Kennedy applied for and received grant money from both USAID (US$50,000) and the UN Development Program (US$30,000). All participants are required to wear a life jacket and helmet and water shoes, so it is pretty safe. The Damajagua River is the waterfalls' source and the setting couldn't be more beautiful. I have never felt it to be too physical or dangerous. Youll need around four hours to make it to the 27th waterfall and back. This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. CAR Rental to / from ""cofresi palm beach & spa resort". To experience all 27 requires 4 hours on site, including a long hike of over an hour up to the top (significant climb - need to be in decent shape). ChiChi was our additional guide once we got to Damajagua, and he was so much fun - he made leaf crowns for our 2 teenage girls & even threw rocks at mango trees to get us some delicious fresh mangos to eat as we hiked! 27 Waterfalls Dominican Republic The trek up to reach the start of the 27 waterfalls is fairly strenuous and takes between 45 - 1 hour depending on your fitness level. Do you need to book in advance to visit Damajagua Waterfalls? I see that on Shore Excursioneer, there is a similar excursion listed for my ship, but it has a different name. Nestled in the rolling hills of the Northern Corridor mountain range and behind the long stalks of . I had a lot of anxiety just getting into the water at first, but Im so glad that we overcame our fears. We walked out of the port area where taxi drivers were waiting. Also, life jackets stink like old wet socks and helmets are in poor shape as well. Do you have to jump of every waterfall or is there a way around all of them. The water was flying over me and in my mouth (I could not breathe) and all I heard was everybody including the guides yelling "let her go". You do have to book the Carnival excursion first and then fill out the form. Here is a link to the translated report in Puerto Plata Digital: Having said that, I have no idea who would be able to monitor that successfully. We would like to do the full 27, am just not sure of the options as to how to go about this. We range in age from 12 to 44. Unfortunately, the passage of time has completely destroyed any trace of their handiwork. To get down you jump as much as 8m into the sparkling pools below. DON'T go to the waterfalls if it has been raining for more than one or two days before. Our group managed to reach the 7th or 8th waterfall (I can't actually remember) when we decided that we wanted to go back as we felt it was too dangerous and there were also children (aged around 5 and 7) on the trip. But it also has one of the highest rates of type one diabetes in the world. DADDYOFTHE7SEAZ, January 4, 2018 in Dominican Republic. This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. Booking directly with the ship does give some protection, as in, if the tour is delayed for any reason getting back to the ship they will wait for you; weather prevents you from going to the island, you def get back the money you paid, etc. Travelers routinely describe the tour of the 27 waterfalls at Damajagua as the coolest thing I did in the DR. It's hard to disagree. He told me afterwards he could not breathe due to the force of the water and genuinely thought he was going to drown. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. I will do it again in June but I will probably use an outside company to do at least 12, if not all 27 falls. The hike is intense, but the guide stops often for breaks. The prices include the life jacket, the helmet and the service of a guide prepared and trained for this occasion, which you should not miss. The waterfall we were at was such that we had to jump and I was the second to go. We had a trek of about 30 mins before we got to the falls and the joke on the way up was that a donkey on the hillside that we saw was the ambulance! This article was refreshed in August 2017. Flashback to 2004, when a handful of unofficial guides led tours at the waterfalls. I can take turns watching her. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Cruisers' Choice Awards! If you crave some adventure, danger and full-on interaction with nature then this is the activity for you. You will be free to swim in the numerous mountain pools, slide down cascades with slick rock chutes and even jump off some of the waterfalls . If the delays hadn't happened, I think we would have more time to buy and enjoy a snack though. I did the first 7 falls last year and was hoping to do all 27 falls on my next trip, which is in a few weeks. Once you get to the last fall you turn around and start to decend. Have not yet been to Damajagua Falls but plan to go when we stop in Amber Cove in the Fall of '18. If I had not been calm enough to hold my breath and STRUGGLE to break free of the force, I surely would have been in trouble. Our claim was granted and we were given $49 on board credit for the price difference. It is hot and muggy and does take some effort so make sure you are able to hike and climb uneven surfaces. He. He had managed to grab onto a rock and couldnt pull himself back. Hike to the twelfth waterfall or all the way to the top of waterfall number 27 with a local guide and jump, swim, and slide back down. There were no safety measures, no visitors center and the occasional minor injury. