Caribbean Birding Trail

Know the Caribbean, Bird by Bird

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      • Anguilla
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            • 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
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            • Los Haitises National Park: Los Limones
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You are here: Home / Dominican Republic / Southeast / Del Este National Park: Padre Nuestro Trail

Del Este National Park: Padre Nuestro Trail

  • About
  • The Birds
  • How to Get There

Del Este National Park is located at the extreme southeastern corner of Hispaniola, close to some of the island’s most popular resort areas. The park contains an extensive area of dry forest and adjoining mangrove habitat where you are likely to find White-crowned Pigeon, Hispaniolan Parrot, Mangrove Cuckoo, Hispaniolan Lizard-Cuckoo, Broad-billed Tody, Antillean Piculet, Hispaniolan Woodpecker, Stolid Flycatcher, Flat-billed Vireo, Black-whiskered Vireo, and Greater Antillean Bullfinch among other species. Being as close as it is to the all-inclusive tourist resorts that pocket this region of the Dominican Republic, you might imagine that the national park is inundated with visitors. But in reality much of the park is seldom visited as there is no good access to the center of the park. The Padre Nuestro Ecological and Archaeological Route was inaugurated in 2008 as an example of co-management between the private tourism sector (Romana-Bayahibe Hotel Association) and the national parks (SEMARENA or the Ministry of Environment).

The trail has a single trail which you must follow; interpretive guides are available.

Bayahibe (Map by Dana Gardner)
Bayahibe (Map by Dana Gardner)

Target Species

Hispaniolan Parrot, Hispaniolan Lizard- Cuckoo, Smooth- billed Ani, Antillean Mango, Vervain Hummingbird, Broad- billed Tody, Hispaniolan Woodpecker, Stolid Flycatcher, Gray Kingbird, Northern Mockingbird, Palmchat, Northern Parula, Bananaquit, Black- crowned Palm- Tanager, Greater Antillean Bullfinch

The trip from Santo Domingo to Bayahibe takes about three hours. Head east from Santo Domingo on the main coastal highway to San Pedro de Macorís, then continue on to La Romana passing over the Río Cumayasa bridge (Site D24). About 10.9 km (6.8 miles) east of the Río Cumayasa bridge, turn right at a stop light following signs for Casa de Campo and Higuey. This bypass will take you around the city of La Romana. Cross the Río Chavón, pass straight through a rotary, until arriving in 19.3 km (12 miles) at a prominent fork in the road (the “La Romana-Bayahibe fork”). Stay right and follow the signs to Bayahibe.

In less than 8.0 km (5 miles) you will see a prominent gravel road on the left; this is the short entrance road to Padre Nuestro Trail. But first, continue on the main road another 0.2 km (0.1 mile) to another fork in the road. Bear right to enter Bayahibe village (the left hand fork continues on to the all-inclusive resorts in an area known as Dominicus Americanus, and the Guaraguao entrance [Site D26]). At the next fork, in front of a small town park, bear right again into a large parking lot often filled with buses. The National Park office is here on the right side of this lot. You must purchase a ticket from this office before entering the Padre Nuestro Trail.

Del Este National Park (Map by Dana Gardner)
Del Este National Park (Map by Dana Gardner)
  • Reserve hours: 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday to Sunday
  • Entrance fee: $200 RD; $300 RD for diving
  • Telephone: 829-718-0399
  • Website: www.rutapadrenuestro.com (forthcoming)

Del Este National Park: Padre Nuestro Trail

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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