Spring to the Dominican Republic

After arriving into Las Americas International Airport in Santo Domingo (SDQ), meet your group and head towards Jarabacoa, about a two-and-a-half hour drive from Santo Domingo. Watch as the lush Santo Domingo gives way to arid land, and the green, winding mountain roads of the Dominican Alps. Arrive at the Rustic Pathways base – an eco-lodge nestled in the mountains, surrounded by tropical fruit trees and beautiful flowers. Settle into your new home for the next couple of nights in with your group with a hot Dominican meal and friendly conversation with the knowledgeable staff. Get a good night’s sleep for a big day of service in the morning!

Today you will jump into your community service. Spend the first part of the day working alongside local farmers and volunteers on projects geared toward the environment or local village infrastructure. These projects vary based on the needs of our partner communities, and could include reforestation efforts, building a Black Water Treatment system, or other small-scale construction projects that contribute to communities and sustainable development projects in neighboring communities. After you’ve wrapped up service for the day, take a hike to a nearby waterfall to cool off. Spend the evening relaxing at the ranch swimming in the pool, playing basketball or ping pong, or relaxing in a hammock one of the common spaces. Soak up the sweet, cool mountain air!

Continue your service work this morning with a different project. Get to know the kids in the community and get your hands dirty with the neighbors who came out to work alongside you on the project. After lunch, put some finishing touches on your work and head back to the lodge for one last night around the bonfire or playing games with your team in evening breeze.

Today is an early start as you board a bus bound for Las Galeras around 7:30am and take the four-and-a-half hour bus ride to horseback riding and a laid-back beach town on the Samaná Peninsula. Enjoy lunch by the beach and then spend this lazy Saturday afternoon as most Dominicans in the area do: enjoying the Caribbean beaches with some cool, fresh coconut water.

After another early breakfast, enjoy the morning on the beach before heading toward the town of Samaná some 25 minutes away. Check out this port town, and walk across a bridge that connects some of the cays, or small islands. Then hop on a boat across the bay to Sabana de La Mar, where you will stay at an eco-hotel nestled on the borders of Los Haitises National Park. As you cross the bay take in the sights of the park, keep your eyes peeled for dolphins, pelicans, and many other aquatic birds that call this vibrant place home.

Spend today working on mangrove restoration and various projects at the National Park, getting your hands dirty with community members who are working to rebuild the estuary and breeding grounds for hundreds of native species. Take a boat through the canals of the Rio Caño Hondo to explore caves and beaches in the area and relax in the shade of the tropical trees in the evening at the eco lodge.

In the morning, head back to the capital for a tour of the Colonial Zone of Santo Domingo. This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is home to the first university, cathedral and hospital in the Americas. Take a tour of the walled city and learn about the deep history of the first European settlement in the Americas. After touring the Colonial Zone, head over to a special dinner and dance show at a typical Dominican restaurant.

If you are heading home, you must say your last goodbyes to your new friends and head off to the airport bright and early in the morning. If you are heading off to another Rustic Pathways program in Latin America, get ready for more adventure!