Best of Oconee Waterfalls Cultural Tour - World Awaits Cultural Tours

Tour Details of Best of Oconee WaterFalls Cultural Tour

Best of Oconee Waterfalls

Highlights

Best of Oconee Waterfalls Cultural Tour | Full-Day (10 hours Approx.)

Enter historical Cherokee Native American Indian Nation grounds and highlands of waterfalls flowing from North Carolina and lakes, natural and man-made. A one hour fifteen-minute drive from downtown Greenville, South Carolina will bring us to Stumphouse Park which contains Stumphouse Tunnel and Issaqueena Falls. Stumphouse Tunnel is the remains of an 1850s attempt to link the port of Charleston, South Carolina to the cities of the Midwest by rail. The Civil War brought the construction to an end.
We’ll take a short walk back to legendary Issaqueena Falls, is a beautiful 100 foot / 30 meter cascade. An easy hike will take you to the top of the falls, but a short, steep, rugged path down will give you a grand view of the entire falls and play in the water, a constant year round water temperature 55-60°F / 10-16°C.
We’ll cross the street to Sumter National Forest for bag lunch on your own near the Yellow Branch Nature Trail. After we have recharged, we will take a moderate out-and-back trail to the base of spectacular Yellow Branch Falls, 50-foot / 15.24-meter vertical cascade with many individual cascades.
After the hike back, we will get a rest on the drive to an expansive overlook of Jocassee Gorges and Lake Jocassee, a a 7,500-acre (30 km2), 300-foot (91 m) deep reservoir man-made by Duke Energy yet a spectacular display of human ingenuity and nature with a natural shoreline and clear, clean Appalachian water.
Nearby, we will embark on our final hike to the dramatic 200 foot / 61 meter drop of Lower Whitewater Falls. The entire Whitewater Falls chain – six different waterfalls along the North and South Carolina border – is the highest series of falls in eastern North America. The Lower Falls (in South Carolina) is about half-mile down the Whitewater River from the Upper Falls (in North Carolina).
We will descend back to downtown Greenville.

What's Included

Full-day Cultural Tour Experience (10 hours approx.)
Your World Awaits Cultural Tours Travel Coach & Concierge
Walking Tour and Trails (easy to moderate)
Two – Three Waterfalls views
Transportation round-trip from the designated pick-up points; climate-controlled vehicle (air conditioning)
Parking fees for group transport

What's Not Included

Park donations and admission fees (tour includes parking fees for group transport)
Bag Lunch – bring your own lunch
Snacks
Water and Beverages
Tips & Gratuities (optional) and donations to our Cultural Talk guest
Transfers (to/from airport or other locations to designated pick-up or meeting points or drop-off points)

Ideal for Tour Participants

All ages
Family friendly for all ages (children in car seats require 50% per person tour fee and tour minimum participants must be met. If you would like to book a child in a car seat, please book the child separately in a new booking using the coupon code: CHILDCARSEAT for 50% off)
Participants should have a moderate physical fitness level – requires moderate walking on paved, grassy, rocky paths and hiking trails (easy to moderate) with inclines and declines
Please inform us prior to booking if you require accommodations such as wheelchairs or other special assistance, or bringing strollers, child safety seats. We will seek to meet your accommodation.

Departure & Return Locations

Departure Point
Greenville Drive Baseball Stadium Fluor Field
Meet at the Main Entrance
945 S Main St, Greenville, SC 29601
Google Map

Return Point
Greenville Drive Baseball Stadium Fluor Field
Main Entrance
945 S Main St, Greenville, SC 29601
Google Map

What to Expect

A one-hour twenty-five minute (1.25) drive from Downtown Greenville each way; total 3.25 hours of driving with stops at sites
A leisure and relaxing day with nature
Historical and cultural conversations and talks with your local, native tour guide
Lunch and leisure time on your own in a picnic area
Accessibility: Issaqueena Falls features limited accessibility viewing platform of the top of the falls via a wooden ramp (top of the falls best visible during the winter months when trees are bearer). Yellow Branch Falls Picnic area features tables and seating. Visitor Outlook of Lake Jocassee is a drive up, paved observation area
Waterfall Tours are subject to safety precautions, weather and park hours, reservations and availability so reserve in advance. Therefore, we will choose amongst these options and confirm a minimum of 24 hours prior to tour departure. Options for Upstate South Carolina include: Reedy River Falls (easy), Cedar Falls (easy), Twin Falls (easy) , Raven Cliff Falls (moderate), Yellow Branch Falls (moderate), Issaqueena Falls (easy), Lower Whitewater Falls (moderate), Whitewater Falls, just over North Carolina border (easy).
Group size minimum participants to offer the tour: 5 participants
Group size maximum: 15 participants

Itinerary

Cultural Talk: Native American, Dani’El Garvin, will join us virtually or in-person for a Native American history and cultural talk about the originally inhabited native lands and significance of waterfalls in Native American culture that we will visit.

