Your Travel Experience with Tierra Maya Tours
Day 1
Puerto Plata
Personal welcome at Puerto Plata airport and transfer to your hotel in Puerto Plata. The rest of the day is at your leisure to recover from your journey. Why not round off the day with a sunset on the hotel beach?
Included meals: All Inclusive
Day 1 - 2
Overnight stay at the Marien Puerto Plata (Standard)/ Casa Colonial (Deluxe)
Marien Puerto Plata **** Deluxe Garden View Stylish all-inclusive resort on the north coast of the Dominican Republic, just a few minutes from the centre of Puerto Plata. Nestled in tropical gardens and just a short walk from the sandy beach, the hotel offers a relaxed atmosphere with Caribbean flair. The spacious complex has comfortably furnished rooms, several restaurants serving international and local cuisine and bars serving exotic cocktails. A large pool area, a spa, numerous sports facilities and a varied entertainment programme ensure relaxation and variety.
Casa Colonial***** Junior Suite Ocean Front Exclusive luxury hotel in the Playa Dorada complex, directly on the turquoise-coloured sea. Boutiques, amber and cigar shops and the pretty centre of Puerto Plata are in the immediate vicinity. The hotel has a private, white sandy beach and is not far from the golf course. The Colonial Beach enchants its guests with its typical colonial but thoroughly modern style. It is one of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World and offers its guests an excellent gourmet restaurant with a spacious wine cellar, beautiful gardens and a stunning, glittering infinity pool on the roof terrace.
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Day 2
Wasserfälle von Damajagua
Gorge Hiking Experience - The 27 Waterfalls of Damajagua
After breakfast, your tour guide will pick you up at the hotel reception at 09:00. You will leave Puerto Plata via the national highway and start the tour actively and full of adrenalin with a canyoning excursion. The destination is the Damajagua waterfalls. On arrival at the park, you will first receive an introduction from a local guide as well as a helmet and a life jacket. You then begin a 45-minute hike uphill through the tropical rainforest landscape. Amidst the lush, green vegetation, you will encounter exotic birds time and again. After the ascent, things get wet and adventurous: follow the path of waterfalls that flow into natural pools, use natural slides or jump into the cool water from the rocky ledges. Between the individual stages, you cross rapids that lead to the next cascade. Experience thrills, water fun and a deep connection with nature.
Afterwards, a sumptuous Dominican lunch buffet awaits you in the park's visitor centre. Strengthened, you continue on a buggy tour through the majestic mountain and river world of the region. After a short briefing, you will take a seat either at the wheel or as a passenger in a 4x4 buggy. During the rally, you will drive through small villages, past pastures and plantations, uphill, downhill and even through riverbeds with raging currents. You may well get hit by the swirling mud - but don't worry, at the end of the ride you can shower and change at the visitor centre. Your driver will take you back to the hotel in the early afternoon.
Included meals: All Inclusive + Lunch
Day 3
Santiago de los Caballeros
Culture experience - street art walk, cigar factory and museum visit
After breakfast, the drive continues along an impressive serpentine panoramic route to Santiago. Let your eyes wander and enjoy the spectacular views of palm-covered hills and green valleys. Once in Santiago, visit Los Pepines, one of the most emblematic neighborhoods right in the historic center of the city. In 2016, the local government decided to paint the most deteriorated areas and beautify the area to revitalize the local economy. Just two years later, Los Pepines became a tourist attraction thanks to its colorful and expressive murals. On a walking tour, unravel the stories behind the murals: Who are the people depicted in the murals? What is their connection to the local culture? You will find out! Street food is, of course, not to be missed on this walk. At the end of the tour you will stop at a local store to taste the typical empanadas, dumplings filled with cheese or meat, and fresh fruit juices - simply delicious! Continue to Tamboril, the self-proclaimed cigar capital of the world. Here you will visit the most prestigious cigar manufacturer in the Dominican Republic, La Aurora. At the factory you will learn all about tobacco cultivation as well as its processing and cigar making. Be impressed by the skill with which the employees skillfully handcraft the coveted smokes. Of course, you can also taste a cigar. The descendants of the company founder donated one of the most important museums in the country, the Centro León, on the occasion of its 100th anniversary. The modern building houses a collection of contemporary Dominican art, a show on the history of the country's development, and an exhibition on the museum's founding family. After the visit, the driver will take you to your hotel.
Included meals today: Breakfast + Lunch
Overnight stay in Gran Almirante (standard), Camp David (deluxe)
Gran Almirante**** Executive This modern city hotel offers a 24-hour reception, an air-conditioned buffet restaurant with exquisite dishes as well as two gourmet restaurants, the Mojito Bar, sauna, gym, car park, WiFi Internet connection, cigar shop, casino and a pool with Jacuzzi and pool bar. The hotel not only offers a very central location, but also plenty of luxury and comfort as well as excellent service.
