During the Jungle Eco Tour, you will experience the lush jungle of National Park Cotubanama, the beautiful Chavon River, and its stunning natural surroundings. This national park is widely known for excursions to Saona and Catalina Island, but the land area of the park remains largely unexplored, offering a unique eco-adventure filled with tropical scenery, wildlife, and authentic Dominican nature experiences.

Nature, Culture & History

This is not a disguised shopping trip like many "safaris," but a real jungle tour guided by expert guides and park rangers. During this excursion, you will experience the various parts of the park: the dense dry jungle, its fauna and flora, and the special story of the people who lived in the area before the park was inaugurated. We will visit a magnificent cave in the National Park and follow the trail of the Taino Indians to the Chavon River, where we will discover the origin of the Taino words "canoa," "yuca," and many others. A relaxed day for the active explorer.

Guided Tour Parque Nacional Cotubanama

On this expert-guided Jungle Eco Tour Excursion Punta Cana, you will explore the Parque Nacional Cotubanama. We meet at our visitor center on the beach of Bayahibe. The excursion starts with a short briefing to explain the proceedings of the day. We then go to our first stop: the Padre Nuestro Ecological and Archaeological Jungle Trail. Padre Nuestro is located within the area of Parque Nacional Cotubanama, just outside Bayahibe.

An Easy Hike Through Taino History

The trail has different pathways, ranging in difficulty along its 1.9 km / 1.2 miles. Sturdy shoes are recommended. The trail takes you through the dry tropical jungle, a landscape of limestone, butterflies, and birds, as well as impressive underground freshwater caverns. We will tell you about the history of the park, and you can explore the remains of the Taino settlements, the first inhabitants of the Dominican Republic. You also get to experience the magnificent native flora and fauna, which are unique to the East Coast of Hispaniola.

Cueva El Chicho: Stalagmites, Stalactites, Bats and Ancient Rock Art

At the end of the trail, we visit the freshwater springs secluded inside the caves. We will descend into Cueva El Chicho. This large cave has a stunning underground freshwater lake at the bottom. Used as a water supply since pre-Hispanic times, a significant collection of large ceramic artifacts from the era remains. A total of 26 petroglyphs can be seen at the entrance of the cave.

Excitement: Swimming in the Cave's Fresh, Crystal-Clear Water

Those who want to go down to the bottom of the cave and swim in the cold, fresh-water lake are invited to do so. You can enjoy the spectacle as we illuminate the crystals embedded in the sandstone cave walls. This is the land of mystery and imagination.

Relax on the River Cruise Through the Gorge of the Rio Chavon

After a short drive, we will reach the River Chavon. We will board the traditional boat and cruise upstream through the gorge of this beautiful river.

The Film Sets for Blockbuster Movies — You Will See Why

The tropical jungle can be seen along the banks. The blockbusters Apocalypse Now and Rambo 3 were filmed here. We will reach our riverside farm.

How One Little Taino Crop Saved the World from Starvation

Here, we will give more information about the Taino lifestyle. Some of the words we use, such as barbacoa ("barbecue"), hamaca ("hammock"), kanoa ("canoe"), tabaco ("tobacco"), yuca, batata ("sweet potato"), and Juracan ("hurricane"), originate from the Taino language. You can taste the yuca during lunchtime.

Traditional Lunch Prepared the Taino Way

This is followed by a traditional Dominican "barbacoa," with moro rice, stewed chicken, pork chops, vegetables, salad, and yuca croquettes.

If You Just Want to Relax: The Jacuzzi with the Best View in the World

After lunch, you can relax in our jacuzzi high above the river!

Discover the Secrets of How to "Live Off the Land"

If you want, you can participate in our fruit trail. We show you a variety of local fruits and explain how people live off the land here. We continue to the sightseeing point, crossing our "hanging bridge" along the way.

Feel Like a Real Explorer by Navigating the River with a Canoe

You can participate in our canoe adventure to explore the Rio Chavon. See the river from the perspective of the ancient locals. Notice the hanging lianas and fallen trees. We might see freshwater turtles here.

Let the Playful Adventurer in You Have Some Fun

See how high you can swing before plunging into the fresh river water! If you are more comfortable watching from the safety of the riverbank or boat, this is sure to make for entertaining jungle laughs!

Village Life: Buy Your Souvenirs at Local Prices

We are heading back to Bayahibe now. We'll show you the present influence of the National Park on the village. Thousands of tourists flock to Bayahibe daily to board the boats to the islands. The local economy depends 100% on the stream of tourists. You also have the chance to buy rum, coffee, cigars, etc., at normal prices in the local colmado, compared to the tourist prices.

Note: The tour includes a hike of +- 90 minutes in the National Park. The hike is not difficult, but you should be able to walk on an uneven surface without restrictions.

IMPORTANT: The taxi fares from the cruise port to Bayahibe (25 minutes) and back will be arranged by "TAXI CASA DE CAMPO". This is an independent company. As soon as you leave the ship, you'll see the coordinator of the taxi association with a sign "TAXI CASA DE CAMPO". Please note that on the port grounds some of the staff may (pretend to) doesn't know "Seavis" or the transfer code. Ask for "TAXI CASA DE CAMPO" while on the port grounds and you will be guided to the parking of this taxi company or click on this ground map for exact location.

The costs for the round trip taxi fare is US$ 15.00 per person and payable in cash directly to the taxi driver on the way back to the port. We'll make sure the taxis are on time for the return fare, so you don't miss the ship.