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Tom Brokow was just talking about a rafting trip(in the US) where the person he invited to come along also drowned. We arrived at about midday and it was fine to do them all. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. All relies on the fitness of you and the guides who are often supporting your body weight - and that you don't slip - having to climb up rocks and jump into pools. We hiked for about 45 mins up a trail and completed 5 zip lines, 2 suspension bridges and the falls slides. Carlos (from Iguana Mama) was a delightful guide on our bus ride. Question, how do you go about this? From what I'm able to find out, it's not a beach day kind of place like the other side of the island. If your tour guide was as good as ours was remember to tip well - they more than deserve it! We hope that with these options you can make the most of your vacation and enjoy the best options that the Dominican Republic has to offer. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. All lies!! We did not purchase the lunch. No tour company. The climb for the 12 jumps is approx 45mins. BTW the liscenced tour guides just take you to the falls. I travel to the (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? I have posted your story on my sons web site under the Damajagua Waterfalls page as I am compiling all the horror stories I have received from other travellers to this excursion. Members who are knowledgeable about this destination and volunteer their time to answer travelers' questions. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-10059103', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');jeep safari trip which ended on a trip to the waterfalls. I booked it only because it is straightforward. Guides lead you up, swimming and climbing through the waterfalls. Can everyone still come but wait nearby for us while being supervised by an adult (my wife)? Its just not for us. !I did not know about your 'Wee Lamb' until I returned from dom rep a few months later..in the excitement i dont think we realised how dangerous it was!in result I assure you I know now how dangerous it is!! As he was walking over a fallen tree to avoid getting wet, he slipped, and instead of dropping the bananas to stay dry, he brought them with him to the bottom of the waterfall. He said that if he would have thought about it too long, he wouldve chickened out once or twice. My husband and i just returned from Breezes and did the waterfall tour - it was awesome!! 7 and 12 are the other 2 options - more recommended for the less fit or younger folk, but still exciting. I am a very strong swimmer and I too almost got caught in that same hole. Though I suppose I can always put my helmet on for some of the hike. There is the possibility of getting injured but with helmets and life jackets most people will be quite safe. Hello everyone. You can do this excursion organized or on your own, the only difference is that if you do it on your own the way to the waterfall, you have to do it on your own, the rest is organized with local guides. Explore different ways to experience this place. I'd 10000% recommend this for anyone. In addition to these options we offer you near the area, theLos Tres Cocos restaurantspecialized in Caribbean food, the prices are very comfortable and you will also enjoy the wide variety of food that you have available. I touched the bottom once when jumping which can't be good, and it took me ages to surface, I swallowed lots of water and was then really sick for the next few days (just read another review here that someone got a tropical parasite in their stomach from the waterfall, so going to the Dr on monday). https://www.jordanoutside.com/damajaguawaterfalls We booked our excursion to swim, jump, and slide down the Damajagua Waterfalls in the Dominican Republic. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. So 110% of the difference was $49.50. Take the plunge: the 27 waterfalls of Damajagua. Top ways to experience Damajagua Waterfalls, Damajagua Waterfalls Adventure - Shore Excursion for Cruise Passengers, Damajagua Waterfalls Adventure from Puerto Plata, Triple fun! Unless you are an extreme sports fanatic, rock climber, parachuter or whatever, stay away. Another member of the tour party had the same experience. more. We booked through MEL Tours in Sosua and paid half the price of Outback Safari! Dont get me wrong I didnt feel in danger but we were told its not best to go further. The tour company picks you up right at the hotel as well. My condolences to the family. We had a blast. It was an exhilarating experience for me. According to what I have read, if you take the ship excursion, you should be back at the cruise port within 4.5 hours. However, after further research, we are going to cancel our Carnival excursion reservation and