C-Pond Waterfall: An Adventure in Gordon Town, St. Andrew

It gets clearer to me with each adventure why Jamaica’s first inhabitants named the island Xaymaca which translates to Land of Wood and Water. Much of Jamaica is comprised of mountains and karst topography, giving rise to numerous caves, springs, sinkholes and rivers. It’s no wonder then that after eight years of intentionally exploring Jamaica, I still discover new hidden gems fairly often. After hearing about the C-Pond Waterfall in Gordon Town, St. Andrew for the first time last year, it went on my local bucket list. Now that I’ve finally visited, today I can tell you all about it!

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle16 Comments

2025: Mid-Year Mark

The last time I wrote a mid-year mark article was 2021, can you believe it?! Perhaps that’s testimony to how busy the last four years of my life has been. I have some free time on my hands now though as I’ve closed the chapter on residency, and am undergoing a period of transition. With that said, I thought it fitting to resume personal blog entries and revive this mid-year series.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle23 Comments
Log cabin at Gourie Forest Reserve Jamaica

Gourie Forest Reserve: A Hike & Caving Guide

Tucked away in the mountains of north central Jamaica lies the Gourie Forest Reserve near Coleyville, Manchester. This beautiful mountain park falls under the auspices of the Forestry Department, a public agency responsible for Jamaica’s forest resources. Lying on 265 acres of montane land at 2000 feet above sea level, the Gourie Forest Reserve is also home to the Gourie Caves, Jamaica’s longest cave system. I’m pleased to report that Gourie is once again open to the public for visits, and who better to visit Gourie with than Trekkers Adventures Jamaica! Here’s how this adventure went + everything to know about visiting the Gourie Cave and Nature Reserve.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle19 Comments

Highlights of Jamaica’s Inaugural Dragon Boat Festival

From May 31 to June 1, 2025, the Grand Excelsior Port Royal Hotel (formerly Morgan’s Harbour) played host to an exhilarating and historic event: Jamaica’s inaugural Dragon Boat Festival. Under a sky veiled by Saharan dust with heat shimmering off the Kingston Harbour, the world’s seventh largest natural harbour, locals and foreigners alike gathered in Port Royal to witness and celebrate the country’s entry into a centuries-old global tradition. It’s always exciting when new events are added to Jamaica’s cultural calendar, so I made the trip to Port Royal to catch a few hours on day 2 of the festival. Here are the history and highlights of this inaugural staging.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle10 Comments

Black, Caribbean & Free: Lessons From Africa

When Kenisha from Global Moves reached out to me to share her story about the joy of visiting Africa as a Jamaican of African descent, I was ecstatic. After all, I dream of visiting Africa one day and imagine it would stir a deep sense of connection, pride, and homecoming. I believe that walking on the same soil as my ancestors, and witnessing the vibrant cultures, languages, music, and traditions that have shaped Caribbean identity, would evoke powerful emotions and feel more like a spiritual journey than another trip. Until that fateful day, stories like this one satiate my wanderlust. Here is Kenisha’s story.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle28 Comments

Into The Hills: A Hike To Hermitage Dam

Some gems are hidden in your own backyard! I first visited the Hermitage Dam in 2016 after I took a wrong trail to the Falling Edge Falls. Eight years later, my return visit was intentional. The Hermitage Dam and Reservoir is a concrete gravity dam on the Wag Water River located in Hermitage, a small district of Stony Hill in the St. Andrew parish. The Hermitage Dam is owned by the National Water Commission of Jamaica, and was built in 1924 then commissioned in 1927 with the sole purpose of providing municipal water to the Kingston & St. Andrew parishes. Unlike the Mona Reservoir, Kingston Metropolitan Area’s larger source of municipal water, Hermitage is not designed nor promoted for recreational use but I hope that’ll change one day as the surrounding area is quite beautiful and holds much potential.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle17 Comments

Couples Tower Isle: Elle’s Review

Couples is a local family-run resort chain founded by Abe Issa in 1949, and its Tower Isle location in St. Mary on Jamaica’s north coast serves as their flagship resort. In 1978, Couples Tower Isle became Jamaica’s first all-inclusive hotel and to this day, it’s still super all-inclusive with all meals, drinks, excursions and watersports included in one upfront fee. Couples Tower Isle has undergone numerous renovations over its 76 years in operation, but still preserves its older charm and warm casual atmosphere. As such, I ran into many guests who proudly declared that they were on their umpteenth vacation at this spot as they refuse to visit anywhere else– I think the longest I heard was 27 visits! With that said, here’s my experience and why vacationers at Couples Tower Isle keep coming back.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle24 Comments

Mad River, St. Mary: A Surprise Find

Jamaica is home to over one hundred rivers, and it’s my favourite hobby to explore them as often as I can. Most Jamaicans are only aware of the popular ones so it’s quite an adventure getting to the not-so-popular ones. Directions to off-the-beaten-path rivers are often unclear, and paths are quickly swallowed up by heavy rainfall, thick overgrowth and disuse. That being said, I like the challenge. Last December, my partner and I drove to the general vicinity of one waterfall and did what we sometimes do– stop and ask community people for directions. This time we went as far as to show a local a picture of the waterfall we were seeking, yet he led us to somewhere completely different. Was this deliberate? The world may never know, but I’m not mad about finding Mad River at all.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle40 Comments

2024 Year in Review

This has been another whirlwind year. In 2021, I learnt that being happy and content is a daily decision which requires effort, and that being grateful even in the midst of crisis is an act which will eventually beget more blessings. As such, I give thanks for everything– the ups, the downs and the in between. For me, 2024 has been beyond spectacular in the grand scheme of things, and today let’s recap it all. Also, today commemorates EIGHT years of Adventures from Elle! Give thanks.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle51 Comments

St. Peters Waterfall, Saint Andrew

A few weeks ago, I visited the Cinchona Botanical Garden on a hike with Trekkers Adventures JA which began at Newcastle, a JDF soldier camp and training ground in the beautiful Jamaican Blue Mountains. Cinchona had been on my bucket list for years and I had a blast. My only regret was not having had enough time to visit this beautiful nameless waterfall in St. Peters which I had heard and spotted along the way. As such, I vowed to return on my own to visit this hidden gem before I forgot the directions– or the trail grew too overgrown as it is scarcely used. So said, so done! The tiny community of St. Peters in east rural St. Andrew is home to Blue Mountain coffee farms and one of the most breathtaking waterfalls I have ever witnessed. Here’s how this adventure went.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle19 Comments