turtle river falls and gardens

Visited on 3 Mar 15. I found this place by reading reviews on this site. It is a hidden treasure. Yes the place does give an appearance of needing a little TLC but if you can look past that, what a wonderful place to visit. My wife and I didn't want to compete with hundreds of other tourists, so this was just right. The small and secluded waterfalls made for great photo opportunities and our guide, Jordan was first class. He was a very young 28 and had extensive knowledge of the area. He was humorous and friendly making it a pleasant walk on the grounds. We took advantage of the on site photographer, paid only $20 for a photo CD of us while on the tour. They will preview the photos on a computer so you can see what you are getting. Well worth the $20, quite a good deal. My wife love seeing the birds on the grounds and you get an opportunity to hand feed several exotic birds. Priceless since my wife is an avid bird watcher.

We hired a private guide to take us here from our Royal Caribbean cruise in Falmouth, which was about an hour away. Here we found lush gardens, waterfalls to climb, and an aviary filled with tame birds who wanted to eat out of our hands. There is also a swimming pool with changing facilities, but we didn't have time to try it.Open from 9:00 to 4:00 pm, it is located up a hill on the outskirts of Ocho Rios with a gated parking lot. The entrance fee, listed as USD $20 pp, can only be paid in cash (no credit cards). On the day we were there, there were maybe 6 cars in the parking lot with no more than a dozen tourists visible in the whole park.We joined a tour which had just started with Jordan, a young botanist student who was VERY enthusiast about the plants in the garden and delighted in giving us a good experience with the birds. He led us up the many tiers of the waterfall and encouraged us to go in and climb up, which we did. There was only one other family in the waterfalls! So skip the crowds at Dunn's Fall if you can, and have a calm visit here. (not good for those with limited mobility)

I've done the Dunnes River Falls and there was WAY too many people so I was looking for something different this time. I stumbled across this hidden gem and was so happy I did. We had a great easy walking tour of all the falls, the gardens and even walked up the falls. Our guide was not only knowledgeable but extremely likeable too. The camera guy came along and for an additional $20 we got over 100 pictures of our day!The aviary was fun-because I've never fed a peacock before.We didn't stay to enjoy the pool, but it was lovely looking.Make sure you come here and now where else!

This place used to be a hotel with gardens.It unfortunately went bankrupt and now consists of manicured gardens, a very pretty waterfall and a aviary with lovebirds,peacocks,chickens,and a unattended swimming pool,,and few staff and no restaurant. .It cost 20us dollars to get in which was a fair price compared to other places in jamaica.This place is a five minute walk up a hill (opposite the large Turtle park in Ochio town) or a short red plate taxi ride away(100 jamaican dollars).If you are staying in a hotel in Ochi and do the hotel morning shopping trip,ask your driver to drop you off here on the way back.He will then collect you a couple of hours later with the afternoon shoppers (provided of course you give him a 10us dollar tip--agree this before you go).We were the only ones in this place and enjoyed the peace and quiet for 2 hrs.This place has huge potential to expand and be one of the best attractions in Jamaica.Its a pity financial backup is the problem.Nonetheless ,a nice place to visit in its current position

We were very impressed by the falls, grounds and the aviary as well as our very knowledgeable guide Jordan. We purchased the photo cd and I'm so glad we did - there are several photos that I know will make me smile when I look back at them over the years. I am very surprised the the cruise line I was on (Princess) didn't offer an excrusion to this place since it was such a high quality experience - but was thankful in a way that they didn't since it not being crowded greatly enhanced our time there. Would highly recommend a visit! It amused us that Scott (the red parrot) is older than Jordan!

