ITINERARY
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Arrival in Santo Domingo
We encourage you to book our American Airlines group flight from Miami, arriving in Santo Domingo at 5pm today. If making your own arrangements, please try to arrive at 5pm or slightly before so as to take advantage of our group transfer from the airport to the hotel. If you are arriving at some other time, your transfer to the hotel will be at your own expense. We can arrange an additional night for you at our hotel if you want to arrive a day early. Those arriving on our 5pm group flight from Miami will be met at the airport and transferred to our conveniently located hotel in the city center.
Tonight we enjoy a Welcome Dinner at the famous restaurant El Meson de la Cava. Afterwards, the more adventurous of our group may wish to sample some of the city’s gay nightlife, in clubs such as Aire, just off the main pedestrian mall Conde, or the club Atlantis across town on the Malecon waterfront. Overnight in Santo Domingo. (Dinner Included)
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Santo Domingo sightseeing
After breakfast take a half-day sightseeing tour of all the city’s prime attractions. As the oldest settlement in the New World, Santo Domingo is a city with many “firsts”—the first Cathedral in all the Americas, the first paved street, first hospital, first university, first two-story house, and the first (and oldest surviving) European fortress. Our city tour includes the Catedral Primada, the Colonial Zone, the Three Eyes Cave (a natural grotto within the city limits), the Cultural Square, the palatial residence of Diego Columbus (first-born son of Christopher), and a panoramic view of the National Palace. Returning to our hotel in the early afternoon, the remainder of the day is free to use as you wish. (Breakfast)
Monday, January 21, 2008
Transfer to Jarabacoa
After breakfast, check out of the hotel and journey by motorcoach into the heart of this paradise island. We leave the coastal plains and gradually drive up into the Central Dominican Republic highlands. Our destination today is Jarabacoa, a Taíno word meaning “place where the water flees.” The town itself is a relaxed community with small hotels and a surprising number of good restaurants serving reasonably priced local food. But it’s up among the higher altitudes in the surrounding mountains where eco-tourists come to play in the cooler air, fresh with the scent of Caribbean pine trees. We arrive early enough this afternoon to take an optional horseback ride or hike to one of three nearby waterfalls. (All Meals)
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Optional Adventures
Today is entirely free to indulge in optional adventure activities. Your choices include: a full day whitewater rafting trip; canyoning (rappelling by rope) down a waterfall (easy for first-timers); trekking through the forest; mountain biking on four select routes; or an exciting and fun ropes course. We hope everyone will opt for the full-day whitewater rafting excursion ($50), as it includes some of the best scenery and most fun available on the island. We need to reserve this in advance, so indicate your desire to join the rafting adventure on your reservation form. You might prefer to hang back and take advantage of our rustic lodge’s amenities, which include a swimming pool, volleyball, ping pong, softball field and basketball court. The day is free for you to use as you see fit. Dinner and overnight at our lodge. (All Meals)
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Transfer to Samana Bay
After breakfast at the lodge, continue by motorcoach to the eastern coast of the Dominican Republic. The trip will take us roughly five hours, during which time we will travel through the pine forests, down from the hills and out onto the thick, almost impenetrable swath of palm trees on the Samana Peninsula in the country’s northeastern corner. Upon arrival in mid-afternoon, we check in to our all-inclusive resort. The remainder of the day is free to explore the town or relax by the pool. Overnight in Samana. (All Meals)
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Whalewatching
After breakfast at our resort, enjoy a half-day whale-watching excursion. The Bay of Samana is one of the world’s top whale-watching spots, because 80% of the North Atlantic’s population of reproductively active humpback whales (some 10 to 12 thousand in all) come here to mate every winter between mid-January and mid-March. Our whaleboat will cruise leisurely through the water, and it is a very common occurrence to have the 30-ton whales pull up right alongside to show off. You are virtually guaranteed to capture some amazing photos! We return to our resort in mid-afternoon and the remainder of the day is free to enjoy the facilities. (All Meals)
Friday, January 25, 2008
Transfer to Puerto Plata
After breakfast, continue by motorcoach from the Samana Peninsula along the North Coast. We have scheduled a fun stop along the way at Rio San Juan to break up the drive. Here we enjoy a short boat ride through Laguna Gri-Gri, a fantastic channel among the tangled roots of a mangrove forest. Arriving at our all-inclusive resort in the afternoon, we’ll eat a late lunch and the remainder of the day is free to explore the town or relax by the resort’s pool or on the beach. (All Meals)
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Free Day
Today is entirely free to do as you please. You may choose to swim in the ocean, relax by the pool, go into town to see the quaint Victorian architecture, or take a cable car to the top of Mt. Isabel for glorious panoramic views of the island and the Caribbean Sea. This evening we celebrate the conclusion of our tour with a Farewell Dinner at the resort. (All Meals)
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Departure
The tour officially ends after breakfast. Hotel check-out is at 10am, but we can continue to enjoy the facilities until we leave for the airport at about 1pm. Our American Airlines group flight to Miami departs Puerto Plata at 4:50pm, arriving at 6:10pm. (Breakfast)
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