Caribbean Birding Trail

Know the Caribbean, Bird by Bird

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    • Interpretive Guide Training
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    • Countries A-I
      • Anguilla
        • Cove Pond
        • Dog Island
        • East End Pond
        • Forest Bay Pond
        • Katouche Canyon
        • Long Pond
        • Meads Bay Pond
        • Merrywing Pond System
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            • Del Este National Park: Saona Island
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You are here: Home / Dominican Republic / Central Mountain Range / Pico Diego de Ocampo, Santiago

Pico Diego de Ocampo, Santiago

  • About
  • The Birds
  • How to Get There

Diego de Ocampo lies 15 km (9.3 mile) north of Santiago, and is the highest peak in the Cordillera Septentrional. The forest here is dense and the trail is narrow and very steep. Look for the suite of birds to change as you continue to climb higher. The Pico Diego de Ocampo Natural Monument is managed by the local environmental organization, the Sociedad Ecológica del Cibao or SOECI.

Reservations and guides are required to walk through the Diego de Ocampo. SOECI has a trained group of at least 25 guides who will be happy to accommodate the birdwatchers needs. Generally one starts walking at the first trail entrance; from here it is 3.5 km (2.2 miles) to the top of the mountain. The dense forest can make it difficult to see some birds, but if you walk quietly you will find birds in and along the trail, and forest openings provide other opportunities for birding. At the summit, you will have a view of the entire valley of the Cibao, and to the north you can see the Atlantic and the harbor at Puerto Plata. The descent from the summit is not the same as the ascent; generally you will descend an even steeper trail, 1.5 km (0.9 miles) to the visitor center at Manacla.

Target species include Turkey Vulture, American Kestrel, Scaly-naped Pigeon, Ruddy Quail- Dove, Hispaniolan Parakeet, Hispaniolan Parrot, Hispaniolan Lizard- Cuckoo, Antillean Palm- Swift, Broad- billed Tody, Black- whiskered Vireo, Rufous- throated Solitaire, Greater Antillean Bullfinch.

From Santo Domingo take the Autopista Duarte to Santiago; this will take approximately 2 hours. As you get close to the center of town and see the prominent monument at the top of the hill, look for signs for Puerto Plata and a major right-hand turn on Av. Estrella Sadhala. This road will lead you north and around the city. After going through the first traffic light, elect to take the elevated portion of the road to cross several busy streets. After passing Cerro Alto and a Texaco station, and going under a footbridge, you will reach a prominent corner with a technical school on your right and an Esso station on the far right corner. Take the right turn here for Jacagua on the Carretera Jacagua. This road continues for about 3 km (1.9 miles) in some very crowded barrio streets, and continues thru Los Cocos. After 2 km (1.2 miles) the road becomes steeper and passes thru Cuesta de Quinigua. At 4 km (2.5 miles) look for a large wooden carved sign for the “Proyecto La Loma” on your right. This marks the entrance to the walking trail. Driving on from this first trail entrance, continue on for about 10 km (6.2 miles), passing thru Pinché. About 1 km (0.6 miles) further on is the Manacla visitor center. It is down a only slightly passable lane on your left.

From Puerto Plata and the north coast, you will arrive at a large congested round about or rotunda just north of Santiago where many bus routes have their stops. Follow this rotunda around, passing the branch road to the city center, and then take the branch to Av. Estrella Sadhalá heading south. After passing a Ferreteria Ochoa, take the left turn for Jacagua on the Carretera Jacagua and follow the driving directions above.

  • Entrance fee: yes
  • Address: Sociedad Ecológica del Cibao (SOECI), Calle de la Restauración #116, Santiago de los Caballeros
  • Telephone: 809-247-3833
  • E-mail: [email protected]
  • Website: www.soeci.org

Pico Diego de Ocampo, Santiago

Dominican Republic Sites

Constanza and Valle Nuevo

Ebano Verde Reserve

Hatillo

Jarabacoa with Armando Bermúdez and José del Carmen Ramírez National Parks

La Joya de San Francisco

Loma Quita Espuela

Pico Diego de Ocampo, Santiago

Bávaro

Cumayasa

Del Este National Park: Boca de Yuma

Del Este National Park: Guaraguao

Del Este National Park: Padre Nuestro Trail

Del Este National Park: Saona Island

Ecological Foundation Trail, Punta Cana

Limón Lagoon

Los Haitises National Park: Caño Hondo

Los Haitises National Park: Los Limones

Monte Plata

Aguacate and Zapotén

Cabo Rojo and Pedernales

Cabral Lagoon

Cachote, Eastern Bahoruco

Jimaní

Lake Enriquillo

Loma Charco Azul

Oviedo Lagoon, Jaragua National Park

Puerto Alejandro and Tortuguero

Rabo de Gato and Puerto Escondido

Los Arroyos, Sierra de Bahoruco National Park

Cayos Siete Hermanos

El Limón, Samaná

Estero Hondo

Loma Guaconejo

Loma Isabel de Torres, Puerto Plata

Monte Cristi and Saladilla

Nalga de Maco National Park, Río Limpio

Samaná

Las Salinas de Baní

Mirador del Norte Park

National Botanical Garden

Ozama Wetlands

Partners in the Dominican Republic

  • Grupo Acción Ecológica
  • La Sociedad Ornitológica de la Hispaniola (SOH)
  • National Aviary

With special thanks to our partners at the Ruta Barrancoli

Ruta Barrancoli logo


Dominican Republic Tour Operators

  • Cúa Birding
  • Explora Ecotour
  • Miguel A. Landestoy T., Independent Guide
  • Tody Tours
  • Wildside Nature Tours

Bird Checklists

Click here to download a pamphlet-sized year-round checklist for Dominican Republic.

Recommended Field Guides

Birds of the Dominican Republic and Haiti by Steven Latta, Christopher Rimmer, Allan Keith, James Wiley, Herbert A. Raffaele, Kent McFarland, and Eladio Fernandez

Aves de la República Dominicana y Haití by Steven Latta, Christopher Rimmer, Allan Keith, James Wiley, Herbert A. Raffaele, Kent McFarland, and Eladio Fernandez

Ruta Barrancolí: A Bird-finding Guide to the Dominican Republic by Steven C. Latta and Kate J. Wallace

Birds of the West Indies by Herbert Raffaele, James Wiley, Orlando Garrido, Allan Keith, and Janis Raffaele

Want to know how you can be involved?

Do you know of a place that should be part of the Caribbean Birding Trail? Are you the owner of a lodge or hotel and want to attract eco-tourists? Are you a guide interested in the birdwatching market? Then, get involved with our project!

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