Depart to: Pickens County to Stumphouse Park
Duration: 1.25-hour drive

Stop at: Stumphouse Tunnel, Walhalla, South Carolina
Walk up to or into the tunnel
Tunnel is a constant 56° F / 13.3° C with 85% humidity conditions
Duration: 30 minutes

Walk: 5 minutes

Stop at: Issaqueena Falls Waterfall, Walhalla, South Carolina
Walk .4-mile / .64 km easy, trail (.8 miles 1.29 km round trip, 30 minutes roundtrip) to the waterfall
Observation Deck of the top of the falls.
Short, steep downhill path to the bottom, front view of the falls and play in the water (very steep walk, over rocks and tree roots and huge rocks to get to the frontal view of the falls)
Duration: 45 minutes

Drive: 2 minute-drive

Stop at: Bag lunch on your own, Yellow Branch Falls Picnic Area
Duration: 30 minutes

Hike: 45 minutes

Stop at: Yellow Branch Falls Waterfall, Sumter National Forest, Walhalla, South Carolina
Hike 1.5 miles / 2.4 km moderate hiking trail each way (3 miles / 4.8 km roundtrip, 1.5 hours roundtrip)
Duration: 45 minutes

Hike: 45 minutes

Drive: 35 minute-drive

Stop at: Visitor Overlook of Lake Jocassee, Salem, SC
Duration: 10 minutes

Drive: 5 minute-drive

Hike: Lower Whitewater Falls Trail
Duration: 45 minute to 1 hour moderate hike each way (2 hours round trip)

Stop at: Lower Whitewater Falls
Observation Deck
Duration: 30 minutes

Hike: 45 minute to 1 hour moderate hike

Return to: Downtown Greenville drop-off point.
Drive: 1.25 hour-drive

Bring with You

Wear comfortable, weather-appropriate outdoor clothing and shoes
Sun protection – hat and sunscreen
Hiking shoes
Water shoes
Bathing suit or water suit (waterfall water temperature 55-60°F / 10-16°C year round)
Bag Lunch (prepared)
Water and beverages (no glass bottles, non-alcoholic; alcohol restrictions by county and state parks)
Hiking accessories for safety and comfort

Additional Information

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Upon tour booking confirmation, your tour will include details of inclusions and any extras included at no additional charge not listed above
Inclement weather plan will be to delay or reschedule the tour. In the case of persistent, heavy storm weather conditions, you will be offered an alternative tour or tour credit.
Tour operated by World Awaits Cultural Tours LLC

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 15 days in advance of the tour for a refund minus 3% processing fee.
Cancellation must be in writing.
For a refund, you must cancel at least 15 days before the tour’s start time.
If you cancel less than 15 days before the tour’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded due to expenses of transportation arrangements, and other confirmations already incurred for your participation.
Any changes or participant substitutions made less than 24 hours before the tour’s start time will not be accepted.
Cut-off times are based on the tour’s local time.
This tour requires a minimum number of 10 participants. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date or different tour or a full refund.

Here's a glance at the world that awaits you at Oconee Waterfalls...

Your Local Hosts

Bernell King

"The Oconee County waterfalls are not grande yet have mystic physique and are inviting for a brisk play in the water below the falls."

Welcome to my hometown area of Greenville & Upstate, SC! I absolutely love waterfalls and is my favorite pastime worldwide! Yes, I am a waterfall chaser, if there is a such thing. I am passionate about traveling like a local with locals. My life and relationships have been deeply enriched by over 23 years of experience in international business, coaching, consulting and training of expatriates, executives, families and children from around the world and travel to explore world cultures. I have traveled to 15 countries, over 230 cities and I speak 3 global languages: English, Japanese and Spanish. I hold the travel industry certifications of: American Society of Travel Advisors Verified Travel Advisor (ASTA VTA), Airlines Reporting Corporation Verified Travel Consultant (ARC VTC), Certified Special Needs & Mobility Travel Advocate, Destination Specialist for various countries.

Dani'El Garvin

Dani’El Garvin has two native names: Okinow: “Bringer of light & life” and Cherokee: “E Gi Doh.” He is a member of a North American people inhabiting the Maritime Provinces of Canada known as the Mi’kmaq. He is a Native American, writer, poet, author, missionary, indigenous counselor, Eagle Dancer, Blowgun Champion and conference speaker. Dani'El has lived on six nation’s reserves on Grand River, Canada. Dani'El has served as a Mi’kmaq tribal elder and chief, Native American cultural and spiritual teacher, medicine chief and was adopted into the Cherokee by a clan mother, an Iroquois Cherokee elder. He has ministered and counseled all ages all over North America, South America, Trinidad and Indonesia and has been featured in newspaper and on television.