Camp David Ranch**** Junior Suite Idyllically situated in the hills above Santiago de los Caballeros, nestled in the tranquil tropical surroundings. The elevated location offers spectacular views of the city and the surrounding mountains. The city centre is 15 minutes away. The 18 stylishly furnished rooms and the tranquil atmosphere make it the perfect choice for relaxation. An unforgettable stay in exclusive surroundings is guaranteed. The in-house restaurant spoils guests with international and Dominican cuisine, while the bar offers a cosy atmosphere for drinks. With its exclusive location, personalised service and breathtaking views, it offers a perfect retreat away from the hustle and bustle.
Day 4
Experience nature - cave expedition at the natural monument
After breakfast, you will leave Santiago and head north to the coast. Upon arrival in Cabarete, you will visit the natural monument of the Cabarete and Goleta Lagoons. When visiting, please wear long-sleeved clothing or use insect repellent. At the entrance you will receive a helmet and then go on a discovery tour through the dense tropical forest with a local guide who will explain the flora, fauna and history of the place. The rich flora consists of cocoa and coffee trees, among others, as well as numerous medicinal plants. There are 258 caves in the forest that are millions of years old, three of which you will visit during a 90-minute hike. First you will reach the Taína cave. Here a steep wooden staircase leads 25 meters into the depth, inside the cave is a freshwater pool, where the brave can also bathe. Afterwards, you will visit the Crystal Cave, a stalactite and stalagmite cave with formations that have been formed over millions of years. Finally, you will reach the Frog Cave with its six-meter deep spring water pool. If you want to take a refreshing bath, you can either take a jump from the three-meter high platform or descend into the pool via a staircase. Afterwards, the driver will take you to your hotel in Cabarete. This small town is popular with surfers and has made a name for itself worldwide as a Caribbean water sports center. Enjoy the afternoon on the beach of Cabarete and watch the hustle and bustle of kite surfers and surfers. Optionally, in the early afternoon, visit the estuary of Boca de Yásica, where the Río Yásica River, flowing down from the hilly hinterland, pours into the Atlantic Ocean. There is all kinds of driftwood on the beach, the sea is wild and has strong swells. You can cross to the other side of the river in a small boat and enjoy freshly caught fish, seafood, a cold beer or a fruity piña colada at the small restaurant Wilson la Boca (cost to be paid by the participants). After a few hours stay, your driver will take you back to the hotel.
Included meals: Breakfast
Cabarete
Day 4 - 5
Overnight stay in Villa Taina (Standard) / Natura Cabana (Deluxe)
Villa Taina*** Oceanside The 61-room Hotel Villa Taina is a family-run hotel located directly on the beach in the centre of Cabarete on the north coast of the Dominican Republic. A small, dreamy sports hotel in Mediterranean style under German management. The right choice for active holidaymakers who prefer a personal atmosphere and enjoy water sports. It is very centrally located yet quiet. Guests benefit from the great location for water sports activities such as windsurfing or kitesurfing, long walks on the beach or nightlife. The perfect place for those who don't want to spend their holidays in an all-inclusive resort. The hotel has beautiful gardens, a lovely pool, Serenade beach restaurant, beach bar and its own windsurfing and kitesurfing school (at an extra charge).
Natura Cabana ***** One Bedrrom Bungalow The boutique hotel Natura Cabana is located - wonderfully quiet and secluded - nestled in beautiful nature on a private sandy beach between Cabarete and Sosua in the Perla Marina complex. Cabarete can be reached in just 10 minutes by car. Nature is the essence of the idyllic hotel concept; everything in the surroundings revolves around it. The ecological structures, the sound of the sea and the yoga or spa treatments on offer contribute to a relaxing stay. The large, individually furnished bungalows of the eco-lodge are decorated with great attention to detail according to Feng Shui and are separated from the private beach by the two restaurants.
Day 5
Laguna Gri Gri
Water world experience - Day of the lagoons
After breakfast, we travel along the coastal road to Rio San Juan. Today is all about the varied water landscape of the north coast with its picturesque bays, rugged rock formations and grottos. You will first visit the small bay of Laguna Gri Gri, from where a mangrove-lined channel leads into the open sea. The boat tour takes you through the bay to the small beach La Piscina Natural, where you make your first short swim stop (max. 15 minutes). Continue to the next beach and swimming stop (max. 15 minutes): Playa Caleton. On the way, you will explore a small grotto by boat and pass a rock decorated with sculptures.
