island safari barbados

We were picked up on time at our hotel and the first part of the day was a jeep ride around several parishes of Barbados and our guide, Damian, was great! When we got on the catamaran in the afternoon, the snorkeling and swim with the turtles (NO FISH OR TURTLES WERE SEEN) was disappointing. The captain, Thomas (apparently the owner of the boat) was more interested in fishing than stopping at a better location. Other vendors came to the boat and took some passengers on a joyride.... although the food and drinks were great, we were really looking forward to snorkeling and swimming with the turtles as that's how the tour was billed. We ended up booking a 'swim with the turtles' from our resort and it was excellent!!...I would not book this trip again...it cost us $360 CDN !!!!!

Booked on-line and therefore received a free t-shirt but then found a discount voucher in one of those tourist advertising stands in a bar. Worth looking out for as this is a great day. Pick-up included from hotels but we were staying privately and they picked us up from a nearby hotel. Driver was great, very informative and the scenery was amazing. Got to see places well of the tourist routes and as the title suggests an off-road safari through the rain forest. Lunch was served at a club and much better than expected. Would recommend.

Enjoyed this trip a lot. The 'jeep' (actually a Toyota Landcruiser) was very comfortable considering how bumpy this journey was in places, padded seats and backrest as well as seat belts made this an 'armchair' offroad experience. Ivan was humorous and knowledgeable and the mike/speaker system meant that we heard every word. Frequent stops for refreshments and great views/photo opportunities too. Loved it!

My husband and I knew that our short (5 days) first visit to Barbados wasn't long enough to really get to experience the island, so we decided to try Island Safari Barbados' Adventure Safari. We were the first ones in the jeep - closest to the cab. This is a great location if you enjoy a wonderful wind in your hair, and like being close to the loudspeaker.The tour was lovely - the guide, Charles, was informative and funny and could tell us lots of things about the plants and crops we saw as we drove along. The roads (and the off-road) were quite bumpy at times, but this was clearly described on the Island Safari website - we expected and were well-prepared for seats that were not luxurious. We had a chance to interact with several other Island Safari groups, since they were all on the same tour, having been collected from different resorts. All the guides were friendly and helpful, and I especially appreciated the good-natured teasing among the guides! The morning break included snacks and either water, soft drinks or rum punch. The punch was very good! Lunch was also good; it was provided by a hotel or resort, and included a buffet with several choices, good-sized helpings, and a complimentary glass of wine or bottle of beer. There was enough room for upwards of 35 tourists to eat at once.This is an excellent choice for someone who isn't afraid of rough driving, occasional stops, and open air vehicles. You will see quite a lot of the island, and learn a lot about it at the same time!

Ian arrived in his Toyota Land-cruiser dead on time, I'm not as mobile as I used to be but Ian took very good care of me getting in and out of the Jeep. Our fellow passengers were great and it was obvious that we were all up for a good day. There were a lot of diversions on the roads due to new water pipes being laid but Ian took them in his stride. He's a very knowledgeable and likable guy marking the trip both interesting and humourous. The stops were many and various and I especially loved Little Cove and Bathsheba along with the world renowned Jungle Juice. Yum Yum. Lunch at Sugar Cane club was very good. Obviously it's a bit (actually more than a bit) bumpy in places. In fact I'd be disappointed if it wasn't, but you need to be aware if you've got a back or neck problem. Mind you the JJ makes for a good anesthetic. A super day out, highly recommended.

Our group of 7 did a half day island tour during our stay. From the onset our guide 'Ivan' put us in the right mood and prepared us for our journey by saying "this isn't a bus tour ladies, this is a safari tour," LOL. We were met at our hotel on time (around 9:00am) and taken through several parishes throughout the island, with several scenic stops along the way. The jeep bumped and jolted along the narrow roads adding to the adventure and there was much excitement, as we careened through cane fields (as though we were on a roller coaster) and forests, spying several monkeys along the way.We made two beach stops and were given a lunch of sandwiches, rum punch and snacks, while we snapped many photos. Ivan was very versed in the island's history and landmarks. The time passed quickly and, although were we a bit tired at the end of the tour, it was a half day well spent. A 'must do' for any traveller.

