Question about the Damajagua falls...

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bovinda

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A group of 5 of us will be in DR this March and we want to do the 27 falls hike, but there are some things I'm not clear about.

I see Iguana Mama takes tours up to the top, and I've heard they're the only one who goes up to all 27. But do you need to go with them to do it? It seems there's also a separate fee just to get in, right? Can you go on your own, or do you recommend the tour?

Not clear on whether or not the tour is a requirement to get to the top, or just recommended, or neither. Thanks for any clarification!
 
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SosuaJoe

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Not sure how the rules have changed but...

1) Go with a guide. It is not that expensive, they are a big help on some of the more difficult spots, and hey, they are working for a living.

2) Check ahead of time how the rainfall has been. The more rain, the more flow. If it has been extremely rainy for a while, it gets dangerous up there.

3) Don't go on a long weekend and try to avoid the summer weekends as well. While waiting around for fat tourists in speedos to be hauled up the falls can be a downer, so can sharing your family day with a bunch of drunken yahoos (note that I haven;t been up for a couple of years, so they might have stopped letting people get hammered at the falls.

That being said, I HIGHLY recommend the 27 falls. The last jump is scary as hell (i am not ashamed to say I'm afraid of heights) and will make you smile days later. Pay a guide, it makes it both easier and more enjoyable and supports the local economy.
 
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dv8

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pay a guide. they are all good, very athletic and they swim well. it's a must especially if you are not a strong swimmer or you are afraid of water.
i have done the waterfalls again in november and there was no one sloshed but sure like hell some obese canadians showed up and all 3 guides that went with our group had to help them with every step.
if it rains the water is deep, very fast and extremely cold. it pays off to be 200 pounds then because i struggled with the stream and i was shaking from the cold all the time.
wear old snickers, something that may get wet all the way through and you can throw it away later. i know it sounds lame but you may be better off wearing leggings and a t-shirt instead of a bikini (i almost lost mine LOL).
 
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bovinda

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Hey guys, thanks for the responses.

I think I wasn't clear in my OP. We'll definitely take a guide, we want to support the local economy as much as we can. But can you go all the way to waterfall #27 with one of the guides from 27 Charcos, or do you need to hire a tour outfit like Iguana Mama?

I ask 'cuz there's a big price difference. Iguana Mama charges $80 for the tour (although they include transportation to and from Cabrete). The price on the 27 Charcos website is much less, which is preferable.

Unless there's some great reason to go on the Iguana Mama tour (I'll probably write them and ask them what makes their's worth the price), I'm inclined to just take the guide from the 27 Charcos site. Yeah?
 
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dv8

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iguana mama probably includes transport from and to the hotel, lunch and some sigh-seeing, that is a tour through small villages where you can throw candy to small kids and see them dive in the mud for a piece of sweet :-(
renting guides at the spot will be way cheaper...
 
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Fishguy

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The entrance fee for all 27 falls is 460 pesos for a tourist (unless it changed recently). You can get there for 50 pesos on a bus from Puerto Plata.

So, do the math. Is it really worth paying a company $79?

The guide is mandatory and included with the entrance fee. Of course, tip him at the end about 500 pesos for your group.
 
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FireGuy

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I believe the guides will only take you about six or seven falls high, at least for the advertised price. I'm sure there will be an extra charge to go to the top, if they will do it. Also remember it's about an hour drive from Cabarete.

As previously stated if it's been raining a lot this can be VERY dangerous.

Good luck, enjoy.

Gregg
 
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bovinda

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So you can definitely climb all the way to the top without Iguana Mama's tour? That sounds like it will pretty much decide it for me. Thanks dv8. :)
 
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bovinda

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Thanks Fish- and Fireguy, I just missed your posts. We'll make sure to tip very well. I appreciate the confirmation!
 
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dv8

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i am not 100% sure the tour guides will do it but it makes sense, no? after all, iguana mama hires the same guides you can hire yourself. just remember to pay a handsome tip at the end...
and if it rains for more than 2 days before your trip - you can probably forget it altogether, very dangerous.
 
