Updated in October 2026, this Welchman Hall Gully guide covers ticket prices, opening hours, parking or transport, accessibility and what to see.
Welchman Hall Gully is a tropical forest in a collapsed cave near the centre of Barbados, in the parish of St Thomas. It is run by the Barbados National Trust, and an adult ticket costs $40 BBD. A troop of wild green monkeys lives in the gully. This guide was last updated in October 2026 and confirms the current ticket prices, the opening hours and the guided tour season.
Quick facts: Welchman Hall Gully
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Opening hours | 9am to 4pm, 7 days a week. Closed 25 December and the first Monday in August. |
| Ticket prices | Adult $40 BBD (about US$20). Child (5 to 12) $20 BBD. Under 4 free. Locals with ID $20 BBD. |
| Address | Welchman Hall, St Thomas, Barbados |
| Nearest transport or parking | Free car park at the gully. Taxi or car recommended from the coast. |
| Typical time needed | About 30 to 45 minutes for the walk |
Welchman Hall Gully opening hours
The gully is open seven days a week from 9am to 4pm. It is closed on 25 December and on the first Monday in August. The hours are the same all year, and there are no seasonal changes to the opening times.
Guided tours leave at 10.30am, Monday to Friday, from 1 November to 30 April. Outside those dates, the walk is self-guided. Private tours can be arranged with at least 24 hours’ notice.
The monkeys are normally fed between 10.30am and noon, on a specially built platform near the gully entrance. Most days, particularly in the mornings, they can be seen swinging from vines and trees, walking along the gully floor or grooming each other on a branch. They are wild and free to come and go, so they do not always turn up on time.
Welchman Hall Gully ticket prices
An adult ticket to Welchman Hall Gully costs $40 BBD. Barbados dollars are fixed at two to one against the US dollar, so the adult price is about US$20.
- Adult: $40 BBD, about US$20.
- Children aged 5 to 12: $20 BBD, about US$10.
- Children under 4: free.
- Locals with ID: $20 BBD.
- Guide booklet: free with entry, unless you join the 10.30am guided tour. It highlights more than 50 plants and features in the gully.
Opening hours and ticket prices were checked on the official website and last updated in October 2026.
5 great Barbados experiences to book
- 🏝️ See all the island highlights including Bathsheba Beach and Bottom Bay on the full day, round-island tour.
- 🐢 Snorkel with turtles on a catamaran cruise including lunch and open bar.
- 🌿 Take a half day adventure including Harrison’s Cave, Hunte’s Gardens and Bathsheba Beach.
- 🏛️ Pack in Barbados’ key heritage sites on a Bridgetown walking tour.
- 🐒 Enjoy a small-group monkey-feeding experience at the Barbados Wildlife Reserve.
How to get to Welchman Hall Gully
The gully is near the centre of Barbados, in St Thomas, which is the island’s most elevated parish. It is about 15 to 20 minutes’ drive from Bridgetown and about 35 to 40 minutes from the south coast.
- By car: from the south coast, take Highway 7 and then the ABC Highway (Highway 6). Follow the white and green signs at the roadside to Welchman Hall.
- By taxi: a taxi from the south or west coast avoids a long bus ride and drops you at the entrance.
- By bus: take a bus towards Bridgetown, then a taxi or private minibus towards Welchman Hall.
- By tour: island tours often combine the gully with the Barbados Wildlife Reserve, Hunte’s Gardens or Flower Forest.
Phone the gully on +1 (246) 438-6671 if you need directions.
Parking at Welchman Hall Gully
Free parking is available at the gully. The car park is at the start of the trail, near the ticket office.
A small shop outside sells cold drinks and snacks. The gully is a convenient stop for visitors who drive between Harrison’s Cave, Flower Forest and Hunte’s Gardens.
How long to spend at Welchman Hall Gully
Plan about 30 to 45 minutes for the walk, depending on your interest in the plants. The path is not a loop. You walk to the end of the gully and return the same way.
