A new improved lodging option for backpackers and adventure travelers is the Complejo Ecoturistico Rio Blanco in the Bonao central region. The lodge is aimed at travelers who enjoy hikes, horseback riding and nature. A donation from USAID helped refurbish and expand this mountain facility by improving the dining room, 10 cabins and two meeting rooms. The USAID funds covered treating the main cabin wood, renovating five rooms, installing water heaters and refurbishing the kitchen. Visitors at the lodge can visit cacao and coffee growing areas, and local arts and crafts makers. The lodge is reached via the Duarte Highway to Bonao and the Carretera La Salvia-Los Quemados to Blanco-Hoyo del Pino. It is about an hour’s drive from either Santo Domingo or Santiago city. The average temperature in the area is 22C. The area is also known for its Yuna, Blanco, Tireo, Avispa and Juma rivers, and the Rodeo, La Ceiba and Arroyo Atravesado waterfalls. There is also an Indian sanctuary, El Ultimo Cielo, where a large rock with more than 300 petroglyphs can be viewed. The project was developed by the Federacion de Campesinos hacia el Progreso (FCHP).