Courage Travels
Your DMC in the Dominican Republic.Courage Travels is a boutique destination management company based on the North Coast of the Dominican Republic. We design and operate curated multi-day programs, incentive travel and exclusive retreats.
What we do
Tailor-Made Programs. Personal Service.
One Expert on the Ground.
Curated Round Trips
Multi-day programs designed for discerning travelers — handpicked boutique hotels, experienced private guides and experiences you won't find in any catalog. The Dominican Republic as your clients have never seen it.
Incentive Travel
Give your top performers an experience they'll never forget. Private excursions, exclusive beach dinners, tailor-made group activities — we plan, organize, curate and accompany everything personally.
Retreats & Wellness
The North Coast is one of the Caribbean's best-kept secrets for wellness and nature retreats. We design intimate, thoughtfully crafted programs for small groups seeking genuine rest, nature and reconnection.
WHY COURAGE TRAVELS?
A Different Kind of DMC
Most DMCs in the Dominican Republic are based in Punta Cana or Santo Domingo. Courage Travels is not. Our home is the Puerto Plata region on the North Coast and this is our territory. We know every boutique hotel, every hidden waterfall, every corner of this region and every local guide worth trusting.
What sets us apart is a combination no other DMC can offer: local knowledge built over more than 20 years, combined with the professionalism and quality standards you'd expect from a Swiss-trained operator.
North Coast Specialists
Puerto Plata, Sosúa, Cabarete, Monte Cristi, we know the North Coast inside out. These are destinations many DMCs rarely include.
Swiss Quality Standards
Swiss by birth, trained in Swiss hospitality. Reliability, precision and an uncompromising attention to quality, even in the Caribbean.
Trilingual
German, English and Spanish, fluent in all three. Communication between you, your clients and our local partners is always smooth and clear.
Boutique by Conviction
We deliberately stay small. That means you always have a direct line to the founder. Personal, committed and without intermediaries.
WHO WE ARE
On the Ground.
On Your Side.
Lara Fischer, founder of Courage Travels, is Swiss, with a university degree in Hospitality and Events Management and knows the Dominican Republic like few others. She grew up on the North Coast, attended Dominican schools, and has spent over 20 years learning the language, the culture and the rhythms of this country from the inside. What makes her truly unique is what she brings together: the warmth and fluency of a local, and the precision and professionalism of a Swiss-trained hospitality expert.
When you work with Courage Travels, you work directly with Lara, from the first inquiry to the last transfer.
Sample Itinerary
One Itinerary. Endless Ways to Make It Yours.
The Magical North
8 Days · 7 Nights · North Coast Dominican Republic
A private journey through the Dominican Republic's wild, unhurried north, curated for those who travel to discover, not just to arrive.
Arrival — You land in Puerto Plata and a cold welcome drink is already waiting. Your private transfer takes you through vibrant Dominican neighborhoods to Natura Cabana, your boutique base on the shores of Sosúa. The North Coast begins tonight.
Day 1 — Lagoons & Coast — Glide through the emerald mangrove tunnels of Laguna Gri-Gri by private boat, swim beneath the lush green cliffs and swaying palms of Playa Grande, and dive into the crystal-clear natural pool of Laguna Dudu. Three of the North Coast's most breathtaking natural wonders in a single day.
Day 2 — Into the Wild — Leave the map behind. A private offroad jeep takes you deep into the Dominican interior, through remote villages and jungle trails, to a hidden waterfall that most visitors to this island will never find.
Day 3 — Adventure & Culture — Canyon through the cascading pools of Damajagua, fly above the jungle canopy on a zipline, then walk the Victorian streets of Puerto Plata, a city that surprises every guest who takes the time to look.
Day 4 — History & Nature — Visit Monkey Home for an unexpected encounter with playful squirrel monkeys, then stand at La Isabela, the very place where Christopher Columbus established the first European settlement in the Americas in 1493. The afternoon belongs to the turquoise, movie-like beach of Punta Rucia.
Day 5 — Wild Northwest — Monte Cristi sits at the far edge of the Dominican Republic, where few tourists ever venture. Hike El Morro, a dramatic flat-topped mountain rising straight from the sea, then board a private boat through the untouched mangrove channels of Monte Cristi National Park. The journey takes you to the Gran Grossier, a beautiful shallow sandbank rising from the ocean floor where you can step off the boat and stand in the middle of the open sea, water at your hips.
Day 6 — Island Escape — A private catamaran takes you to Paradise Island, where the water is so clear you can count the fish beneath you. Snorkel the reef, swim in the shallows, and let the afternoon slow down completely.
Departure — The morning is yours. A last swim, a last coffee, a last look at the coast, then your private transfer to the airport.
Every transfer private. Every guide hand-selected. Every detail arranged before you ask. This is the Dominican Republic beyond the resort fence, and Courage Travels is your key to it.
WHO IS TRAVELING?
Travel Agencies
We work closely with professional travel agencies and tour operators across Europe and America. Net rates, dedicated support and a personal point of contact for every program.
Individual Travelers
Planning your own trip to the Dominican Republic? We work with a select number of direct clients who want a truly curated, personally guided experience.
Guest Voices
What Our Guests Say
“What really stood out was Lara’s deep knowledge of the area and ability to explain history, culture, and local life in a way that was easy to understand and genuinely interesting. I learned so much more than I ever would have on my own and never felt rushed or bored.”
“We took several tours with Lara in the Dominican Republic and recommend her wholeheartedly. If you want to experience the Dominican Republic authentically and value personal care, small groups and a relaxed atmosphere, Lara is exactly right for you.”
“Lara and Courage Travels are absolutely fantastic! I wish I would have learned about her company before arriving so I would have planned everything with her from the very beginning.”