The guided tour takes longer, because the guide stops to explain the plants and the cave. Allow extra time for the monkeys and for the children’s adventure park.
Accessibility at Welchman Hall Gully
The walk is an easy, paved path through the forest. About three-quarters of the gully is wheelchair friendly.
Phone the gully on +1 (246) 438-6671 to ask about access before you visit. Email enquiries go to welchmanhallgully@gmail.com, and the after-hours number is +1 (246) 234-9960.
What to see at Welchman Hall Gully
Before Harrison’s Cave was developed, local people entered the cave system through an entrance in the gully. The gully was formed by the collapsed roofs of caves. Visitors can still see stalagmites and stalactites along the walk, and some shallow caves are draped in vines. The gully is still geologically connected to Harrison’s Cave.
The shaded path passes rare tracts of original Barbados rainforest, mahogany trees and tropical plants. Rocks along the way are covered in moss. A numbered guide booklet explains more than 50 plants, and signs add detail.
The gully is the home of the grapefruit. The fruit is thought to have originated here in the 17th century as a cross between a sweet orange and a shaddock. George Washington mentioned it in his Barbados journal of 1750 to 1751 as “the forbidden fruit”.
Wild green monkeys live in the gully. One large troop plays on vines, walks along the gully floor and eats bananas on the feeding platform. Birdwatchers can also find birds along the trail, and there is a view of the east coast from the gully.
The Children’s Adventure Park has trees to swing through, a zip line and a tightrope walk. The gully also runs summer nature camps for children.
Flying a drone through the gully needs special permission.
Practical visitor tips
| Topic | Tip |
|---|---|
| Timing | Arrive before noon to see the monkeys at the feeding platform. The gully closes at 4pm. |
| Crowds | Join the 10.30am guided tour from November to April, Monday to Friday. |
| Layout | The path runs one way to the end of the gully, and you return the same way. |
| Entry process | Pay at the ticket office. The guide booklet is free with entry. |
| On-site logistics | A shop outside sells cold drinks and snacks. Drones need permission. |
Frequently asked questions about Welchman Hall Gully
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is Welchman Hall Gully suitable for children? | Yes. Children aged 5 to 12 pay $20 BBD, children under 4 are free, and there is an adventure park. |
| Do you need to book tickets in advance for Welchman Hall Gully? | No for self-guided visits. Private tours need at least 24 hours’ notice. |
| Is Welchman Hall Gully open on Sundays? | Yes. The gully is open seven days a week from 9am to 4pm. |
| Is Welchman Hall Gully wheelchair accessible? | Mostly. About three-quarters of the gully is wheelchair friendly. |
| When are the monkeys fed at Welchman Hall Gully? | Between 10.30am and noon, on a feeding platform near the entrance. |
Things to do near Welchman Hall Gully
- Flower Forest Botanical Gardens: a 20-hectare botanic garden on a former sugar estate, about 5 minutes’ drive from the gully.
- Hunte’s Gardens: a tropical garden in a sinkhole at Castle Grant, about 5 minutes’ drive from the gully.
- Barbados Wildlife Reserve: a walk-through reserve with green monkeys in a mahogany wood at Farley Hill in St Peter, about 30 minutes’ drive from the gully.
- Animal Flower Cave: a sea cave at North Point in St Lucy, about 40 minutes’ drive from the gully.
- Bathsheba Beach: a rocky Atlantic beach on the east coast, about 15 minutes’ drive from the gully and known for its large rock formations and strong surf.
Alternative attractions
- Harrison’s Cave: a crystallised limestone cave about 2 minutes’ drive from the gully, visited on guided tram tours.
- Coco Hill Forest: a private nature reserve about 5 minutes’ drive away, with tall native palms.
- Gun Hill Signal Station: an 1818 hilltop signal tower about 10 minutes’ drive away, with views of the valleys and the south-west coast.
- Orchid World: a garden of orchids in central Barbados, not far from Flower Forest and Hunte’s Gardens.
- Andromeda Botanic Gardens: a botanic garden at Bathsheba on the east coast.
