The Dominican Republic is well known for its white sandy beaches, towering palm trees, fascinating history, vibrant culture and adventure tourism. This combination makes the Dominican Republic an excellent location for a horse riding holiday. Horse enthusiasts can easily fill a whole Dominican Republic holiday with riding, whilst others may wish to combine fantastic riding with adventure tours or seaside retreats.
On this holiday we explore the colonial architecture, live and local music, and patriotic sports of the country. Enjoy the fantastic views and discover a new way of life and a different culture during a ride along the North Coast of the island. Get to know the daily life of Dominican people, taste their local cuisine, get to know their heritage and make new friends along the way on this unmissable adventure.
If you arrive at the airport in Santo Domingo it is a 3 hour transfer to hotel in Puerto Plata. If you arrive at Puerto Plata airport it is a 20 min transfer to this hotel. Judith, your guide who has lived in the Dominican Republic for 9 years is the organiser of the trip. She will greet you and accompany you for the duration of your stay. Hotel in Puerto Plata overnight.
(You need only take with you what is needed during each day. Our luggage will be delivered to each accommodation daily by a staff member.)
Day 2: Departing Puerto Plata to Damajagua, (5 hours of riding).
In the morning after a good breakfast, you will travel by 4×4 jeep to Ranch Bulula (20 minute transfer). Here you will start the adventure with an introduction to the horses. You will meet your Dominican guide who will accompany you while you are riding. The ranch is located in the countryside, and you will enjoy the reality of the countryside, sugar cane fields, as far as the eye can see, mangos, coconut trees, and tropical vegetation.
See luxurious vegetation throughout this populated country zone. We will stop for a midday meal with a Dominican family. During the afternoon you’ll discover the famous Brahman Bulls in the Brugal Ranch. Young Joselito, our local farm hand, will show you a demonstration with a lassau, which you can try first hand!
Lodging in a Hotel.
Day 3: From Damajagua to Cambiaso (5 hours of riding).
During the morning you’ll go on horseback to the 7 waterfalls of Damajagua. Head up an incline of waterfalls and slide down by natural rock slides. It’s a fantastic place, with crystal clear water. After a midday meal in a small family restaurant, we‘ll make our way to Cambiaso. You’ll travel through the countryside before meeting the ocean where you'll have the opportunity to enjoy long gallops on the beach. Lodging for the night is in a typical Dominican house with a local family
Day 4: From Cambiaso to Luperon (5 hours of riding).
Fantastic day! You'll wake up right in front of the ocean. We stop at a desert beach where we swim with our horses in the cristaline water of the ocean. For the meal we will stop in a small fisher village, and dine on fresh grilled fish under the coconut trees. People in this little village on the beach are really happy to see us when we arrive because there are not a lot of visitors here. You'll enjoy a visit to the village, and taste the Coco loco. Dominican drink, rum in a coconut.
Reaching Luperon at the end of the day.
Day 5: Depart Luperon to La Isabela (3 hours of horseback riding).
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We’ll leave Luperon, a little port where sailors anchor after crossing the Atlantic Ocean. We’ll take the scenic route to La Isabela. Landscapes change here, you’ll find cactuses here and there. The sand tells us continuously that the ocean is never far away. We join and leave the ocean front during the course of this trail.
Lunch is served at Olivio’s a seafood restaurant, who’s owner will serve us the fruit of his catch (grilled fish, octopus in vinaigrette, and mouth watering shrimp). Then we’ll arrive at La Isabela, a place rich in history, the beginning of the New World. As we make our way along the coast of La Isabella we can see why today it is a national park. It’s a tiny village of fishermen, with turquoise water and white sand. Founded by Christopher Columbus and his men in 1493, it carries the name of the Queen of Spain, Isabel. At the end of the afternoon after a rest in the hotel, you’ll visit the temple of the Americas. See the relics of the first city of the new world and the graveyard of last Indian Tainos. A cultural, historical visit of a village dependant on the sea, and heavenly landscaped. We’ll have dinner on the beach, and be introduced to typical local dances, at a place where local people love to dance the salsa and merengue rhythms.
Lodging in a Hotel.
Day 6: Depart La Isabela to Punta Rucia (4 hours of horseback riding).
Morning departure to Punta Rucia. On the way we’ll discover a lot of culture, it‘s an important agricultural zone of the country with rice fields, bananas, cacao, and coffee. After lunch on board motor boats you will visit the Mangroves, with winding roots of the mangrove trees where birds nest. You will discover this unique echo system where manatees find refuge. At the end of the day everyone will meet the family and the home where they will stay for the night and for dinner. You’ll taste the local fruit and the great home made coffee.
Lodging in a Dominican family home.
Day 7: Departure from Punta Rusia to Estero Hondo. (3 hours of horse back riding).
Before leaving Punta Rucia we'll go to Paradise Island. Paradise Island is the only coral island of the Dominican Republic, a perfect circle-round reef in the middle of the ocean with an inner sand-bank. Its adventure ecology-style and Paradise Island with its amazing untouched coral reef is the best place in the Dominican Republic for snorkeling. Turquoise waters, white sand and thousands of tropical fish will come to eat right out of your hand.
To Go to Estero hondo we will cross several villages. For lunch we’ll stop at a small local restaurant. The ambiance is warm-hearted, and the food is delicious, Lobsters on the menu...!
Here we’ll say good bye to our horses and return to Puerto Plata (1 hour) by bus.
Lodging in Hotel in Puerto Plata.
Day 8: Puerto Plata.
Relax, beach, shopping.
Final dance party with Bachata and Merengue rhythms, good times in a typical way where we’ll taste special locals’ drinks. Lodging in Hotel in Puerto Plata.
Day 9 Departure: Transfer to Santo Domingo or Puerto Plata flight.
The weight limit for this ride is 17 st/242 lb/110 kg, please enquire if you are an experienced rider exceeding this weight.
WHAT IS INCLUDED
All meals as described, accommodations, horses, tack, guide, round trip transfers from Santo Domingo or Puerto Plata airports, all transportation during the ride, local guides
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED
Alcoholic drinks, additioanl activities outside the itinerary, International travel to Santo Domingo or Puerto Plata and tips.
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What you see on our web site is exactly how much your invoice will come to and this will not change once booked. Unlike some other companies the prices on our web site are fully inclusive of often hidden extras such as: VAT, Sales Tax, state taxes, city taxes, service charges, non-optional tips, fuel surcharges which can add 20% or more to the advertised cost. Prices are available in £ sterling, Euros and US$. Once invoiced, prices are guaranteed against adverse currency fluctuations. Contact us for package prices which include flights from the UK and see each ride for exact details of all items in individual itineraries.
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