Dominican Safari: Explore Higüey and Macao Beach

Immerse yourself in the vibrant culture of the Dominican Republic with this half-day Punta Cana Cultural Tour. Explore local markets, visit a typical Dominican house, enjoy a horse ride, and relax on Macao beach. Book now!

Duration: 6 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Basilica Catedral Nuestra Senora de la Altagracia - The Basilica of Higüey, whose official name is Basilica Catedral Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia, is a Catholic sanctuary in Salvaleón de Higüey, Dominican Republic. It is the cathedral of the diocese of Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia in Higüey and one of the busiest sanctuaries in the Caribbean.
What's Included
  • Horseback riding
  • Alcoholic beverages
  • Pick up Round Trip to your Hotel
  • Bathing in Macao Beach
  • Lunch (Typical Dominican Food)
  • Tasting of Coffee and Natural Chocolate
  • Visit to Anamuya River
Additional Information

This tour offers an authentic glimpse into the Dominican Republic beyond the confines of resort living.
Embark on an adventure in a safari truck with your guide and driver, with convenient pick-up and drop-off services from your accommodation.
Safari Truck Journey
Encounter a local souvenir shop and observe the creation of handcrafted cigars
Scenic…

Location
Basilica Catedral Nuestra Senora de la Altagracia
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.6
(40 Ratings)
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Excursion30772385258
Mar 27, 2025
We loved this activity. We recommend it without hesitation. - The activity started at 8:00 am and ended a little later than expected but there was so much to see that it did not bother us at all. We made ourselves a cigar and tasted cocoa, coffee and toured the plantation. It was great. Then we went to Higuey and saw the Cathedral. Just the way to get there was in itself an incredible experience. Stunning view in the heart of Dominican lands. The little walk to the market allowed us to immerse ourselves in the daily life of the inhabitants. Stopping at Macau beach was also a great experience and the opportunity to take beautiful photos. Our best excursion yet.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
615elliss
Nov 9, 2024
very knowledgeable - It was very interesting, and the guild was very knowledgeable of the area, and the customs. I enjoyed the horseback ride, as well was the city tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Michael_f
Nov 7, 2024
A Must Do Tour - Was a fantastic tour and got to see a lot of the culture of the DR. Bothe the guide and driver were profoundly and gave us great information along the way. The open safari truck was wonderful for viewing and the lunch stop was delicious. Also felt great to get on a horse and later take a dip in the ocean. A must do tour.
Review provided by Viator
Latina2118
Jun 21, 2024
Fun tour - It was a very fun and educational tour. Oscar and Carla were super with the guidance, good food and drinks. Only downside is that you had to pay at the church, I had no ransom with me I always pay with my card. Anamuya lake not seen, probably because it rained. I didn't like the market very much, dirty comments were made to my daughters. We didn't feel safe there. I would remove the market for future visitors from your offer. Furthermore, I am really very satisfied and we had a good driver and photographer / guide.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Christian_s
Jun 6, 2024
CHRIS - Know Dominican Families' Plantation, Life of the locals, The Beach, Cigar's production Everything was good
Review provided by Viator
Kylero348
Jun 16, 2025
A good trip for a first time visitor to Punta Cana - We started the day by being picked up by our driver on time at the resort. His name was Tito. He did not speak much English however he was helpful and could point out the big spots to look at. We communicated via translate on our phones which worked well. We were picked up in a Van, however the company has a few different vehicles, one being open air. I believe it all depends on how big your group is. After being picked up, we went to a place and did a short horseback ride with a nice view. There's a small minibar there you can get a drink at which was cheap. The people there are nice. After the horseback ride, we went to a supermarket and bought some drinks and other odds and ends. They will originally tell you the price in pesos but if you have USD, they will convert the price for you on a calculator. Nothing was expensive and I was happy to find a Monster Energy drink. At the horseback ride we also met another tour guide who seemed to be the leader of the group. He spoke good English and was very nice. From there, we drove to a church. Due to a car accident it did take awhile to get there, but that was no fault of our drivers. TRAFFIC DOWN HERE IS CRAZY. If you have bad anxiety... take your pills. Once we got to the church we got out and stretched our legs.. it was nice and you can walk around the church grounds. To go inside, men it is free. LADIES - if you want to look inside the church, they require your legs be covered. If you are wearing shorts they have someone at the front that will give you a wrap for I believe