Los Haitises National Park with Round Mountain and Yanigua Ranch Waterfalls

The itinerary of this excursion is as follows:

• 06:50 a.m. - Pick you up at your hotel.
• 08:30 a.m. - Arrival at round mountain, a unique landscape in the whole country.
• 10:30 a.m. - Departs from Sabana de la Mar towards the Haitises National Park by speedboat. On the way we will see exotic birds, and we will arrive at the caves where you can see indigenous paintings.
• 12:30 p.m. - Go deep into the jungle until we reach the Yanigua Ranch Waterfalls, a perfect place to have lunch and take a dip. You can also take a therapeutic mud bath.
• 02:00 p.m. - You can taste coffee and cocoa from local farms and ranches.
• 03:00 p.m.- Visit the blue amber mine.
• 04:30 p.m. - Stop at a photographic viewpoint where you can see the splendor of the Haitises National Park.
• 05:00 p.m. - Finally, a guide will take us to one of the most curious constructions of the place, the Tarzan's house, which is located in a tree over 100 feet high.
• 06:00 p.m. – Return to the hotels with our transportation.

* The times indicated above are approximate

The Round Mountain is a priceless viewpoint open to the Caribbean Sea, where the surrounding countryside vegetation makes it one of the best spots for photographers.

In addition to the views of the Caribbean and the interior of the Dominican countryside, this viewpoint is a spectacle for lovers of photography and natural leisure. Very typical are the snapshots on a flying broom with the sea in the background, the photos on a swing that looks directly towards the horizon or simply those that seek to keep a memory of the panoramic view of this magical place.

The getaway to this landscape also includes views of the Limón and Redonda lagoons, a natural spectacle that can only be admired from the top. In the background you can also see the most exceptional beaches of the place.

The mountain is over 1,000 feet high, so it will also be a great adrenaline rush to reach its peak. In turn, the walk to the top is relaxing, surrounded by trees and typical plants of the Dominican countryside, in which green fills everything at every step. Round Mountain will always remain in your memory!

It is located very close to the town of Miches, between the Limón and Redonda lagoons, with the Caribbean Sea to the north. It is, without a doubt, one of the best things to do in this part of the country.

The highlight of the excursion is the National Park of Los Haitises. Legend has it that in its caves and coasts there are many treasures of pirates who roamed the Caribbean with their ships. We do not know if it is true, but what is clear is that the Haitises are a unique natural monument that must be discovered.

The jungle of the park transports us to other times, to a world in which the natural was the only thing that existed. So much so that many scenes from the Jurassic Park saga were filmed in Los Haitises National Park, something that is obvious when we first enter the vegetation so thick that it weighs on the place, and from which it seems that dinosaurs could leave at any time.

The attractions of the Haitises National Park are unlimited, but we want you to know the main ones on this tour between green hills, so we are going to see them one by one.

The Caribbean ecosystem cannot be understood without one of its most important elements: the mangrove.

This biome is necessary to provide the necessary nutrients for marine fauna to develop, sheltering it among the long roots and plants that protrude from the water.

In addition, they are the most important barrier against adverse natural phenomena such as hurricanes, flooding waters or strong gusts of wind.

The Haitises National Park contains the largest mangrove forest in the entire Caribbean. Its thickness, vegetation and birds will make you think that you are in a natural labyrinth.

Our next stop in the park is San Lorenzo Bay, a destination that leaves no one indifferent for one reason: its karst rocks.

Called mogotes, they stand up to forty meters high from the sea, and are even more impressive for being crowned by a thick flora.

If this park close to the sea is characterized by something, it is by the large number of prehistoric caves and caves that erosion has formed. That is why it was always thought that pirates hid their treasures in this place. But the reality is that they are known for the large number of prehistoric paintings, pictographs and petroglyphs that we find inside, a unique cultural heritage in the entire Caribbean. Among the most famous are:

• Cueva de la Línea: also known as the Temple Cave due to the large number of pictographs and petroglyphs that we find inside, and which give us very valuable information on how the ancient settlers of Hispaniola lived.
• Cueva de la Arena: inside we find up to 22 pictographs, 2 bas-reliefs and 6 petroglyphs belonging to prehistory. The most surprising thing is its location, on a cliff that overlooks the Caribbean Sea.
• Cueva de San Gabriel: on a route of up to 168 meters you will see the largest cave in the area. Its enormous spaces have witnessed the passage of millions of years, since archaeological remains from different times have been found there.

Although it is not a place, bird watching is another of the main activities of the Haitises National Park.

The best known species in the area are the gannet (pelican), the little eared owl, the parrot and the earwig. Without a doubt, the mangrove vegetation is one of the main reasons why all these birds develop their life in this area of the Dominican Republic.

The tropical climate that occurs in this area of the country has favored the appearance of two types of ecosystems: the subtropical humid forest and the subtropical very humid forest. The ceiba, cedar or mahogany are some of the main settlers in the area.

Regarding the fauna, beyond the birds, we can also find very prominent mammals: manatees, dolphins, jutías or solenodons inhabit the waters and the jungle of the national park.

The Haitises National Park does not respond to a single location, since it is located between the province of Samaná, Hato Mayor and Monte Plata.

To find out how to get to the park, it is best to do it by boat from Sabana del Mar if we want to admire the mangroves and mogotes. If we want to see the surroundings of the Haitises National Park, we must head west from this town.

The tour does not end here, and it is that the environment of the Haitises keeps several waterfalls and waterfalls that we are going to contemplate during our activity. In this case, we will contemplate the most beautiful waterfall, the Rancho Yanigua waterfall, which occurs in the middle of the course of the Yanigua River, one of the most important rivers in the country.

When we arrive at the waterfall you will have all the time in the world to swim, have lunch, relax and even take a therapeutic mud bath with clay.

Also, very close to the Yanigua Ranch Waterfalls you will be able to see the famous Tarzan's house, a tree house that rises over 100 feet high in the middle of the jungle.

To locate on the map we must go to the town of El Valle. From there, towards the west, the road enters the heart of the Haitises National Park, where the Yanigua Ranch Waterfall is located.

Although the best thing to bring is the desire to know the most spectacular natural place in the Dominican Republic, for a complete experience it is also important that you don't forget to bring:

• Closed shoes.
• Sunglasses.
• Sunscreen.
• Mosquito repellent.
• Beach towel.
• Swimwear.

Yes. You can cancel the tour for free 24 hours in advance. After that date, we will not accept any type of cancellation, since our team will have everything organized to offer you the best quality in the reserved services.