Cuba fair trade tour
| country: | Cuba |
| departures: | 2008: 22 Nov 2009: 21 Feb, 28 Mar, 21 Nov |
| price: | From £1325 for 2008 & £1425 for 2009 (15 days) excluding flights. We can help arrange flights from the UK |
the amazing things you'll be doing
Colourful orchards, sandy beaches and vibrant towns provide a stunning backdrop to our journey around Cuba. This tour offers an opportunity to see first hand how fair trade work in a now unique political setting.
We will visit citrus farmers in Ciego de Avila, who supply Fruit Passion Juice, and learn how fair trade premiums are invested in collective projects by their cooperatives. Visits to sites commemorating the revolution give an insight into Cuba's complex social history and there'll be plenty of opportunity to enjoy Cuba's lively artistic and musical scene.
This company has been organising specialist trips in Cuba for five years.
Seeing their tours as social and cultural 'exchanges', they offer you the chance to learn about Cuba's fascinating places and stories from the people. Jesus Noguera is an experienced guide who is passionate about his country and has a deep understanding of the cultural, economic and political issues of Cuban life.
Please note: Local circumstances within Cuba, which we cannot foresee or are beyond our control, may mean that changes have to be made to the itinerary. If this happens we/our tour leader will consider your wishes and organise other options as far as it is reasonable and practical to do so. However, on rare occasions, visits to producers and projects might not be possible, if their circumstances change after publication of the brochure (eg key personnel need to be away or otherwise engaged). Members of the tour group should bear in mind that they are going on these visits as guests, rather than as customers with rights. There may have to be changes to times or modes of travel, but our tour leader will make every effort to keep disruption to a minimum. Occasionally power or water supplies may be interrupted. Our tour leader will help you to make contact with home if needed, but telephone/fax/e-mail facilities cannot always be guaranteed.
We will visit citrus farmers in Ciego de Avila, who supply Fruit Passion Juice, and learn how fair trade premiums are invested in collective projects by their cooperatives. Visits to sites commemorating the revolution give an insight into Cuba's complex social history and there'll be plenty of opportunity to enjoy Cuba's lively artistic and musical scene.
This company has been organising specialist trips in Cuba for five years.
Seeing their tours as social and cultural 'exchanges', they offer you the chance to learn about Cuba's fascinating places and stories from the people. Jesus Noguera is an experienced guide who is passionate about his country and has a deep understanding of the cultural, economic and political issues of Cuban life.
Please note: Local circumstances within Cuba, which we cannot foresee or are beyond our control, may mean that changes have to be made to the itinerary. If this happens we/our tour leader will consider your wishes and organise other options as far as it is reasonable and practical to do so. However, on rare occasions, visits to producers and projects might not be possible, if their circumstances change after publication of the brochure (eg key personnel need to be away or otherwise engaged). Members of the tour group should bear in mind that they are going on these visits as guests, rather than as customers with rights. There may have to be changes to times or modes of travel, but our tour leader will make every effort to keep disruption to a minimum. Occasionally power or water supplies may be interrupted. Our tour leader will help you to make contact with home if needed, but telephone/fax/e-mail facilities cannot always be guaranteed.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Flight London-Havana. We will be met at the airport by our guide and transferred to our hotel. (D) |
| Day 2: | Havana City Tour. (B,L,D) |
| Day 3: | Visit ANAP for insight into Cuban agricultural policies, sustainable development and a focus on permaculture projects. From there we’ll visit an organic farm in the city, to see the policies in practice. (B) |
| Day 4: | Travel to Ceballos, in Ciego de Avila, the fertile region in the centre of Cuba where Traidcraft source fruit juice from citrus farmers. Stay in ANAP guesthouse & explore the area in the afternoon. (B,L,D) |
| Day 5: | Visit CPA and CCS José Marti, two cooperatives of farmers who pool resources to have access to credit and services like tractors and trucks. (B,L,D) |
