Visit to a Local Ranch Plantation with Monkey Horseback and Buggy

highly recomended 5 stars tour!

best excursion ever 100% recommended for cruise passengers and hotel guests in Puerto Plata.

via Tripadvisor

Best tour best decision from our cruise in puerto plata

We had an amazing experience with the horseback riding and buggy tour in Puerto Plata! The whole experience was fun, exciting, and well organized. The guides were friendly, helpful, and made sure we felt comfortable and safe throughout the tour. The scenery was beautiful, and riding through the countryside was definitely one of the highlights. The buggy ride was also so much fun and added an extra adventure to the day. I would definitely recommend this tour to anyone visiting Puerto Plata who wants to experience something different and enjoy the Dominican countryside.

via Tripadvisor

**Disappointing and, at times, genuinely frightening experience despite wonderful hosts**

Unfortunately, I cannot recommend this excursion based on our experience with the transportation and communication leading up to and during the trip. We received a text message at approximately 10:00 PM the night before instructing us to arrive one hour earlier than the time we originally scheduled. We were told to meet at Gate 5. The instructions were confusing because there is a number 5 inside the port, but that was not the meeting location. We ultimately learned from port staff that the meeting point was actually outside of the port. We called approximately 10 times and sent multiple messages trying to locate our transportation. Other excursion workers even attempted to contact our tour representative on our behalf. Our designated driver, Sergio, stated that he was already there. However, we personally watched him arrive around 8:45 AM and put on his tour shirt under the tent. While the 45-minute delay was frustrating, that was not even the most concerning part of our experience. The drive to the countryside became extremely unsettling. We were stopped by several individuals on motorcycles who appeared to be carrying rifles and demanding our passports. One of the individuals was dressed in regular clothing, while the others appeared to be wearing uniforms. We had no way of knowing whether these individuals were legitimate authorities or what exactly was happening. What concerned me most was that Sergio did not adequately communicate with us or explain the situation. He did not appear to be translating or explaining that we were cruise passengers. Thankfully, I speak enough Spanish to communicate that I was American and did not require a visa. After approximately 10 minutes, the individuals left. Then, only about five minutes after Sergio had asked us whether we were traveling alone, we were confronted by another group of cyclists. Given what had just happened, the timing was extremely unsettling. I cannot say what Sergio's intentions were, but the combination of these events left me feeling extremely uncomfortable and questioning whether we were being placed in an unsafe situation. I want to be very clear that once we arrived at the ranch, our experience completely changed. Lissette and Renaldo were wonderful. They were welcoming, informative, and took the time to show us around the town. They were the highlight of the excursion and did an excellent job making us feel welcome once we arrived. If the transportation, communication, and experience getting to the ranch had been different, I would have had a completely different review. Unfortunately, the lack of communication and, most importantly, the safety concerns during transportation significantly impacted our experience. I would strongly encourage the company to review how transportation is handled, how meeting instructions are communicated, and how drivers are expected to respond when passengers are confronted by individuals demanding identification. Passengers should feel safe and informed throughout the entire excursion, not left to figure out potentially dangerous situations on their own. Lissette and Renaldo deserve recognition for the wonderful experience they provided at the ranch. Unfortunately, the transportation and communication issues overshadowed what could otherwise have been a fantastic excursion.

Response from the operator: Thank you for taking the time to share such detailed feedback. We sincerely apologize for the confusion regarding the meeting point, the last-minute change in pickup time, and the difficulty you experienced trying to reach our team and locate your transportation. We understand how frustrating and concerning this must have been, especially while visiting a destination from a cruise ship and working within a limited schedule. We also take your comments regarding the situation encountered on the road very seriously. We understand that, regardless of the circumstances, passengers should receive clear communication and reassurance from their driver when something unexpected occurs. We will be reviewing this part of the experience with our transportation team to ensure that our drivers are better prepared to communicate with and assist guests in similar situations. Your feedback regarding the meeting instructions and communication is also very helpful. We will be reviewing how pickup information is provided to cruise passengers so that the meeting location outside the port and any changes to the scheduled pickup time are communicated as clearly and as early as possible. We are very happy to hear that once you arrived at the ranch, Lissette and Renaldo made a positive impression. We will make sure they receive your kind recognition. They work hard to make our guests feel welcome and to share the local culture and experience. We truly appreciate your feedback because it gives us an opportunity to improve the transportation and communication aspects of the excursion. We are sorry that these issues overshadowed what was otherwise a positive experience at the ranch, and we hope to have the opportunity to provide you with a smoother and more comfortable experience in the future. Thank you again for recognizing Lissette and Renaldo and for bringing these concerns to our attention.

via Viator

Best excursion ever!!!!

10 STARS!!! Hands down best excursion we have ever been on! Francisco's company is spot on! We were on the Carnival magic, we were greeted outside the port gate where we jumped into an air conditioned van, very nice it was so hot!! We had our own concierge donaldo (chocolate he likes to be called) he was exceptional. He was our personal hype man. He took pictures throughout the whole venture, what a treat! We were taken to the horses 1st where we met Santiago and his crew. We were greeted with bottles of water. We mounted our horses and we rode down the beautiful beach. We rode to another secluded beach where we were able to get down and take pictures. We then rode on some trails where Santiago pointed out many diffrent fruit trees and we were able to taste some authentic fruits of the Dominican right off the vine! He told us some of the history of the land. It was superb! They had a nice gift shop we bought some items to remember our trip. Back in the air conditioned van and we headed to the buggies. What a fantastic experience, real adrenaline rush! We were muddy from head to toe! We stopped and spoke to the natives and shared in there culture, food and chocolate treats! When we got back we were able to shower off and head back to port! We travel all over the world and this is by far the best company and excursion yet! If I could give it 100 stars I would!

via Tripadvisor