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Experience all facets of the Dominican Republic / Self-Drive Tour
Experience all facets of the Dominican Republic / Self-Drive Tour - Map
Experience all facets of the Dominican Republic / Self-Drive TourExperience all facets of the Dominican Republic / Self-Drive Tour - Map

Experience all facets of the Dominican Republic / Self-Drive Tour

During this three-week round trip you will get to know all facets of the Dominican Republic. It takes you once from west to east through the whole country: from the untouched southwest (the "Top Secret" of the Dominican Republic), through the mountainous countryside, where you will find the highest mountains of the entire Caribbean, via various stops on the breathtaking north coast to the tropical peninsula of Samana. This trip is full of highlights! And by the way, during the trip you will stay in unique accommodations, exceptional eco-lodges and high-end boutique hotels. Whether glamping on a remote dream beach, tree houses in nature or accommodations with spectacular ocean views - there is everything!

22 Days / 21 Nights
from USD 3,550.- per person in double occupancy

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Self-Drive Tours with Dominican Expert!

A self-drive tour with a rental car in the Dominican Republic is the perfect way to explore the island independently and flexibly. You can expect secluded locations off the beaten track, and mostly unknown insider tips that remain hidden from most tourists. The Dominican Republic offers a well-developed road network and with Google Maps you can easily find your way around the entire island. In addition, we offer 24/7 English-speaking support and a service package so that our clients can start their trip well equipped and informed.

On request, all rental car tours can also be organized with a local private driver or (English-speaking) driver-guide.

Maximum customer service

All clients who book a rental car tour with DOMINICAN EXPERT receive useful information about the history, culture, geography, customs and rules of the Dominican Republic upon arrival.

Also included is a local SIM card with unlimited calls, a road map and a welcome bag filled with local, handmade products and helpful amenities for the trip. Afterwards, customers receive a personalized travel guide as a WhatsApp message for their onward journey, with many Google Locations and personal recommendations on places worth seeing, insider tips, restaurants, etc. Via WhatsApp we are always available and reachable for you in English.

Itinerary

Day 1: Welcome to Santo Domingo

Day 1: Welcome to Santo Domingo

You will be picked up at the airport and driven by our private transfer to your hotel in the Zona Colonial of Santo Domingo.
Take the rest of the day to explore the streets of the colonial city, restaurants, bars and shops on your own. In the evening, we recommend you a visit to the Plaza de España where you can choose among various excellent restaurants and enjoy your dinner with a view on Christopher Columbus’ sons’ house.

  • Meals: None
  • Standard Accommodation: Hotel Villa Colonial
  • Premium Accommodation: Billini Hotel
Day 2: Santo Domingo

Day 2: Santo Domingo

The capital of the Dominican Republic combines modernity with an emerging economy and the historical center of the city, the “Zona Colonial” making this a very special place. During a private two-hour guided tour through the “Zona Colonial”, you will follow the footsteps of Columbus and will (among other things) see the oldest cathedral of the New World, castles, ruins and the residence of Columbus´s son, Don Diego. You will also visit a cigar manufacturer, where you can see the production of the popular Dominican cigars.

Afterwards we will inform you about your round trip during a tropical welcome drink in our office in the Zona Colonial.

The evening will be available for you to explore the vibrant nightlife of Santo Domingo.

  • Meals: Breakfast
  • Standard Accommodation: Hotel Villa Colonial
  • Premium Accommodation: Billini Hotel
Day 3: Dunes of Bani - Barahona

Day 3: Dunes of Bani - Barahona

After the welcome meeting, you will pick up your rental car. After a short drive, an incredible natural landscape stretches out around you, passing sugar cane fields and transitioning into the rugged and barren mountain landscape of the southwest. In Baní you can make a detour to the dunes, where you will once again get to know another side of the country; the dunes of Baní form the largest desert in the Caribbean. A few minutes drive further you will reach the small fishing village of Las Salinas, where there is an old salt mine and the salt is still extracted from the various salt basins as it was 100 years ago. Continuing on to Barahona, more beautiful viewpoints await you with views over the coastal sections. Once you arrive at your accommodation, end the evening in a relaxing atmosphere.

