Dominican Republic

Class III+ Paddle in the Tropics

Dates: January 24 - 31 & January 31 - February 7, 2009
Price: $1650

Join us for Class III+ action in our newest Adventure Travel destination, the Dominican Republic. Non-paddlers, or paddlers needing to take a day off, will find plenty of other activities to occupy their time. Horseback riding, canyoneering, mountain biking and local waterfall tours have been popular choices in the past.

Wake up and enjoy breakfast each morning amid tropical gardens at our basecamp, Rancho Baiguate in the mountain town of Jarabacoa. We'll choose a river for each day to match our goals, whether it be to brush up on strokes, learn the boof and practice multiple runs. On some days, we'll paddle in National Parks. Everyday, you're guaranteed to be amazed by the scenery.

Our experienced instructors pride themselves on being able to tailor each trip to the goals and needs of the group. Each day, we'll choose our river based on water levels, goals and group skill levels. We encourage you to browse the river descriptions at the bottom the page for more specifics.

Basic Itinerary

Day one: After arriving in the Dominican Republic and meeting your guides, we will take a short trip to the mountain town of Jarabacoa where our ranch is located. A relaxing afternoon outfitting boats will end with dinner at the ranch's own restaurant and bar.

Day Two: Awake to a delightful breakfast in the tropical gardens at the ranch. We will spend the day warming up on the Rio Jimenoa that passes through the ranch. This river has lots of fun technical rapids and many eddies to brush up on those skills that may have become rusty over the winter.

Day Three: After breakfast we will head to the "cinco bravos" section of the Yaque Del Norte River in the National Park. This section offers beautiful scenery and technical rapids. We'll start to practice the boof stroke here, as it will be well used in the coming days.

Day Four: Once again, we will enjoy a relaxing morning at the ranch then head to the Yaque to challenge the churning waters of the "Puente Colgante" section. This section has a little more volume and some larger features, and is a step-up from the previous day. This is a short section of whitewater, so you'll get the opportunity to do several runs to increase your fun, and redeem any bad lines.

Day Five: Day five is a much-needed rest day. The itinerary is flexible and you can choose from a variety of activites, including rafting the Yaque Gorge, horseback riding to one of the many waterfalls, and simply lounging by the pool with a cool drink in hand.

Day Six: Hopefully you're rested up, because this is our favorite day of the trip. You'll paddle the crown jewel of the D.R., the "Aguas Caliente" section of the Rio Bao. You'll be paddling through a beautiful National Park but we guarantee your attention will be on the river.

Day Seven: After a laid-back morning you'll get the chance to repeat your favorite local run. (Some guests like to repeat rest day as well). After one more day of fun in the sun we will enjoy our final send-off dinner in the D.R..

Day Eight: After your final breakfast in the D.R. we will drive down the mountain to Santiago for the flight home.

River Descriptions

Rio Yaque del Norte
As the longest river in the Caribbean, the Yaque has something for every type of paddler. From technical Class III boating to the more laid-back medium-volume on the lower sections, the Yaque is a gem of a run, close to the ranch.

Cinco Bravos
Class II-III
Due to the low difficulty level and abundant number of small rapids, this section of river is our favorite warm-up run. It is located high in the Yaque watershed so the water is clean and the scenery lush and beautiful.

Rio Bao
Located on the remote northern slope of Pico Duarte, the Rio Bao may be the most scenic run in the Caribbean. Crystal clear water, falling over polished white granite boulders makes the Bao a paddler's paradise. Like many other rivers, the Bao starts off with fun low-volume steep creeking high in the watershed and slows to easy Class III for the lower section.

Aguas Calientes
Class III
Everyone loves a good soak in a hot spring, but to have one at the put-in makes the lower Bao a favorite run of the trip. This section of river is packed with Class III rapids that are perfect for learning creek boating technique.

Rio Jimenoa
Class II-III
Just a short walk from your cabin door, the Jimenoa passes through the ranch. This run is great for a warm-up or for an easy day on the water, close to camp. A great combination hike/paddle day can be made by doing the short hike up to Jimenoa Falls, then putting on the river and paddling back to camp.

Speak with the Adventure Travel Team

Call 888.905.7238 ext. 333 with questions, or to book.