Hiking Tabernacle Thundering Waterfall in Dominican Republic
Description
Looking for things to do in Santo Domingo? You can't miss this hike in Dominican Republic. Let´s get to know the dominican countryside and the coolest hike in DR: El Tabernáculo. LGBTQ+ friendly experience, vegetarian accomodating We first take a 2-hour road trip full of breathtaking sights to get to Los Cacaos. We begin our journey to El Tabernáculo. It's a 3-hour route within hiking, swimming, climbing, etc. It's a route full of adrenaline and adventure. Swimming is mandatory, but you don't need to know how to swim with the life vest. The difficulty of this route is considered medium, it's a strenuous experience. It's not easy, completely doable, though. You must not have any injuries. You don't need to be an athlete, though. After the hike, we change clothes (there's no restroom, we use the vehicle and nature) and go back to the town to have a dominican lunch. Then we come back happy to Santo Domingo at around 4pm.
Tour Options
Itinerary
This is the meeting point. Here we are gathering, checking the tickets and boarding the vehicle. Then we take a 2-hour drive.
We are making a brief stop in Los Cacaos park to know more about this town and the attractions it offers.
El Tabernáculo. This is the highlight of the activity. We start with a strech up, then we get into the river and hike upstream. Along the way, we will find lots of beatiful swimming holes and little waterfalls. At some points, we´ll have to climb. The way is rather challenging; completely doable, though. At the end of the way up, we´ll find El Tabernáculo, which is a majestic thundering waterfall. You´ll get surprised by the way it looks in person. There we can swim or just enjoy the view and relax. Then we hike the same way back, dowmstream. But this time will be funnier, since we are taking some waterslides and jumps into the beautiful swimming holes we find along the way. The total hike from start to finish is around 4-5 hours
We go back to colmado Maria after the hike, but this time for having a delicious typical Dominican lunch.
After another 2-hour drive, we get back to where we started: Parque Cervantes. The experience will finish here and everybody is going home happy :)
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
The pick up will start since 7:00am, one hour before. Please put your WhatsApp number on the booking, or contact us via whatsApp Pick up details will be sent via WhatsApp and you will be contacted via WhatsApp
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- No restroom available. Just nature
- No dressing room available
- Not recommended for travelers with injuries
- Not recommended for travelers with any type of disabilities
Reviews(122)
Let me start by saying: WOW! This tour was truly one of the most incredible experiences I've had. From the very beginning, everything was seamless. Pickup was right on time—in fact, Daniel arrived early, which I really appreciated since I was early too! The vehicle was clean, comfortable, and perfect for the day ahead. Daniel, our guide, was informative, attentive, friendly, and genuinely enjoyable to spend the day with. After picking up two other families, he gave us an honest overview of the day, offered helpful suggestions, and made sure everyone was comfortable before heading to the river. He even asked if anyone was craving anything and went out of his way to help people find what they wanted, whether it was cherry juice, ice cream, or a beer. Once we arrived, Daniel and Mistoline gave us a quick warm-up, and then the adventure began! We explored stunning caves with crystal-clear, refreshing water. The scenery was absolutely breathtaking. I brought a waterproof phone case, and Mistoline kindly took over as our photographer, which allowed everyone in the group to relax, interact, and enjoy the experience together. I was honestly terrified at times and slipped more than once, but both Daniel and Mistoline were incredibly supportive. They helped me and the other women navigate the more challenging areas safely, making sure everyone felt comfortable and secure. What I appreciated most was that we never felt rushed. After each beautiful cave, we had time to pause, take it all in, and truly appreciate our surroundings. After the tour, we stopped at a local restaurant where the owners treated us like family. We enjoyed a delicious family-style meal, played Dominican dominoes, and drank the coldest Presidente beers I had during my entire trip—especially the Vestida de Novia! On the way back, Daniel even stopped for ice cream before personally dropping each of us off at our destinations. I honestly can't stop recommending this experience. It showed me a completely different side of the Dominican Republic and created memories I'll never forget. Thank you, Daniel and Mistoline, for such an amazing day!
This was the Best Experience. Definitely Worth Every Dollar! Our guide was perfect. Fresh coffee before and a real Lunch after. This really is an all-day event. You want to account for traffic. We got back by 6pm-ish. I would do this again in a heartbeat! Bring a change of clothes, and real water shoes, not sandals! You are going to get wet head to toe. They will provide a helmet and a vest.
Host/ guide was rude. Tall/ light skinned guide. He also mocked me for being timid- as I was fearful of the water. He was absolutely snobbish- never had a guide experience like this before. When they first had the experience listed, they only advertised as a hike. I reached out to the owner to further clarify as a “water hike” and swimming is mandatory to ensure all persons booking are aware (in advance). This allows persons to book from an informed perspective and participate based on their known skill set. Tip: It’s highly recommended you know how to swim; or NOT have a fear of water. Food was good.
Im sorry you had a bad time. I consider you should have read the description carefully before booking, since the activity is described publicly like this: "...With a mix of hiking, swimming, and climbing, this excursion... "...we will find lots of beatiful swimming holes and little waterfalls..." "...There we can swim or just enjoy..." "...the same way back, dowmstream..." "...we are taking some waterslides and jumps into the beautiful swimming holes ..." We also sent recommendations on what to bring a few days before the experience, such as "...comfortable shoes to swim and walk on soil..." "...clothes to walk/swim..." I am the owner and you never reached out to me to ask me such questions. You are the first person (over 1000 reviews on different websites) to ever complain about it. Since 2021 we state that this activity involves swimming. As of the guide, he got some kuddos and 5-star reviews from people that took the tour the same day you did. It is 4 good reviews mentioning him as the star of the trip vs your comment. I consider that your review is completely unfair and you should delete it. This is very disapointing and you are affecting us unneccesarily just because you didnt read what you were booking.
I absolutely loved this hike, it was definitely a little challenging at times but my family loved it especially since they have never been on a hike!! Shout out to Randolph he was such an amazing and awesome tour guide !!
Awesome experience, definitely a challenge! Hiking shoes a must and bring a change of dry clothes for the ride home! We loved every minute and recommend this excursion to anyone who wants to experience the country, and beautiful mountains.
It was a full day adventure. the drive there was a bit long due to road construction but worth it. The scenery was amazing and even though I had never rappelled, Dely was very patient and guided us through
This tour was a 10/10! Rony was amazing during the entire tour! A must do if you’re in Santo Domingo ! Thank you Rony :)
Pick up and transportation were well organised, the hike itself was well taken care of, and the local lunch after the hike added to the experience. Totally recommend
100% recommended. Incredible landscapes. It's an adventure. Ideal for stress relief and for enjoying a day full of surprises every minute. Ouer guide Randolph was a genius. He motivated us all time. Must to do if you visit Dominican Republic.
Ronnie and the waterfall were amazing!! The food, the falls, and the countryside were fun to see.
