Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Salto de Baiguate
In a lush canyon, Baiguate is not as visually impressive as the others, but it's the
most accessible for swimming. A lovely 300m trail cut out of the canyon wall leads from
the parking lot to the salto - canyoning trips end here with a rappel down the falls.
To get there, take Calle El Carmen east out of Jarabacoa for 3km until you see a sign
for the waterfalls on the right-hand side of the road. From there, a badly rutted dirt road,
which at one point is crossed by a shallow creek, leads 3km to a parking lot.
WATERFALL
Hiking
In addition to the trek to Pico Duarte, there are a number of shorter half-day and full-day
walks you can take in the area.
You can get a taste of the ecology of Parque Nacional Armando Bermúdez with a one-day
hike to Los Tablones (seven hours; about 10km). The trail is not especially well-marked and
it's highly recommended to go with a local guide. Rancho Baiguate can arrange the trip
(US$150 per person including meal, minimum two people), which involves a four-hour
walk up and another four hours back down, or you can make your way to the park your-
self, pay the entrance fee of RD$200 and negotiate with guides. It's a 10-minute drive
southwest of La Cienaga on a very rough road to the Los Tablones trailhead.
A challenging steep hike is to El Mogote , a peak (1573m) west of town; to get to the
trailhead 5km away, hop in a taxi (one way RD$200). You'll encounter a Salesian monas-
tery where the monks have taken a vow of silence. From here it's a stiff five-hour hike to
the summit - only to be attempted by the very aerobically fit. Start early, wear boots if
you have them, and bring plenty of water. It's a slippery walk (or slide) down from the top
(at least the first half).
La Jagua (around four hours; about 6km), a shorter walk in the area, can also be ar-
ranged by Rancho Baiguate (US$40 per person including meal).
Paragliding
If launching yourself off a cliff sounds like fun then you've come to the right place. Make
a point of looking up Antonio Rosario Aquino, otherwise known as Tony ( 809-848-3479;
www.paraglidingtonydominicanrepublic.com ; tandem flights RD$2500) , a native of Jarabacoa, one of
the most experienced pilots on the island. After the initial take-off, it really only requires
an ability to sit in a comfortable contraption. See if you can hold your lunch after a series
of high-speed 360-degree whirls. Remember to bring your camera - it's an opportunity for
fantastic panoramic photos.
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