemed to have an easier time than the adults!

 

The guides work for tips. You can hire a guide to stay just with you....and he should allow you to rest as you need to. That will cost more than a tip, but it should be well worth it.

 

There are places to get out, if you choose to. There is a degree of danger.....to be honest, there are several opportunities to slip and fall, and you should be aware of that. Someone in virtually every group of climbers gets injured....usually only scrapes or bruises....sometimes something more serious.

 

Before we went I did quite a bit of research, including reading reports of ambulances leaving the falls every few minutes......we didn't hear or see ANY of that level of injury, but could see how it might happen. Yes, people in our group did slip and get bruised and scraped.....I think I was the only one who came out completely unscathed. We were VERY grateful for the big, strong young man in front of us who was always there with a hand out to help us up the next step. Our guide was useless....he disappeared after the first 5 minutes of the climb and didn't reappear until we reached the top. He had his hand out, too......for a tip.

 

The falls are beautiful and we are glad we climbed them. We are going back to Ocho Rios next week, but are not doing the falls.....

 

As far as taking something that you want to stay dry.....DON'T! Nothing will be dry after a couple of minutes.....no matter how hard you try.

 

The falls are wonderful....and you can climb the stairs alongside the falls, if you decide to exit the falls themselves. That way, you can still enjoy the view (and do some people watching), if you decide that the falls are not your cup of tea.

[Stircrzy]

Thanks, J & G.

 

I don't think this is something that I can do. I will be content to take some photos of others....maybe my daughter can photoshop my head on someone, preferably a bikini babe...:D

[J & G]

Thanks, J & G.

 

I don't think this is something that I can do. I will be content to take some photos of others....maybe my daughter can photoshop my head on someone, preferably a bikini babe...:D

 

I didn't see many bikini clad babes....but truthfully, I wasn't looking for them! :D

 

The falls are really pretty, so you might want to climb the stairs next to the falls. They are very nice...sort of a wooden deck type stairway. You really get a better view of the falls that way, too. You can stay dry and you don't run the risk of slipping on slippery rocks. If we were to do it again, that's what we'd do.......

[lsane2]

Just got back tonight from the Ruby princess and we did the falls Monday. Anything you bring is going to get wet so we took a waterproof camera. It is pretty tough climbing in places. We have a 6 year old and i remember saying to my wife I would never let our 6 year old do this. But you are holding hands on the way up and there are places to get on and off. I saw a boy that looked 7 or 8 and he started climbing about half way up where it wasn't as bad as down at the bottom. I would say this was my favorite excursion of the whole trip. Just beautiful and you stop pretty often to take pictures and they are talking and filming you as you climb and sell dvd's of your climb at the end. My wife and I were with a group and alot of us bought the dvd for 25 bucks. It's 40 otherwise. Hope this helps.

 

We'll be on the Ruby also! How was it? Did your 6 year old visit the Kid's Club?

 

What do you really need a guide for here? I mean, it's not like you don't know where you're going. I'm sort of leaning on going up on our own. I guess I don't see what value a guide has.

 

And I'm watching a waterproof camera on ebay now.;)

[plunker]

The ruby was awesome. This was our first cruise and we had so much fun. Our 6 year old didn't come with us this trip. His grandparents watched him for us. You dont have to get a guide. We booked a tour ahead of time so we had a guide and they film you going up the falls and then sell dvd's at the end which we bought for 25 bucks. It was probably the best excursion we did on the trip.

[MamaParrotHead]

The guides keep their groups going at a decent pace, no stopping (except for picture ops taken by them or the ship's photographers). That being said, though, I don't know that I'd climb the Falls without a guide...they know exactly where to step and the rocks are trickey and slippery. And I don't know if you got off the Falls, on to the steps, you'd be allowed to join up with another guide's group. There was definately a process to the whole thing, and not something that *I* personally would be comfortable just "winging" on my own.

 

I'm not the most physically fit person on earth, and although I felt it in my bum muscles the next day :D, I did it. I think your DH and your DD will be fine, as long as you get behind someone who's willing to help you out (as everyone holds hands to help one another up and show each other where the guide stepped). My other suggestion would be to ask one of the guides (as they kind of congregate at the top of the Falls to herd people into groups) and maybe tip him a bit extra to put your family right with him at the head of the group. I think that'd be the best place to be, considering you do spend a reasonable amount of time waiting while everyone else is catching up.

[wildcatksu]

There are other falls you should be able to do with no problems. Check out these two:

 

http://www.ysfalls.com/

 

or

 

http://www.mayfieldfalls.com/

[MNmomof4]

I recently did the climb and we felt it was awesome. There is an easy way up or a challenging way. We chose the challenging side and it was great. The pace is set by your guide and the amount of people in your group. Unfortunately our guide had lots of people and we had a lot of down time to play in the water. I wouldnt climb it without a guide.

[cruz_luvr1]

If you go with a tour, is there a place where you can change out of your wet bathing suit into dry clothes when you're done?

[UME6869]

My wife and I were there in July 08. We did the falls through a tour with Sandals. The falls themselves are great and we loved it. There is certainly a risk involved with the climb. It is steep in places and slippery. Quite a few places where you might need help from someone to get up and over some of the rocks. They do ask you to hold hands and go up in a line with a bunch of other people. This is good and bad. It;s nice to have some one to help you but there is a lot of places where you might need both of your hands to climb. The other downfall is if the person who is holding your hand falls(and a lot of people do) they will be pulling on you. If you are ok with your climbing skills and not afraid to climb steep wet rocks, than you will have lots of fun. Take your time and don't be affraid to ask for help, everyone seems to be willing to lend a hand.

