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Private tours in the Dominican RepublicThe Dominican Republic with your own driver

Private tours in the Dominican Republic that start at your hotel in Punta Cana or Santo Domingo, with a car and a driver for your group alone.

  • 10private tours
  • 2departure cities
  • €60starting price per group
  • 24hfree cancellation before pick-up
A sandy beach with palm trees and thatched umbrellas in Punta Cana
Photo by Kalyan Mukherjee on Unsplash

The Dominican Republic has beaches on the Atlantic and on the Caribbean, and in Santo Domingo the first European city of the Americas, all within a day's drive of each other. Our private tours in the Dominican Republic leave from Punta Cana and from Santo Domingo. The car and the driver are yours for the day, so you set the pace and can change the order of the stops as you go.

From Punta Cana you can spend a few hours at Macao Beach and Bávaro, cross to the calm Caribbean side for the fishing village of Bayahibe and the beach at Dominicus, climb Montaña Redonda near Miches for the view over the lagoons before Playa Esmeralda, or see the stone village of Altos de Chavón. A full day goes to the capital for the Colonial Zone and Los Tres Ojos.

In Santo Domingo, the Colonial Zone is on UNESCO's World Heritage List and holds the first cathedral in the Americas. A half day covers Parque Colón, Calle Las Damas, the Ozama Fortress and the Alcázar de Colón; a full day adds the Columbus Lighthouse and the cave lagoons of Los Tres Ojos. Day trips go to the beaches of Boca Chica and Juan Dolio, north to Santiago de los Caballeros, and east to La Romana and Bayahibe. To compare them, read our guides to day trips from Punta Cana and day trips from Santo Domingo.

All 10 private tours in Dominican Republic

TripLengthLeavesPrice
Punta Cana: Private Half-Day Tour of Macao Beach and Bávaro4h07:00from €60
Santo Domingo Private Day Trip from Punta Cana: Colonial Zone and Los Tres Ojos10h07:00from €370
Altos de Chavón and Bayahibe Private Day Trip from Punta Cana8h07:00from €160
Punta Cana: Private Tour to Montaña Redonda and Playa Esmeralda6h07:00from €150
Bayahibe and Dominicus Private Beach Day from Punta Cana8h07:00from €220
Santo Domingo: Private Tour of the Colonial Zone4h07:00from €100
Santo Domingo: Private Day Tour of the Colonial Zone, Los Tres Ojos and the Columbus Lighthouse8h07:00from €350
Santo Domingo: Private Half-Day Trip to Boca Chica and Juan Dolio5h07:00from €100
Santiago de los Caballeros Private Day Trip from Santo Domingo10h07:00from €350
Altos de Chavón and La Romana Private Day Trip from Santo Domingo9h07:00from €470

Prices are starting prices and depend on the size of your group.

Private tours from Punta Cana

A half day at Macao and Bávaro, beach days on the Caribbean side at Bayahibe and Dominicus, Montaña Redonda and Playa Esmeralda, Altos de Chavón, and a full day in Santo Domingo. Pick-up in Bávaro, Cap Cana, Uvero Alto and Punta Cana.

Not sure which to pick? Read our guide to day trips from Punta Cana

Private tours from Santo Domingo

Half and full days in the Colonial Zone, with Los Tres Ojos and the Columbus Lighthouse, the beaches of Boca Chica and Juan Dolio, and day trips to Santiago de los Caballeros and to La Romana and Bayahibe.

Not sure which to pick? Read our guide to day trips from Santo Domingo

When to go to the Dominican Republic

It is warm all year. On the east coast daytime highs run from about 28 °C in winter to 32 °C from July to September, and the sea stays between 26 °C and 29 °C. February and March are the driest months, May and October the wettest. The cyclone season runs from June to the end of November, and tropical storms are most likely from August to October.

On the Punta Cana side, sargassum seaweed washes up on the east-facing beaches, usually most from June to August and least from November to March. The amount varies a great deal from year to year. Bayahibe, on the south-facing Caribbean coast, is sheltered from it.

From January to March humpback whales pass the north-east coast, and from the top of Montaña Redonda you may see them with binoculars. In February, Santiago de los Caballeros holds its carnival, with masked lechón groups in the streets.

Good to know before you go

Fill in the e-ticket before you fly

Every passenger entering or leaving the Dominican Republic has to complete the immigration e-ticket online. The service is free.

The Alcázar de Colón is closed on Mondays

The palace built for Columbus's son opens Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 to 18:00. On a Monday you see it from Plaza de España. Choose another day if going inside matters to you.

Cover up for the cathedral

The cathedral in Santo Domingo, and the one in Santiago, are working churches. Cover your shoulders and knees, or bring a light scarf or shirt to put on at the door.

Cash for small things

Entrances, lunch, sunbeds and boat trips are paid on the day. Carry local cash for the beach shacks, the boat at Los Tres Ojos and the truck up Montaña Redonda, with a card as a back-up for lunch.

How our private tours work

  • Your own car and driver for the day, for your group alone.
  • The price is for the whole vehicle and depends on the size of your group.
  • Book and pay online on the tour page; the confirmation arrives by email straight away.
  • Free cancellation up to 24 hours before pick-up, with a full refund.

Planning guides for Dominican Republic

Questions about private tours in Dominican Republic

How much does a private tour in the Dominican Republic cost?

It depends on the tour and the size of your group, from €60. You pay for the vehicle, not per seat: up to four people travel in a sedan, up to eight in a van, and larger groups in two vehicles. Choose your group size on each tour page.

Where do the tours start?

At your hotel or apartment in Punta Cana and Santo Domingo. Half-day tours start at 07:00 or 13:00; full days start at 07:00.

Can we visit Santo Domingo from Punta Cana in a day?

Yes. It is a ten-hour day with about five hours on the road, covering Los Tres Ojos and the Colonial Zone on foot. If the capital is the reason you came, a night or two there gives you more time.

Is a guide included?

No. The price covers the vehicle, the driver, fuel, tolls and parking. Licensed guides can be hired in the Colonial Zone.

Can we change the stops?

Yes. The car is yours, so the order and the time at each stop can change on the day. Tell your driver in the morning.

Can we cancel?

Yes. Cancel up to 24 hours before pick-up for a full refund.

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