Jen's Updates: DR: Day 3 (Part 1) ~ 27 Charcos

This was definitely our favorite thing to do in the Dominican Republic. If we ever went back again - I would want to do it again (and again, and again, and again.) So 27 Charcos means 27 Waterfalls. The twenty seven waterfalls of Rio Damajagua are all located within a close distance of one another - so close in fact that you can hike up to and jump off or slide down all 27 Waterfalls within three or four hours.

As often as I travel, I never seize to be amazing with the natural creations on this Earth. These waterfalls were just as amazing. They were perfectly molded for jumps and more impressively for sliding. (We slide down the completely smooth rocks like some well-designed water park slide.) So anyway, here is our journey at 27 Charcos.

We started by hiking approximately 45 minutes to the highest (27th) waterfall. We started around 1 in the afternoon. We were the only ones in our group (which is always nice) so there were 8 of us tourists plus our 2 guides. While it was hot and humid - the hike was very pretty and just made us more excited to jump into the water.

At the 27th waterfall there was a spring. They told us to wash our hands in the water and then drink it. I figured, how many times am I going to get the chance to drink out of spring in the Dominican Republic? So I drank. It was so refreshing (and I never did get sick from it).

At the first waterfall we would be jumping off that day. From here you see the source of Rio Damajagua.

Yep, on this next one I had to plug my nose - don't want to be drowning in the Dominican Republic with my life jacket on :)

The Natural Pool:

They say that this is the most beautiful of all the waterfalls, while it is pretty, I think there were others I thought were more beautiful. The Natural Pool got its name because it has characteristics that resemble a real pool (go figure).

Next up, the Taino waterfall:

This waterfall is named for the rock formation that resembles a makeshift hut where Taino Indians used to live, according to local folklore.

It was a perfectly crafted natural water slide. Well done Mother Earth.

The Jaiba:

This pool, with its crystalline water, is named for the fresh water crabs that can be found living in a crack in the rock wall.

The Hammock:

About 16 years ago, a large vine hung from the tree canopy above the river that looked like a hammock. Tourists who made it up this far would swing out over the water for a breathtaking ride. The hammock wasn't there when we went to visit, but I'm sure the swing was a great adventure.

Flor's Fall. Another great water fall for jumping.

Flor's Fall is named because of Flor Trejo, an old farmer who used to have a small plantation on one of the mountainsides near Rio Damajagua. Legend has it that one day he went to visit his favorite waterfall carrying a bundle of bananas. As he was walking over a fallen tree to avoid getting wet, he slipped, and instead of dropping the bananas to stay dry, he brought them with him to the bottom of the waterfall. Only problem was he didn't know how to swim and almost drowned.

Randy jumping in:

Below: Looking at our tour guide from inside a small waterfall.

The water in this area is separated into two different levels: hot on the bottom and cold on the top.

I loved this area of the Rio Damajagua. It reminded me a lot of Minnetonka Cave at Bear Lake. A cave with crazy formations due to water dripping. It was pretty to swim alongside and enjoy.

The Crystal is the 8th waterfall from the end. To get to where you jump you walk along a ledge and hang on to a rope. You jump from approximately 20 feet in to the clear blue water below. Only 4 of our 8 member team decided to jump, the rest were able to adventure down the waterfall on their behinds making it yet another fun filled waterslide :)

Heading to the caves:

The Cave. I so wish that I would have had my camera for this part (I know you are probably thinking - what!? where did all these pictures come from if you didn't have your camera!? The guides... bless their hearts, they were so helpful. They would take my camera to take pictures for us, and then they would run off a head and I didn't get to take all the pictures I wanted - ya, I was sad.). The Cave has tons and tons of waterfalls that you walk under. I didn't get a single picture - well okay - this one below but you can't see all the waterfalls you have to walk under. Anyway, it was amazing and while I don't have a photo of my favorite spot - I hope I will always be able to remember how beautiful it was.

T.O.Y.S. Water fall Slide. I am not at all what T.O.Y.S. stands for, but they say: "This innocent looking waterfall has the tendency to make some tourists a little red in the face. You might want to tie up that swimsuit tight..."

The Corkscrew Water fall slide. This one was a blast. The rocks/water fall actually slide so you have to shift your body and turn in order to make it from top to bottom without crashing.

The bottom (where we were dumped):

Me at the top of the corkscrew:

Mike at the top of the Corkscrew:

La Tinajita (below) is what they call the perfect waterslide. Can you totally see why?

"La Tinajita" is a natural water slide that pours you into pool over 20 feet deep, this waterfall is one of the most exciting. It gets its name because it resembles a container that farmers who once lived in the mountains used to store water called a tinaja.

Sad. The first waterfall (meaning the last). It is named "The Virgin." It was a slide instead of a jump.

It's called "The Virgin" because legend has it that the Taino Indians who used to inhabit the area built a statue of the Virgin Saint of the Dominican Republic, Altagracia. Unfortunately, the passage of time has completely destroyed any trace of their handiwork. The beautiful waterfall, however, has survived.