Hey there! Thanks for reminding me to follow up and post my experience/advice for hiking up Pico Duarte.
Ok...
1st stop: Jarabacoa town - Cheap & Great Hotel - Hotel California - really nice and central enough.
And for a great eat just down the same road as the hotel - Ask for the Columbian Food Place! Amazing!!!
Early Morning rise and set off towards...
2nd stop: La Cienega - a bumpy but scenic drive to the town at the foot of the mountain range you need to start from.
There are plenty Guides who live right there and are ready to take you where no you has been before
We were 2 people and hired 1 guide with his mule to carry the bulk of our stuff which wasn't much but a relief anyway. We paid about 100 bucks and the guide was very happy. If you haven't already, buy food and drink in the Colmado (store) right there before you leave, tip: get a bit more and spoil the guide a little (and the donkey
We did the fast-track: Up one day, down the next. Do not attempt this if you're not super fit, we wished we had taken a day extra to relax as it's super nice up there too! Plus, the Guide would have cost the same no matter. Be sure to grab a good solid walking stick (if you can't find one ask the guide) - this helps foot placement and acts as a 3rd leg, trust me, always good to have, especially on your way down in steep parts etc.
We pretty much ran up, full of enthusiasm and splendor at each level of the climb, admiring the different atmosphere and surroundings on the various stages of the hike - trees, plants, parrots, crows (real spooky at this level, misty with squawking crows), the fresh water well where we had lunch, there's lots to see but maybe not so obvious all the time.
3rd stop: Reached the Cabin about an hour before dark, enough time to gather some wood for the fire inside the cabin while the guide and the Guy who looks after the cabins sorted out the main fire outside. They then cooked the food up for us all and with the darkening nightfall came quite a chill - take plenty warm clothing, a good sleeping bag and an insulator mat for underneath! And lots of coffee for...
Next morning very early start @ 4.30 am! If you want to witness the sunrise from the peak, you need to leave at 5 am in order to hike the rest which isn't far but pretty steep! Our alarm clock abandoned us and we left late so really struggled to make it!
But we did
WOW, Amazing, what a sense of achievement but even better, what a view! Pretty cold though, make sure you are dressed warm, it's like a freezing thin winter air up there!
Enjoy and take your time back down, the return path seems to take forever much longer than going up but is enjoyable too.
I'll post some photos when I've got time to shrink and upload them, for now I hope this gives some insight and advice. Feel free to ask any info, will be glad to help
Good luck with the weather and ENJOY!