• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to after header navigation
  • Skip to site footer
  • Instagram
  • Amazon
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
Elizabeth's Kitchen Diary

Elizabeth's Kitchen Diary

fuel that adventure

  • Home
  • The Food
    • All Manner of Sweet Things
      • Cake
      • Chocolate
      • Cookies
      • Ice Cream
      • Squares
      • Everything Else
    • Veggie
      • Salad
      • Vegetarian
      • Vegan
    • Carbohydrates
      • Bread
      • Pasta
      • Potato
      • Gluten Free
      • Rice
      • Pastry
    • Soup
    • Hoof & Feather
      • Beef
      • Chicken
      • Lamb
      • Pork
    • Fin & Shell
    • Breakfast
  • The Adventures
    • Shetland
      • Hike Shetland
    • Belgium
    • England
    • France
    • Italy
    • Latvia
    • Norway
    • Scotland
    • Spain
    • The Caribbean
    • USA
  • About Me
  • As Seen
  • PR & Disclosure
  • Contact Me
ABC Tours Aruba

An Epic Off-Road Jeep Safari of Aruba’s North Coast

Published on January 5, 2018 • Last updated July 10, 2018 by Elizabeth Atia
Aruba Jeep Safari - go on an epic adventure and explore the Caribbean Island of Aruba!

A Land Rover off-road adventure in collaboration with Aruba Tourism UK.

ABC Jeep Tours Aruba

Happy New Year from not-so-sunny Shetland!

This is my first blog post of 2018, brought about because I attempted to go for a mountain bike ride first thing this morning to start burning off the effects of my Christmas/New Year indulgences. Half a mile into the ride and I found myself unceremoniously sliding down the road having had my back tyre slip out from underneath me on black sheet ice. Serves me right for trying to exercise in freezing temperatures! I limped home with no serious injury beyond a bruised ego and resolved to sit and spend the rest of the day blogging about warmer times; namely, that epic off-road jeep safari I went on last October on the tiny Caribbean island of Aruba, just 18 miles north of Venezuela.

I was visiting Aruba as a guest of Aruba Tourism, flown over from Glasgow to Amsterdam and then on to Oranjestad to sample the culinary delights of the island and to enjoy a few grand adventures. I was with a small group of other European bloggers and journalists, and we had an absolute blast – they were such a great group of people. I enjoyed our off-road safari so much I resolved to write a separate blog post about the experience. If you’re ever in Aruba you really must go on this tour!

Table of Contents

  • About ABC Tours Aruba
  • Black Stone Beach & Natural Bridges in Arikok National Park
  • Ayo Rock Formations & Arawak Petroglyphs
  • Swimming in a Hidden Natural Pool
  • The Bushiribana Gold Mill Ruins
  • Boca Catalina Beach

About ABC Tours Aruba

ABC Tours Aruba offer a range of off-road adventures not for the faint-hearted. They have a fleet of Land Rover Defender Stock cars modified to suit the local terrain, as well as a team of guides with extensive local knowledge.

All of their itineraries include visits to Aruba’s most interesting historical sites as well as its best natural monuments. Their professional guides allow you to explore Aruba like a local by bringing you down the road less-travelled, and provide you with insight into the island’s fascinating history and lore.

Our guide’s name was George, and he is a cousin to Frankie, who I wrote about previously – he’s Aruba’s infamous freediver who treated us to a rather delicious Abaco Avocado & Rum Cocktail (served with some octopus!) on the shores of Mangel Halto.

ABC Jeep Tours Aruba

ABC Tour’s jeeps are handpainted in bright tiger stripes and there’s enough room in the back for eight passengers. Guides bring coolers of water and cups if you need, but it’s recommended you bring a small day bag of provisions with you including suncream (go for the SPF 50, it’s hot!) and water.

We began our tour at the ABC Tour office and headed to the north coast of Aruba through a landscape vastly contrasting to the white sandy beaches and palm trees of the south coast. It didn’t take long before we were off-road, bumping down dirt tracks into the Aruban wilderness to explore the world beyond the hotels and restaurants.

Our first stop was at the natural arches and black stone beach in the Arikok National Park.

Black Stone Beach & Natural Bridges in Arikok National Park

Formed from thousands of years of the sea eroding the coral limestone on the north coast of Aruba, the natural bridges are a popular tourist attraction, especially since the nearby larger Natural Bridge collapsed in 2005.

ABC Jeep Tours Aruba

To the right of the two natural bridges (the third has recently collapsed), you’ll find the Black Stone Beach, Aruba’s only black ‘sand’ beach. The smooth and shimmering black pebbles lining these beach were formed from ancient lava bubbling up from the seabed millions of years ago. The open sea crashes onto these shores and there can be fierce tides so swimming is not recommended.

