Minnie824
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- May 7, 2000
we just got back from a great vacation! will try to do a trip report soon but wanted to review some of the excursions we did as well. The first one was the waterfall bamboo hike on Sundays at 1pm. This past week they also had an 8am trip but we did 1pm. It states easy/moderate trail and 4 hours.
We were outside waiting by front entrance by 12:45 as suggested. Bus did not arrive until about 1:20. Then come to find out it was the 8am tour just returning! Apparently they left at 8:30, but still, not 4 hours. We had a nice guide, drove us about 45 min to where we would start the hike. We were expecting going to a normal trail, hiking up and back. The bus took us to a subdivision where we met another guide who has access to go to this trail, which is not a public trail. We grabbed a mini water they provided (I'd suggest bringing your own and more than a mini bottle), sprayed up w/bug spray and headed off.
As we went through the hike we learned that this tour was not offered recently because some trees had fallen, etc, so the tour company only about 1.5 months ago, recleared an area to walk. We started hiking, there were 2 streams to cross and kept going up. The guide stopped a lot to talk. And everywhere we stopped were more and more mosquitos. When they say bring bug spray, bring it. We sprayed at least 10 times on our way up and down and still had a ton of bites all over us. I think part of the problem was he kept stopping to talk and that was when we got swarmed.
So we were walking awhile, and then we figured, almost to the top right? nope, not even halfway to the waterfall. Overall i think they said it was around 2.5 miles. Part of it that they had cleared recently, you literally had to hold on to the bamboo to navigate up the rocks. We all enjoyed that part, but another family had a 70 year old with them, which was difficult, however they figured easy/moderate hike, shouldn't be a problem. It definitely it harder for people either older or not able to navigate the terrain easily.
On the way down we started back with another family ahead of the guide...kids loved this part because we were moving at a nice pace. Waterfall was pretty. It was a great experience and overall was very fun.
If you do book it plan on it being on island time and lasting longer. We had dinner reservations at 7 which we barely made. We were full of mud and sweaty so needed to shower and didn't get back to the resort til 6:15. I got some great pics and we did enjoy it (minus the mosquito bites). Let me know if you have any questions!
We were outside waiting by front entrance by 12:45 as suggested. Bus did not arrive until about 1:20. Then come to find out it was the 8am tour just returning! Apparently they left at 8:30, but still, not 4 hours. We had a nice guide, drove us about 45 min to where we would start the hike. We were expecting going to a normal trail, hiking up and back. The bus took us to a subdivision where we met another guide who has access to go to this trail, which is not a public trail. We grabbed a mini water they provided (I'd suggest bringing your own and more than a mini bottle), sprayed up w/bug spray and headed off.
As we went through the hike we learned that this tour was not offered recently because some trees had fallen, etc, so the tour company only about 1.5 months ago, recleared an area to walk. We started hiking, there were 2 streams to cross and kept going up. The guide stopped a lot to talk. And everywhere we stopped were more and more mosquitos. When they say bring bug spray, bring it. We sprayed at least 10 times on our way up and down and still had a ton of bites all over us. I think part of the problem was he kept stopping to talk and that was when we got swarmed.
So we were walking awhile, and then we figured, almost to the top right? nope, not even halfway to the waterfall. Overall i think they said it was around 2.5 miles. Part of it that they had cleared recently, you literally had to hold on to the bamboo to navigate up the rocks. We all enjoyed that part, but another family had a 70 year old with them, which was difficult, however they figured easy/moderate hike, shouldn't be a problem. It definitely it harder for people either older or not able to navigate the terrain easily.
On the way down we started back with another family ahead of the guide...kids loved this part because we were moving at a nice pace. Waterfall was pretty. It was a great experience and overall was very fun.
If you do book it plan on it being on island time and lasting longer. We had dinner reservations at 7 which we barely made. We were full of mud and sweaty so needed to shower and didn't get back to the resort til 6:15. I got some great pics and we did enjoy it (minus the mosquito bites). Let me know if you have any questions!