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Fishguy

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Hmm... I must have got the tourist price on the bus. From their website:

From Puerto Plata by Guagua (bus)
Get on the Javilla Tours local service (servicio corto) guagua from the Javilla Tours station in Puerto Plata headed towards Santaigo. Tell the cobrador to leave you at 27 Charcos (if you don't speak Spanish, just say "27 Charcos, la cascada". They'll figure it out...). The fee is $40 RD.
Click to expand...

http://www.27charcos.com/index.php
 
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FireGuy

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If you don't know where the Javilla Tours Parada is you may have to ask. It's at the corner of the Circumnavigation Sur and the road which goes down to the Malecon past the Aduana warehouse (the name escapes me right now) - at least that's how I seem to remember it (corrections if I am wrong, please).

Gregg
 
cobraboy

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I can definitely state:

-Just ask the guides to do all the falls. You pay more for the full tour, however, and beyond the first 7-8 falls, the standard tour, the going gets rough and you need to be in decent shape.

-If there are more that 4 of you, get 2 guides. Thank me later.

-Take a pair of fairly hard-soled sneakers/tennis/running shoes. Know they will be abused. I tell our guests to bring a sacrificial pair. Do NOT wear those thin soled sand slipper/water shoe things. Do NOT wear those thin soled sand slipper/water shoe things. Do NOT wear those thin soled sand slipper/water shoe things. Your feet will thank me later.

-Go during the week if at all possible.

-Do not go after a couple of days of good rain.

-You absolutely, positively do NOT have to hire a tour group to go there.

IMO, Rio Damajagua may be the single best natural entertainment on the whole island. It simple WOWS our guests.
 
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bovinda

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Guys, thanks so much for the clarification! Fishguy, Fireguy, and Cobra, these tips are fantastic. Cobra, I will likely follow your suggestions to the letter, thank you so much. What hotel do you run? Any place reasonably priced in or near Cabrete with space for five? :)

Everyone has mentioned how dangerous it is after rain. What's the rain like in late March, or is it impossible to predict? Does the rain just make the swimming risky, or is there more to it?
 
cobraboy

cobraboy

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bovinda said:
Guys, thanks so much for the clarification! Fishguy, Fireguy, and Cobra, these tips are fantastic. Cobra, I will likely follow your suggestions to the letter, thank you so much. What hotel do you run? Any place reasonably priced in or near Cabrete with space for five? :)

Everyone has mentioned how dangerous it is after rain. What's the rain like in late March, or is it impossible to predict? Does the rain just make the swimming risky, or is there more to it?
Click to expand...
No hotel.

MotoCaribe

Rain shouldn't be any problem in March.

Enjoy!
 
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dv8

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yes, do not wear those silly plastic shoes. for a group of 5 you will need, as cobraboy stated, 2 guides or more - depending on your shape. anyone overweight, scared of water, old or too young will need special attention.

from cabarete you will need a gua gua to POP, then another one to la javilla, from there another one. from main road you'll need to walk 5-10 minutes. alternatively you can take a car with a driver.
 
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CFA123

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bovinda said:
Any place reasonably priced in or near Cabrete with space for five?
Click to expand...

bovinda,
You can google these Cabarete hotels and find their websites. Just put the hotel name & 'cabarete' in google. There are many, here are a few that are all within walking distance of Cabarete's bars & restaurants:

Budget minded hotels... Cita del Sol & Kaoba
Nicer hotel... Villa Taina
All-Inclusive... Viva Wyndham Tangerine

Consider a condo also. For 5 people, it can be about same price as a hotel & a lot nicer. And you have a kitchen where you can cook some of your meals.

Look at:
Cabarete Condos
Ocean Dream
and my favorite, this one I have for rent here on DR1 ;) http://dr1.com/rentals/property/P_233.html
 
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bovinda

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Thanks guys. CFA, your condo looks beautiful, but unfortunately I think it will be out of our price range! :) Thanks for the hotel suggestions though, I'm looking up some of the budget ones.

Cobra, your motorcycle tours look awesome! It looks like motorcycle experience is required though, unfortunately for me and a couple of the others. We'll keep you guys in mind for the future, though, for sure.
 
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