Cinchona Botanical Gardens in Port Maria

Epic view. Epic place. Epic drive #4x4only

Its supposed to be a beautiful place but Im ashamed of the way in how they kept it it almost gone to nothing whoever is in charge of it needs to step up the pace I can see that it was a beautiful place we cant have places like that and let it go down the drain it was my first time going there I would go back no matter how it is caz I love e nature but if your doing something do it the right way caz aint nothing going on there now

Not as well maintained as previous visits, the hike up is lovely.

I had a great experience there with trekker Adventures Jamaica they are on Instagram

The area is a lovely getaway from the city.

The place was in good condition given that it don’t get a lot of visitors. Nice areas for picnics and family activities. The road to get there is bad so you need an off-road capable vehicle unless you plan to do some hiking. Bathroom facilities need to be upgraded from pit toilet, so walk with own water to wash hands.

Lovely place with breathtaking views of the St Thomas interior...@nooks_crannies_adventures has way more pics

Beautiful location ideal for camping and outdoor activities 👌

Book with Zee Trail Blazers

Seem exciting, I want to bring the family.With this carolla, am I to forget attempting the journey?

Absolutely beautiful. You need a reliable 4 wheel drive to get there...thats the fun and then you get to enjoy the view from the top. Its like a lesson about life. Rough hard ride to the top...but the view at the top is amazing

Beautiful and great place for hikers and campers. Contact the grounds keeper for more detail but there is a 2 hour hike up hill to reach the gardens accessible by foot or off road vehicles. Bathroom facility available when staff is notified. Dont forget to sign the book when you get there! Truly needs to be on your bucket list 👍🤣.

Taking the road less travelled is fun, but for an easier drive up, come up through Mavis Bank

Breathingly beautiful

I hiked to this location with Jamaica Hiking and Heritage Tours. A truly wonderful experience.

I love that place however theres needs for more development

This place is so scenic! The gardens are immaculately maintained. Its cool and quiet. Its a historic spot as a former military hospital from Lord Nelson days. There are different routes to get here, some of them require serious 4wd. Its very fun to drive though. Bring a tent and camp out!

Such a lovely place to relax. And the trails uo are epic too

Uniquely beautiful

Beautiful view, well worth the pecarious drive. The groundskeeper was very kind and informative.

Its way above concern. Off the beaten trails natures paradise...

Botanical treasure with no measure.

At an altitude of 4500-5500 ft, the Cinchona Botanical Gardens is the highest garden of its type in the entire Caribbean. Only the chimney remains of the old house that sat atop these 2.5-hectare gardens, fronted by lawns and floral beds. Its a little rundown, but the views are fabulous: to the north stand the peaks, but you can also peer down into the valleys of the Clyde, Green and Yallahs Rivers and across to the Blue Mountains. The Panorama Walk begins to the east of the gardens, leading through a glade of towering bamboo and taking in the juniper cedar, camphor and eucalyptus trees, as well as a striking display of orchids.HISTORY:It was the cultivation of Assam tea and cinchona (whose quinine – extracted from the bark – was used to fight malariathat led to the founding of Cinchona Gardens, originally called the Hill Gardens, in 1868 by Sir John Peter Grant, a past British governor of Jamaica as the British, in competition with the Dutch, sought to establish more secure sources of quinine to combat malaria. The grounds were later turned into a garden to supply Kingston with flowers. In 1903 the Jamaican government leased Cinchona to the New York Botanical Gardens and, later, to the Smithsonian Institute. Chinchona again emerged as a focal point for research in the 1970s, as university scientists from the U.K. used the Gardens as a field station for work on botany, forest ecology and land degradation.GETTING THERE:Finding Cinchona can be difficult without a guide. From Clydesdale you can either take a steep hike (1½ hoursor drive uphill along a muddy dirt track for about 3km that often takes you into the clouds and through amazing vistas and changing flora. There are several unmarked junctions and you should ask for directions at every opportunity. Don’t underestimate the awful road conditions; a 4WD with low-gear option is absolutely essential. Alternatively, you can drive up the more populated route via Mavis Bank, though the road conditions can be as atrocious.Most of the trails that snake off into the nether reaches of the mountains are overgrown, but the 16km/9.94 mile Vinegar Hill Trail, which is an old Maroon trail leading down to Buff Bay, can be negotiated with an experienced guide.

Not the easiest place to get to but if you make it to the gardens you wont be disappointed.

This place has awesome.. A hidden treasure indeed... Just need better roads to get there as it was a great challenge and also some more facility for guest would be a welcome improvment but great experience overall....

Gem of the hill. With lots of flowers.

Stunning views of the blue mountain ranges, beautiful flowers and refreshing my cool breeze. A must see for nature lovers and bird watchers. More than worth the hike up and down.

A long and wet hike, but definitely worth it 👍

Beautiful, unique plants but the venue needs more maintenance. The building that was on the property is now only a fireplace and what looks like a small kitchen. The road to the venue requires a 4wheel drive or feet.

Not much to see as it relates to the gardens but the view is amazing and the place is quite tranquil.