This place had my husband mesmerized. Once we paid our admissions, a staff takes you to the outdoor eating area close to the swimming pool. Our party of 8 was given a table and chairs by the friendly staff. I was aware the restaurant on site is closed, so visitors can pack a picnic lunch or buy food from town before coming here.We were there on Boxing day.Many local Jamaicans were there enjoying their time. The place seems crowded but once our tour guide Devon took us on the walk., the crowd slowly peeled away. Devon took his time sharing his knowledge on the park grounds and took us to the various falls. It's best to start from the highest falls and make your way back to the lowest falls to avoid the crowd. The "OOH and AHH FALLs" were beautiful. Our group consisting from children as young as 7 and adults as old as 57 climbed the falls with NO WATER shoes required. The rocks are fairly flat and super easy to climb. We took endless photos. Sometimes it felt like we were the only ones there! I wish tourist would give TURTLE RIVER FALLS and GARDENS a visit instead of the over marketed DUNNS RIVER FALLS. It is a great day excursions for people who are docking for the day in Ochi. Tell the driver to take you to Turtle River Falls and Garden.It is on the same road as EVITA's italian restaurant. it is on the left side, approximately 1 to 2 minutes after EVITA's. I am not sure how much it would cost for we drove there. What's also nice about this place, is there is small aviary center. The red parrot is stunningly beautiful. There are other variety of birds too. The tour guide will provide bird food for you.All you need to do is offer out your hand, and then the birds will come. If you are feeling brave like me, you can even feed the peacock. I enjoyed my time at Turtle River and Gardens and will be planning a trip there soon! I love that is not commercialized and there are no souvenir shops or pushy sales people. For those debating between Dunns River Falls and Turtle River and Gardens.Factor in your cost, age of your party. Dunns River Falls would be challenging for young children where as Turtle River and Gardens are suitable for all age groups.

My husband and I toured the garden, falls, and aviary in December. Spectacular falls, set in a rainforest, with lush plants and trees all around. It was very easy to walk up stairs beside the falls and enjoy them (it is possible to walk into the falls if you want to do that). The aviary was great fun, with colorful and unusual birds perching on heads, shoulders, and arms.

Having already visited Dunns River Falls and Mystic Mountain on a previous visit to Jamaica, my wife and I looked for something different to do on our latest visit, and decided to try Turtle River Falls. I was keen to walk some of the falls and get wet, and my wife was interested in the massive aviary, so this seemed to be the perfect attraction for us, and we were so pleased we chose Turtle River Falls - what an amazing place.On arrival it appeared we were the only visitors (they said they were usually busy at weekends but we were visiting early season on a weekday) and our tour guide Devon and a photographer introduced themselves and took us on a highly personal and peaceful tour around the grounds of this former resort. I believe the grounds have only been open as Turtle River Falls since 2010 having previously been the Enchanted Gardens Resort complex. Whilst we both had cameras, the photographer took photos of us both as we went around, offering a photographic summary of our visit, and he also took photos of me in the waterfalls where getting photos would otherwise be a challenge.The tour consisted of a walk around the tropical gardens (which were stunning) and around the various waterfalls, including two which I was invited to climb through, pose for photos, sit underneath the falling water, and even sit in a small area underneath the falls looking out...this was exactly what I was looking for from the visit and loved every minute...just like Dunns River Falls but it was just me and the photographer - amazing!After the falls and the gardens, we walked downhill towards the massive aviary, passing a Koi Carp pond where the tour guide fed them, and we watched with amazement as a previously tranquil scene suddenly turned into a mass feeding frenzy! After that we entered the aviary and the tour guide put seed into our hands and all of a sudden there were tropical birds everywhere...mainly on our hands, arms and perched on our heads! It was hilarious, and the photographer snapped away some terrific shots of us feeding the birds...parrots, parakeets, chickens, doves, birds of paradise, etc...it was just what my wife wanted out of the day, and we both thoroughly enjoyed it.Lastly we walked down to see some turtles in the pond before returning to our starting point and we offered the tour guide a decent tip for the very personal attention he gave us over the tour, lasting 1.75 hours. We also bought the CD of photos taken by the photographer ($20 for over 100 photos of our personal tour) which also includes some stock photos of the property, gardens and flora.It would be lovely to see Turtle River Falls get the same amount of trade as nearby Dunns River, but then again, that was the beauty of this place...no crowds, no salesmen, no panic, just a relaxing, personalised tour, featuring all the stuff you would get at Dunns River, and then a whole lot more. Don't miss this place - support it and we sincerely hope it goes from strength to strength.

