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La Vega · the Dominican Republic
The Dominican mountains: pine forests, rivers and waterfalls in Jarabacoa, the hike to Pico Duarte, the agricultural valley of Constanza, Valle Nuevo and La Vega's carnival.
In the photo: Baiguate Waterfall
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Get to know the place
No centro do país, a Cordilheira Central sobe a mais de 3 mil metros e muda completamente a paisagem dominicana: em vez de coqueiros e praias, pinheirais, rios de água fria, vales cultivados e noites frescas. Jarabacoa e Constanza são as duas portas dessa região, chamada às vezes de Alpes dominicanos, e La Vega, embaixo, no vale do Cibao, é a cidade que as liga ao resto do país.
Jarabacoa, a cerca de 500 metros de altitude, é a cidade da eterna primavera, com clima ameno o ano todo. Em volta dela correm os rios Yaque del Norte, Jimenoa e Baiguate, com cachoeiras como as de Jimenoa e Baiguate, e é daqui que sai o rafting mais conhecido do país. Também é o ponto de partida da trilha ao Pico Duarte, o ponto mais alto do Caribe, com 3.101 metros.
Constanza fica num vale a cerca de 1.200 metros, cercado de montanhas, e é a horta do país: morangos, alho, batatas, flores e verduras de clima frio cobrem o vale. Ao sul, o Parque Nacional Valle Nuevo guarda campos de altitude, pinheiros e geadas no inverno, e a cachoeira de Aguas Blancas, uma das mais altas do Caribe.
La Vega, a cidade do vale, tem o carnaval mais famoso do país, com os diablos cojuelos de máscaras e capas coloridas, e por perto ficam o Santo Cerro e as ruínas da primeira cidade espanhola do interior. É um destino para quem quer natureza, caminhadas e clima fresco, longe do calor da costa.
This destination brings together 3 cities: Jarabacoa, Constanza, La Vega.
One destination, many paths
Start with one city or combine several in your itinerary.
Limites: Oficina Nacional de Estadística / OCHA-HDX / geoBoundaries (CC BY 3.0 IGO). Adaptação do Cidade Turismo.
✈ Aeropuerto Internacional del Cibao (STI), in Santiago de los Caballeros · 55 km to Jarabacoa
Confirm before booking. The nearest airport is Cibao (STI), in Santiago, about one hour from Jarabacoa. From Santo Domingo, via the Autopista Duarte to La Vega and then the mountain road, it's about two and a half hours to Jarabacoa and three to Constanza.
Suggested arrival point: Jarabacoa
Jarabacoa is a mountain town in the Cordillera Central, at about 500 meters altitude, with mild weather year-round, pine forests and rivers. Nearby are the Jimenoa and Baiguate waterfalls, rafting on the Yaque del Norte river and the trek to Pico Duarte, the highest point in the Caribbean.
Constanza lies in a valley surrounded by mountains at about 1,200 meters altitude and is the kitchen garden of the Dominican Republic, with fields of strawberries, garlic, potatoes and flowers. It gets cold at night, especially in winter. To the south, Parque Nacional Valle Nuevo has high-altitude fields and pine forests, and the Aguas Blancas waterfall plunges about 80 meters.
La Vega is the provincial capital and a commercial city in the Cibao valley, famous for its February carnival, the best-known in the country, featuring the diablos cojuelos with elaborate masks and colorful capes. It has a modern concrete cathedral, and to the north are the Santo Cerro, a sanctuary with views over the valley, and the ruins of La Vega Vieja, the first Spanish inland town.
The local experience
A waterfall of about 80 meters in tiers, in the Cordillera Central near Constanza, at over 1,600 meters altitude, among pine trees and mist.
A waterfall of about 35 meters on the Jimenoa river, near Jarabacoa, reached by walkways and suspension bridges over the river, with a green pool at the base.
A hill north of La Vega with the sanctuary of Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes and views over the Cibao valley, where, according to tradition, Columbus erected a cross.
The ruins of the first Spanish inland town on the island, founded at the end of the 15th century and destroyed by an earthquake in 1562, with remains of a fort and a convent.
A plateau over 2,000 meters south of Constanza, with pine forests, high-altitude fields, river sources and frost in winter, crossed by the road to Ocoa.
A wide waterfall on the Baiguate river, at the end of a short trail through the forest southeast of Jarabacoa, with a swimming pool and rock wall.
La Vega’s cathedral, built of concrete with modern lines, opened in the 1990s, with towers that recall the chimneys of a sugar mill and a spacious, light interior.
The highest point in the Caribbean, at 3,101 meters, in the heart of the Cordillera Central, reached by a two- to three-day trek starting from La Ciénaga, near Jarabacoa.
Before you go
A little planning leaves more time to enjoy the journey.
From December to April there is less rain, and it is the season for the hike to Pico Duarte; on nights from December to February Constanza and Valle Nuevo can have temperatures near zero. La Vega's carnival takes place on Sundays in February. From May to October the rivers swell, good for rafting, and there is more afternoon rain.
The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.
Three to four days: two in Jarabacoa for the waterfalls and rafting, and one or two in Constanza for the valley and Valle Nuevo. The hike to Pico Duarte takes two to three days by itself. La Vega fits into a stop along the way.
Jarabacoa has hotels, inns and cabins on the slopes, with mountain views and fireplaces. Constanza has simple hotels and mountain cabins in the valley and on the slopes. La Vega has city hotels, useful for the carnival. On cold nights, prefer accommodation with hot water and a warm blanket.
Take your trash with you, follow the signs and support local businesses. In natural areas, follow the visiting guidelines.
Get your questions answered
Jarabacoa has a mild climate, cool at night. Constanza and Valle Nuevo are cold at night, and from December to February they can approach freezing. Bring a jacket.
Generally two to three days, with overnight stays in mountain shelters, starting from La Ciénaga near Jarabacoa, with a mandatory guide.
It helps a lot, because the waterfalls, Valle Nuevo and the viewpoints are spread out. The road between the two towns is a mountain road with curves; there are buses from Santo Domingo and Santiago to both.
Yes, it's about an hour's drive. A day trip to Constanza is tiring.
On Sundays in February, with the main parade at the end of the month, when the diablos cojuelos take over the streets.
