The Wilderness ATV Tour is more than just a regular attraction. It is a hands on, off road, nerve wracking and exciting experience all in one. The experience was greater than I expected, my mind was blown at how secluded it was at the end of the tour.

I came across their website by pure accident as when I thought about Ocho Rios, the first thing that comes to mind is Dunn’s River Falls and Mystic Mountain.

Once you arrive at the base of the tour, there will be an orientation about the safety measures  to take while riding the ATV. It took me some time to process everything as my guide was going way too fast. We did some test runs then we were ready to go.

I was very nervous as I was trying to remember everything he said but after a while I figured out how to improvise along the way.

I was also nervous because they told us that if we damaged the ATV, it will be ours and I didn’t plan on buying any ATVs, so that was not happening.

The experience is not one that can be easily explained but I’ll try as much as possible. Imagine riding a roller coaster that you completely control. You are enjoying the ride but at the same time you are worried that you are going to crash or fall. The anxiety was almost unbearable. To make it even worse, for most of the ride you are going up a rocky hill.

It is a must have experience when travelling to Jamaica.

We started from the Reynold Pier and went up to about 30 – 40 miles from the coastal line to what they said was Ocho Rios’ highest peak, 1,500 feet above sea level.

We went up hill, a flat for about ten minutes then up another hill. When we got to the final hill, I thought that was the end of the experience. To my surprise, we got more than expected. We stopped at the peak of the hill in a well gardened secluded home; vintage but well kept.

 

The view of the Ocho Rios coastal line from here, was a sight to behold. Pictures didn’t give it enough justice.

The stop on the peak is known as Murphy’s Hill. I came across the owner while I was there and decided to do a mini-interview with him. I was amazed that so much was almost a well kept secret. Please see interview here.

We relaxed, had a great conversation with the Wilderness team then it was time to head back down to the base.

wilderness-atv-tour

I wasn’t as worried as before because I felt like a pro now after only two hours. Thank God for good breaks because we had a few skids on the way down.

When we got back, I realized how dirty we were. I had dirt all over; I even got a mustache.

I will definitely go back another time, with a camera, so I lodge on my helmet and capture the experience.

Leave the beaches and experience the real Jamaica, not only the coast. It pains my heart when people visit Jamaica and stay inside the hotel for the entire trip.

Most of the culture, food, and experiences are off coast and outside of the hotel. That’s the only place you’ll see both the good and bad of the Island and that’s something you won’t see on the travel channel.

About Wilderness Tour Ltd

Wilderness Tour Ltd was created in 1995 at that time they used to conduct tours in the Blue Mountains area but later relocated to Ocho Rios in 2000. For them to be in operation that long and I only found out about them this year, It’s very sad. People from all over the world have visited and some of us in Jamaica (like me) didn’t even know it existed.

They offer tours daily from Mondays to Saturdays and will escort guests staying in Ocho Rios directly to and from their hotel. The pickup time also depends on the location of your hotel and fortunately, for us we were nearby so we got the pickup.

The tour times are 9am and 1pm and is approximately two(2) hours. You can either call or make reservation online. We were back and forth with emails to get everything sorted.

Bookings are confirmed by receipt of payment in Jamaica. Once you reach out to the owners they will get back to you in a timely manner. They will also help you figure out payment arrangements.

I would advise that you dress for success. I made the mistake by wearing a dress and had to go back to change. Wear pants or shorts, t-shirts, sunscreen and comfortable shoes.

You have two packages to choose from: The ATV Tour and The ATV/Dunn’s River Tour.

The ATV Tour – $75 per person

The ATV/Dunn’s River Tour – $105 per person

We went with ATV Tour as we already had passes for Dunn’s River.