ABC Jeep Tour Aruba Natural Bridges

ABC Jeep Tour Aruba Black Stone Beach

ABC Jeep Tour Aruba sinkholes

Nearby, watch out for the blowholes (known locally as the Eyes of God) in the earth leading to a subterranean cavern.

Ayo Rock Formations & Arawak Petroglyphs

These monolithic rock boulders are a rather unusual sight on an otherwise flat island. Our guide stopped on the way to the Black Stone Beach to point out the formations (focusing primarily on the large rock shaped like a screaming monkey’s head), telling us that they were a sacred site to the Arawak people, the original inhabitants of Aruba.

ABC Jeep Tour Ayo Rock Formations Aruba

Ayo Rock Formations Aruba

Ayo Rock Formations Aruba Arawak Petroglyphs 1
Ayo Rock Formations Aruba Arawak Petroglyphs 2

On the way back from the beach we stopped for a closer look at one of the Ayo rocks. This one was hollow and was considered a sacred site by the Arawak Indians. They carved paintings on the rocks while performing their religious rites, and these petroglyphs, dating to around 1000 AD, are still in very good condition.

It was here I caught my first sighting of the Aruban whiptail lizard with its striking turquoise spots. This lizard is endemic to Aruba, and it’s also known locally as the kododo blauw.

Aruban Whiptail Lizard

Swimming in a Hidden Natural Pool

After leaving the Ayo Rock Formations we headed back to the coast to one of George’s favourite local haunts: a hidden natural pool for a bit of cliff jumping and swimming in the shade. It’s the best way to wash the dust of the safari off.

The only indication that there’s anything to see in this particular area is the ladder heading straight down the side of the cliffs. A little scramble across the coral limestone (dodging loads of tiny little crabs) and you can jump straight in!

Hidden Natural Pool Aruba

ABC Jeep Tours Aruba - Hidden Natural Pool

ABC Jeep Tours Aruba - Hidden Natural Pool

The Bushiribana Gold Mill Ruins

Throughout the 19th century, adventurers travelled the Caribbean in search of wealth and treasure. Legend has it that one of the treasure islands was named Oro Ruba, meaning ‘red gold’ and that Oro Ruba became the name Aruba over time.

In 1824 gold was discovered in Aruba and mined extensively on the island. The remains of one of the many gold mills can still be seen at the Bushiribana site.

ABC Jeep Tours Aruba Bushiribana Gold Mill Ruins
ABC Jeep Tours Aruba Bushiribana Gold Mill Ruins

Boca Catalina Beach

By this time it was midday and the heat was quite strong, so we visited the Boca Catalina Beach to cool off and do a bit of snorkelling. Ok, I’d like to say I went snorkelling too, but I hid under the shade of a tree like the ginger vampire that I am and watched my travelling companions snorkel. Someone needed to stay on the beach and watch all the bags, right?

A tropical mockingbird and a yellow bananaquit (aka: chickadee of the Caribbean) kept me company under the shade of the tree.

Boca Catalina Beach Aruba

Boca Catalina Beach Aruba

ABC Tours Aruba offer half day and full day jeep tours from as little as $79 USD plus tax. They’ll even pick you up from your hotel or resort, and you’ll be sure to have an epic adventure.

The North Coast Safari that I enjoyed is one of their most popular tours, and I would really, really recommend it if you ever visit the island and fancy something different – something to get that adrenaline flowing after all that holiday rest and relaxation!

Aruba Things To Do | ABC Jeep Tour

For more information about Aruba visit Aruba.com. You might also enjoy my earlier Aruba blog posts: Frankie’s Abaco Avocado & Rum Cocktail, Visit the Flamingo Beach at Renaissance Aruba, Aruban Pan Bati Recipe and Aruban Keshi Yena (Stuffed Cheese) Recipe. My Luxury Eggs Benedict with Smoked Salmon & Tobiko Recipe was also inspired by my culinary visit to Aruba.

Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary was a guest of Aruba Tourism, but all thoughts and opinions expressed are our own.

Category: Adventure, The Caribbean, Travel

About Elizabeth Atia

Daydream adventurer. Expat Canadian. Foodie. Calls Shetland home.

Previous Post: « Fine Dining Onboard a Celebrity Equinox Cruise
Next Post: The 4-Week Protein World Slender Plan #EveryBodyWorks Protein Word Slender Plan Review »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. John

    December 19, 2018 at 6:18 am

    I was in Aruba in 2015 with my wife.
    It was the best holiday I had since then. Still, I miss that visit.
    I recommend Aruba to everyone.
    thanks for sharing this beautiful post

    Reply
  2. Charli

    January 29, 2018 at 6:49 pm

    Jeep Safari’s are such a great way of seeing an island!
    C x

    Reply
  3. Kaz | Ickle Pickles Life and Travels

    January 26, 2018 at 11:41 am

    Oh this looks absolutely awesome, what a fantastic opportunity. I would love to visit Aruba. Kaz

    Reply
  4. Gingey Bites

    January 16, 2018 at 1:15 pm

    What a fab time, I’m green with envy! The water looks so inviting and jeep safaris are always a fun way to see new places!

