Tour Price

US$ 450 / £ 225 / € 282 ( + 200 CUC (“Cuban Dollars”) local payment )

Summary

• Day 1 - Arrival Day Havana
• Day 2,3 - Vinales
• Day 4 - Cienfuegos
• Day 5,6 - Trinidad
• Day 7 - Havana
• Day 8 - Departure Day

8 Day Cuban Adventure Includes

• 7 nights hotel and family stay
• Local bus/private van
• Local tour leader throughout
• All breakfasts
• Small group size - maximum 10 (average 7) people + tour leader

Itinerary Details

Day 1 Arrive Havana

Arrive in Havana at any time. Today is the arrival day of the tour so there are no planned activities and you can check into the hotel and relax or go and explore the city. One of the oldest cities in the Western Hemisphere, Havana was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1982. Adventure among the splendorously crumbling architecture of the streets of old Havana and sit on the famous sea wall (El Malecon) to take in the view and some fresh air, and to socialize with the colourful and friendly 'Habaneros'.

Day 2,3 Vinales

Surrounded by picturesque limestone pincushion hills (“mogotes”), Vinales is a small and culturally rich village, with friendly and welcoming residents and wide variety of outdoor activities available. Exploring caves carved in the limestone by rivers, hiking, biking, horseback riding or simply enjoying the views of the valley and sprawling tobacco fields below are all options. Once you experience the warmth and generosity of our Cuban family home stay hosts, you’ll feel like part of their family. Vinales is one of the more agriculturally productive areas, so an abundance of local seasonal fruit and vegetables is always on offer such as enormous avocados and mangoes, pineapples, papaya, guava, and a several varieties of sweet potatoes. Its one of the cooler areas of Cuba, so its also a nice escape from the hotter parts of the country. The nightlife is very active in this village with the local residents more than willing participants in dancing to the local live music.

From Havana to Vinales its about a 3 hour drive, and on the way we usually stop for lunch at the mountain resort town of Soroa. There are quite a few attractions around this heavily forested area including a short trek to a waterfall, a steep walk to a lookout, a very impressive orchid garden.

Day 4 Cienfuegos

From Vinales, its a long drive to the Caribbean Sea and the French founded city of Cienfuegos. Cubans are known to be very proud people, and the citizens of Cuba’s third largest port city, call their town La Perla del Sur (the pearl of the south). Cienfuegos appeal lies partly in the European flavour of its colonial hub, with a wide Parisian-style boulevard and elegant colonnades, and there is an ambience to inspire Cuba’s most celebrated Son singer to write the words “Cienfuegos is the city I like best”. We stay in a part of town that is at the beginning of a stunning peninsula that stretches out into the Caribbean Sea and is lined with mansions that are now being used as clubs and bars for public use.

Day 5,6 Trinidad

Its only a short drive from Cienfuegos along the Caribbean coast to the beautiful colonial city of Trinidad. On the way we have the option call in at the island’s best botanical garden, which houses some 2,000 species, 70% of which are exotics, including rare tropical plants with important medicinal uses.

For most visitors to Cuba, Trinidad is their standout favourite destination (well, for the ones that make it this far anyway). No other colonial city in Cuba is so well preserved, and the local residents are extremely friendly and festive. Trinidad is steeped in religiosity, none the least of which is Santeria and other Afro-Cuban religions that are related to Voodoo. The thing however that visitors most love about Trinidad is the nightlife. There are no less than 10 live music venues all within a short walking distance. Many of these have lovely outdoor settings, in courtyards, and within the walls of old colonial ruins.

We are near the lovely Valle de los Ingenios (Valley of Sugarmills) and Playa Ancón, where you can enjoy long stretches of unspoiled, white sand beaches. Scuba diving, snorkeling, swimming in waterfalls and horse-riding are other optional activities.

Day 7 Havana

We return to Havana for the final night of the tour. Havana is a big and bustling, and your tour guide will help you find the best parts of it, and explore this unique city. We stop on the way to visit the Che Guevara Monument/Memorial/Mauseleum/Museum. Che’s remains were brought to rest here after they were found in a remote corner of Bolivia in 1997, where he was assassinated by the CIA backed Bolivian army. Its an impressive and massive bronze statue of Che bearing his rifle. Inside the museum, you can learn about his amazing life and see photos and exhibits such as his famous black beret.

Day 8 Depart Havana

Notes - Itineraries for the tour of Cuba can and do change during the course of the year due to a variety of reasons. We are not always able to advise you in advance of these changes. We ask for your understanding and flexibility in these cases.