3 Things Most Families Don't Know About Our Dominican Republic Trip
The Dominican Republic trip is a 14-day high school program for students completing grades 9 to 12.
The trip is built around two service stretches in and near San Pedro de Macorís: community infrastructure projects in the bateyes, followed by public health outreach with a local NGO. Around that work, students spend time in Santo Domingo’s Colonial Zone, visit Cueva de las Maravillas, swim at Juan Dolio, sail to Isla Saona, snorkel at Playa Magallanes, and swim at Hoyo Claro.
Here are three things families may not know before reading the full itinerary.
1. The trip starts with context before service begins
Day 2 is not a work day.
It is a learning day.
Students travel to San Pedro de Macorís to learn about one of the island’s first settlements and the start of the sugar industry. They visit a local museum to learn about the cocolos, African-descended migrants who worked in the sugar fields, and have lunch at Rincón Cocolo, a restaurant preserving cocolo cuisine.
In the afternoon, the group meets service partners, visits the bateyes, and hears directly from local residents about the challenges they face.
That order matters.
Students do not arrive and begin work without context. They first learn more about the history, community, and people connected to the projects they will support.
2. The first service stretch focuses on community infrastructure
Days 3 to 5 are community service days in the bateyes, sugar worker communities around San Pedro de Macorís.
Students work alongside local partners on infrastructure projects aimed at improving living conditions. Depending on the stage of the project, the group may dig foundations, mix and pour cement, lay cinder blocks, paint, plaster, help with latrines or floors, or lead educational exchanges with local kids.
We want to be clear about the framing.
Students are not arriving as experts or taking over a project. Local partners lead the work. Community members are part of the process. RLT students contribute time, effort, and attention to projects already in motion.
That is service done with more care.
3. The second service stretch focuses on public health
Days 8 to 10 are public health service days in the bateyes.
The group partners with a local NGO to support community health initiatives. Students may help weigh and measure children, distribute vitamins, and run health workshops for youth.
This is not a medical trip.
Students are not diagnosing, treating, or making clinical decisions. They are supporting a partner’s outreach work and learning more about the public health challenges the region faces.
Reflection is part of these days too. The itinerary includes public health case studies to help students better understand what they are seeing and learning.
The Dominican Republic trip includes 25 to 35 service hours.
The cultural and outdoor days give students time to process
The service work is the center of the trip, but the non-service days matter too.
Day 1 is arrival in Santo Domingo, a walk through the Colonial Zone, and a traditional Dominican dinner and dance show.
Day 6 is a guided tour through Cueva de las Maravillas, a cave system with ancient Taíno rock art.
Day 7 is a beach day in Juan Dolio, with time to swim, play games, and rest on the southern coast.
Day 11 is a catamaran to Isla Saona, with turquoise water, palm-lined beaches, snorkeling, and time along the coast.
Day 12 includes snorkeling at Playa Magallanes and a swim at Hoyo Claro, a freshwater jungle swimming hole.
Day 13 brings the group back to Santo Domingo for shops, galleries, street life in the Colonial Zone, a final dinner at Maison Kreyol, and reflection on the two weeks together.
Day 14 is travel home.
The trip has full service days, but it also has space between them. Students work, learn, swim, rest, ask questions, and keep moving through the country with more context.
What families should know before applying
Trip length and grade range. This is a 14-day trip for high school students completing grades 9 to 12.
Tuition. $6,295 for our 2026 Dominican Republic trip.
Service hours. 25 to 35 hours of service work.
Location. The trip travels through Santo Domingo, San Pedro de Macorís, the bateyes, Juan Dolio, Bayahibe, Isla Saona, Playa Magallanes, and Hoyo Claro.
Travel. Families book flights to and from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. We use SDQ as the gateway airport. Do not book flights until RLT sends the official travel windows.
Escorted flight option. An optional group flight with an RLT leader is available.
Accommodations. Students stay in rustic hotels for 3 nights and at a volunteer center for 10 nights. Rooms are shared and organized by gender. In some locations, students use sleeping bags on provided mattresses or pads.
Bathrooms and showers. Bathrooms range from flush toilets to more basic facilities. Short showers are available every 1 to 2 days.
Food. All meals are prepared by local partners and shared with the community. Students help with prep and cleanup on rotation, supporting hosts with kitchen tasks and meal setup. Meals reflect local flavors, including rice and beans, plantains, fresh fruit, grilled meats, and Cocolo-inspired dishes.
Dietary needs. RLT can accommodate dietary needs, including vegetarian, gluten-free, nut-free, vegan, dairy-free, and allergies.
Packing. RLT recommends one checked soft duffel bag, not a rolling suitcase, plus a small carry-on backpack. Students bring personal clothing, toiletries, and individual gear. RLT provides group gear and specialized activity equipment needed for the trip.
Passport. A valid passport is required and must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the return date.
Trip insurance. Trip insurance is required for international programs.
Vaccinations. Expect that no specific shots are required beyond routine immunizations based on current CDC guidelines. Families should make sure students are up to date on routine vaccinations, including a tetanus booster within the past 10 years, and check with a pediatrician before international travel.
Phones. This program is phone-free. Leaders collect phones and personal electronics on Day 1 and return them at the end. Digital cameras and GoPros are welcome as long as they do not connect to the internet.
Questions families often ask
Is this a construction trip?
Partly. Days 3 to 5 focus on community infrastructure projects in the bateyes. The work may include digging foundations, mixing and pouring cement, laying cinder blocks, painting, plastering, latrines, floors, or educational exchanges with local kids.
Is this a medical trip?
No. Days 8 to 10 focus on public health outreach with a local NGO. Students may help weigh and measure children, distribute vitamins, and run health workshops for youth, but they are not providing medical care or making clinical decisions.
Does my teen need Spanish experience?
No language is required for our Dominican Republic trip. Dominican Republic is one of our Spanish Immersion programs, so students should be open to listening, trying phrases, and learning through daily interactions.
Where do students sleep?
Students stay in rustic hotels for 3 nights and a volunteer center for 10 nights. Rooms are shared and organized by gender. In some locations, students use sleeping bags on provided mattresses or pads.
Will this trip feel heavy for students?
Students will learn about communities facing difficult challenges, and the trip gives them structure for that. Day 2 starts with history and community context before the service begins. Reflection is built into the public health stretch, and leaders are with the group throughout the trip.
How to talk to your teen about this trip
Before they go, you might say:
“You’ll spend two weeks in the Dominican Republic with a high school group. You’ll learn about the history of the sugar industry and the cocolos, work on community infrastructure projects in the bateyes, support public health outreach with a local NGO, visit caves with Taíno rock art, swim at beaches and Hoyo Claro, sail to Isla Saona, and be off your phone.”
After they come home, ask:
“What did you learn before the service work started?”
“What did your group help with in the bateyes?”
“What did the public health days involve?”
“What did you notice at Cueva de las Maravillas?”
“What was Isla Saona like?”
Explore the Dominican Republic trip
For dates, tuition, itinerary, accommodations, packing details, paperwork, and the technology policy, see the full Dominican Republic itinerary.