[bride928]

Okay this might be dumb, but after you've reached the top how do you get back down? do you have to climb down as well?

[MamaParrotHead]

Okay this might be dumb, but after you've reached the top how do you get back down? do you have to climb down as well?

 

When you start, you meet your guide at the top and go down to start climbing. So when you're done, you're actually where the lockers and such are, where you started.

[pjpurple6]

I just did the falls last week, I didn't think it was strenuous at all , just treacherous in certain spots, and water was very refreshing as it was tropically hot!

 

I loved the falls it was gorgeous, the guide got near the top and said it was fine the rest of the way and he was gone, that was the part I thought was the worst, I slipped and had a hard time going up this part , waterfall was hitting me in the face and I kept slipping down and the girl I was with pulled me up. Our group skirted around the market place :)

[Zaffor]

We did it about 2 weeks ago and had a great time. We asked for a private guide and that helped my MOM of 62 (and not in the best shape) make it all the way to the top.He really did a fine job and helped her every step of the way. We were able to stop when she needed a break. The guide also took photos of us at different spots. I climbed of to the side of our small group of 6 to take photos.

 

Which brings me to the SLR. I wouldnt take an SLR because there are parts where the rocks are slippery and you might slip and wet the camera (I mean even if you just put your hand down for balance it would hit the water). I carried an olympus stylus-Tough digital camera and it found it a little difficult at times to climb with one hand holding the camera even WHILE it was getting wet. There are also parts of the falls where the water spray could wet your camera. There was one cruiseship photographer taking photos with an SLR but he was in one place and just photographing groups as they passed.

 

There are parts to stop and rest while you climb if your not tied to a group, and you can exit at various spots to climb the stairs if you wish but it was good fun and my MOM is happy she did it. Water was COLD and we started off spraying each other for fun but we were jumping in after a bit. Definately worth taking a waterproof camera for some fun photos and some water shoes or sandles.

 

HAVE FUN!!!

[cruiseco]

When you start, you meet your guide at the top and go down to start climbing. So when you're done, you're actually where the lockers and such are, where you started.

 

If you do one of those catamaran trips you'll be dropped off at the bottom (leave your stuff on the boat), climb the falls up to the top, then take the walkway back down to the boat at the beach.

[iceman262]

We went to the falls on the dunns river shuttle in the beginning of the year. We took our two sons with us - ages 7 and 10. My 10 year old was fine, but it was a little hard for the 7 year old because the "steps" up are quite steep in certain places - although because you hold hands, he was literally pulled up to the top so he made it safe and sound. Also, make sure to wear water shoes as the rocks are slippery. One thing he didn't like was that the water was so cold - because he is small, it covered his chest. There are little "pool" areas where the guide lets you stop and take pictures or splash around, but there are very quick 1 minute stops and not places to hang out. All in all we really enjoyed ourselves and wouldn't have missed it - definitely an experience to remember.

[oncruisecontrol]

I think I've read enough to know that I want to do DRF when we are in Ocho Rios, but I haven't decided HOW we are going to do it. DD will be turning 7 on the cruise and DH is not in the best shape, although he started exercising today.:rolleyes:

 

In looking at pictures, it looks like there are places where we could stop and rest in the "lagoons" while climbing up the falls. If we go with a guide, do they keep pushing you to go all the way up or do they stop and rest at times? Is it possible to alternate climbing the falls and climbing the stairs? Should we not go with a guide and just go up at our own pace?

 

Also, I know I would like to take a lot of pictures. Has anyone taken a DSLR up the falls? Would I be able to keep it dry?

 

Whoo, a lot of questions, but we may only get one chance at this so I want to do it right,:o

 

TIA!

 

 

When I was there, we did not climb the falls (afraid of falling and ruining the rest of my vacation). People who did it told me that it was very slippery even with their water shoes on. There is a nice, wide wooden staircase that runs along side of the falls all the way to the bottom. It is what I'd recommend you do if you're concerned about the difficulty of climbing. We took the stairs to the ocean and waded in the tidal area immediately at the bottom of the falls where the fresh water meets the sea. It was great. We had a great view looking up at the falls from there, and the cool air was some of the freshest I've ever breathed into my lungs. It was envigorating.

[Candleonwater]

We've now climbed the falls 4 times, and I'm as out of shape as one can get. I'm a single parent, and tend to be a bit overly cautious (about my activities and my DD's). The first time we climbed the falls, she was 7. I entered the falls saying, I will exit as soon as I feel like I need to... the guide helped me over a couple of rough patches, and I made it all the way. It is no1w a required destination for us.

 

I think the only kind of camera I would bring is a waterproof one. In trying to keep a camera dry, you'll miss too much of the fun: standing under the water, sliding down into a pool, falling back into the water, etc...

[teeny25]

My advice..find the strongest, burliest, most tatooed guy and stand behind him.. he will literally pull you up the falls :) On the other hand though.. I was in front of my bf who had injured his back earlier that year.. He got no help from me.. LOL and was in some pain later.. I'm clumsy and got some scratches but all in good fun.

[pinkmonkey14]

When you climb, where do you keep passports/sea pass cards?

[MamaParrotHead]

When you climb, where do you keep passports/sea pass cards?

They have lockers to use before you start your climb.