| Day 6: | Travel to Trinidad, a World Heritage Site old colonial town of spacious courtyards and cobbled streets that nestles between the coast of the Caribbean Ocean and the Topes de Collantes mountains. We’ll break the journey with a stop off at Sugar Mill Valley, and check in, early afternoon, to the ICAP guesthouse in Trinidad. The Sugar Mill Valley is a graveyard of ruined mills, warehouses, slave quarters and manor houses, remnants of the interconnected Cuban trades in sugar and slaves. Once in Trinidad, there’ll be free time to relax and settle in before dinner. For dinner we will be advised of good places to eat in Trinidad and there will be an opportunity to enjoy a lively evening of music and salsa. (B) |
| Day 7: | Sightseeing in Trinidad - Palacio Cantero Museum. A visit to a maternity ward will be an opportunity to find out about Cuba’s state health system, and time to explore the back streets, museums and exhibitions and local craft producers in Trinidad. Optional trek in the Topes de Collantes mountains, music and salsa! (B) |
| Day 8: | We visit the art school in Trinidad before enjoying the afternoon and taking a choice of various optional activities. |
| Day 9: | We travel to the Matanzas province making a stop at Cienfuegos. Stay at Playa Larga. (B,D) |
| Day 10: | Head to Soroa to explore the Sierra del Rosario where we have lunch. Visit orchid garden then free afternoon to relax by the pool. (B,D) |
| Day 11: | Visit the craft workshops, a doctor’s surgery and abandoned coffee plantation, Cafetal Buenavista, of the Las Terrazas community. This community was founded in 1968 and is dedicated to reforestation, ecological improvement and ecotourism. In the afternoon we'll visit the San Juan River and for those who want to there'll be the option of swimming at Los Baños de San Juan. Dinner will be at the hotel. (B,L,D) |
| Day 12: | Morning walk through the rainforest to Bella Vista lookout point and waterfall. In the afternoon we travel to Vinales where we will stay tonight. (B,D) |
| Day 13: | Rest day. This will be a free morning and afternoon to explore the valleys and hills of the Vinales National Park or relax in peaceful surroundings. (B,D) |
| Day 14: | Visit to to a medicinal farmer and a local renewable energy project. Return to Havana & dinner in the Mesón de la Flota, a restaurant with a strong flamenco flavour infused with music and dance. (B,D) |
| Day 15: | Free day in Havana & evening flight to UK. (B) |
this tourism business was Highly Commended
In our 2005 First Choice Responsible Tourism Awards, the largest awards of their kind in the world, and organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Times, World Travel Market and Geographical Magazine. The idea behind the Awards is that all types of tourism – from niche to mainstream – can and should be operated in a way that respects and benefits destinations and local people. how this holiday makes a difference
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If you’re interested in fair-trade and are looking for an opportunity to meet the people behind the products then these are the holidays for you. Global adventures start with a local perspective – that's our philosophy. Whether abroad, or just as importantly at home, the start point is the same; how to get the most enjoyable holiday for our customers while benefiting the local people, economy and respecting the environment.
This is the UK's leading fair trade organisation which is engaged in innovative and effective trade and has been fighting poverty through trade since 1979. We work at the national and international level advocating changes in trade rules to make them work in the interests of the poor and mobilise public opinion to support fairer trade practices. Our sales are now worth more than £12 million a year, providing vital income for producers in over 30 countries. Working with a local partner on fair trade terms, this itinerary offers an opportunity to see first hand how fair trade works in a now unique political setting and how effective sustainable trading can improve the lives of the local people while providing a general insight into Cuba its culture and its people. Being able to participate and connect with the local culture provides a richer holiday experience. Accompanied by a local knowledgeable guide who truly knows the area, our guests are able to get more of a feel for the place and the environment. In selecting accommodation in small hotels, private homes and guest houses we make sure that the local communities benefit. By collaborating with locally based people when visiting wildlife areas we are able to contribute to the regional economy. We provide guests with Travellers’ Codes that encourage the reduction of water usage, systems for collecting, recycling or safe disposal of litter and relevant suggestions to minimise damage to the environment, wildlife and marine ecosystems. All our holidays have a maximum group size of 12 to 14 people minimizing both the social and environmental impact. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've lead the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |