Cuba tour, The Revolutionary Trail
| country: | Cuba |
| trip type: | Moderate walking holidays |
| departures: | 2008: 23 Aug, 8 Nov |
| price: | From £1905 (11 days) including flights from UK. Subject to minimum 10 people. We can also organise trips on a tailormade basis for 2 or more people all year round. This trip can also be booked without flights |
the amazing things you'll be doing
Over 50 years ago, Fidel Castro and his followers triumphantly drove into Havana and declared that the revolution had been successful and a new era in the history of Cuba was about to begin. This ten day trip follows in the footsteps of the revolutionaries, from the first attack on Batista troops at the Moncada Barracks in Santiago de Cuba, to the landing of the Granma boat from Mexico with Fidel and Che Guevara on board, and on to Bayamo, Trinidad, Santa Clara, the Bay of Pigs and finally Havana. The itinerary includes some low level hiking in the Sierra Maestra mountains, visits to key historical and culturally important sites around the island, contact with local communities and accompanied nights out to hear fabulous live Cuban music.
Specialist bilingual guides will accompany the trip from start to finish. This is your chance to find out about the Cuban revolution in detail and to experience the magic of Cuba and its people at grass roots level.
Specialist bilingual guides will accompany the trip from start to finish. This is your chance to find out about the Cuban revolution in detail and to experience the magic of Cuba and its people at grass roots level.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Travel from London Gatwick on Cubana flight to Holguin. Transfer to Santiago de Cuba and check into 3* Hotel |
| Day 2: | Welcome meeting after breakfast. Guided city tour by coach with visits to the Santa Ifigenia cemetery, Moncada Barracks and El Morro fortress. Return to hotel for dinner and optional evening taster salsa class. Accompanied evening out to Casa de la Trova for live Cuban music. |
| Day 3: | After breakfast, set off for Santo Domingo in the Sierra Maestra mountains via Bayamo, the town where the Cuban national anthem was written. Arrive in Santo Domingo at the foot of the national park, check into Villa Santo Domingo or equivalent 3 star hotel. Rest of afternoon free until dinner. Illustrated talk on the Pico Turquino national park. |
| Day 4: | Visit to La Comandancia de la Plata, Fidel’s secret base in the mountains with local specialist guide. Picnic lunch. Walk to La Platica forestry community. Dinner and overnight stay in La Platica mountain refuge with community activity |
| Day 5: | Breakfast and tour of the community including visit to the school and family doctor’s surgery. Picnic lunch and descend to Santo Domingo on foot. Afternoon visit to Desembarco de Granma where Fidel and Che and followers landed from Mexico to start the revolution. Transfer to Bayamo and 3*** hotel with dinner |
| Day 6: | Depart after early breakfast and travel to Trinidad (travel day). Check into 3*** hotel. Guided visit of the historic town centre, a UNESCO World Heritage site and rest of afternoon free until dinner. Dinner and optional night out to local live music venue |
| Day 7: | Guided visit of Sugar Mill Valley and the Torre Iznaga (slave tower) outside Trinidad. Both of these lie within another of Cuba’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Return to Trinidad for dinner and overnight |
| Day 8: | After breakfast, depart for Santa Clara. Visit the Tren Blindado and Che memorial and then travel to Playa Giron (Bay of Pigs). Accommodation and dinner |
| Day 9: | Tour of Playa Giron and visit Playa Giron museum. Optional visit to crocodile farm. Afternoon free. Hotel and dinner in Playa Giron |
| Day 10: | After breakfast, transfer to Havana and check into 3*** hotel accommodation in Old Havana. Optional guided walking tour of Old Havana. Dinner and overnight |
| Day 11: | After breakfast, guided visit to Museum of the Revolution. Late afternoon transfer to Havana airport for overnight flight to London. Arrive into London Gatwick on following morning. |
how this holiday makes a difference
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When out on tour we encourage learning about the country we are travelling in, the local culture of the people we work with and the areas we pass through. Our guides hold informal talks with groups to inform about and discuss with them all aspects of local life. This helps understanding of the area and appreciation of the people who live there. We encourage everyone to learn some Spanish before they come on tour so as to be able to communicate with local people, even at a basic level.
By staying in local homes and mountain community refuges, we are able to make a direct economic input into local communities. We enable interaction with local people thorough community activities and other events thus enabling our clients to meet and get to know people from the area. All our dance tutors and specialist guides are local people and they are treated and paid fairly. Where possible, food is purchased locally and we encourage cooking with local products. We ask everyone to bring donations of clothing and other items to present to one of the community projects we visit thus directly benefitting local people. |
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. |