Dominican Republic Has It All — 8 Days (Self-Launched)
8 days · Dominican Republic
Aborigen Tours charges £1,200
No-markup version: ~£380 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Aborigen Tours' 8-day loop from Santo Domingo through the mountains of Jarabacoa, the surf town of Cabarete and the beaches of Las Terrenas. You'll cover the same colonial-zone highlights, waterfalls, kitesurfing coast and Samaná peninsula beaches, but using public guaguas (minibuses), shared taxis and local guides instead of private transfers and 3-4 star hotels. Costs are rough backpacker/budget-traveller estimates in GBP and will vary by season and how much you splurge on optional activities.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Santo Domingo — settle into the Zona Colonial
Santo Domingo
Land at Las Américas (SDQ) and skip the private transfer: pick up a local SIM or eSIM data plan, then take an official airport taxi (~£22-25 / RD$1,800-2,000 for the car, split if you can) into the Zona Colonial. There's no cheap public bus into the centre that works with luggage, so a taxi or a shared shuttle is the realistic option. Check into a hostel or guesthouse in the colonial grid, then wander Calle Las Damas and the Plaza de España at dusk and eat a cheap plate of the day (la bandera — rice, beans, stewed meat) for £4-6.
🚌Airport taxi SDQ to Zona Colonial ~£22-25 per car; on foot in the old town
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Zona Colonial (dorm ~£12-16 or private room ~£25-30)
- →Evening walk through the Zona Colonial
- →Dinner at a local comedor on Calle Duarte or Plaza España
Colonial Zone self-launched walking day, then up to Jarabacoa
Santo Domingo / Jarabacoa
Do the UNESCO Colonial Zone on your own schedule: the Catedral Primada de América (free/small donation), the Alcázar de Colón (museum entry ~£2-3) and the Museo del Ámbar (amber museum, ~£1.50-2). Free walking tours run from Parque Colón most mornings if you want a guide for a tip (~£8-10); otherwise download a self-launched audio guide. In the early afternoon take a Caribe Tours or Metro Tours bus from the capital toward La Vega/Concepción de La Vega (~£4-5, 2-2.5 hrs), then a local guagua or shared taxi up to Jarabacoa (~£1.50-2.50, 45-60 min). Check into a cabaña or guesthouse in the valley.
🚌Caribe Tours/Metro bus Santo Domingo to La Vega ~£4-5; shared guagua La Vega to Jarabacoa ~£2
🛏Guesthouse or cabaña in Jarabacoa (~£12-18)
- →Catedral Primada de América
- →Alcázar de Colón
- →Museo del Ámbar
- →Optional tip-based free walking tour in the Zona Colonial
Jarabacoa waterfalls and river day
Jarabacoa
Full day in the mountains. Take a local motoconcho or shared taxi out to Salto de Jimenoa (~£2-3 each way, entry ~£2), a rope-bridge-and-swimming-hole hike that's the classic Jarabacoa stop. In the afternoon do Salto Baiguate (entry ~£1.50) or a short walk on the Baiguate trail. If you want adrenaline, book river rafting on the Yaque del Norte direct with a local operator such as a Rancho Baiguate-style outfit (~£35-45) or horseback riding (~£15-20) — book the day before, most hostels will call for you.
🚌Shared taxi or motoconcho to the waterfalls ~£2-3 each way
🛏Guesthouse or cabaña in Jarabacoa (~£12-18)
- →Salto de Jimenoa waterfall hike
- →Salto Baiguate
- →Optional Yaque del Norte rafting
- →Optional horseback riding
Over the mountains to Cabarete
Jarabacoa to Cabarete
Travel day with a scenic route: guagua down to La Vega or Salcedo, then a bus or shared taxi via Moca/Santiago toward Puerto Plata or Sosúa, and a final short guagua up the coast to Cabarete (~£7-10 total, 4-5 hrs with changes). Alternatively ask at your guesthouse about shared van shuttles (~£12-15). Cabarete is a laid-back kite-and-surf strip — arrive, dump your bags at a beach hostel, swim, and catch the sunset from the sand with a cold beer.
