Jarabacoa's Rivers

Jarabacoa sits in the mountains at around five hundred metres, cool enough that Dominicans come here to escape the coastal heat, and it is the country's centre for river activity. The Yaque del Norte, the longest river in the country, runs through it with a stretch of grade two and three whitewater that makes for the region's best rafting, run daily by operators in town. Two waterfalls are within a short drive: Salto de Jimenoa, reached across a series of swinging suspension bridges over the river, drops into a deep pool ringed by rock, and Salto Baiguate is a shorter walk into a green gorge. Beyond, the trail to Pico Duarte, the highest peak in the Caribbean, starts nearby, and the hills are planted with coffee and strawberries.

What you actually see

• Salto de Jimenoa - the fall reached across swinging bridges over the river.
• Rafting the Yaque del Norte - the country's longest river, run daily.
• Salto Baiguate - the shorter walk into a green gorge and pool.
• The coffee hills - highland plantations around the town.

When to go

November to April is drier and the most comfortable; the mountains are cool year-round and genuinely chilly at night. Rafting runs best with decent water, and after heavy rain the rivers can be too high and trips are cancelled. Falls run strongest in the wetter months.

Honest expectations

The swinging bridges at Jimenoa are narrow, wet and bouncy, which some visitors find alarming. Rafting here is fun rather than extreme and gets overhyped by operators. Roads in the highlands are steep and winding, and the drive from the coast is longer than the map suggests. Pico Duarte is a serious two-to-three-day trek requiring a guide, not a day walk.

Nearby

Constanza's valley farms are over the mountains; Santiago is two hours north.