Jamaica Tours, Guides and Vacations

No matter how often I find myself on a Black River Safari it is a treat to me each and every time. I had the pleasure of taking Angus and Kelley on a tour of the South Coast of Jamaica with stops at Black River and YS Falls. Our trip to Black River from Negril was short and sweet and we were at the Black River tour location before lunch.

We got the full tour with tons of information about the local ecology and the Black River ecosystem. The big draw on the river are the Jamaican Crocodile which can only be found here in Black River in small numbers. These rare animals spend their days cruising the rivers in search of food which often comes in the form of chicken carcasses tossed out by the Black River safari guides and tour operators who keep the crocs well fed.

The crocodiles in Black River are so tame and predictable that tour guides will often jump in the water or at least hand feed them for your enjoyment. There are sections of the river that are crocodile free where visitors can take a swim in the cool clear waters of the Black River. The river is called black because of the peat settled on the bottom but the river water is actually pretty clear although they say you should filter it before drinking.

A Black River and YS Falls tour is a wonderful way to spend the day traveling the lesser developed section of the island and the South Coast of Jamaica on a full day tour with stops in Scotts Cove or Middle Quarters for fresh fried fish and bammy or delicious hot boiled “peppa shrimp” and a real taste of Jamaica.

Purple Cattleya Orchid at Black River Jamaica

Irie Pontoon Riverboat Tours on Black River Jamaica

White Egret birds and Jamaican Wildlife at Black River Safari

Santa Cruz Mountains from Black River Safari Tour

Red mangrove at Black River Safari Tour Guides

Black River Dread Locks in Red Mangrove Tree

Jamaican Water Lily on Black River Safari

Black River Basin

Jamaican Crocodile with mouth wide

Angus and Kelley with JamaicaMAX Tours

No South Coast Jamaica trip is complete without at least driving through Black River and on this occasion we decided to stop and take a trip with J. Charles Swaby on his Black River Safari and Riverboat Cruise. It was an exceptionally hot day and the sun was shining as bright as ever so we decided that a ride on the boat was a great way to spend the day. We set out for Black River from Treasure Beach and arrived in the early afternoon while most of the towns people of Black River we’re off to lunch or whatever they do in the heat of the mid day sun.

This Jamaica attraction was rather slow on this day and we were able to get reservations on the very next boat leaving. We we’re glad to do so because sitting around in the sun and waiting was sucking the life out of me fast. It was really hot this day and I was hopeful that the clouds would blow over and we might end up with an overcast day because the sun was blazing. As it were I was in luck and the clouds came over us just after lunch and cooled the day off for us all. With all the shade it was still a hot sunny boat ride around a very beautiful river and wetlands area.

I really do love the natural beauty of Jamaica and Black River is one of the highlights of any nature or eco tour of the country. The Black River is home to some of the rarest and most unique of all Jamaican wildlife and there are all sorts of animals to see on this tour. The most popular of all wildlife on the Black River tour is the Jamaican Crocodile. There are no alligators in Jamaica and the only crocodile species is the American Crocodile found all over North America. The Jamaican crocs hang out in the brackish waters of South Coast rivers and Black River is a hot spot for croc activity. You can also find manatees in the river but we did not encounter any on this trip.

The Black River is also a birdwatchers dream with dozens of birds to be seen on any given day. I’ve become much more of a birdwatcher since our return and I was glad to be able to get some pictures of birds in Jamaica on this trip. The birds here in Jamaica scare easily but the ones on the Black River tour seem to be used to the boats and noise and they allowed us to approach them rather close. It was really cool to see the Egrets hanging out with the Crocodile in the shots above. I don’t think I could have asked for a better shot from them.

The Black River Safari runs about 1 1/2 hours and costs $15 per adult and half price for children. Resident pricing is available if you present a Jamaican ID or TRN card. I suggest you bring a lunch with you as there are limited choices in the area for dining and it is a bit out of the way. Travel time from Negril is just over one hour with good traffic conditions. There is no swimming area on the Black River and lots of folks head on to YS Falls and Bamboo avenue after spending a half day on the River.

Check out over 300 more pictures from the Black River Safari in our photo gallery here