Santiago and Jarabacoa Day Trip from Puerto Plata

Following an early-morning pickup from your hotel in Puerto Plata, meet your guide and hop aboard your air-conditioned coach to begin your full-day Santiago and Jarabacoa adventure. Travel first to the nearby city of Santiago, founded during the early years of European colonization in the late 15th century. Head into the city’s historic heart and visit the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, a grand Roman Catholic cathedral with strong Gothic and Baroque touches.
Climb the hill in the center of Santiago and admire the Monument to the Heroes of the Restoration (Monumento a los Héroes de la Restauración) up close. Listen as your guide sheds light on its significance to the local people, and enjoy breathtaking views over the city beyond.
Continue on to La Aurora Cigar Factory, the oldest of its kind in the Dominican Republic. Gain insight into La Aurora’s complex planting, cultivation, manufacture and export processes, and watch as the skilled workers follow traditional methods to roll the cigars by hand. Learn of the prestigious brands of cigar produced and perhaps buy a box or two as souvenirs.
Head next to the outdoor adventure center of Jarabacoa Ranch and explore the Dominican Republic’s great outdoors. Admire the countryside scenery on horseback, wander the forested eco-trails or hop into a Jeep and spin off along the tracks for high-octane thrills. Visit the Salto Jimenoa or Bayguate waterfalls with your guide and enjoy Jarabacoa Ranch’s tropical splendor to the fullest. Explore dense forest where hanging bridges cross surging rivers, and marvel at the powerful Salto Jimenoa falls cascading over the rocks above. At the Bayguate falls, take a dip in the cool waters as the falls crash overhead. Afterward, return to the ranch for a delicious buffet lunch and complimentary drink.
Leaving Jarabacoa Ranch behind, visit a local craft fair where traditional handicrafts are made and sold. Head through the towns of Moca and Sabaneta up to the high-altitude peaks above, and enjoy spectacular views over the fertile Cibao Valley.
When it’s time to head back to Puerto Plata, hop back aboard your coach for the return journey to your hotel, where your tour comes to an end.