Humpback Whale Watching Tour Samaná: Whales, Island & Waterfall

Humpback whales, a Caribbean island and a 45-meter waterfall in one morning and afternoon

A full-day tour from Uvero Alto that combines three separate experiences: humpback whale watching in Samaná Bay during breeding season, a beach stop on Cayo Levantado, and a horseback ride to El Limón Waterfall with a Dominican lunch at a working ranch. The guide speaks English, Spanish, Italian, French and two additional languages. Hotel pickup is included and children from age 1 are welcome.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Cayo Levantado2h
2. El Limón Waterfall2h

Whale watching, island visit, waterfall safari

• Watch humpback whales in Samaná Bay
• Relax on Cayo Levantado beach
• Enjoy safari to El Limón Waterfall
• Have Dominican lunch at ranch
• Horseback ride to waterfall

The experience

The tour opens on the water in Samaná Bay, where humpback whales gather from January through March. You'll watch males breach, tail-wag and slap the surface, displays they use to attract females, and listen to their underwater songs. Mothers with calves move through the warm Caribbean waters alongside younger whales, and the sheer scale of these creatures, some of the largest living beings on the planet, becomes impossible to ignore once you're on the boat watching them move.

After the whale watching, the boat takes you to Cayo Levantado, a small island known locally as Bacardi Island for the palm trees that once starred in rum advertisements. The beach has powder-white sand and water so clear it looks like glass. You'll have time to swim and rest here before heading to the next stop, with snacks provided during this part of the day.

The final leg is a safari-style drive across Samaná with panoramic views of the bay, then arrival at a typical Dominican ranch. A buffet lunch awaits (Dominican food, not tourist fare) before you mount a horse for a roughly 30-minute ride through plantations toward El Limón Waterfall. The waterfall drops 45 meters into a pool of crystalline water where you can swim. The whole experience runs about six hours from pickup to return.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and round-trip transportation.
• professional guide in multiple languages.
• humpback whale watching in Samaná Bay.
• visit to Cayo Levantado island with beach time.
• Dominican buffet lunch at a ranch.
• horseback ride to El Limón Waterfall.
• snacks during the day.

Before you book

Days and timesNext departure: 20 Jan 2027

Book up to2h before

AgesAdult (18 to 70 years) · Youth (12 to 17 years) · Child (5 to 11 years) · Infant (1 to 4 years): free

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German, Italian and Russian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 27 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 9 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effort

Operated by Shelting Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you're based in Uvero Alto and want whale watching, island beach time, and a waterfall visit in one day with a single guide handling all three stops.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian and Russian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (12 to 17 years); Child (5 to 11 years); Infant (1 to 4 years): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

Can I really hear the whales singing underwater?

Yes. Male humpback whales produce complex songs during breeding season, and you'll hear these vocalizations from the boat. The males also breach and tail-wag: behaviors researchers believe are part of their mating displays.

What is Cayo Levantado like when we get there?

Cayo Levantado is a small island with a single beach of white sand and shallow turquoise water. It's a popular day-trip destination, so it will have other visitors, but you'll have time to swim and rest between the whale watching and the waterfall ride.

Do I need to be an experienced rider for the horseback part?

No. The ride to El Limón Waterfall is about 30 minutes through plantations on a gentle trail, and the tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. Children from age 1 are welcome on the full tour.

Is the Dominican lunch included, or do I pay extra?

Lunch is included. You'll eat a buffet of Dominican food at the ranch before the horseback ride, along with snacks earlier in the day during the Cayo Levantado stop.

Does the tour include hotel pickup?

Yes. Round-trip transportation from your hotel in Uvero Alto is included, along with the guide, all three attractions, lunch and the horseback ride.