  • Distance: Approx. 125 mi
  • Meals: Breakfast
  • Standard Accommodation: Oasi Encantada
  • Premium Accommodation: Rancho Platon
Day 4: Barahona

Day 4: Barahona

Today you can organize the day according to your wishes. The beautiful, unspoiled area around Barahona offers plenty to see and explore – whether hiking through crystal clear rivers, visiting the famous Lago Enriquillos where you can see crocodiles, or mingling with Dominicans at a beach or river restaurant and watching the hustle and bustle; you certainly won’t get bored.

  • Meals: Breakfast
  • Standard Accommodation: Oasi Encantada
  • Premium Accommodation: Rancho Platon
Day 5: Laguna de Oviedo & Cabo Rojo

Day 5: Laguna de Oviedo & Cabo Rojo

Today you will travel along the impressive coastal road to Oviedo, where there is a large fresh saltwater lagoon. By boat you can observe iguanas, flamingos and countless other bird species (boat trip not included). Afterwards the trip continues. Along the way you will encounter beautiful cenotes and a crystal clear lagoon. In the afternoon you will reach your accommodation, a unique glamping hotel right on the gorgeous beach of Cabo Rojo. Enjoy one of the most secluded areas in the country with constant views of the turquoise waters and clear starry skies.

  • Distance: Approx. 70 mi
  • Meals: Breakfast
  • Standard Accommodation: Glamping Cueva de las Aguilas
  • Premium Accommodation: Glamping Eco del Mar Lodge
Day 6: Bahía de las Águilas

Day 6: Bahía de las Águilas

Today, take a boat to the breathtaking and snow-white beach of Bahía de las Águilas (Eagle Bay), one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Enjoy relaxing hours in the crystal clear water. In the afternoon you can walk to “La Cueva”, where you can often meet the Hispaniola Iguana, one of the largest and most powerful vertebrate iguanas of its kind. In the evening, enjoy a delicious meal with a view of the ocean and, weather permitting, a gorgeous sunset.

  • Meals: Breakfast
  • Standard Accommodation: Glamping Cueva de las Aguilas
  • Premium Accommodation: Glamping Eco del Mar Lodge
Day 7: Caobita / Azua

Day 7: Caobita / Azua

After breakfast on the beach, you will head back east. Your accommodation today is a real insider tip that you will definitely not find anywhere else: a newly opened glamping hotel with spectacular ocean views, infinity pool and exceptional accommodation options – far away from any mass tourism and yet with a high level of comfort. The rest of the day you can relax by the hotel pool or visit the nearby La Caobita beach by rental car.

  • Distance: Approx. 130 mi
  • Meals: Breakfast
  • Standard Accommodation: Altos de la Caobita Eco Hotel
  • Premium Accommodation: Altos de la Caobita Eco Hotel
Day 8: Head inland

Day 8: Head inland

Today, the round trip takes you first further along the south coast, then over a well-developed highway into the center of the country, past cocoa, rice, banana and coffee plantations, to Jarabacoa, a small town nestled at the foot of the surrounding mountains. The Dominicans also call it the “City of Eternal Spring” because of the year-round spring-like temperatures.

  • Distance: Approx. 165 mi
  • Meals: Breakfast
  • Standard Accommodation: Hotel Gran Jimenoa / Superior Room
  • Premium Accommodation: Hotel Gran Jimenoa / Deluxe River View Junior Suite
Day 9: Jarabacoa

Day 9: Jarabacoa

After breakfast, you will go on an excursion. You can choose between an exciting river rafting tour, a hike to two waterfalls, a paragliding flight to get a bird’s eye view of the area, or a visit to a coffee factory including a tasting of the organic coffee.