book directly with DSRR bus rentals so we can do all 27 falls. They had been staying in Cabarete since June 6th and were scheduled to leave for home tomorrow. It also depends on the child's swimming abilities. What horrible news and to think their poor children were left alone in the country to have to deal with everything. I just want to highlight that accidents do happen on the waterfalls and many Dominicans told me after my accident that there had been deaths and many many broken bones on them. Our son is 41/2 years old. So even though the excursion can be fun, DO NOT go after a big rain. I did the falls in December through carnival and loved it. We did stop several times and the folks in the group struggling got lots of one-on-one help from the tour guides. My Wife My son and his girlfriend. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We joined up with a larger group at the falls and had about a 20 minute hike in the jungle to the waterfalls. I would recommend a sneaker type water shoe but if you have the less expensive ones get shoe inserts and put in as extra cushioning. This is the shore excursion offered by Carnival for my trip. The waterfall that falls through the domed roof gives a fantastic massage. The hike is a little strenuous and I would not recommend for anyone with younger children, older adults, or anyone with a health condition. I must admit I probably wouldn't have done it without the life jackets and helmets on them. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Damajagua Falls claim two more lives. Your specially trained host will educate you about these cute little creatures and provide you with a bowl of fruit to encourage an up-close and personal visit with . Your story sounds identical to mine except the final outcome. Damajaqua Cascades, Puerto Plata, Puerto Plata Dominican Republic; Misael Rincon is a Santo Domingo-based writer, photographer and videographer. We were very excited to do this and when we got there the hiking trail was packed with people. I asked our waterfall guides if anyone had ever been hurt on this tour and he said no. I am happy that life jackets and helmuts are being worn.did you wear a helmut? They even video tape the event for purchase. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. CheetahI am sorry that your son died on the waterfallsits really brought home to me just how lucky I was last year. we ranged in age from fourtyish to fifty five and had no trouble at all . Damn, thought after the Canadian child that that would be the last.:ermm: I guess this is the flip side of less rules & regs, no health and safety regulations! No, unfortunately there isn't a "waiting area" along the route. Alternatively, take a gua-gua from Puerto Plata and ask to get off at the entrance. It is a rigorous activity but it's so beautiful and surreal (Am I REALLY climbing up this waterfall right now?!) Lovely day, very fun falls and excellent guides. This was an excursion from a Carnival Cruise. Discover 27 Waterfalls of Damajagua from the ports of Amber Cove and Taino Bay, Puerto Plata, Best Excursion designed for Royal Caribbean, MSC, Celebrity Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line NCL, Virgin Voyages, Regent Seven Seas, evrima hold, Oceania Cruises, Carnival Cruise line, Princess, Holland America, AIDA. Why is there a weight limit? The Charcos de Damajagua (the Damajagua waterfalls) are a series of 27 small cascades that fall into 27 small pools. Each fall has to be passed. Recent rains caused rush of current. You are provided with shoes, life jacket & helmet & would suggest for the women to wear a swimming suit not a bikini. It's a terrible tragedy and our sympathy is both with the boys and with Adam's father who must feel as though he is being dragged back in time. Then recharge with a Dominican buffet lunch. thats fu**ed up, just last night people were talking about going there and I told them about the kid that drowned, to be careful because of all the rains recently. Waterfall Adventure: Damajagua Waterfalls, the premier attraction of Puerto Plata, offers hiking trails with breathtaking scenery, thrilling canyoneering through narrow passages, sliding down natural waterslides and swimming through caverns. Eventually I was floated to the top of each waterfall and manhandled down each one which was very frightening and I was in a lot of pain because as you can imagine the water rate was very strong and was hitting my foot and very cold. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-10008980', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');cruises from now on. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. BUT there is a reason why the European/N.American/Canadian tour reps don't sell these tours - it totally wouldn't be covered by insurance.This is so dangerous, nothing too bad actually happened to me, but I take my health and well-being seriously and this is a very danrgous activity. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. I believe there were 7 jumps/slides that we went down. 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