It is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to join a tour once it has started. It is possible to leave a tour early, but you are then responsible for the rest of the day. You are also responsible for all costs associated with late participation in a tour or early departure. If you wish to leave a tour early or join it after it has started, please contact a DomRep specialist before booking.

To travel independently, you must be at least 18 years old. Also, travelers with pre-existing medical conditions must fill out a medical questionnaire. Our day trips are open to families with children from 5 to 17 years old.

We keep our group size low to allow you the freedom to move around and engage with your surroundings, as well as more personalized attention from our local guides. This smaller size ensures that your group does not overwhelm your experience. You can expect up to 15 travelers on a tour, but the average is 10.

For privacy reasons, we are unable to provide you with advance information about your tour companions. However, our tours appeal to a wide range of travelers, most of whom have an adventurous spirit and a desire to experience these destinations at the grassroots level.

Our unique style of traveling off the beaten path is the only way to truly experience a country. It also serves to keep costs down. Another thing you'll notice is the inclusions. While we don't include everything, we throw in the major highlights of a destination, the things that everyone gets to see. On each travel page, we show you the "included highlights" of your trip, things that many other local companies charge for.

Tips are not included in the price of the tour. Whether you want to tip is up to you.

A valid passport is required. You may also need a tourist card (US$10 or €10) or visa.

Citizens and residents of the United States, Canada and most European countries can enter the country with a 30-day tourist card, which can be purchased upon entry for US$10 or €10. Anyone, regardless of nationality, can enter the Dominican Republic with a tourist card if they have one of the following valid visas in their passport: United States, Canada, United Kingdom or the European Union (Schengen). The tourist card is valid for one year from the date of purchase and is valid for up to a 30-day visit. The tourist card can be purchased at points of sale in land, air or sea ports in the country. The tourist card is also sold at Dominican embassies and consular offices abroad and by tour operators. It can also be purchased online at http://bit.ly/18agXPs. The exit tax is $20.00 USD, but is usually included in the airline ticket. For a list of countries that require a visa to enter the Dominican Republic, see: http://bit.ly/2DrFmBl

The Dominican Republic issues tourist, business, work, student and residence visas. Tourist visas can be issued for one or more entries and can be extended to 60 days. See this list for citizens who need to apply for a visa at Dominican consulates abroad: http://bit.ly/2BpdpYZ

Foreigners arriving from Argentina, Chile, South Korea, Ecuador, Israel, Japan, Peru and Uruguay, diplomatic and consular personnel with assigned missions in the country while on duty. Passengers using private, non-commercial aviation as long as the aircraft meets the following requirements: The trip must be for sport, recreational, business or tourism purposes, and the aircraft must not weigh more than 30,000 pounds (30,000 lbs) and have a maximum capacity of 12 passengers.

The official language is Spanish. English is widely spoken, and many tourism sector employees will be fluent in Italian, French, German, Russian and other languages as needed.

In the Dominican Republic, electrical outlets are 110 volts, the same as in the United States and Canada. For this reason, visitors from other countries who require power adapters are advised to bring their own.

Since the Dominican Republic is located in the Caribbean, the weather is excellent all year round: In summer, the temperature can range from 90 F (32 C) at noon to 70 F (21 C) in the morning. In winter, temperatures can drop to a low of 18 degrees. In the high mountain regions of Jarabacoa and Constanza, the weather is cooler. In these areas, temperatures of 10 degrees Celsius in the early morning in the city and below zero in the mountains are not uncommon.In the tropics, although rain can occur at any time of the year, it usually rains only briefly in the afternoon or evening. The warmest months are June to September.

The national currency is the Dominican peso (RD$). There are coins in denominations of 1, 5, 10 and 25 pesos and banknotes in denominations of 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1,000 and 2,000. The most common credit cards are accepted at most tourist resorts, nevertheless we recommend that you check with the hotel or restaurant in advance. ATMs are located in almost all cities in the Dominican Republic and in most resorts. Large supermarkets have ATMs and are often open late into the night. Dollars and euros can be easily exchanged at banks and authorized exchange offices throughout the country. In large shopping centers, some bank branches are open until 8 pm.

Dominicans like to dress elegantly; fashion, grooming and hygiene are very important. Depending on the occasion, Dominicans dress either casually or formally. From December to February, when nights are cooler, you may need a light jacket. Don't assume that the weather will always be warm, because even on a Caribbean island, warm clothing is needed for travel in mountainous areas, especially in the Central Mountain Range, where temperatures as low as 0°C (32 F) are regularly reported. In the mountain towns of Constanza and Jarabacoa, temperatures regularly drop below 65°C (18°F) in the evenings.

Even though the Dominican Republic is one of the safest countries on the continent, you should still take the same precautions as when traveling to a new city: use the hotel safe to store your passport, money and other valuables. It is recommended to have a copy of your passport in your luggage. When traveling, it is best to take only the essentials, if possible only a credit card and some cash. Do not leave valuables, bags or briefcases in the vehicles, even if there is a security guard nearby. If you plan to go out at night, it is best to use a cab called by the hotel you are staying at.

Local time is GMT -4 and is one hour ahead of Atlantic Standard Time in the United States in the winter. Unlike the United States and Europe, the Dominican Republic does not use daylight saving time.