Cuba budget holiday
| country: | Cuba |
| trip type: | A small group adventure |
| departures: | Departures on most Saturdays throughout the year |
| price: | From £530 (15 days) excluding flights. Local payment CU $250 (approx £135) |
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the amazing things you'll be doing
This 2 week journey of discovery will explore Cuba's colonial past as well as its more recent history.
Come visit the most fascinating island of the Caribbean. From the busy streets and port of Havana to the more relaxed pace of towns like Trinidad, Camagüey and Baracoa, we will have an opportunity to visit unspoiled beaches and feel the rhythms of the Cuban beat in Santiago de Cuba, the home of son music.
Come visit the most fascinating island of the Caribbean. From the busy streets and port of Havana to the more relaxed pace of towns like Trinidad, Camagüey and Baracoa, we will have an opportunity to visit unspoiled beaches and feel the rhythms of the Cuban beat in Santiago de Cuba, the home of son music.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Arrive Havana. Arrive in Havana at any time. |
| Day 2: | Santa Clara. Heading east along the island, arrive in Santa Clara, a key city in the Revolution. Santa Clara is probably most well-known as the home of the statue of Ernesto Che Guevara at the Plaza de la Revolución. The remains of Che and his comrades who fell in Bolivia, are interred in the mausoleum at this site. |
| Day 3-5: | Trinidad. We continue onward to the colonial city of Trinidad, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1988, and home to lovely Spanish-style churches and great museums. We are also near Playa Ancón, with long stretches of unspoiled, white sand beaches- an ideal spot to snorkel or swim. Get into the musical culture of Trinidad with two included salsa lessons. |
| Day 6: | Camagüey. Lying about halfway between Santa Clara and Santiago de Cuba, Camagüey is known for its colonial past and its tinajones, large clay receptacles for holding water. Also a university town, it has a rich tradition in music and literature. |
| Day 7-9: | Santiago de Cuba. We journey east along the Carretera Central to Santiago de Cuba, known as the Cradle of the Revolution. This is the province where Castro began the struggle against the Batista régime. Santiago is also the home of traditional son rhythms, which gave birth to salsa music. There are many museums, colonial churches and historical buildings worth exploring, such as the Moncada Barracks, the site of Fidel Castro's first major attack on a key Batista government military garrison. We include a visit to Castillo del Moro, a UNESCO World Heritage site. |
| Day 10-13: | Baracoa. Situated on a beautiful bay with the mountains of the Sierra del Purial in the background, Baracoa was the first settlement founded by Diego Velázquez in 1512. There are lovely historic buildings throughout the town, including forts built to withstand pirate raids. Outside of town the mountains and black sand beaches beckon to outdoor enthusiasts, with optional hiking excursions near El Yunque. |
| Day 14: | Baracoa & Havana. We depart Baracoa for our flight to Havana. 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 a walking tour. Take a salsa or music lesson, rent a vintage car or take a carriage ride through the old city. We spend our last night relaxing at the bars and clubs while listening to Cuba’s mesmerizing musical rhythms. |
| Day 15: | Depart Havana. |
travellers' tales
Most memorable was swimming in a cave, with bats over head! Meeting people from completely different cultures (and dancing with them...) (more)
small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places.how this holiday makes a difference
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On this tour you may have the opportunity to visit a local bike workshop in Old Havana developed by BICYCLES CROSSING BORDERS (BCB), a non-profit organization that promotes cycling by shipping unused and repairable bikes to Cuba.
BCB has trained up to 30 Cubans in bicycle repair and maintenance, the majority being women and encourages more Cubans to set up efficient bike shops across the island. We support this project through our non-profit organization, the Planeterra Foundation, developed as a way to give back to the people and places that we visit on our tours. |
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 led 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. |