Insider's Dominican Republic

This itinerary is the starting point for your tour, but it’s not set in stone. If there are days you would like to change, or specific places you’d like to go, we can work with you to create a personalized program that fits the needs of you and your students.

Day 1: Santo Domingo

Depart from the USA and arrive in the Dominican Republic. Check into your hotel in the historic and picturesque Colonial Zone of Santo Domingo and meet your ACIS Tour Manager.

Day 2: Santo Domingo

Drive this morning to visit the CONACADO cocoa cooperative. With a staff member, discuss the importance of cooperative membership, sustainable practices, Fair Trade designation and traditional agricultural practices. Then see these concepts in action with a complete tour of the processing facility followed by exploring a member farmer's land. You'll have the chance to sip a true Dominican hot chocolate and enjoy an authentic lunch. In the afternoon, return to Santo Domingo and take a Chu-Chu colonial historical train tour through the Colonial Zone, a UNESCO World Cultural Site and the historic central area of Santo Domingo. See the Cathedral of Santa Maria la Menor, thought to be the first cathedral of the Americas, the Ozama Fortress overlooking the river, the Franciscan Monastery ruins and other historic sites.

Day 3: Santiago

A morning bus ride takes you to San Cristobal. You'll study petroglyphs and pictographs and learn about the subterranean ecosystem at the Pomier Caves Anthropological Reserve, the single most important pre-Columbian site in the Caribbean. Journey on to Santiago. Upon arrival visit the Leon Jimenez Cultural Center and Cigar Factory, the best of the nation's five national museums under one roof. Tonight see the spectacularly illuminated Monumento a los Héroes de la Restauración on a hilltop park in the center of the city.

Day 4: Sosua

Begin this morning in Altamira with a tour of the Río Grande Abajo Community. Learn about the lifestyle of the local people as well as the local agricultural industry while you participate in a chocolate cultivation and processing workshop. Practice your Spanish as you're invited in small groups into the homes of local Dominican families for lunch. After lunch, continue to the 27 Waterfalls of Damajagua, where you'll cascade, jumping and sliding down all 27 falls. Arrive in Sosua this evening for a night's rest in your beachside hotel.

Day 5: Sosua

This morning is your chance to give back to the town with a community service project. Then, discover the local marine life first-hand as you enjoy snorkeling with colorful tropical fish around the reefs in Sosua Bay, said to be some of the best snorkeling in the world.

Day 6: Sosua

Gain a different perspective on the Dominican landscape and wildlife during today's excursion to Yasica where you'll soar above the treetops, via a series of zip-lines and platforms, spotting colorful birds and exotic plants on a canopy tour. Return to Sosua and feel the groove as you collaborate with Brigada Verde, a local youth environmental group, for a dance lesson in traditional Dominican dances. Then sit back, relax and explore the shoreline during a leisurely boat ride down the Yasica River that concludes with a bonfire dinner on the beach.

Day 7: Santo Domingo

Enjoy a free morning on Sosua Beach before returning to Santo Domingo with time to stroll the Colonial Zone and perhaps pick up some final souvenirs. Tonight's highlight is a special farewell dinner at a local restaurant serving authentic Dominican fare. Spend your last night further exploring and applying your new knowledge of Santo Domingo during a Culture Quest.

Day 8: Departure

Depart for the USA.