Yspaniola

Pico Duarte Hike

Are you passionate about educational equity?  Do you love adventure and want to challenge yourself both mentally and physically?  We have the perfect opportunity!

This April, scale the highest peak in the Caribbean with Yspaniola! Pico Duarte is located in the Cordillera Central range and is the highest mountain in both the Dominican Republic and all of the Caribbean Islands.  Pico Duarte was first summited in 1851, and today, approximately 1,000 hikers come each month during peak season.

Participants will be led by an experienced guide, and meals, pack mules to carry supplies, tents and sleeping bags, and medical professionals on staff will be included.  The hike will last three days and three nights. After climbing Pico Duarte, participants will have the opportunity to meet Yspaniola’s staff and community members in Batey Libertad. We will also take a day trip to a beautiful Dominican beach so you can relax after your physically strenuous adventure. Participants will arrive in the Dominican Republic on April 21st and leave on April 27th.

Registration is due by April 1st, 2023 at 5PM EST. Each participant will be asked to pay a deposit of $200 and fundraise a minimum of $1,000, but we encourage you to raise even more to support the educational futures of the children of Batey Libertad!

Read more below to see the itinerary, or Register Now! 

Itinerary:
Day 1: Friday, April 21
  • Arrive to Santiago
  • Spend the afternoon in Santiago sightseeing
  • 6:30 PM Dinner at El Tablón
  • Spend the night in a hotel and get a good night’s rest. We will head out to Pico Duarte Base Camp tomorrow!
Day 2: Saturday, April 22
  • 9:00 AM Breakfast and Yspaniola trip briefing at hotel
  • 10:15 PM Visit Centro León
  • 12:15 PM Trip to grocery store to pick up snacks for the hike
  • 1:00 PM Lunch in Santiago
  • 2:45 PM Depart from Santiago
  • 4:15 PM Stop at bakery in Jarabacoa
  • 5:15 PM Travel from Jarabacoa to Manabao to meet our guide
  • 6:00 PM Transportation from Jarabacoa to Base Camp
  • 6:30 PM Pico Duarte Base Camp (1,100 meters above sea level)
  • 7:00 PM Dinner and short briefing about the next-day-hike
  • Sleep
Day 3: Sunday, April 23
  • 5:30 AM Wake up, light breakfast
  • 6:45 AM Hike from Base Camp to La Compartición Camp
    • Pico Duarte Base Camp–La Compartición Camp: 18 Kilometers/8–10 Hours
  • 3:00 PM Arrival La Compartición Camp (2,450 meters above sea level)
    • Time to take a cold but rewarding shower in the water spring
  • 6:00 PM Dinner
  • Sleep
Day 4: Monday, April 24
  • 7:00 AM Wake up
  • 8:00 AM Breakfast
  • 9:00 AM Hike from High Camp to Pico Duarte Summit (3,087 meters above sea level)
    • La Compartición–Pico Duarte: 5 Kilometers/2 Hours
  • 11:30 AM PICO DUARTE SUMMIT
  • 12:30 PM Hike from Summit to High Camp
    • Pico Duarte–La Compartición: 5 Kilometers/1 ½ hours
  • 2:30 PM High Camp
  • 3:00 PM Lunch
  • 7:00 PM Dinner
Day 5: Tuesday, April 25
  • 6:00 AM Wake up
  • 6:30 AM Breakfast
  • 7:00 AM Hike from High Camp to Base Camp
    • La Compartición Camp–Pico Duarte Base Camp: 18 Kilometers/6 Hours
  • 1:00 PM Arrival Base Camp and lunch
  • 2:00 PM Transportation from Base Camp to Jarabacoa
  • 4:30 PM Bus from Jarabacoa to Santiago
  • 6:30 PM Arrival Santiago
  • 7:20 PM Arrival to hotel
  • 7:30 PM Dinner in Santiago 
  • Spend the night at hotel
Day 6: Wednesday, April 26
  • 8:00 AM Breakfast at hotel
  • 9:00 AM Drive to Batey Libertad
  • 10:00 AM Meet Yspaniola staff and students and see our facilities (office, Learning Center, Preschool)
  • 11:30 PM Lunch with host families
  • 12:45 PM Go to Playa Ensenada for the afternoon
  • 5:30 PM Eat dinner on the beach
  • 6:30 PM Drive back to Santiago
  • Spend the night at hotel in Santiago
Day 7: Thursday, April 27
  • Flight home!

To sign up, fill out this google form.  For more information or to discuss details of the hike itself, contact info@yspaniola.org.