Pico Duarte, Dominican Rep

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Monster5
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Pico Duarte, Dominican Rep

Post by Monster5 »

Has anybody done Pico Duarte? Looks fairly easy, but I'm wondering about in-town logistics. Can we bribe our way into the park, or slip some local cash?
We'd like to daytrip, and shelling out $400 for the usual money squeeze on a daytrip is a bit ridiculous, especially when there's no guarantee the local guide won't be more a liability. Any first-hand recommendations?
"The road to alpine climbing is pocked and poorly marked, ending at an unexpectedly closed gate 5 miles from the trailhead." - MP user Beckerich
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Scott P
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Re: Pico Duarte, Dominican Rep

Post by Scott P »

I climbed it in 2004 so my information will be out of date. We paid $130 for a 4-day trip that included some of the off the beaten tracks and places, though obviously that was a long time ago.

You do have to go with a guide (this is enforced), but you don't have to go with a company. I'd just check with the locals at or Jaracaboa or La Cienaga.

$400 seems to be the cost with going with an organized all inclusive tour group. Looking at some websites, as of last year it seems that people have paid $100 for the mandatory guide and donkey if all you want to do is climb the peak.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/FAQ_Answers ... which.html

The current Lonely Planet says guides are 1350 pesos (US $23) a day and a mule/muleteer is 100 pesos (US $17) a day.

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/a/nar/2cff ... 17/1005323

It will cost a lot less than $400 if you go on a self organized tour.

Anyway, personally I'd suggest going for more than one day. I found places like the Valle el Tetero to be more interesting than the peak itself. There are nice waterfalls and petroglyphs there as well. There were flocks of parrots there as well.

I'm pretty sure you already know that even just doing the summit is 29 miles route trip with 7465 feet elevation gain. While you could probably do that, it seems unlikely that a guide would want to.

Good luck whatever you decide to do.
I'm old, slow and fat. Unfortunately, those are my good qualities.
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Monster5
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Re: Pico Duarte, Dominican Rep

Post by Monster5 »

Thanks, Scott!
"The road to alpine climbing is pocked and poorly marked, ending at an unexpectedly closed gate 5 miles from the trailhead." - MP user Beckerich
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spiderman
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Re: Pico Duarte, Dominican Rep

Post by spiderman »

I climbed it a year ago and paid the $330 for two days (written 3.30 for some strange reason). Not sure if many of the guide services will be willing to day hike it even though that is quite feasible. They are a bit paranoid about customers getting lost. Uber'ed from airport to Santo Domingo bus station and then took bus to Jarabacoa and stayed at the Jarabacoa Mountain Hostel. Great hostel, but another Israeli hiker got held up at gun point while walking solo back from downtown at night.

Recommend Eco Adventures (https://www.facebook.com/jarabacoamotoadventures/). David only speaks Spanish but I managed to get buy with Google translate for everything except very basic topics. He also runs a taxi agency if you need a direct ride to and from the airport in his spiffy new Hyundai. His brother was the guide for Duarte and was in reasonably good shape. I tipped extra for a side excursion to another minor sub-peak next to Duarte.

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