El Tours Aruba is a family owned tour company in Aruba. Mr. & Mrs. Pepermans strive to provide the best quality tour guides, buses, and experiences for their clientele and they really delivered. They provide an air conditioned bus to take small groups of visitors to some of the island’s top destinations. Our tour guide Clifford was knowledgeable about the island and provided great entertainment with his many stories about the island. Our group only consisted of 7 people, which was nice for making quick stops at the sites. Check out why you won’t want to miss this Aruba Bus Tour on your next visit!
Aloe Vera Factory
The Aloe Vera field at Aruba Aloe.
The first stop for us was the Aloe Aruba Factory & Aloe Fields. This company is 126 years old and produces a variety of aloe based products from soap scrubs to after sun relief. I brought some foot lotion and soap scrubs home to play with. I love the soap scrubs because they are actually solid cubes, so perfect for traveling with! Clifford told us all about the benefits of Aloe and which parts are safe to eat and made a few suggestions on how to eat it. Even though the factory was closed on the day we visited (National Holiday – Carnaval Monday) we were still able to see the beautiful fields and learn a lot about the importance of aloe on the island.
Casibari Aruban Rock Formation
Casibari Rock Formation view from the road.
Next we visited Casibari, the Aruban Rock Formation and Gardens. At the base of this rock formation, you will find a lovely garden full of cacti and other native plants. A few rocky steps to the top and you have a beautiful view of the island of Aruba and it’s tallest point, Haystack Mountain. It is quite windy at the top, but worth the short trek for the amazing view you will see.
If you look closely, you will see two paths up this side of the rock. Otherwise there are stairs on the back side.
This is the view from near the top of the rock formation. Do you see that huge cactus on the left hand side?
The Natural Bridge
A photo of the Natural Bridge in all her glory, before her demise.
Our next stop was the Natural Bridge and Son of a Bridge. The drive along the coastline was stunning, reminding some passengers of the Irish coastline. Aruba is made of coral and volcanic rock, which lines the coast on the North. The original natural bridge collapsed after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, but you can see its remains on what was once one of aruba’s most beautiful beaches and top tourist destination. While some might not see the point in visiting a falling natural landmark, I will say the view is breathtaking and definitely worth a drive. Near the Natural Bridge is the Goldmill. We were able to see it and take photos from afar, but we did not stop to explore this historic building on the tour.
Current state of the Natural Bridge, post Hurricane Katrina.
This is the smaller bridge, Son of a Bridge, that still stands on the Northern Coast of Aruba. This is the largest natural bridge on the island now.
Real Estate of Aruba
I’ll take a pink house, how about you?
Unadvertised and unofficial, Clifford took us through the streets of Aruba, showing off some of it’s finest real estate. We saw houses valued at 100,000 USD to 4.5 Million USD. There were authentic aruban houses, modern designs, italian design, and more. His knowledge on the local real estate market was just an added bonus!
A red house on one of Aruba’s most colorful streets.
I wouldn’t mind a turquoise house either.
This garden was too perfect not to share.
Alto Vista Chapel
This is the front of the Chapel before it is swarmed with tourists.
After the coastal tour, we followed the 14 crosses up a hill to the Alto Vista Chapel. The crosses are in place for the stations of the cross, each one depicting a biblical story. On Good Friday, residents walk along the path praying at each cross before reaching the final cross at the chapel. There’s a small stand outside the chapel to buy rosaries and candles to light inside the chapel. The beautiful chapel has outdoor seating for visitors and worshipers to pray in a beautiful setting.
The final cross in the stations of the cross series that leads to the chapel.
The interior of the chapel is simple yet peaceful. You can light a candle inside to pray for a loved one.
California Lighthouse
A view of the lighthouse from the road.
After the chapel, our next stop was the California Lighthouse. When the British ship California hit the coast of Aruba in the early 1900’s, they built this lighthouse to prevent future accidents. They also built a house for the keeper on a cliff at the base of the lighthouse. Today the lighthouse is run automatically and the keeper’s house has been transformed into a beautiful cliffside restaurant with stunning ocean views.
Up close and personal with the lighthouse. It was recently remodeled.
Arashi Beach
This beach is known for snorkeling and swimming by both locals and tourists.
Arashi Beach is one of Aruba’s top beaches and often visited by tourists and locals. There’s some snorkeling right off the coast and great swimming just a little farther up. You can buy a light lunch, drinks, and snacks at the beach. It was the perfect way to end the tour.
Me, just before I jump in for a little snorkeling!
What’s your favorite stop on the El Tours Aruba Bus Tour?
El Tours provided this tour complimentary, but the opinions expressed in this article are my own.
The water and the beach looks great! The Natural Bridge though is a bit scary with that big crack. Hope it’s still safe.
I only got to spend a day in Aruba on a cruise so I didn’t get to see much. I really love the desert landscape so would love to go back and explore more. This tour sounds like a great idea.
Looks like a beautiful and interesting trip. Love all the tidbits of history you shared. Can’t believe a British ship crashed into the coast! I love the different color houses….I want the yellow one!
it sounds silly but it hadn’t occurred to me that they grow aloe in fields like that! I love aloe stuff, I would have definitely bought some there too.
This looks like a really cool tour & I could imagine myself buying a lot from the Aloe Vera Factory! I love finding family owned/ local businesses like this so thank you for sharing!
Looks like a fun and interesting tour. I like that they showed more than the usual beaches in Aruba. I can see myself buying stuff from that aloe vera factory too like others have mentioned. I love using aloe vera esp during summertime.
I always enjoy tours that are put on by locals. Amazing that you joined a group tour and there were only seven of you in the tour. I find the smaller group tours the best. With the cold weather in Toronto right now, I wish I was sitting on that beach in Bermuda.
Aruba looks like a stunning part of the world. I’m amazed at the aloe vera field…there’s aloe vera as far as the eye can see. The coastline looks wonderful but I’m not so sure I’d like to do it by bus!
This sounds like a nice relaxing day. I’m obsessed with real estate and can’t help but check listings everywhere I go, so I’d totally love your tour guide giving you the inside scoop. It’s funny how no matter how inexpensive real estate is, you can always find some $20 million home.
I love mom and pop companies, they have a more personalized feeling and make you feel more like a friend or family rather than just a customer! This tour looks great and we will totally be checking El Tours Aruba when we make it to this paradise. That aloe field looks like a fun place to photograph!!
This sounds like a great bus tour and I especially like how it’s a small crowd of 7. I am always intrigued when it comes to real estate in other countries (and at home). I would definitely have enjoyed that part of the tour. How long did the entire tour take?
I absolutely loved the collapsed natural bridge. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like it before! This makes me want to explore Aruba. So many people think that Aruba is just Beach, this tour proves that there is so much more!