Private Half Day Tour in Dominican Republic with Local Guide
Overview
Available languages
Mobile ticket
Get to know the architecture and customs of Higüey with this excursion from Punta Cana. You will also discover how tobacco is grown by visiting an agricultural plantation!
We will first visit a tobacco factory. Do you know how this typical product is made? We will learn about the main techniques in this artisan house that has been making cigars by hand for generations. It will surprise you!
The next stop will be the Basilica-Cathedral of Our Lady of La Altagracia. This modern sanctuary, located in the heart of Higüey, is dedicated to one of the virgins most revered by Dominicans. During the visit to the temple we will appreciate its unique architecture.
We will continue the excursion in the Higüey Market, where we will see the great variety of exotic fruits in its stalls. Then we will go to the San Dionisio Sanctuary. Do you know the link between this temple and the Virgin of La Altagracia? We'll find out!
Additional Info
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Specialized infant seats are available
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
What To Expect
Punta Cana
It all starts with pickup at the hotel to head to our first stop.
Our first stop will be the coffee and cocoa plantation where you can see the process of making these products and at the same time you can taste it. Near the plantation we will visit a family where we can see how the locals live in the Dominican countryside.
Options
Tour with pickup in Cap Cana
from hotels in Cap Cana: Exclusive service for clients in Cap Cana. Price includes additional private transfer due to geographical distance Pickup included
Tour with pickup in Punta Can
Punta Cana Hotels: This option is available for Punta Cana, Bavaro, Macau and Uvero Alto (not applicable for Cap Cana) Pickup included
What‘s Included
See how coffee, cocoa and cigars are made, and you can make your own cigar
Stop at the market to take your memories of Punta Cana.
Vehicle with air conditioning and wifi on board
Visit to de Cafe plantation, Cocoa and cigar factory.
Visit the Basilica of Higüey and the church San Dionisio
Professional Private Guide
Visit a typical Dominican house
tips
Lunch (available with extra price)
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Reviews
53 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Wonderful Cultural Tour
H2615BVconniel,Jun 5, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Our tour began with being picked up at our hotel in a spacious air-conditioned van. Our tour guide, Edwin Jr, spoke English very well. He provided lots of information about the local area and answered any questions that we had. He let us know several times that this was our trip and we could customize how we wished. We followed their standard tour except we cut out the cigar portion as we were not interested in that. We started by visiting a local plantation where the owner showed us a variety of plants and fruits that were grown there (coconut, pineapple, bananas, vanilla beans, coffee beans, cacao and many more). We got to see how coffee beans and cacao were dried, de-shelled and then prepared for transportation for processing. We got to see the home, and enjoyed fresh coffee and chocolate drink. The next stop was the local marketplace where we stopped to purchase some souvenirs and see how the locals live daily. We drove by the Church of San Dionisio and stopped to take photos and get a closer look. There was unfortunately mass going on at the time so we were unable to go inside. We next went to the Basilica of Our Lady of Altragracia. This church was beautiful and we has a tour from a Basilica tour guide who took photos of us outside of the Basilica and also obtained a photo of the Our Lady of Altragracia painting located in the Basilica. Our tour ended with a drive back to our hotel (about 45 minutes from Higuey. This was a great tour, nice transportation (Edwin even had bottles of water in a cooler in case we wanted a drink) and good communication. I would definitely recommend this tour.
Great cultural excursion
tc0rnwell,Jun 5, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Don’t hesitate to book this excursion. My group of 12 really enjoyed this excursion. We enjoyed seeing the cathedral and the trip to the countryside. We felt like the stops weren’t long and drawn out like most tours and were just the right amount of time. We especially silly enjoyed visiting Rancho Real and watching people roll cigars and being able to roll and take some home ourselves. We opted to pay additional fee to add on lunch. The lunch stop was at the typical house and our group said it was the best meal they had. The house was very clean. The only thing to note was they had a cat so if you are fearful or have allergies take note of that. I would recommend this tour to anyone looking to book.
Simply the best !
jdais72,Mar 1, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I am Greek travel agent and i had to organize a private city tour in Punta Cana for my clients.I choose this tour operator because of the highly rated reviews. Edwin Junior took them souvenir shopping, and at the cigar factory, they were shown the cigar-making process .They also tasted different local rums and enjoyed a local meal (a real local lunch). Then he took them to a coffee and cacao plantation where they tasted local coffee and chocolate and learned how each product is made. After that, they went to a local shop where they sampled local beer and chatted with locals. Finally, in the city, they showed them the local market, churches, and cathedral. My clients were very happy, which was my goal.
Dominican Culture tour.
L1548YXleea,Jan 9, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The tour was amazing and very informative. We had a blast and the driver spent time explaining and helping us to experience the culture of the Dominican Republic. Edwin was terrific. I recommend him highly.
Really Great Time
hannahlJ8908MF,Oct 6, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Our guide was awesome, this was our favorite part of our trip, if you're thinking about doing this tour, just do it! You won't regret it. It's the best and safest way to get an authentic experience.
Great learning opportunity
Ella D,Oct 4, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Johal was super lovely! It was just me and my mom and he gave us such an amazing tour of the city and all the stops. He always explained where we were and what was happening outside our window. The only thing I would’ve liked is if he had water as we ran out otherwise I would 100% recommend. I got to see and learn so much!
Half Day Private tour Punta Cana 7/ 2025
mbspence622,Jul 11, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Scheduling tour was effortless; convenient and professional. Our tour guide Silverio picked us up at our hotel promptly and our half day tour of Punta Cana was perfect ! Silverio was kind, professional, attentive and knowledgeable!
Great way to see the local community
argyrop892,Apr 30, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We spent a half day with our tour guide Silverio and we had a blast! He was very experienced and funny and really showed us and explained to us how the locals live. He went the extra mile by giving us traditional delicacies to try and we had much fun chatting with him on the van. The tour lasted in total ~4,5h and there were a lot of activities included. * the country has a strong tipping culture, so be prepared to spend some extra bucks on tips I would definitely recommend this tour and Silverio in particular.
Our favorite day in Punta Cana!
TwoFriendsTravel,Mar 23, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had the best time on this tour. Edwin was a blast to hang out with and we felt safe the entire time. We learned so much about Punta Cana and DR. He also made sure we saw exactly what we wanted to and asked at each stop if we wanted to spend time there or go somewhere else. Highly recommend getting out of the resort for a day and seeing what life is really like on the island. We would not hesitate to book with Summit again.
The BEST family excursion in Punta Cana!
karlrS6594ZF,Feb 25, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We did the Half Day Tour in Punta Cana with Summit and everyone of us can't say enough great things about the tour. Our guide Edwin was amazing! He was entertaining, knowledgeable, and so personable. This is probably the 6th time I have done this type of tour here, and it was by far the best. I am so glad my family got to experience this excursion with this group. It was nice to be exposed to the real DR culture, not feel pressured to buy things. Our driver Yerlin was excellent too! His safe driving was greatly appreciated by my wife! He also took so many pictures for us a emailed/texted them all to us. I will be recommending this tour with Summit to any of my friends that go to Punta Cana.
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Operated by SUMMIT PUNTA CANA TOURS AND TRANSFER