Cuba Explorer
9 days from Havana to Havana
From $ 2099
Duration9 days
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Explore a side of Cuba that few rarely get to experience on this nine-day adventure. Cruise Havana’s history-infused streets in a classic car and stroll along Trinidad’s cobblestone avenues to the rhythms of music floating from open windows. Tour a tobacco plantation for a taste of iconic Cuban culture and luxuriate in the view of the island’s rolling western hills. Travel by private air-conditioned vehicle is well-paced, so you're refreshed and ready to explore the island’s vibrant culture and tropical breezes.

This tour is operated by

  • Duration: 9 days
    Service level: Standard
  • Starts in: Havana
    Physical Grading: Light
  • Ends in: Havana
    Ages: 12+
Cuba Explorer - Tour Map

Itinerary

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Day 1: Havana

Start place: Havana

Arrive in Havana at any time and transfer your casa particular. One of the oldest cities in the western hemisphere, Havana was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1982. It contains a wealth of colonial architecture, and the old city and streets around the malecon (ocean-side walkway) are best discovered on foot.

After the group welcome meeting at 6pm, we will be heading out for a meal in a nearby local restaurant (optional). If you arrive late, the leader will leave you a message at the front desk.
Arrive at any time. An arrival transfer is included to the tour's starting point, a "casa particular" (Cuban home used as a bed and breakfast), for an authentic Cuban experience. It is important to note that Cuba tends to be quite different to other areas of the world you may have travelled in. Buildings and infrastructure are generally old and may not have been maintained to the highest standard. Elevators, internet and A/C often break down, things happen very slowly and water pressure and hot water can be minimal. Cuba is an amazing place to visit but to fully enjoy and relax, western expectations should be left at home and your sense of adventure should be your guide.

End place: Havana

Day 2: Havana

Start place: Havana

Learn more about the city's history on an included walking tour of Old Havana. After, enjoy an included tour in vintage automobiles. Revel in the bustle, history, and rhythms of this fascinating Caribbean capital city. After lunch spend time exploring Havana with a free afternoon.
Enjoy a walking tour of historic Old Havana before hopping in a vintage automobile to cruise through the city. Enjoy free time in the afternoon to explore Cuba's capital.

End place: Havana

Meals: B, L
Day 3: Havana

Start place: Havana

Our last full day in Havana, spend the morning taking in the sights, sounds, and hustle-and-bustle of the city.
Take advantage of a free day to explore Havana and discover the city's rhythm. Enjoy dinner in a local restaurant with the group.

End place: Havana

Meals: B, D
Day 4: Viñales

Start place: Havana

A short trip west brings us to "The Garden Province" of Pinar del Rio and to the Valley of Viñales with the town of the same name. Enjoy an included cigar tour en route before getting your cameras ready for the lush vistas and pincushion hills around Viñales, called mogotes.
Travel to lush Viñales with a cigar tour en route. Enjoy lunch at a local tobacco farm.
Meals: B, L
Day 5: Viñales
Arguably one of the prettiest natural areas in Cuba, take the chance to explore the area, or simply sit back and enjoying the view.
Take a walk through the countryside to enjoy the stunning outdoors. Enjoy free time in Viñales in the afternoon.
Meals: B
Day 6: Trinidad
A trip south brings us through the beautiful Topes de Collantes region to the southern coastal city and UNESCO World Heritage Site of Trinidad. We include a tour of the area to get your general bearings; the rest of the time is free to wander the cobblestone streets, shop, and experience the great music scene that has made this city famous.
Travel to Trinidad, tour the city, and opt to take a salsa dancing lesson. In Trinidad, we spend 2 nights in a Casa Particular, the Cuban equivalent of a Bed & Breakfast. Utilizing local accommodation puts you closer to the Cuban people and lifestyle and often provides a higher standard of service and comfort than in a hotel. The Casas have air conditioning, hot water, en-suite and are located right in the center of Trinidad.
Meals: B, D
Day 7: Trinidad
Enjoy a free day in Trinidad to discover this Spanish colonial town that was founded in the 16th century and still preserves a look and feel of the past.
Meals: B, D
Day 8: Sancti Spiritus/Santa Clara/Havana
Head east along the Carretera Central to the city of Santa Clara, a key location in the history of the Revolution. On your way into town visit key historical sites, including the massive Che monument (Santa Clara is also the final resting place of Che Guevara) before settling in for the night.

After exploring some of the revolutionary sites, enjoy a guided tour of Sancti Spiritus, one of the best preserved cities in the Caribbean from the time of the sugar trade.

Travel back to the north coast to Havana for your final night on the town with the group.
Take a guided tour of key historical sites, including the famous Che monument in Santa Clara and the town of Sancti Spiritus, en route back to Havana. Opt to stroll around Plaza Serafin Sánchez for superb people-watching by night.

End place: Havana

Meals: B, L
Day 9: Havana

Start place: Havana

Depart at any time. Check out from the hotel is approx. 12pm midday.

End place: Havana

Meals: B
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Inclusions

Included

  • Your Welcome Moment: Meet Your CEO and Group Your Local Living Moment: Havana Homestay, Havana
  • Arrival transfer
  • Walking tour of Old Havana
  • Havana City tour in vintage automobiles
  • Revolution Square visit (Havana)
  • Cigar tour in Pinar del Río with demonstrations
  • Viñales and Trinidad orientation walks
  • Giron Museum visit (Bay of Pigs)
  • Visits and entry to the Che monument and historical sites in Santa Clara
  • Guided tour of Santa Clara
  • Free time in Havana and Viñales
  • Informal Spanish lesson
  • All transport between destinations and to/from included activities

  • Transport

    Private vehicle, Vintage automobiles, Walking

  • Accommodation

    Casas particulares (homestays) (8 nts)

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