We have been to Barbados a number of times and usual book with Calabaza and have an amazing day. We booked this time with Island Safari for their Adventure Safari tour to see more of the island by land. If you are looking for something outside of a bus tour, this is the trip for you.The jeeps are open air and the seating is tight. Jeeps sit 10 people, 5 side by side. If you are a larger person this may not be the most comfortable day for you. The road is bumpy at times.Our guide was very informative and made sure to interact with everyone on the tour. Barbados is a beautiful island. Seeing all of the different parishes really made you appreciate how diverse the beauty is. Little Bay is amazing and has become one of my favorite places that I have seen. Lunch was good and we were returned to the cruise port in plenty of time to return onboard. Highly recommend Island Safari for a wind in your hair tour of the island.

Wasn't expecting this to be as entertaining as it was. Ian was great - amazingly inclusive and made sure everyone was enjoying themselves and happy. We enjoyed his homemade jungle juice and learnt a lot about the nature, buildings and sites of interest around the island.Thank you Ian. You are so eloquent - you should write a book!

we booked with Island Safari tours thinking we would see some of the island. Well let me tell you we saw alot of the island and drove on the roads we would never find on our own. A part of the trip was off road but most was on road. Our guide Omar known as the preacher was funny, informative and just a joy to hang with for a day. He took our group of 9 to may stops for excellent picture taking. He stopped occassionly ofr a hydration stop where he supplied the drinks. Lunch was included and we had as good a bajan lunch as you could imagine. It was a buffet with a couple of drinks (we liked the Banks beer) at a beautyiful spa. The safari takes you into 10 of the 11 parishes. You see many of the old plantation homes from the road. The day was 6 hours long so a full day. If you are looking for a 3 hour tour this one is not for you. The guide makes the difference and we were very fortunate to have Omar. Hint : Take a camera as the views are outstanding.

Great way to see the island and its varied landscape and vegetation. Tour guide Ian was wonderful and well informed. Lunch was great.

My boyfriend and I tried the five hour Adventure Safari and both of us were highly impressed. Our guide, Ian (or Erin/Aaron?), was hilarious and knew all the historical ins and outs of the island along with many interesting tidbits. He stopped often to allow us to take pictures and had drinks (rum punch, pineapple, etc.) prepared whenever we arrived at a particularly scenic sight. The first was the Cliff and the views were amazing. From there we headed down to Bathsheba, which was equally impressive. The jeep we were in was both on and off road so it isn't for those who dislike bumpy rides or detours through jungle areas. I'm happy we had the chance to go into the jungle and learn a few things about it since it's not something you get to do every day. Once we had fully explored the island we were taken to a restaurant for a buffet lunch and free cocktail. I can't express how enjoyable and informative this experience was and we would do it again in a heartbeat. Enthusiastically recommend and well worth the cost!

Good way to see Barbados before you explore by bus on your own, I was with my partner and it was his first time, I had been on this trip before, Eric was lovely but did not explain much of the history didn't mention the Chatel houses or the history of the forest donated by a benefactor, he knew where all the schools were! You get a good view of the island, ready for the cheap trips on public transport, all I ask is that the history and culture are as good as the laughter and the rum punch.

I loved our jeep safari! We booked a half day around the north half of the island including Bathsheba and the wild Atlantic coast. It included a fair amount of off roading which was good fun. I really enjoyed driving through the countryside and seeing the real Barbados and it's stunning scenery. It was just about the right amount of time for our 2 kids age 11 and 7, who would probably say that even though they would have preferred to stay by the pool they had a good time! Our driver/guide was very knowledgable and interspersed his commentary with amusing anecdotes. His stash of Rum Punch was also a welcome addition to the tour! The 4 hours flew by!

In a word - hilarious! That being said it's only if you get Ian to be your guide. This born and bred Bajan tour guide made this trip a one of a kind experience. With his slow island drawl and stand up comedian style view on the island as well as his passengers, by far one of the better tour guides that I've experienced. From dramatic cliff views, bouncing around on CRAZY back roads through sugar cane fields and jungle settings. Not to forget monkey spotting and the rugged North Coast, this excursion has it all. You also get to enjoy a typical Bajan buffet for lunch and as much jungle juice - read island rum fruit cocktail - as you can handle. Ian will point out colourful homes that are "favourable and to his liking" - the lyrics this guy entertained us and the whole experience will remain a highlight from my time in Barbados.

We booked for the adventure safari and it was really good. There were ten of us in total and we all got on well with each other. Our driver was Charles and he was very good. We had fun on the off roading part of the tour, very knowledgable and was a very good guide. Took us to places that we thought we wouldn't see on our own. Bathsheba Bay was just fab, shame we had to leave! All the views from the various viewpoints were fantastic, especially when drinking the complimentary rum punches.