How to book excursions in Punta Cana: where, when and how to pay

Booking an excursion in Punta Cana is easy. What changes the price and the experience is where you book it, when, and how you pay. Here are the answers to what travelers ask most before booking, with the facts from Jhoraji Tours, a local operator in Punta Cana.

Prices per person taken from each tour page on November 10, 2026. Check the price on the linked page before booking.

How much do excursions cost in Punta Cana?

Between US$35 and US$140 per person with Jhoraji Tours, with hotel pickup included. Half-day trips start at US$35 and full-day trips with lunch at US$65.

The only exception is the private safari: US$350 per group of up to 8 people. Tips (optional), photos and, except where there is an open bar, alcoholic drinks are extra. The full list is in the guide to excursions and prices.

Should I book excursions before going to Punta Cana or once I am there?

Before you travel, at least for the ones you care about most: you choose the day calmly, compare prices and do not depend on what is left. With Jhoraji Tours there is little at risk: you can pay on the day of the activity and cancel free of charge up to 48 hours before.

Book ahead especially in three cases:

• Whale season (January 15 to March 31) and high-demand dates such as Christmas and Easter.
• Small groups: Saona Island VIP takes up to 20 people, Ojos Indígenas up to 15 and Scuba Doo up to 12.
• Short stays: with three or four days, arrive with your plan made so you do not lose a morning organizing it.

Put sea excursions in the first days: if sea conditions force a change, you will have room to move them. For the rest, write as soon as you know your dates and availability is confirmed by WhatsApp.

Where is the best place to book excursions in Punta Cana: the resort, an online platform or a local operator?

All three work. What changes is who acts as the middleman and who you talk to if something comes up: the most direct way is to book with the local operator that runs the excursion.

With Jhoraji Tours you book directly from each tour page or by WhatsApp. Avoid buying from street or beach vendors with no identifiable company behind them: if something goes wrong, there is nobody to complain to.

How do I pay for an excursion? Do I have to pay in advance?

You book online or by WhatsApp and then receive a payment link for a 20% deposit. If you prefer not to pay in advance, say so and pay on the day of the activity.

Prices are in US dollars and per person, with two exceptions: the private safari (US$350 per group of up to 8 people) and the private transfer (US$35 per vehicle for up to 4 people).

To book you are asked for the date, the number of people and the name of your hotel or the address of your Airbnb. If you later have to cancel, the terms are in what happens if it rains or you have to cancel.

Is pickup from my hotel or Airbnb included?

Yes. On every Jhoraji Tours excursion the price includes pickup from your hotel or Airbnb in Punta Cana and Bávaro, and the ride back at the end.

Give the name of your hotel when you book and be ready about 10 minutes before the agreed time.

Pickup time depends on the excursion. Full-day trips start early: Samaná and the whale trip pick you up between 6:00 and 7:30 am, Saona Island between 6:30 and 7:15 am and Catalina Island between 6:30 and 7:30 am. The zipline and fishing have a morning and an afternoon shift.

If you are staying outside Punta Cana, there are departures from Bayahibe, Miches, Samaná, Santo Domingo and Puerto Plata.

What is included in an excursion and what costs extra?

Usually round-trip transport from your hotel and a guide; on full-day trips, lunch too. Tips, photos and alcoholic drinks where there is no open bar are extra.

Some examples of what each tour page lists:

• Saona Island: transfers, catamaran or speedboat ride, buffet lunch with drinks and a visit to Mano Juan.
• Catalina Island: snorkel gear, buffet lunch and local drinks.
• Party Boat: open bar of local drinks and snorkel gear.
• Buggy: shared buggy, a swim in a cave, coffee and cacao tasting and Macao Beach.
• Saona Island VIP: also the national park entrance fee.

Each tour page lists what is and is not included: read it before booking.

Is it safe to do excursions in Punta Cana with a local operator?

Yes, if you choose an established company. Organized excursions with hotel pickup, a guide and safety equipment are the simplest way to leave the resort.

Before booking, check four things:

1. That the company is identifiable: an office, a phone number and reviews under its name on Google or TripAdvisor.
2. That the price and what it includes are in writing before you pay.
3. That there is safety equipment: helmets for buggies, ziplines and horses, and life jackets for sea activities.
4. The restrictions of each activity: minimum age, maximum weight or whether it is advised against during pregnancy. They are summed up in this table.

Jhoraji Tours is an inbound tour operator with an office in Punta Cana. On Google and TripAdvisor it is listed as Jhoraji Tour Operador, and on some booking platforms as Jhoraji Adventures: it is the same company. Even so, travel with insurance that covers adventure activities, as official travel advisories recommend.

What happens if it rains or I have to cancel my excursion?

A shower usually changes nothing: rain tends to be brief and land excursions go ahead. If bad weather forces a cancellation, you can change the date free of charge or get a full refund.

The tour pages of Saona Island VIP, Montaña Redonda and whale watching warn that the itinerary is subject to the weather and the sea. When the authorities close navigation because of bad weather, boat trips do not run that day: that is why it pays to put sea excursions at the start of your trip.

If you are the one who cancels, this is the Jhoraji Tours policy:

More on the weather in the guide to the best time to visit.

Shared or private excursion: which should I choose?

Most are shared: you go with other travelers and pay per person, which is the cheapest way. Private trips suit families and groups who want to go at their own pace.

The maximum group size is on each tour page: for example, 20 people on Saona Island VIP and 50 on the classic Saona Island trip.

Private options listed:

• Private rural safari: US$350 per group of up to 8 people.
• Ojos Indígenas with private transport: US$120 per person.
• Private transfer: US$35 per vehicle for up to 4 people.

Any other excursion can also be arranged privately: ask for a price by WhatsApp.

What languages are the excursions in?

Jhoraji Tours has guides in Spanish, English, French, German, Italian and Russian. You request the language when they contact you after you book.

Some tour pages state it explicitly: the Cultural Safari has a guide in Spanish, English and French, and whale watching a bilingual guide in Spanish and English.

For the less common languages, book ahead: that makes it easier to have a guide available on your date.

How much should I tip guides and drivers in Punta Cana?

Tips are not included and are optional. As a reference, a suitable tip for the guide is US$5 to US$10 on a full-day excursion, and a little less on half-day trips. It does not have to be per person.

Carry small bills, in dollars or Dominican pesos: it is easier than asking for change.

At restaurants outside your hotel, the bill already adds a 10% service charge by law, on top of the 18% tax (ITBIS). If the service was good, it is customary to leave a little more in cash.

Ready to book? Choose from the excursions and their prices, see the 3, 5 and 7-day plan or go through the 50 most common questions about Punta Cana.