Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Land Sports
Cascading & Canyoning
Cascading - climbing up through a series of waterfalls, and then jumping and sliding down
into the pools of water below - is hugely popular at the 27 waterfalls of Damajagua, on the
north coast. For many travelers it's their favorite experience in the DR. You'll be issued a
life jacket and safety helmet, and guides will lead you, sometimes pulling you bodily
through the force of the water. Some of the jumps down are as much as 8m high. You can
visit the waterfalls by yourself - foreigners pay RD$600 per person, and while a guide is
mandatory, there's no minimum group size. Alternatively, you can come with a tour group,
but all the package 'jeep safari' tours go only to the 7th waterfall - disappointing. Only a
very few tour agencies offer the trip to the very top.
Canyoning - often referred to as 'canyoneering' in the US - is cascading's technical,
older brother and is even more of an adrenaline rush, involving jumping, rappelling and
sliding down a slippery river gorge with a mountain river raging around you. You'll be is-
sued a safety helmet and usually a shorts-length wetsuit. It's becoming more popular in the
DR, but there are really only three reliable and experienced companies: Iguana Mama
(
Click here
)
and Kayak River Adventures (
Click here
)
in Cabarete on the north coast and
Rancho Baiguate (
Click here
)
in Jarabacoa in the mountains. We highly recommend it.
Hiking
Pico Duarte
The most famous hike in the DR is the ascent of Pico Duarte (3087m), the tallest peak in
the Caribbean. First climbed in 1944 as part of the 100th anniversary celebration of the
Dominican Republic's independence from Haiti, it's a tough multiday hike, but involves no
technical climbing, and mules carry supplies and equipment up the mountain (best time to
go is December to March). There are two main routes to the summit and several side trips
you can take along the way, including hikes through two beautiful alpine valleys and up the
Caribbean's second-highest peak, La Pelona, just 100m lower than Pico Duarte.
While the destination - the peak itself and the views - is stunning, the well-traveled
walker may be disappointed by the journey required to get there. You pass quickly through