Loved doing this one. Enjoyed the falls and the walk. Guide was very knowledgeable and the photographer was fun. Both gave ample time at each falls so I could snap my own photos at my pace. Aviary to me and my mom was a bit of a let down but overall fun and would do it again for the falls

I read about these falls & decided that we would have a fun day here, we arrived & at first glance I thought the place was closed, but it was open & we where the only folks in the park. We entered the main building , I guess this is the ticketing area while they are slow, seems this time of year it is not very busy, the entry fee was $20 per person, so we thought that was a good price as most other attractions here are 5 times that price. We where told to wait & a guide would be with us, when he arrived he was straight down to business, showing us the way to explore all 14 waterfalls they have here & explaining the history of the property. Seem this place has had a few owners over the years, one being the ex prime minister of Jamaica.. The falls were beautiful & you are allowed to walk inside the falls, on one there is a bench seat half way up to the falls, in another there is a cave you can climb to & sit in, you will get a little wet getting in & out, so have swimmers.The gardens are a little run down & need a good revamp, as is the turtle enclosure, they also have a bird enclosure, it to could do with some work. The mc call bird they have here is so cool, his name is Scott, he will sit on your arm, head & pose for photo,s, don't miss him & the other beautiful birds. Over all it was great for the family , they have a pool for you to swim in, but I must say, they do need to spend some money here & fix the place up, it is a shame it looks a bit tired & run down.. But still hold a massive amount of natural beauty.

If you are a nature lover you will love this place. The place can do with a face lift, but there is great potential there. Awesome Falls, Fauna and Japanese KOI fishes, and to top it off, there is a bird sanctuary.

This is a nice little place to visit which is close to Ocho Rios (just off the highway). It is trying to make a comeback after years of neglect. We visited based on TripAdvisor reviews even though a local tour operator told us it "is not in operation and would be complete waste of money." (that's a copy/paste from his email).Our tour started off by visiting an nearly empty office area with various desks and other furnishings strewn/stacked about. We paid our $20/ea for the tour. There did not appear to be any other visitors. Then we walked over to a covered area where we met our tour guide. He gave us the "Do you want a photographer for $20 and she will give you a CD with your pictures" pitch. We politely declined. I felt bad as she was just sitting there for day and there had not been many visitors.Our tour guide was in a worn and torn Turtle River Falls shirt. His English was understandable - but only with lots of effort. He took us up the steps to view the really picturesque water falls. Many you could swim in - but we were plenty wet from our prior tour near Ocho Rios. The guide stopped to explain the plants and flowers that surrounded the walkway. Most were just just naturally growing. Some appeared to have been planted and/or nursed along. All-in-all, a beautiful 30 minute walk and talk. He did take the time to explain the history of the dilapidated and abandoned resort on the property.Next it was a short walk down to the aviary where several species of colorful birds await your visit. The guide puts some bird seed in your hand and they jump on your arm to feed. One appeared to be a Macaw (but I'm no expert!).1 hour later the tour was done. In our opinion, it was well worth the $20/each.This is not a polished tourist destination, but it could very well be with time if more visitors pay to visit. Right now, it is simply a beautiful walk with waterfalls, plants, and colorful flowers. It is away from the crowds and quite enjoyable.

Very picturistic! It's a beautiful falls with a lot of history behind it. The grounds are very beautiful. This was the first time I saw so many koi fishes up close and fed parrots. All persons in our group enjoyed the tour and bathing in the falls after. Its a wonderful place for a family picnic. This place has its own charm and is different from other falls. A must visit. Thank you Mr. Francis for all your assistance!

Thoroughly enjoyed our visit to Turtle River Falls. Far less crowded than other attractions with a wide variety of things to do and see. The guides are professional, friendly, and not pushy. Jordan was particulaly good, giving us plenty of time to stop and enjoy the falls, gardens, pool, or aviary. Very fair price for an optional photographic record of your visit. They are still rebuilding so have limited services - but refreshments are available at the office. Bring cash as they do not yet accept credit/debit cards. You`ll also want to budget a tip for your guide. Overall a very pleasant and enjoyable experience.

This is a great attraction for a group with mixed fitness levels. It is beautiful so those who just want to stroll and admire the scenery can do so. The more active can climb the waterfalls and bathe in the shallow pools. There are no deep pools for jumping or diving (go to Blue Hole if you want to do that) but that makes it great for small children who will not be intimidated by large volumes of rushing water. The aviary was enchanting with many of our party getting completely carried away by the richly-plumed birds feeding out of their hands. Take the tour and afterwards, go back to the falls on your own and enjoy the river for as long as you want to.