Los Haitises from Bávaro and Punta Cana

The Los Haitises excursion from Punta Cana is a true journey to the heart of the Dominican Republic. “Haitises” means “highlands” or “mountains” in the language of the Taíno, the island's indigenous people, and the national park covers 1,600 square kilometers of pristine mangroves, Taíno petroglyphs, hidden beaches, old pirate hideouts and a rich variety of endemic flora and fauna. From the coastal town of Sabana de la Mar you board a catamaran and sail through the narrow mangrove channels, home to hundreds of species of birds, fish, reptiles and crustaceans, out to San Lorenzo Bay, with views of the park and the mountains of Samaná; if you're lucky you'll see dolphins, which are common in the bay. You explore two caves the Taíno used for over a thousand years: Cueva de la Arena, on a hidden beach with sea-facing caverns and rock carvings, and Cueva de la Línea, in the forest, full of Taíno drawings that show how they lived before Christopher Columbus arrived. Then you enjoy a typical Dominican lunch at Yanigua, a small ranch with lush vegetation and a hidden waterfall, swim in the river or apply the healing mud from its bed, and finish with hot chocolate or coffee made on site.

We pick you up at your hotel in Bávaro, Punta Cana and Cabeza de Toro and bring you back.

What's included

• Round-trip transportation from your hotel
• Catamaran through the mangrove channels and San Lorenzo Bay
• Visit to Cueva de la Arena, with Taíno carvings facing the sea
• Visit to Cueva de la Línea, with Taíno drawings
• Typical Dominican lunch at Yanigua ranch: chicken, rice, beans, vegetables, salads, fruit and local minuta fish
• River swim and healing mud
• Hot chocolate or coffee made on site
• Guide all day

Duration: Full day, with round-trip transport from your hotel included.

Pick-up: Your pick-up time will be confirmed depending on the area of your hotel.