    Reply
  5. Kavita Favelle

    January 15, 2018 at 2:28 am

    Definitely my kind of trip! I love when there’s a combination of natural landscape, wildlife, and history, I’d particular love to see the petroglyphs!

    Reply
  6. Caro - Taste of Savoie

    January 13, 2018 at 9:42 am

    Beautiful photos…That sounds like an amazing tour and I just love those beaches. What fun and I imagine writing this post remembering this great trip was way more fun than riding a bike in the freezing cold!!

    Reply
  7. Lubka Henry

    January 10, 2018 at 12:36 pm

    Wow, this trip has really been an epic one!! So much to see and do – amazing 🙂

    Reply
  8. Laura H

    January 9, 2018 at 12:54 am

    That Jeep certainly is eye-catching!! Those clear blue waters are making me want to hop on a plane somewhere hot right now! Also those Arawak Indian drawings are SO cool. How amazing is it that things like that have survived until now?!

    Reply
  9. Jenni

    January 8, 2018 at 8:12 pm

    Oh my goodness, you poor thing falling off your bike! Aruba looks incredible and how amazing is that hidden pool x

    Reply
  10. Rachel Palmer

    January 8, 2018 at 6:56 pm

    I am SO JEALOUS! We didn’t get to go away last year and that’s unusual for us. Aruba. It just looks glorious x

    Reply
  11. Shoshana Sue

    January 7, 2018 at 4:35 pm

    Wowzers!What I would give to swim in that Hidden natural pool!It looks relaxing and fresh. I would love to see the Ayo rocks in person one day

    Reply
  12. Patrick

    January 6, 2018 at 11:44 pm

    While I know I’ll never visit Aruba,I enjoyed reading about your adventures and glad you weren’t hurt in your fall….

    Reply
  13. hannah

    January 6, 2018 at 8:07 pm

    I would love to go on a jeep safari as it looks really fun. Never been to Aruba

    Reply
  14. Jacqueline

    January 6, 2018 at 7:35 pm

    I’ve been to so many Carribean islands in my past that they are no longer on my list. But I do have some family that is from there so maybe I’ll go for a visit now that I’ve read about your experience there. I think creating a photoshoot there would entice me to go 🙂

    Reply
  15. Melanie

    January 6, 2018 at 11:32 am

    Happy New year to you too. How cool is this trip and you got to see Aruba’s only black ‘sand’ beach. Great pics also x

    Reply
  16. Rebecca Smith

    January 6, 2018 at 10:48 am

    Wow! Elizabeth, you always do such exciting and wonderful things! What a perfect way to see Aruba – such a beautiful place.

    Reply
  17. Kara

    January 6, 2018 at 10:34 am

    This sounds like the perfect way to see Aruba. I love having a local guide that knows the area

    Reply
  18. kirsty

    January 6, 2018 at 10:03 am

    That is the most incredible way to see Aruba and I love the fact you could see the non tourist places as well as that is more of authentic way of understanding and really enjoying the country. Swimming in the natural pool must have been absolutely amazing, the colours of the water are stunning.

    Reply
  19. rhian westbury

    January 5, 2018 at 9:04 pm

    Wow this looks absolutely amazing and such a good way to see the area. I think the price sounds pretty reasonable too x

    Reply
  20. Samantha Donnelly

    January 5, 2018 at 8:27 pm

    This sounds like an amazing trip and certainly a great way to see Aruba, this is somewhere we would love to visit one day x

    Reply
  21. Sarah Bailey

    January 5, 2018 at 6:14 pm

    Oh my goodness what an amazing way to see Aruba I bet it is wonderful getting to shown all these different places, one of the great parts of a tour is something you wouldn’t think to go there yourself.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Sidebar

About Elizabeth

Adventurer. Expat Canadian. Foodie. Loves bikes. Calls Shetland home. Read More…

Inspiration

“Every day is another chance to get stronger, to eat better, to live healthier, and to be the best version of you.”

Recent Posts

Image of a stainless steel camping bowl filled with chorizo chowder. There are a few slices of toasted focaccia on the side with gorgeous black grill lines.
Image of The Face of Neeans with its very steep cliffs.

Copyright © 2011–2022 Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary Ltd · Privacy Policy · All Rights Reserved · Website by Callia Web

Company Number: SC643807 · Registered Business Address: 42 Carden Place, Aberdeen, AB10 1UP