Located not far away from one of Jamaica’s most popular attractions, The Blue Mountains, is the National Park, Holywell Park.
The property is 330 acres and stands about one kilometer above sea level. It is the perfect sweet escape from the hustle and bustle of Kingston City.
The property offers 10 gazebos, restrooms, picnic areas, Kids Zone (an area specifically designed for children ages 4- 10), cabins and a spectacular view of Kingston, Portmore, and Port Royal.
One of the key features of the Holywell Park is the five nature trails. They are: the Blue Mahoe Trail (350 metres) Oatley Mountain Trail,(1.2 km) Waterfall Trail,( 1.3 km) Shelter Trail, (600 metres) Wag Water, Dick’s Pond Trail, (630 metres) . If you are a nature lover, these walks will be perfect for you! With lush vegetation everywhere the park is often bathed in tropical mist. It is always cool with the fresh fragrance of mountain air.
Holywell National Recreation Park is a pleasure for bird watchers. The rich flora and fauna is paradise for them! The watch features many varieties of birds, including all 30 of Jamaica’s endemic species. It is an amazing watch!
A number of tours are available to you. The park offers:
Educational Tours (presentations/activities are varied according to the age-group/level and special requests e.g. for particular aspects of school/university curricula)
Bird-watching Tours (6am)
Coffee Tours (2 options – Classic Tourincludes a short walk to a neighbouring coffee farm – 2.5 hrs or Nature and Coffee which includes a hike through the farm and up to the house to see and smell the roasting – 4 hrs).
Gordon Town to Redlight Trail OR Gordon Town to Greenwich via Redlight Trails
For convenient accommodation, are self -contained cabins that give a true experience of real Jamaican living in rustic yet comfortable surroundings. The cabins at Holywell, each come with their own living and dining area, fireplace, and kitchen with small refrigerator and stove with oven. Each cabin has restrooms. The food you want to cook is up to you. Holywell also offers camp site rentals for those interested.
If you are an “eco- tourist”, this is the perfect spot for you. Come and experience one of Jamaica’s hidden nature gems. Be sure to come prepared. You should wear comfortable clothing and shoes, bring your umbrella and sweater in case it rains, snacks and water are always good to have!
