General Tour Information
Note: The information presented here is an abbreviated version of our formal General Information for Tours to the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. Its purpose is solely to give readers a sense of what might be involved if they take this tour. Although we do our best to make sure that what follows here is completely accurate, it should not be used as a replacement for the formal document which will be sent to all tour registrants, and whose contents supersedes any information contained here.
ENTERING THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC AND PUERTO RICO: A valid passport is needed to enter the Dominican Republic. All tourist travelers to the Dominican Republic are required to pay for a tourist visa (US $10) on arrival. The tourist visa fee is paid before clearing customs once you have disembarked at the airport.
Puerto Rico is a United States territory, with no special entry requirements for U.S. citizens.
Citizens of other countries may need visas. If required by the embassy or visa-granting agency, WINGS can provide a letter about your participation in the tour.
MAP AND COUNTRY INFORMATION: You can view a map of Puerto Rico from the University of Texas series here, and a map of the Dominican Republic here. You can read the US State Department background notes on the Dominican Republic here.
HEALTH: Malaria exists in the Dominican Republic, including the areas bordering Haiti, which we will visit. The Centers for Disease Control currently recommend taking chloroquine as a prophylaxis. It is also a good idea generally to have current tetanus and typhoid inoculations. Specialized medications may be difficult to obtain locally, and we advise bringing all you will need with you. Please consult with your physician or local health department about advisories for travel to the Dominican Republic.
The highest elevation we visit is just over 6,000 feet above sea level. Biting insects may be present in a few locations, but birding is relatively nuisance-free.
For updates and advisories, you can view the latest CDC traveler’s advisories.
PACE OF THE TOUR: Because of the distance of some birding sites from our hotels, there will be several very early starts with long drives (2-3 hours), especially in the Dominican Republic. Most days will be spent in the field with early or picnic breakfasts and picnic lunches, returning to the hotel between 6:00 and 7:00 pm (occasionally after dark if we are looking for nightbirds). Walking varies from easy to difficult. There will be some walks that involve walking for two or three hours on rocky roads with gradual inclines. Much of the birding is along roadsides.
We offer an optional walk to look for Ridgway’s Hawk. This walk may total two miles round trip, with an elevation gain of 800 feet. Because this walk takes place near sea level, it is only moderately difficult.
LANGUAGE: Spanish is the official language in the Dominican Republic; very few people speak English. Spanish is also the principal language of Puerto Rico, but English is more widely spoken there.
CLIMATE: The days are generally quite warm, and summer clothes are suitable year-round. Please be prepared for the possibility of cool, damp (or rainy) weather on our two days in the Dominican Republic’s Sierra de Baoruco, and perhaps on our two days in the mountains of Puerto Rico.
ACCOMMODATIONS: We will stay at comfortable hotels throughout. Our hotel in Barahona, Dominican Republic, has only intermittent hot water; though electricity is the standard 110 volt AC used in the US, the electrical outlets in many rooms of this hotel require a two-pin adapter.
FOOD: Our breakfasts will generally consist of standard cold fare, with yoghurt, cereal, fruit, etc., although on several days we will make use of our hotel’s more substantial offerings. Lunches will be in the field, consisting of sandwiches, fruit, snacks, and cold drinks. Dinners are varied, ranging from restaurant fare to the excellent three-course dinners prepared by the hotel in Barahona. Chicken and fish are widely eaten in the Caribbean, while beef is less common
DRESS: Informal throughout.
TRANSPORT: We will be traveling by SUV or van on both islands. When using 15-passenger window vans, we will take a maximum of eight passengers (plus the leader/driver). Participants should be able to ride in any seat in tour vehicles.
SMOKING: Smoking is prohibited in the vehicles or when the group is gathered for meals, checklists, etc. If you are sharing a room with a non-smoker, please do not smoke in the room. If you smoke in the field, do so well away and downwind from the group. If any lodge, accommodation, or location where the group is staying or is gathered has a more restrictive smoking policy than the WINGS policy, the more restrictive policy will prevail.
GENERAL INFORMATION AND CONDITIONS OF WINGS TOURS: Please take a moment to read the WINGS General Information and Conditions. This section contains important information about how we conduct tours, e.g., what is included in the tour price, refund and cancellation policies, pace of the tours, and other information that will help you prepare for the tour.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: A more complete General Information for the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico will be sent to registrants on receipt of their booking. Final information with instructions for meeting the group, hotel addresses, etc., will be mailed about three weeks before trip departure. Other news will be communicated as necessary. If you have any questions, please contact us.
Updated: May 2009