Welcome

The Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park (BJCMNP) will introduce you to spectacular scenery, and the wide array of wildlife that calls it home. .

BJCMNP is comprised of 100,000 acres of tropical montane rainforest, and is often referred to as "the lungs of eastern Jamaica."

The Blue & John Crow Mountains National Park conserves about 100,000 acres of tropical rain-forest in the north-east of Jamaica. Established in 1993, the park is Jamaica's one and only national park.

It covers the steep mountain slopes (mostly over 3,000 feet) in the interior of the parishes of St. Andrew, Portland, St. Thomas and St. Mary. The region has been noted for having more than 800 species of endemic plants, including the largest butterfly in the western hemisphere, the giant swallowtail (Papilo homerus), 200 species of resident and migrant birds and is one of the largest migratory bird habitats in the Caribbean. Ecclesdown and Hardwar Gap in the Blue Mountains have been noted as prime locations from which to view much of the island’s flora and fauna, including the world-renowned Blue Mountain Coffee, which thrives in the cool, misty upper reaches of the mountains.

The Blue and John Crow Mountains were haven for the Maroons, escaped enslaved Africans. Throughout these mountains, the Maroons developed settlements, hiding places and a network of trails, all of which enabled them to elude their captors and eventually fight for and gain their independence.

The Experience

Here's what to expect during a full or half day tour

These are some of the activities and experiences available at the Blue and John Crow Mountains:

Hiking and trekking

Bird watching

This tour is great for:

Hiking
Handicrafts

About UNESCO World Heritage Sites

On July 15, 2015, the Blue and John Crow Mountains became a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Jamaica's first.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) grants World Heritage status to natural and cultural sites across the globe that are considered to be of the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV), meaning the sites possess cultural and natural significance which is so exceptional as to transcend national boundaries and are of common importance for present and future generations of all humanity.

Other UNESCO World Heritage Sites include The Great Wall of China, the Taj Mahal, The Pyramids of Giza, the Acropolis and the Great Barrier Reef. However, of the 1,031 World Heritage Sites, only 32 are deemed mixed sites because of having both natural and cultural significance. The Blue and John Crow Mountains are such a site.

Hot from the blog