Damajagua Falls (27 Charcos)

The Basics

You can climb, jump off, and slide down natural waterslides on this obstacle course created by Mother Nature and the Damajagua River. Tour guides will take you as far as the seventh waterfall and provide appropriate safety equipment, such as helmets and life jackets. It is possible to explore beyond the seventh waterfall, but interested adrenaline seekers will need to arrange private transportation from Puerto Plata or Cabarete, then a private guide and safety equipment upon arrival at Damajagua Falls.

Things to Know Before You Go

• Closed-toe shoes or water shoes are a must. Bring dry clothes to wear on the ride home.

• All visitors must arrive with a guide; self-guided tours are not allowed or advisable.

• Children younger than eight years old may climb only to the first waterfall.

• Be prepared to do more hiking through the jungle the higher you get.

• Most large jumps off the falls, suitable only for good swimmers, have walk-around options if you want to skip them.

How to Get There

Most visitors arrive at the 27 Waterfalls base camp via organized tour from Puerto Plata, Cabarete, Sosua, or the Amber Cove cruise port. If you’re arriving via car, look for the AGRD kiosk opposite the entrance to the falls. Buses are available from Puerto Plata or Santiago; look for the stop “27 Charcos, La Cascada.”

When to Get There

The falls are open from 8:30am to 4pm daily. The round-trip hike all the way to the seventh fall takes about four hours. If you want to avoid crowds, arrive early in the day.

Community Involvement

Recognized as a protected area and natural monument, the authorities who run the Damajagua Falls tours are committed to preserving the environment. One US dollar of every entrance fee goes to a fund directly invested in the surrounding communities.

Ways to explore

Exploring Damajagua Falls (27 Charcos) without a guide is not permitted. Tours take you as far as the seventh waterfall and provide appropriate safety equipment. It’s possible to explore beyond the seventh waterfall, but interested adrenaline seekers will need to arrange private transportation from Puerto Plata or Cabarete, then continue on with a private guide—including safety gear—upon arrival at Damajagua Falls. Some excursions add on extras such as a dune buggy ride and a visit to the cruise port of Amber Cove.

Accessibility

Due to its rugged natural terrain, Damajagua Falls is not accessible to travelers with limited mobility. However, you don’t have to take part in the adventure sports to visit.

Age limits

Many adventure tours have an age limit of 8 years to take part in the 27 Charcos tours.

What to pack

All tours provide equipment such as lifejackets and helmets, which are mandatory for exploring the falls.

What to wear

Wear a pair of old tennis shoes or river shoes, as you’ll need them to hike between jumps.

Not allowed

Self-guided visits, fishing, alcohol during the tour

Amenities

Changing rooms, lockers, snack vendors

Address 

Most visitors arrive at the 27 Waterfalls base camp via an organized tour from Puerto Plata, Cabarete, Sosua, or the Amber Cove cruise port.

Driving

From Puerto Plata, take Highway 5 toward Imbert. Continue on Highway 5 for 20–30 minutes until you pass through Imbert and see a Texaco station on your left. Shortly after Imbert, you’ll see signage for Damajagua/27 Charcos. Turn right from Highway 5 to follow the road to the falls.

Public transportation

Buses are available from Puerto Plata or Santiago; look for the stop “27 Charcos, La Cascada” and make sure you have cash to pay your fare with, as cards aren’t generally accepted.

Best times to visit

The round-trip hike to the seventh fall takes about four hours, so if you want to avoid crowds and the midday heat, book a tour that departs early in the day.

Best days to visit

As you’d expect, weekends tend to be more crowded than weekdays, as you might find more locals visiting then.

Best months to visit

The Dominican Republic’s dry season runs from December through April, so it will promise better weather than during the rainy season.

Special events

Bear in mind that if you visit during the rainy season from May through November, the water levels at the waterfalls may be too high to safely navigate them.