Laguna Dudú
After breakfast, we will travel along the coastal road to Rio San Juan. Today is dedicated to the varied water landscape of the north coast with its picturesque bays, rugged rock formations and grottos. You will first visit the small bay Laguna Gri Gri, from which a channel lined with mangroves leads to the open sea. The boat trip goes through the bay to the small beach La Piscina Natural, where you will have a first short swim stop (max. 15 minutes). Continue to the next beach and bathing stop (max. 15 minutes): Playa Caleton. On the way you will explore a small grotto by boat and pass a rock decorated with sculptures. Back on land, continue through the town of Cabrera to Laguna Dudú. Laguna Dudú Park consists of the two cenotes Laguna Dudú and Pozo de los Caballos, the horse well, which are connected by an underground tunnel. Laguna Dudu is 22 meters deep, has a deep blue color and is surrounded by lush vegetation. You can take a refreshing dip in the two freshwater pools. If you are looking for a thrill in addition to refreshment, you can glide over the lagoon at a dizzy height on the zip line and drop into the water from a height of about 15 meters - a feast for all adventure seekers. You can have lunch at the on-site restaurant if you wish (cost to be borne by the participants). In the early afternoon the driver will take you back to the hotel.
Included meals today: Breakfast
Day 6
Experience diversity - fantasy castle, cable car, botanical garden
From Cabarete, you will head back westwards along the coast today. Your first destination is the small town of Sosúa, where you will visit one of the most bizarre museums in the world. The Castillo Mundo King is a fantasy castle founded and built by German engineer and artist Rolf Schulz. A wealth of paintings and sculptures by Haitian and Dominican artists are exhibited on five floors, including three spaceships.
Puerto Plata
Continue on to Puerto Plata, known for its pretty Victorian-style wooden houses, which are located around the central park and the 800-meter-high Mount Isabel de Torres. You will reach the top of the latter after a cable car ride of about 10 minutes, during which you will enjoy spectacular views of the city, the sea and the beaches in the distance. Once at the top, the first thing you will see is the region's landmark, a smaller version of the statue of Christ as it is known from Rio de Janeiro. With your guide, take a walk through the beautifully idyllic botanical gardens. Afterwards, you will be picked up by the driver, drive down to the city and stop at a trendy restaurant for lunch (cost to be paid by participants). Then visit the Fortaleza San Felipe fortification, one of the oldest surviving fortresses from the colonial era. The large, massive complex was built in 1577 to make attacks from the water more difficult. Then continue to Punta Rucia, where you will arrive in the early evening. The small fishing village is located on a breathtaking sea bay at the tip of a small headland, where the water shimmers in the most beautiful shades of blue and turquoise in the sunshine.
Included meals today: Breakfast
Punta Rucia
Day 6 - 7
Overnight stay at Punta Rucia Lodge **** (or similar)
Superior Garden View (Standard) Deluxe Ocean Front (Deluxe)
The lodge is located directly on the marvellous beach and offers its guests a special kind of accommodation, away from mass tourism and surrounded by nature. On the unspoilt white sandy beach with a view of the crystal-clear water, you can relax and unwind. The nearest airport is Puerto Plata. Far away from the large resorts is the authentic little fishing village of Punta Rucia in the north-west of the island. The boutique hotel has 19 palm-covered bungalows in various categories, which are furnished in a charming, typical Caribbean style. The complex includes a beautiful infinity pool with a view of the beach and a jetty. Well-known and very good restaurant with excellent food and attentive service.
Day 7
Dream beach experience - pure Caribbean on the paradise island
Today you will take an excursion to the sandbank Cayo Arena, also called Paradise Island, which only emerges from the sea during the day and disappears again into the sea at high tide. It is a jewel of the Dominican Republic and a highlight during your stay in Punta Rucia. Directly from the beach you will take a boat to Cayo Arena in about 25 minutes after breakfast at 08:00. Here you can enjoy the tranquility in paradisiacal surroundings, take a refreshing swim or watch the shoals of tropical fish in the shallow turquoise waters while snorkeling. Not far from the sandbank there is a coral reef with a lot of colorful schools of fish - a natural spectacle you should not miss. After a few hours stay you will return to the hotel around noon. On the way back, another highlight awaits you, because this time the route leads along the mangroves close to the shore.
Included meals today: Breakfast and Snacks
Day 8
Puerto Plata
Transfer to Puerto Plata airport according to your flight details. If you would like to enjoy your time on the island a little longer to savour the impressions of your trip, book a beach extension. Relax on the beach in Puerto Plata, Cabarete or Las Terrenas, your transfer is included as long as you book the extension with us. Of course, we can also put together an extension to suit your wishes.