  • Meals: Breakfast
  • Standard Accommodation: Hotel Gran Jimenoa / Superior Room
  • Premium Accommodation: Hotel Gran Jimenoa / Deluxe River View Junior Suite
Day 10: Santiago & Punta Rucia

Day 10: Santiago & Punta Rucia

Today your journey takes you to the north coast. Along the way, you can visit a tobacco plantation and one of the largest tobacco exporters in the Caribbean, or include a stop in Santiago, the country’s second-largest city, to see the 230-feet-tall Monument of Santiago, built in 1944. In the afternoon, arrive at the idyllic fishing village of Punta Rucia, where you can enjoy a lovely dinner to end the evening.

  • Distance: Approx. 95 mi
  • Meals: Breakfast
  • Standard Accommodation: Hotel Corales
  • Premium Accommodation: Punta Rucia Lodge
Day 11: Punta Rucia & Cayo Arena

Day 11: Punta Rucia & Cayo Arena

In the morning, a fishing boat is ready to take you to a small island with an area of only 2,100 square feet of white sand. However, the greatest natural spectacle takes place underwater, where the coral reefs are a magnet for a variety of colorful fish. The return trip through the mangroves of the national park will take you back to the hotel, where you can spend the afternoon relaxing on the beach.

  • Meals: Breakfast
  • Standard Accommodation: Hotel Corales
  • Premium Accommodation: Punta Rucia Lodge
Day 12: Via Puerto Plata to Cabarete

Day 12: Via Puerto Plata to Cabarete

Today the journey continues along the north coast towards Puerto Plata. On the way, you can stop for a canyoning tour at the 27 waterfalls at your leisure, explore the old town of Puerto Plata with the fortress of San Felipe, or take the cable car to the top of Puerto Plata’s local mountain with spectacular views of the surrounding areas and coastline. Afterwards, continue to Cabarete to your accommodation.

  • Distance: Approx. 70 mi
  • Meals: Breakfast
  • Standard Accommodation: Hotel Villa Taina
  • Premium Accommodation: Ultravioleta Boutique Residences
Day 13 & 14: Cabarete & Surroundings

Day 13 & 14: Cabarete & Surroundings

These two days are at leisure to explore and enjoy the water sports paradise of Cabarete: From the long village beach with many stores and cafes to surfing tours, canyoning adventures and excursions in the surrounding area, everything an adventurer’s heart desires is offered! We are happy to provide further tips and recommendations.

  • Meals: Breakfast
  • Standard Accommodation: Hotel Villa Taina
  • Premium Accommodation: Ultravioleta Boutique Residences
Day 15: Breathtaking North Coast

Day 15: Breathtaking North Coast

After breakfast, you will drive along the coast until you reach Playa Grande. It is among the most beautiful beaches on the island and is ideal for a tasty, typical Dominican lunch and a relaxing afternoon on the beach. Your hotel is also not far away and awaits you with fantastic views where you can end the day.

  • Distance: Approx. 40 mi
  • Meals: Breakfast
  • Standard Accommodation: Catalina Tropical Lodge
  • Premium Accommodation: Catalina Tropical Lodge
Day 16: Cabrera & surroundings

Day 16: Cabrera & surroundings

Today is free for you to get to know the area around Cabrera. In the surrounding area you will find many pristine beaches for swimming as well as crystal clear lagoons for refreshment. Your hotel also offers gorgeous ocean views, a pool to relax in, as well as yoga classes, massages, and a tennis court.

  • Meals: None
  • Standard Accommodation: Catalina Tropical Lodge
  • Premium Accommodation: Catalina Tropical Lodge
Day 17: Drive to Las Galeras

Day 17: Drive to Las Galeras

The next destination of your round trip is Las Galeras, an idyllic fishing village at the far end of the Samaná Peninsula. The way along the small typical villages gives you an authentic insight into the Dominican everyday life. Las Galeras awaits you with gorgeous surroundings and beautiful beaches.

