Monkey Home & Puerto Plata City Tour: Feed squirrel monkeys

Hand-feed playful squirrel monkeys, then explore Puerto Plata's colorful streets and working factories

A private, guided tour of Puerto Plata combining animal interaction at a family sanctuary with visits to the city's colonial landmarks, street markets, and food producers. You feed squirrel monkeys and hold macaws at the sanctuary, taste organic coffee and chocolate made on-site, then move through the street of parasols, pink street, central park, and the cathedral, ending with typical Dominican lunch at a family restaurant.

Step-by-step itinerary

Monkey home and Puerto Plata city tour

• Feed and play with squirrel monkeys
• Take photos with macaws
• See coffee, cocoa, and fruit plants
• Visit cigar factory and learn culture
• Enjoy panoramic view of Puerto Plata
• Explore fresh fruit market and taste juices
• Tour chocolate factory and taste products
• Walk colorful street of parasols
• Visit picturesque pink street
• See Cathedral of San Felipe
• Have typical lunch at family restaurant

The experience

The tour opens at a family sanctuary where squirrel monkeys climb onto your legs and arms looking for food. You'll have a plate of fruits and peanuts to feed them, and the chance to hold macaws for photos. After the animals, the same place offers tastings of organic coffee roasted in traditional methods and hot chocolate made from cacao grown on the property, so you see where these crops come from before you taste them.

From there the guide takes you through Puerto Plata's historic center on foot and by vehicle. The street of parasols is a narrow pedestrian path lined with 178 colorful umbrellas strung overhead. The pink street (Calle Rosada) runs past Victorian houses from the 19th century. You'll stop at the Cathedral of San Felipe, built in 1956 in modern Victorian style with stained glass windows, and pass through the fruit market where vendors sell fresh produce and make natural juices to order. A chocolate factory shows the process from cacao seed to finished bar, with samples of different varieties, and the rum factory explains how macorix is made.

Lunch is at a family-run restaurant serving typical Dominican food: rice, beans, fried plantain, salads and chicken stew offered buffet-style. The tour includes an air-conditioned private vehicle, a live guide speaking English or Spanish, soft drinks, bottled water, alcoholic beverages and WiFi in the van. The whole experience runs three to four hours.

What’s included

• Private air-conditioned vehicle with WiFi.
• live guide in English or Spanish.
• soft drinks, bottled water and alcoholic beverages.
• organic coffee and hot chocolate tasting at the sanctuary.
• chocolate factory samples.
• typical Dominican lunch at a family restaurant.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (28 to 59 years) · Senior (60 and older) · Youth (15 to 27 years) · Child (4 to 14 years) · Under 4: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

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 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleStroller-friendlyPets welcomeNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by Ismael Transfer Tours

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you're traveling with family and want animal interaction combined with city sightseeing in one outing. The private vehicle and guide mean the pace stays flexible for children, and the sanctuary stop and lunch break give the day natural rhythm instead of rushing between stops.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (15 to 27 years); Child (4 to 14 years). Children under 4 can't be included in the booking.

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.

What do you actually do with the squirrel monkeys at the sanctuary?

You feed them fruits and peanuts from a plate while they climb on your legs and arms looking for food, and you can hold macaws for photos afterward.

Does the tour include lunch, or do you eat on your own?

Lunch is included at a family restaurant serving typical Dominican food buffet-style, with rice, beans, fried plantain, salads and chicken stew.

What is the street of parasols in Puerto Plata?

The street of parasols is a colorful pedestrian path on San Felipe Street in the historic center, lined with 178 multicolored umbrellas strung overhead to create a fun, photo-friendly atmosphere.

Does the tour visit working factories, or just museums?

You visit working facilities where you see the chocolate process from cacao seed to finished bar with tastings, and the rum factory explains how macorix is made. You also taste organic coffee and hot chocolate made on the sanctuary property.