a $1. We didnt go inside the church but Im sure it was worth to go in. After the church we went to a souvenir shop. It was ok, typical tourist prices. Dont recommend buying anything here.Tito did stop at a firehouse along the way for me to grab some pics. After that, we went and ate at a Dominican restaurant. It was very good. You can also walk down to the river from the restaurant and see a waterfall. From the restaurant we went to a small family house where they grow cocoa beans, have mangoes, and other fruit. If you ask, the kids will climb the trees and cut you down some fresh fruit. Talk to the dad though if the kids dont understand, they dont speak English. There, the tour guide will tell you how they make chocolate and cocoa powder and you have an opportunity to buy some. Its really neat and not too expensive. You can see their house too and how the Dominican people typically live. There is also a small shop across the street yoy can get some snacks and drinks. From there you go to Rancho Real Cigars. They give you a free cigarello to smoke and then you go up and see how cigars are made. You also get to roll your own cigarello if you want. You can then go downstairs and purchase their cigars along with other brands (fair US Prices) and they also have a souvenir shop and bar with snacks. After the cigar factory we went to Macao Beach, so I would advise you to wear swimwear if you' want. The beach was nice and clean unlike where our resort was which was covered in Sargassum. There are vendors there that do try to get you to buy their stuff (I fell prey to a couple guys with a Macaw and Iguana... oh well). Once youre done, they'll take you back to thee resort. Overall, it was a lot of travelling but otherwise a fun and interesting trip. If you have some patience and keep an open mind, it is definitely worth doing at least once. The guys here try to give a good experience and overall we really enjoyed it. I wouldn't do it again just because it would be the same spots, but I would reccomend it for a good day trip out of the resort.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mauren_t
May 26, 2024
Good - Good trip but we missed the river slide which I was hoping for. Was a bit disappointed. Otherwise it was a nice trip
Review provided by Viator
Nina_a
Jul 13, 2025
It could have been great - Pro: - late bookings accepted. I booked at 1am for a 7:30 departure. - the itinerary is packed so you can get a lot in if you're in a hurry. - it's a beautiful country and worth getting off the resorts to see the mountains. -great way to pack a lot in for the time. -lunch was good Cons: -The tour says it starts at 7:30 we were picked up at 8:30 out by the main security almost 1.5 kilometers away from the lobby, most tours were being picked up in front of the lobby. And then we stood there for over 30 mins because they said they'd be there at 8. No chairs, just standing in the heat. -it's a short tour and the longest place we stayed was at an expensive souvenir shop. - The Tourguide Will not keep passengers on time. We waited on the vehicle (no AC) in the sun for the same passenger twice for a total of 40 mins, this is significant considering the time of the tour. - We started late and came back 8 hours later at 4:39. Mind you almost an hour was waiting on another passenger. I planned 7:30 to 1:30 or 2:30. This is a significant point of you have other plans for the day. Sandy, the driver, was a good driver and nice guy. Robinson was a good Tourguide, but the decision to let us spend 40 mins at a souvenir store and 30 mins at the beach, and a 10 min walk through the market and 15 mins at the church, was a bad one and since the Tourguide is responsible to ensure they give the best trip possible...other tours I have been on, they warn you that you will be left and given the point of the next stop if you want to stay longer to browse or shop.
Review provided by Viator
Sharon_p
Jul 3, 2024
Not what u pay for ! - It almost felt as false Advertising. We were NOT in an open safari vehicle. Which is why we chose this tour. We were in a closed van with tints. The purpose was to see & tour the city. Not happy at all
Review provided by Viator
Voyage14398974236
Aug 5, 2024
NOT WORTH A PENNY!!! - I do not like to give bad reviews. But in this case I have hoping no other people get a t terrible experience. This tour was a complete rip off and very expensive by the way. They advertise Buggy safari truck and I we travel in small van. Driver Carlos just knew three words in English and he is just a driver not a tour guide nothing of cultural information and he was speeding very dangerously during the entire trip, he did not care about people at all !!!. This excursions supposed to be 6 hrs. It’s a lie it took us only 5 hours. At basilica Church they made us pay an entry fare even though the call a donation, it is a must otherwise you can’t go inside. Beverages they promise it just water and litter bottles previously opened of flat soda. Lunch was very plain chicken rice and salad which regularly cost 240 Dominican pesos about $3.5 dollars with no drinks Every stop was way much less time than advertised. VERY DISSATISFIED !!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $79
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).