River Tubing in Jamaica

River tubing is simple: you sit in an inflated tube and float down a river behind a guide, through quiet stretches and small rapids. Growing up in Jamaica, every country child knew a river where you could do some version of this. For visitors, the guided trips run on a few north coast rivers, and this list is for anyone who wants a tubing day that is open, guided and safe.

How I chose: local knowledge, plus the operators’ own websites and booking pages and Jamaican media, checked on October 8, 2026. Fewer tubing trips are running than before the 2025 hurricane; Chukka told the Jamaica Observer in September 2026 that its river operations were among the hardest to restore. Only the ones I could confirm are in the main list; the rest are at the end, clearly labeled.

River tubing at a glance

Chukka River Outpost at Good Hope, Trelawny

This is the one tubing trip I could confirm is running. Chukka’s park on the old Good Hope estate, inland from Falmouth, sits along the Martha Brae River, and river tubing is part of its Eco Explorer Pass along with a zipline, an e-bike ride, an Appleton rum tasting and Adventure Falls with its waterslide. On Chukka’s site the pass starts from US$139 per person with round-trip transfers from Falmouth, Montego Bay and Runaway Bay, and the booking calendar has open dates this month. Chukka advertises early-booking discounts, and prices change often, so check the official site before you book.

Chukka’s rules: the minimum age for tubing is 6, the weight limit for tubing is 275 lb, it isn’t suitable for pregnant women and it isn’t wheelchair accessible.

It suits families and cruise passengers who want tubing plus a few other activities in one day. The honest drawback: you can’t buy tubing on its own, so you pay for the full pass, and Chukka warns the park can be crowded at peak times, which usually means cruise days in Falmouth. My take: for a family day near Montego Bay, it’s the safest bet right now. Passes, limits and history are in my Chukka Good Hope guide.

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Martha Brae bamboo rafting (not tubing)

People often mix the two up, so to be clear: the famous Martha Brae trip from Rafter’s Village is bamboo rafting, not tubing. You sit on a padded seat on a 30-foot bamboo raft while a licensed captain poles you about three miles downriver, which the operator says takes around 1 hour 15 minutes. It runs daily, and booked online a raft for two adults costs US$110 plus fees on the operator’s site; check the current price before you go.

It suits couples, older travelers and families with small children who want something slow and dry. The drawback for thrill-seekers is that it’s gentle by design, with no rapids to speak of. See my Martha Brae rafting guide. If you’re staying in Portland, the original Jamaican raft ride is rafting on the Rio Grande, near Port Antonio.

River safety after rain

Ask any Jamaican who grew up near a river and they’ll tell you the same thing: a river can come down fast after heavy rain in the hills, even when the sky is blue at the coast. The water rises, turns brown and pushes branches downstream. That’s why operators reserve the right to cancel; Chukka says river flow is seasonal and its water tours depend on the weather and can be suspended, and the Martha Brae operator says ride times depend on the state of the river.

• If it rained hard overnight, call the operator in the morning and ask whether the river is running normally. Take a cancellation as good news, not bad luck.
• Check the forecast and weather alerts from the Meteorological Service of Jamaica before a river day, especially in the rainy months.
• Go only with a licensed operator and a guide. Don’t float an unfamiliar river on your own, whatever someone at the roadside offers.
• Wear the life jacket you’re given, and wear water shoes with grip; river rocks are slippery.
• Keep the rum punch for after the river.

Closed or unconfirmed

I couldn’t confirm that tubing is running at these, from the operator, the Jamaica Tourist Board or Jamaican media, as of October 8, 2026. Don’t plan a day around them without checking first.

• White River, Ocho Rios: the river just east of Ocho Rios was the best-known tubing spot on the north coast. Calypso Rafting, about 10 minutes from town according to the operator, shows a notice on its own site that river tubing is temporarily unavailable; it is still selling its 45-minute raft rides, from US$100 per raft for one or two people (check current prices), daily from 9 am to 4 pm. Chukka’s White River Valley page lists no tours, and the Jamaica Tourist Board’s list of reopened tours and attractions showed Chukka White River Valley as closed. If you’re in Ocho Rios and want a river day, the Blue Hole is open for swimming and jumping in river pools.
• Rio Bueno, Trelawny: River Rapids Jamaica, also known as River Rapids Adventures, runs tubing, rafting and kayaking on the Rio Bueno between Falmouth and Runaway Bay. Its website lists the tubing tour, but the Tourist Board’s February list showed River Rapids Adventure as closed, and I found no reopening notice. Email riverrapidsjamaica@gmail.com or call +1 876 217 0960 before you book.
• Great River, Lethe (Hanover): Chukka lists a Great River tubing trip at Lethe Village, but its booking calendar showed no open dates this month. Chukka’s bamboo rafting at Lethe is bookable, so ask Chukka whether tubing is coming back.

Good Hope, Martha Brae and the Rio Bueno are all within easy reach of Montego Bay; for where to stay, see my Montego Bay guide.