  • Distance: Approx. 90 mi
  • Meals: None
  • Standard Accommodation: Hotel Villa Serena
  • Premium Accommodation: Hotel Villa Serena
Day 18: Las Galeras

Day 18: Las Galeras

Today you will have the opportunity to explore the exciting area around Las Galeras. This includes Playa Rincón, one of the top beaches in the Caribbean, Playa Frontón, a hidden Robinson Crusoe beach, or the beautiful La Playita beach, where you can enjoy a delicious Dominican lunch. We are happy to organize a 2-hour guided hike along 7 remote beaches and back by boat upon request.

  • Meals: Breakfast
  • Standard Accommodation: Hotel Villa Serena
  • Premium Accommodation: Hotel Villa Serena
Day 19: Los Haitises & Cayo Levantado

Day 19: Los Haitises & Cayo Levantado

In the morning, another highlight awaits you: by boat you will explore the Los Haitises National Park. You will sail through deserted islands, bays and rock formations and visit two caves where paintings and carvings of the Taino natives can be found. Afterwards, your boat will take you to the paradisiacal “Bacardi Island” Cayo Levantado, where a Dominican lunch will be served. Afterwards, the cruise continues to Las Terrenas.

  • Distance: Approx. 45 mi
  • Meals: Breakfast
  • Standard Accommodation: Takuma Boutique
  • Premium Accommodation: Sublime Samana
Day 20-21: Las Terrenas

Day 20-21: Las Terrenas

Las Terrenas offers many possibilities for beautiful last days of your round trip: miles of beaches, a lively village center, countless restaurants, bars and stores. Your comfortable hotel also has an inviting pool. Spend these days just the way you feel like!

  • Meals: Breakfast
  • Standard Accommodation: Takuma Boutique
  • Premium Accommodation: Sublime Samana
Day 22: Drive to the airport

Day 22: Drive to the airport

Return to the airport via a well-maintained highway. Along the way, stop at the hidden Salto Socoa waterfall and mingle with Dominicans. Depending on further itinerary, drop off rental car at the airport or individual extension on request.

  • Distance: Approx. 200 Km
  • Meals: Breakfast
Optional travel extension

Optional travel extension

On request we will be happy to arrange an individual travel extension or a complete package from arrival at the airport! Please contact us.

Gallery

Included Services

  • 21 nights in a double room with bath or shower/toilet
  • Meals according to itinerary
  • Airport transfer day 1
  • 20 days rental car:
    – Rental car type Hyundai Cantus or similar (other categories on request)
    – Pick-up: Zona Colonial, Santo Domingo
    – Drop-off: Santo Domingo airport
    – Unlimited mileage
    – Air conditioning
    – Fully comprehensive insurance with 0% deductible, theft insurance, glass & tire damages
  • Private city tour on foot or bicycle through the Zona Colonial
  • VIP boat excursion to Bahía de las Águilas
  • Activity of your choice in Jarabacoa
  • Boat trip to Cayo Arena incl. snorkeling
  • Boat excursion Los Haitises National Park & Cayo Levantado incl. lunch
  • Service package from Dominican Expert
  • Applicable local taxes

Not Included Services

  • Entrance fees for self-booked excursions
  • Fuel & tolls
  • Personal expenses & extras in hotels
  • Additional meals & drinks

Notes

From mid-January to mid-March, the Los Haitises tour on day 19 can be replaced or complemented by a whale watching tour upon request. Both tours can also be arranged as private boat excursions. All prices on request.

Other Round-Trips that might be interesting for you

Inspiration and Information

Beautiful nature surrounding Villa Pajon, Cordillera Central
River Rafting in the Dominican Republic
A Ciguitade, a popular bird in and around Constanza (Dominican Republic)
Beautiful nature surrounding Villa Pajon, Cordillera Central
River Rafting in the Dominican Republic
A Ciguitade, a popular bird in and around Constanza (Dominican Republic)
Beautiful nature surrounding Villa Pajon, Cordillera Central
River Rafting in the Dominican Republic
A Ciguitade, a popular bird in and around Constanza (Dominican Republic)