🚌Local guaguas/buses Jarabacoa to Cabarete via La Vega and Santiago ~£7-10
🛏Beach hostel or budget hotel in Cabarete (~£15-22)
- →Sunset walk along Cabarete beach
- →Evening on the beach bars
Cabarete — kitesurf, snorkel or do nothing much
Cabarete
Cabarete is one of the Caribbean's best kitesurfing spots, especially in the afternoon thermal winds. Book a beginner lesson direct with one of the schools on the beach (group lesson ~£45-60 for 2-3 hrs, board rental ~£20-25); windsurfing and SUP hire are cheaper (~£15-20). Cheaper alternative: a snorkelling trip to Cabarete Lagoon (entry/dive ~£10-15) or a hike to the El Choco lagoon. Evening: cheap eats at the beachfront and the local nightlife strip.
🚌On foot; local motoconcho for lagoon trips ~£3-5
🛏Beach hostel or budget hotel in Cabarete (~£15-22)
- →Optional kitesurfing lesson
- →Cabarete Lagoon snorkelling
- →Windsurfing or SUP rental
- →Beach time and nightlife
Coast road to Las Terrenas
Cabarete to Las Terrenas
Head east along the north coast via Nagua — either a direct Caribe Tours/Metro bus through to Sánchez or Samaná and then a guagua or shared taxi down to Las Terrenas (~£8-12, 4-5 hrs), or take the ferry-ish coastal route via Sánchez where you cross to Las Terrenas by boat or shared van (cheap and scenic). Settle into a guesthouse a couple of streets back from the beach, then explore the town's bakery-strewn main street and eat cheap Dominican-Lebanese food at a local spot (£6-8).
🚌Bus Cabarete to Sánchez/Samaná ~£6-9; shared taxi or boat to Las Terrenas ~£2-4
🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Las Terrenas (~£15-22)
- →Explore Las Terrenas town
- →Beach walk at Playa Las Ballenas
Las Terrenas beaches and Cayo Levantado
Las Terrenas / Samaná
Beach-hop on local transport: Playa Bonita is a short motoconcho or shared taxi ride west (~£2-3), Playa Cosón further out (~£4-5). For a boat trip to Cayo Levantado, go to Samaná or Sánchez and join a shared boat excursion (~£20-30 including park fees) — book the day before at the pier or via your guesthouse. Wildlife bonus: humpback whales pass Samaná Bay January-March and shared whale-watching boats run from Samaná (~£35-50).
🚌Motoconcho/shared taxi between beaches ~£2-4 each way
🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Las Terrenas (~£15-22)
- →Playa Bonita
- →Playa Cosón
- →Shared boat to Cayo Levantado
- →Seasonal whale watching (Jan-Mar)
Back to Santo Domingo and the airport
Las Terrenas to Santo Domingo
Take an early guagua or shared van from Las Terrenas to Sánchez/Samaná, then a Caribe Tours or Metro bus back to Santo Domingo (~£7-9 total, 3.5-4 hrs). If you have time, drop your bag and hit the colonial zone one last time. Allow at least three hours before your flight and take an airport taxi (~£22-25) from the city or a bus to Boca Chica followed by a short taxi if your flight is in the evening.
🚌Guagua Las Terrenas to Samaná/Sánchez ~£2; bus to Santo Domingo ~£7; airport taxi ~£22
🛏—
- →Last walk through the Zona Colonial
- →Souvenir shopping on Calle El Conde
Self-launched vs. Aborigen Tours
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Aborigen Tours | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£380 | £1,200 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £820 per person (68%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Aborigen Tours-style trips? Check them out here.~£380
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Dominican Republic Has It All — 8 Days (Self-Launched) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £380 per person for 8 days in Dominican Republic. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Aborigen Tours?+
Yes — Aborigen Tours charges around £1,200 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £380 — a saving of roughly £820 (68%) per person.
How long is the Dominican Republic trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 day-by-day stops through Dominican Republic.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, beaches, adventure trip through Dominican Republic, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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